Pete Russell will make a dream move back to Scotland to coach Braehead Clan.
The 43-year-old Scot, who is also the head coach of the Great Britain national team, arrives after three years at Milton Keynes Lightning.
And the former netminder has already started his global recruitment drive.
Russell takes over from Canadian John Tripp who failed to take the team into the end-of-season play-offs.
And Ayrshire-born Russell admitted: “Coming from the West of Scotland, coming to the Clan is a dream move for me.
“My mum and dad live 35 miles from the rink and I’ve got family in Glasgow so, selfishly, it wasn’t something I could turn down.”
And Russell added: “It’s about building relationships with the fans and getting the players and fans together with an exciting, hard-working, blue collar, brand of hockey, which is what Glasgow is all about.
“I want to bring people into the arena and help get them off their seats. When that building gets going, it can be a cauldron and I’m excited to join the Clan.”
Russell guided the national team to a gold medal at last year’s World Championships.
He has also coached the Bracknell Bees, Slough Jets and Swindon Wildcats and Gareth Chalmers, Clan’s hockey and operations director, said bringing Russell in was about appointing a coach with connections to the league and the city.
He said: “We thought it was very important to appoint someone who is well established in the British game, someone who not only knows the EIHL but also has a strong connection to Glasgow.
“In appointing Pete, we have the Clan’s first ever Scottish head coach, someone who already understands the demands of being head coach of a Glasgow sports team.”
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