Mike Vellucci

Michael George Vellucci (born August 11, 1966 in Farmington, Michigan) is a retired professional ice hockey player and is in his third season with the Carolina Hurricanes. As assistant general manager and director of hockey operations, Vellucci oversees scouting and player development for the Hurricanes. Previously, the head coach and general manager of the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League for 14 seasons.

Vellucci played professionally in the IHL, AHL, ECHL and BHL from 1986-89. Selected by the Hartford Whalers in the seventh round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, Vellucci played for Hartford during the 1987-88 season. Vellucci appeared in two games in the National Hockey League in 1987–88.

He coached the Plymouth Whalers from 2001–08, winning the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year in 2007 becoming the first American to win, the same season he led the Whalers to the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a berth in the 2007 Memorial Cup. He was also named the OHL’s Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year in 2012-13. Vellucci stepped down as head coach of the Whalers in December 2007, as he wanted more time to concentrate on his general manager duties, and he was replaced by Greg Stefan. Stefan coached the club until November 2008, when he resigned to take a job with the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL, and Vellucci took over the coaching reigns once again.

Prior to joining the Whalers, Vellucci was with Detroit Compuware of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), where his teams went 241-82-27 in the regular season from 1994-99, and captured U.S. national championships in 1994 and 1999. The Ambassadors also captured two NAHL regular-season titles and four Robertson Cups.

Vellucci and his wife, Sue, have a daughter, Allison (19), and a son, Ryan (14).