Hockey Coach

Background

Coach Wally, born in Montreal, Canada, played competitive minor hockey until the age of 13 when he then decided to play football at College Bourget, his high school team. After his final year of high school football, Wally decided to resume his hockey journey. It wasn't all "roses" as Wally was cut from the local Junior College team and left with no more options in Quebec. He then went to Chicago to play High School hockey at New Trier HS where the New Trier Green team lost in the final four of the State Championship. That summer Coach Wally was cut from 4 junior hockey teams around the US. One of the cuts proved to be a blessing because at that camp, Lindenwood University's head coach Rick Zombo was in attendance and offered Wally a spot on his club hockey team. Wally committed to and played at Lindenwood University, playing in the 2012–13 season. Coach Wally would switch to major junior hockey a season later in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League during the 2014–15 QMJHL season. While playing with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Walcott was rewarded for his outstanding play when he was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team.

Playing Career and Milestones

• Drafted by the Rangers then traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning where he has spent the last 9 years playing as a Forward.

• First and only ACHA player to be drafted and play in an NHL game

• Part of the first all Black line in the history of the NHL that was also honored in the Hall of Fame

• Part of the 2021 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning team

• Has played the most games in the history of the Syracuse Crunch organization