Executive Details
Uwe KruppCoach-in-Chief
Email:
Phone: 404-354-2007
Thunder Hockey Coach-In-Chief is former NHL Defenseman and two-time Stanley Cup winner, Uwe Krupp. After retiring in 2003 from the Atlanta Thrashers, ending a 17 year NHL career, Krupp began coaching the 1991 birth year during Thunder Hockey’s debut season.
As the first and most notable NHL Star hailing from Germany, Krupp also began working with the German National Team Program, and coaching at the World Junior Championships. He made his debut as the Head Coach for Team Germany at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy. Since then he led Germany to a return to the “A-Pool” of the IIHF World Championships with winning the B-Pool Championship undefeated in 2006. Known for working with young players, Germany featured the youngest team in the tournament with an average age of just 22. In 2007 Germany maintained it’s status and proved to be a team on the rise with surprise victory over the heavily favored Czech Republic team.
Drafted in the 12th round, 223rd overall, Krupp played over 800 games in the NHL playing for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings and Atlanta Thrashers. Selected for three All Star games, he became the first German to play in an NHL All Star game. He is also remembered for the Stanley Cup winning goal for the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
Having helmed the 1991 birth year since Bantam Minor, Krupp realized a long term program goal when the team advanced to Nationals in 2007. This was the second of the original three Thunder teams to advance to the National Championships. (1990’s advanced to Nationals at Bantam Major, 1991’s at Midget Minor, remaining original team is the 1993 squad).
