The Kootenay Ice have named Kris Knoblauch the fifth head coach in team history.

Knoblauch says he's very pleased with the announcement, adding that "there is a strong winning tradition in Kootenay, I've got big shoes to fill as Cory Clouston, Mark Holick and Ryan McGill are all former coaches.

"Knoblauch was Mark Holick's Assistant Coach for the past 3 seasons and played 21 games for the Ice in their first year in Cranbrook. The new bench boss feels he's ready to step into the big coaching job.

"I'm dedicated to winning and I have a lot to give, I learned a lot from Holick in three years."

Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth says "the hiring process was a long one, there was a lot of interest in the job, but, when I looked at the big picture, Kris was the logical choice."

The expectations are high in Cranbrook this year, as the team could return as many as 18 players.

Kootenay is expected to announce the rest of the coaching staff in a week.