Gulutzan uses deft touch to keep Wranglers in line

In a scene straight out of the movie "Miracle," irate Wranglers coach Glen Gulutzan canceled a scheduled off day last Sunday and put his players through grueling wind sprints the morning after a 3-2 home loss to the Fresno Falcons.

Two nights later, after Las Vegas' third straight loss in overtime, Gulutzan relented and let his players head to a local nightclub for an early birthday party for the Ferraro twins, Chris and Peter, who turn 35 on Jan. 24.

The Wranglers responded with a 5-0 thrashing of Victoria on Friday, further proof of the value of Gulutzan's even-handed coaching style. Las Vegas leads the ECHL National Conference with a 23-6-7 record.

"If I'm mad, I'm mad, and if I'm not, I'm not. I don't try to be mad when I'm not," said Gulutzan, also the team's general manager. "(Assistant coach Brent Bilodeau) and I have taken the idea that we'd rather teach and try to develop and get guys on our side without trying to be a tyrant.

"It's worked so far, and if it doesn't work, the luxury I have as the GM is to just trade the guy."

Gulutzan, a 36-year-old father of four, has guided the Wranglers to consecutive 100-point seasons and will coach in his third consecutive ECHL All-Star Game on Jan. 23 at Stockton, Calif.

Gulutzan has led Las Vegas to an overall mark of 196-86-42 in four-plus seasons -- 122-31-27 over the past three-plus -- and credits his success to his players. That's one reason they love playing for him.

"I've been fortunate to have real good clubs," he said. "The one constant we've had here is good leadership and good players. We've always had a core group of five or six guys you could build teams around, and that certainly makes it a lot easier."

Gulutzan said having players with high character may be more important than having players with a lot of talent.

"That's the biggest reason for our success. We've had character guys who were here for three or four years, and that breeds itself," he said. "You bring in Jason and Mike McBain, then Steve Crampton comes in and new guys like Jason Jozsa and Aaron Power get bred into our culture and it starts to snowball. Guys buy into what we're selling."

Besides selling players on "a great city, great facility and great ownership," Gulutzan said, perhaps his biggest asset in attracting players is that he works tirelessly to get them promoted to the American Hockey League.

"We get guys to the (AHL), and that's what young guys want. To have a chance to play in Las Vegas and the (AHL), those are two good things," Gulutzan said. "Year after year, we're in the top five or six in the league (at promoting players). There's been at least eight a year, and the distinguishing thing is we've had five or six ECHL contract players go up every year, not just (players under contract to NHL affiliate Calgary)."

Already this season, 10 Wranglers have played in the AHL, including right wing Adam Cracknell.

"Gully is more of a teaching coach and he'll help you out anyway he can. Especially for a young guy like myself, a second-year pro, he really wants us to move on," Cracknell said. "It's awesome how he treats us. You feel great coming to the rink. He makes it a fun environment, but also a work environment. That's why he's had so much success over the years."

One of only four coaches in ECHL history to earn three All-Star appearances, Gulutzan's credentials are growing each season, but he's in no rush to look for a job at a higher level.

"I thoroughly enjoy what I do here. It's a great job," he said. "If I'm going to move, it has to have the potential to go to a higher level than the AHL."

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0354.