Lethbridge Hurricanes G.M. Peter Anholt (left) has announced Matt Anholt (right) as the team's new head coach. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Matt Anholt named new Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach

Jun 25, 2025 | 1:05 PM

The Lethbridge Hurricanes have announced their new coaching team, including its head coach.

Matt Anholt has been promoted to Head Coach and will help to lead the WHL squad alongside Assistant Coaches Ryan Aasman and Torrin White, as well as Goaltending Coach Matt Weninger.

Anholt has been with the Hurricanes since 2018, serving in a variety of roles including skills coach, development coach, assistant coach and assistant general manager.

He is being heralded as the team’s first “home-grown” head coach.

“I’ve been here now for seven years. I know how much this community cares about the team, and I couldn’t be more honoured to be standing here today, but especially in that way that I know the players here,” says Matt Anholt. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be a big part of helping draft some of the players, trade for some of the players, develop some of the players, if not all of them.”

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The 31-year-old also served as captain for the West Kelowna Warriors in the B.C. Hockey League and the University of Alaska-Anchorage in the NCAA.

Matt is the son of Lethbridge Hurricanes General Manager Peter Anholt.

Peter dismissed any concerns about nepotism in hiring his son, saying Matt’s experience and results speak for themselves.

“You see and you watch how guys around our league interact with your staff and, specifically with Matt and how he’s respected throughout the league, and knowing for a fact that, if we didn’t hire him, somebody else was,” says Peter.

He adds, “We’ve been fortunate to build a strong culture with our organization over the years and Matt has had a strong part in that while being able to continue with the continuity of our staff with our team at every level and we feel that Matt taking over as the head coach helps with our transition to the next phase of our organization.”

All four members of the Hurricanes’ coaching staff are under the age of 40.

Peter Anholt explains that it was “100 per cent” a deliberate decision to have a younger team of coaches. While he says there are certainly talented older coaches who would have been a good fit, this direction will help to inject energy into the team.

Matt Anholt’s appointment comes on the heels of the departure of Bill Peters, who served as head coach for the last two seasons. Peters is set to begin his next role as the head coach of the Augsburger Panthers, a pro hockey team in Germany.

READ MORE: Former Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach signs with German pro team

It has been a busy week for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who also announced their pre-season and regular-season schedules.

READ MORE: Lethbridge Hurricanes announce pre-season schedule

READ MORE: Lethbridge Hurricanes to face Calgary in Sept. 19 regular season home opener

Left to right: Lethbridge Hurricanes G.M. Peter Anholt, Head Coach Matt Anholt, Assistant Coach Ryan Aasman, Goaltending Coach Matt Weninger, Assistant Coach Torrin White. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

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