Terry Ruskowski, Quad City Mallards
Head Coach/General Manager
Terry Ruskowski was named the Mallards Head Coach and General Manager on August 13, 2012.
Ruskowski is no stranger to the hockey community in the Quad Cities as he once was a fourth round draft pick and the Captain of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Ruskowski served as captain while skating for the Blackhawks for three-plus seasons between 1979 and 1982. In all, the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan native played 999 career games for six teams- the Blackhawks, Houston Aeros, Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota North Stars- over 15 seasons in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association. In fact, Ruskowski is the only player in major professional hockey history to have captained four different clubs. As well as the Blackhawks, he also wore the “C” for the Aeros, Kings and Penguins.
In the CHL Ruskowski coached nine seasons with the Laredo Bucks takinng them to two CHL Championships and numerous division and conference titles. Last season, Ruskowski was the coach of the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees guiding them to a playoff berth.
Ruskowski started his coaching career during the 1989-90 season with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. Ruskowski started coaching professionally during the 1991-92 campaign with the Columbus Chill of the ECHL where he orchestrated a 16-win turnaround over three seasons.
Ruskowski then moved onto the Houston Aeros of the International Hockey League where he compiled a 50-62-11 record.
After a few years away from hockey, Ruskowski rejoined the coaching ranks in the 1999-00 season with the Knoxville Speed of the United Hockey League. In Knoxville, he saw a ten-win improvement from season one to season two.
At the start of the 2002-03 season Ruskowski joined the Laredo Bucks where he would man the bench for the next nine seasons compiling a 343-175-56 record including two CHL titles.
His overall CHL record of 375-202-63 ranks fourth on the league's all-time wins list and eight with an all-time winning percentage of .635. Only Doug Sauter, Scott Muscutt and Chris Stewart have coached more CHL games than Ruskowski.