SPHL: Toporowski takes over Storm coaching duties (2024)

The name Toporowski and hockey go together— especially here in the Quad-Cities.

Well, that surname took on even bigger importance Thursday morning.

Shayne Toporowski, brother of former Mallards great Kerry, was named head coach of the Quad City Storm.

And the 49-year-old comes in with lofty expectations for his new club and a plan to get it there as he works off a year-to-year contract.

“This is a storied franchise and hockey town in the Quad-Cities,” Toporowski said during his introduction at Vibrant Arena at The Mark. “And I want to get this Storm team, the players, the organization and everybody involved to a standard that Quad-Citians are used to from the heyday in the late 1990s and early 2000s— 50-win seasons and championship banners being raised.

“That’s the goal.”

According to Storm President Brian Rothenberger, the team had roughly 70 candidates apply for the job after Dave Pszenyczny was relieved of duties last month. Toporowski was one of three finalists.

Storm owner John Dawson believes that Toporowski is the man to change the fortunes of his club and get the Storm to the top of the 10-team SPHL.

“Shayne showed up excited; he wanted this job, and he had done his preparation beforehand and was able to talk to us about players and games,” Dawson said. “He really did his homework, and it paid off for him.”

One Storm player also has total faith in Toporowski being the man for the job.

Mike Moran played for Toporowski when he coached at Worcester State University. The 29-year-old was one of three on the Storm leadership group and among four players residing in the Quad-Cities who were in attendance for Thursday’s announcement.

“He was pretty up front with it as far as what he is bringing— I think he said, ‘stern but fair.’ I can agree with that from a player perspective,” Moran said of his coach. “There was a passion and intensity there. He wants to see his players do well, and if he doesn’t see guys living up to that standard, you will know right away with him.”

Toporowski, who is still looking for a defensive-minded assistant coach to complement his hockey acumen, wasn’t afraid to drop the gauntlet on his players. He sent a clear message during his introductory remarks.

“We start now. We change our mindset to a championship mindset,” he said. “How do we do that? We’re going to be the most physically fit team in the league. … I don’t want to spend time in camp getting you guys into shape. I want you guys to hit the ground running.”

Toporowski said players would have the playbook to study this summer “to make sure that you guys come to training camp (on Oct. 7) ready to execute what we have in our playbook to implement on the ice.”

Other players on the leadership group— 2023-24 Storm captain Tommy Tsicos and versatile defenseman Dillon Fournier— liked what they heard from their new coach.

“It’s very exciting,” Tsicos said. “We were all really excited when we all found out that Shayne was applying for the job. We knew he would be a great candidate.

“We’re just glad it all worked out. Every conversation I’ve had with him so far, it seems like he will run a tight ship and get us over the hump to win that championship.”

Fournier said he felt that with the “hockey resume” that Toporowski possessed, that he could be a difference-maker for the Storm that will have plenty of talent from last season’s sixth-place 32-23-1-0 club that bowed out in the first round of the President’s Cup playoffs.

“I’m super excited,” Fournier said. “It’s going to be nice to have a new voice and a new leader and a new personality around the team. I have a great relationship with the Toporowski family, and I’m very excited to get to know Shayne and get to work with him. … I can’t wait to start. This press conference got me fired up.”

While this will be his first professional coaching assignment, Toporowski is no stranger to working the bench. He served as a player/assistant coach in his final year of pro hockey with the Mallards when he reached a coveted goal of playing in 1,000 professional games. He then held college coaching jobs at NCAA Division I Holy Cross College (Assistant) before becoming head coach at NCAA Division III Worcester State University.

He has been out of the game for the past four years dealing with the death of his father and working on his health after a chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) diagnosis. He thanked his immediate family— wife, Stephanie, and children Dmitri and Olena— for pushing him back into the coaching ranks.

The new coach says that he continues to work on his health and promises a “fast and exciting product on the ice” that the fans can be proud of.

“I really believe in our core players that we have here,” Toporowski said. “Speaking to a lot of them, they are ready to take that next step and I’m here to guide them.”