# Ken Gernander

Kenneth Robert Gernander (born June 30, 1969) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player who played 12 regular season games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers between 1996 and 2004. Born in Coleraine, Minnesota, he played for the University of Minnesota for four years and was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the fifth round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft.
He is currently the head men’s ice hockey coach at Franklin Pierce University.

## Playing career

Gernander played 14 professional seasons, the last 11 in the New York Rangers organization with their AHL affiliates in Binghamton (1994–1997) and Hartford (1997–2005). He served as team captain for 10 years and led the Wolf Pack to a Calder Cup championship in 2000. He is the Wolf Pack's all-time franchise record-holder in games played (599) and playoff games played (78). Gernander also ranks second all-time in goals (160), assists (187) and points (347) in Hartford franchise history. Despite these accomplishments, Gernander was rarely called up to play for the Rangers; he appeared in only 27 NHL games (12 in regular season, 15 in playoffs) over the course of his career.
Gernander retired after the 2004–05 season. He is the AHL's all-time leader with 123 career playoff games played and is the league's all-time leading scorer among American-born players with 624 points in 973 games.

## Coaching career

After his retirement, Gernander spent two seasons as Hartford's assistant coach. On July 23, 2007, the Wolf Pack announced that Gernander would replace Jim Schoenfeld as head coach when Schoenfeld had been promoted to assistant general manager of the New York Rangers and general manager of the Wolf Pack. Gernander was fired as head coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack on May 16, 2017.
Gernander's number 12 is the only number retired by the Wolf Pack. It was retired on October 8, 2005.
Gernander was a scout for the New York Islanders from 2018-24. He is currently the head men’s ice hockey coach at Franklin Pierce University.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1985–86 | Greenway High School | HS-MN | 23 | 14 | 23 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–87 | Greenway High School | HS-MN | 26 | 35 | 34 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–87 | Des Moines Buccaneers | USHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–88 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 44 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 44 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 44 | 32 | 17 | 49 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 44 | 23 | 20 | 43 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 13 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 43 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1992–93 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 71 | 18 | 29 | 47 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| 1993–94 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 71 | 22 | 25 | 47 | 12 | 19 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 1994–95 | Binghamton Rangers | AHL | 80 | 28 | 25 | 53 | 24 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 1995–96 | New York Rangers | NHL | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995–96 | Binghamton Rangers | AHL | 63 | 44 | 29 | 73 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Binghamton Rangers | AHL | 46 | 13 | 18 | 31 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996–97 | New York Rangers | NHL | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997–98 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 80 | 35 | 28 | 63 | 26 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4 |
| 1998–99 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 70 | 23 | 26 | 49 | 32 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 1999–00 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 79 | 28 | 29 | 57 | 24 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 80 | 22 | 27 | 49 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001–02 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 75 | 18 | 31 | 49 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2002–03 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 72 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | New York Rangers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 77 | 12 | 19 | 31 | 28 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| 2004–05 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 66 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 973 | 293 | 331 | 624 | 341 | 123 | 26 | 29 | 55 | 20 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Coaching record

| Team | Year | League | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Post Season |
| Team | Year | League | G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Finish | Result |
| Hartford Wolf Pack | 2007–08 | AHL | 80 | 50 | 20 | — | 10 | 110 | 2nd in Atlantic | Lost in First Round |
| Hartford Wolf Pack | 2008–09 | AHL | 80 | 46 | 27 | — | 7 | 99 | 1st in Atlantic | Lost in First round |
| Hartford Wolf Pack | 2009–10 | AHL | 80 | 36 | 33 | — | 11 | 83 | 6th in Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| Connecticut Whale | 2010–11 | AHL | 80 | 40 | 32 | — | 8 | 88 | 3rd in Atlantic | Lost in First Round |
| Connecticut Whale | 2011–12 | AHL | 76 | 36 | 26 | — | 14 | 86 | 2nd in Northeast | Lost in Second Round |
| Connecticut Whale | 2012–13 | AHL | 76 | 35 | 32 | — | 9 | 79 | 2nd in Northeast | Did not qualify |
| Hartford Wolf Pack | 2013–14 | AHL | 76 | 37 | 32 | — | 7 | 81 | 3rd in Northeast | Did not qualify |
| Hartford Wolf Pack | 2014–15 | AHL | 76 | 43 | 24 | — | 9 | 95 | 1st in Northeast | Lost in Third Round |
| Hartford Wolf Pack | 2015–16 | AHL | 76 | 41 | 32 | — | 3 | 85 | 6th in Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| Hartford Wolf Pack | 2016–17 | AHL | 76 | 24 | 46 | — | 6 | 54 | 7th in Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| AHL Totals | AHL Totals | | 776 | 388 | 304 | — | 84 | 860 | | |

## Awards and honors

| Award | Year | Ref |
| WCHA All-Tournament Team | 1990 | |