Rick Bennett

Eric John "Rick" Bennett (born July 24, 1967) is an American former ice hockey left winger and former head coach of the Savannah Ghost Pirates. He is the former head coach of the Union Garnet Chargers men's ice hockey team of Union College, where he coached from 2011 until 2022. He played 15 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers over three seasons from 1990 to 1991. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1990 to 1999, was spent in the minor leagues.

Playing career Bennett was a four-year letterwinner (1986–90) and co-captain at Providence, where he was recognized as a Hobey Baker finalist (1990) and two-time winner of the Lou Lamoriello Trophy as team MVP. He was named an All-American during the 1988-89 season and earned All-Hockey East Second Team honors in 1990. A left-winger, Bennett finished with 134 points (50 goals, 84 assists) in 128 career games. Bennett skated on the famed B-B-G line, along with center Mike Boback and right wing Robbie Gaudreau. Rick, who graduated with a B.A. in general studies, was inducted into the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.

Bennett was a third-round draft pick (54th overall) of the Minnesota North Stars in the 1986 NHL entry draft. His draft rights were later traded to the New York Rangers. Bennett appeared in 15 games with the Rangers over three seasons (1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92). Bennett's 10-year professional career also included stints with the Binghamton Rangers (AHL), Springfield Indians (AHL), Hershey Bears (AHL), Springfield Falcons (AHL), Albany River Rats (AHL), Cincinnati Cyclones (IHL), Jacksonville Lizard Kings (ECHL) and Pee Dee Pride (ECHL). Bennett served as a player assistant coach for the Jacksonville Lizard Kings and Pee Dee Pride.

Coaching career

Bennett served as head coach at Union College from 2011 to 2022, leading the Dutchmen to three ECAC Hockey regular season titles (2011–12, 2014-14 & 2016-17), three ECAC Hockey tournament titles (2012, 2013 & 2014), four NCAA Tournament appearances (2012, 2013, 2014 & 2017), two Frozen Fours (2012 & 2014) and one NCAA championship title (2014) by defeating Minnesota. Bennett won ECAC Hockey's Tim Taylor Award for conference coach of the year twice (2012 & 2017), and won the American Hockey Coaches Association's Spencer Penrose Award for NCAA Division I coach of the year in 2014. Bennett resigned in 2022 following an allegation about his coaching style and practices that was substantiated through an investigation by Union College.

On May 19, 2022, Bennett was announced to be the first head coach of the ECHL expansion team Savannah Ghost Pirates.

On February 1, 2024, it was announced that Bennett would be relieved from his duties as head coach of the Savannah Ghost Pirates.

Personal life Bennett and his wife, Karyn have five children together. The family resides in Clifton Park, New York.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1985–86 Wilbraham & Monson Academy HS-MA 20 30 69 99 25 — — — — — 1986–87 Providence College HE 32 15 12 27 34 — — — — — 1987–88 Providence College HE 33 9 16 25 70 — — — — — 1988–89 Providence College HE 32 14 32 46 74 — — — — — 1989–90 Providence College HE 31 12 24 36 74 — — — — — 1989–90 New York Rangers NHL 6 1 0 1 5 — — — — — 1990–91 New York Rangers NHL 6 0 0 0 6 — — — — — 1990–91 Binghamton Rangers AHL 71 27 32 59 206 10 2 1 3 27 1991–92 New York Rangers NHL 3 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 1991–92 Binghamton Rangers AHL 69 19 23 42 112 11 0 1 1 23 1992–93 Binghamton Rangers AHL 76 15 22 37 114 10 0 0 0 30 1993–94 Springfield Indians AHL 67 9 19 28 82 6 1 0 1 31 1994–95 Springfield Falcons AHL 34 3 5 8 74 — — — — — 1994–95 Hershey Bears AHL 30 3 4 7 40 3 2 1 3 14 1995–96 Jacksonville Lizard Kings ECHL 67 28 34 62 182 18 5 10 15 30 1995–96 Cincinnati Cyclones IHL 4 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 1996–97 Jacksonville Lizard Kings ECHL 64 23 33 56 120 — — — — — 1996–97 Albany River Rats AHL 4 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1997–98 Pee Dee Pride ECHL 68 12 30 42 137 8 3 2 5 14 1998–99 Pee Dee Pride ECHL 66 21 18 39 103 11 3 1 4 33 AHL totals 351 76 105 181 628 40 5 3 8 125 NHL totals 15 1 1 2 13 — — — — —

Head coaching record

† Bennet resigned mid-season.

Awards and honors Award Year All-Hockey East Rookie Team 1986–87 AHCA East Second-Team All-American 1988–89 All-Hockey East Second team 1989–90