When the Toledo Walleye hit the ice in the fall, they will have a familiar face behind the bench.  Nick Vitucci, who coached the Toledo Storm before the franchise was suspended, serves as head coach of the Walleye and was one of the first hires for the new team.

Vitucci has a long and successful record in the ECHL both as a coach and as a player.  Playing as a goaltender for 15 seasons, he spent time in the Ontario Hockey League, American Hockey League and International Hockey League, before ending his career with the East Coast Hockey League in 2001.

He is one of the top goaltenders to ever play in the league, holding ECHL records for the most games played by a goaltender (479), most minutes played by a goaltender (27,291), most wins (265), most 20-or-more win seasons in a career (tied with Daniel Berthiaume at seven), and most consecutive 30-or-more win seasons (tied with Greg Gardner at two).  Vitucci even scored a goal while playing with the Charlotte Checkers on March 6, 1996.

Vitucci began his transistion from playing to coaching in the 1994-1995 season with the Toledo Storm.  Playing in goal for 56 games, he also served as an assistant coach, leading the Storm to a 41-22-5 record.  After a bit as an assistant for the Greenville Grrrowl, Vitucci took over as head coach of the Toledo Storm early in the 2003-2004 season.  He took home ECHL Coach of the Year honors in 2005 and in 2008, he was one of only a handful inducted to the ECHL Hall of Fame.

Joining Vitucci behind the bench are assistant coaches Dan Watson and Craig Furstenau.  Watson, a fellow former Storm player, came over from Puckmasters in Cleveland, while Furstenau served as captain and head coach of the Oakland University Grizzlies in the NCAA.  Support staff also includes athletic trainer Brad Fredrick, who worked for the Toledo Storm in the same capacity.