The Portland Bluebacks were bound to be in for an uncomfortable offseason after a nightmare year in which they plunged from first to worst in the Western Division. And although GM Taylor Teichman said in an end-of-season interview that he viewed the team’s freefall as a one-season fluke, the Bluebacks did not retain well-liked coach Harold Engellund in what was termed a mutual decision.
With Engellund now helming the division rival Kansas City Smoke, and the NHL’s Seattle Kraken competing for fans in the Pacific Northwest, the pressure is on for the Bluebacks to bounce back in 2022. To guide their resurgence, Portland will turn to Herman Chambers, who will be making his SHL head coaching debut.
“I feel like I’ve just been handed the keys to a brand-new Ferrari,” said Chambers. “I can’t wait to take her racing!”
The 46-year-old Chambers is a longtime protégé of Rodney Reagle. He served as an assistant on Reagle’s staff in Washington from 2015 until his mentor’s firing in 2018. Chambers then served as head coach of the CHL’s Hartford Harpoons for two seasons, compiling a record of 51-60-17. When Reagle returned to coaching with the Milwaukee Growlers last season, he brought Chambers back as his lead assistant.
Reagle wished Chambers well in his new job. “Herm’s done a good job keeping me in line all these years, as much as anyone can,” said Reagle. “But it’s time for him to have a team of his own. I told him, ‘Pinocchio, you’re a real boy now.’”
Though Chambers has a solid pedigree, putting a first-time head coach in charge of a win-now roster definitely raised some eyebrows. That said, there aren’t a lot of experienced coaches with a winning track record available. Portland reportedly pursued former Hershey coach Chip Barber, who won a Vandy in 2017, but he decided to sit out the year. The team was also rumored to have interest in Ron Wright, but the veteran coach elected to re-up with Hershey.
According to Teichman, the Bluebacks liked Chambers’ history of producing quick results. “In the first season in Washington, in a new league with a new roster, they went straight to the Finals,” the GM noted. “And in Milwaukee, in a new city with a lot of new faces, they made the playoffs the first year. We’re confident that Herman can bring that same quick improvement to us in Portland.”
Bluebacks C Eddie Costello, who played under Chambers in Washington, praised the hire. “Coach Chambers definitely played the straight man next to Coach Reagle, but he was good to work with,” said Costello. “He’s a good X-and-O guy, and he’s good at communicating with guys and making them feel respected, from the top star to the last guy on the bench. We’ve got some big personalities here, and I think Coach Chambers can handle that.”
Chambers acknowledged the pressure to deliver results quickly, and said that he’s not bothered by it. “I know this isn’t a typical job with a last-place club, where you have a few years to build toward being good,” said the new Portland coach. “The goal here is a championship, and we all know it. You shouldn’t take this job if you can’t handle those expectations, and I’m coming in with my eyes open. Fortunately, we’ve got the talent to pull it off, and I’m looking forward to wreaking havoc on the ice. Let’s do it!”
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