web1_WA-Mid-Valley-HS-ftbl-TL-1.jpg

WVC football Week 2 preview: Wyoming Area faces four-time D2-3A champ Scranton Prep

web1_Scott-Jennings-1-.jpg

Their view: Gun reforms every Republican should embrace

Suddenly in need of a general manager, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton actually already hired one back in June.And so, the Penguins&#8217; new coach for 2019-20 will also be the Penguins&#8217; new general manager. Pittsburgh made it official on Thursday in naming Mike Vellucci GM of the AHL club. Vellucci will hold both titles, as he did for the Charlotte Checkers while winning the Calder Cup last season.&#8220;Mike has experience and success in being a general manager and coach,&#8221; Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford said through the team. &#8220;We are fortunate to have someone that can handle both duties.&#8221;Rarely does any pro hockey team have to replace its general manager a few weeks before training camp opens. But when the NHL&#8217;s Minnesota Wild abruptly fired their own GM a month ago, they ultimately hired Pittsburgh assistant GM Bill Guerin to replace him last week.Guerin had been serving as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton&#8217;s GM, running the day-to-day operations of the team. Now that will be up to Vellucci, 52, who has spent as much of his career building rosters as he has coaching them.Prior to leading the Checkers behind the bench, Vellucci was in the front office, serving as assistant GM and in a player development role with the parent Carolina Hurricanes.Before that, he also served as a dual coach/general manager in junior hockey while running the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL.&#8220;The dual role is perfect,&#8221; Vellucci told penguins.com. &#8220;I know I have to develop, but at the same time I have to win because that&#8217;s a big part of developing. I&#8217;ve proven over the last couple of years that it can be successful if it&#8217;s done the right way. I&#8217;m happy to be here in Pittsburgh working with the guys up top to make our prospects better players.&#8220;I&#8217;m excited for the opportunity.&#8221;McGrath moves onFor the first time in his pro career, Patrick McGrath will be playing hockey outside of the Penguins organization.The Shavertown native, who became the area&#8217;s first player to suit up for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, has signed in the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlies for the 2019-20 season.McGrath, 26, spent seven seasons with the organization, starting off in the ECHL with the Wheeling Nailers before sticking full time with the Penguins in 2016-17 through last season.A fan favorite, McGrath was best known for his physical game and willingness to drop the gloves despite checking in at 5-foot-10.He played 94 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scoring just seven points (three goals, four assists) but racking up 349 penalty minutes.Since making his debut for Wheeling in 2013, McGrath has played 231 total games as a pro with 881 career penalty minutes.McGrath grew up playing youth hockey for the Philadelphia Little Flyers before heading to Canada to play major junior hockey for Prince Edward Island. In 2012-13, he was the QMJHL&#8217;s most penalized player.Though McGrath is gone, the Penguins signed 6-foot-5 bruiser Jamie Devane to an AHL deal earlier in the summer. The team also led the AHL in fighting majors last season by a significant margin.Lovejoy retiresWilkes-Barre/Scranton alum Ben Lovejoy announced his retirement on Thursday.The defenseman began his pro career as an undrafted free agent when he signed an AHL deal with the Penguins prior to the 2007-08 season. From that he went on to play 12 years &#8212; 11 in the NHL &#8212; and getting his name on the Stanley Cup as a regular on Pittsburgh&#8217;s blue line in 2016.Lovejoy has taken an on-air job with the NHL Network, which he began this week.Tickets on sale next weekWilkes-Barre/Scranton will put single game tickets on sale for the upcoming season on Sept. 3 beginning at 10 a.m.Seats for all home games can be bought at Mohegan Sun Arena, online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at 570-208-7367.<style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_WBS-jpg.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_WBS-jpg.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Derek Levarsedlevarse@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div>

New WBS Penguins coach Vellucci adds general manager to duties