Monsters announce additions to hockey operations department
Aug 19, 2024The Cleveland Monsters announced Monday several changes to the team’s hockey operations department, including the hiring of Chris Bergeron as Associate Coach, the promotion of Jeremy Lascko to Head Equipment Manager, and the hiring of Matthew Wentz as Assistant Equipment Manager. Bergeron replaces outgoing Associate Coach Mike Haviland while Lascko takes over for Mitch MacLeod who, like Haviland, was promoted to Columbus.
A former centerman and native of Wallaceburg, ON, Bergeron, 53, spent the last five seasons as Miami (OH) University’s Head Coach (2019-24) following a nine-year stint as Head Coach at Bowling Green State University from 2010-19. Bergeron began his coaching career with a decade spent as an Assistant Coach at Miami from 2000-10, during which time he overlapped with Monsters Head Coach Trent Vogelhuber from 2008-10 during Vogelhuber’s collegiate playing career. Bergeron played college hockey at Miami from 1989-93, served as Miami’s captain from 1991-93, and enjoyed a seven-year professional playing career in the IHL, ECHL, CHL, UHL, and AHL from 1993-2000.
Lascko, 37, a Cleveland-area native and longtime equipment staffer/locker room attendant with the Monsters, ascends to the Head Equipment Manager role after two seasons as Cleveland’s Assistant Equipment Manager following a one-year stint in the same role with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch in 2020-21. Wentz, 33, a Harrisburg, PA native, joins the Monsters after serving in equipment management and hockey operations roles at Dartmouth College and Rochester Institute of Technology.
Stay up to date on all Monsters news with the Monsters Mobile App presented by University Hospitals available to download at the Apple Store or Google Play Store. Be sure to follow the Monsters on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.