Head Coach - Kirk MacDonald
Kirk MacDonald was named head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on June 19, 2024. A native of Victoria, British Columbia, MacDonald becomes the 12th head coach in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton history.
The 40-year-old MacDonald joins the Penguins organization with over 10 years of coaching experience, most recently as the head coach of the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 2022-24. This past season, MacDonald led Dubuque to the best record in the USHL’s Eastern Conference, going 41-13-8 in the regular season before capturing the USHL Eastern Conference championship in the Clark Cup Playoffs.
Prior to his time in Dubuque, MacDonald spent eight seasons with the Reading Royals of the ECHL in various roles including assistant coach, head coach and director of hockey operations. MacDonald got his start in coaching at the collegiate level with his alma mater, R.P.I., where he served as an assistant coach in 2013-14.
MacDonald enjoyed a seven-year professional playing career from 2007-13. The forward spent the majority of his career at the AHL level, appearing in 272 regular-season games with the Albany River Rats, Providence Bruins, Iowa Chops and Houston Aeros where he notched 106 points (45G-61A).
Sheldon Brookbank – Assistant Coach
Sheldon Brookbank joined the Penguins as an assistant coach on August 8, 2022.
Brookbank brings five seasons of coaching experience to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in addition to a 16-year pro playing career. The 43-year-old spent parts of the past four seasons as an assistant coach in the NHL for the Chicago Blackhawks.
The native of Lanigan, Saskatchewan racked up 853 professional games, 351 of which were spent in the NHL. Brookbank suited up for Chicago, the Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks, and hoisted the Stanley Cup as a player for Chicago in 2013.
Brookbank appeared in 367 AHL games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Milwaukee Admirals, Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, Lowell Devils and Cleveland Monsters. He won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s best defensemen in 2006-07 with Milwaukee, when he led all league blueliners 38 assists and 53 points.
His brother, Wade, spent two seasons (2006-07, 2009-10) as a player with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recording eight points (4G-4A) and 284 penalty minutes in 107 games.
Nick Luukko – Assistant Coach
Nick Luukko was named Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins assistant coach on July 20, 2024.
Luukko, 32, spent the past three seasons as the head coach and director of hockey operations for the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL. In those three seasons, the Icemen went 126-73-17 (.623). Luukko shepherded his team to a 44-win season in 2022-23, establishing a new club record.
Prior to his tenure with Jacksonville, Luukko spent the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach of the Reading Royals. MacDonald was in his third season as Royals head coach at that time, as well.
Luukko enjoyed four-year professional playing career, including seven AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The right-handed defenseman suited up in 274 ECHL games, all with Reading, amassing 87 points (25G-62A).
A native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Luukko played four seasons of college hockey at the University of Vermont and was a sixth-round draft pick (179th overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
- Nick Biamonte – Video Coach
- Matt Mitchell – Head Equipment Manager
- Jack Walsh – Assistant Equipment Manager
- Henry Augenstein – Equipment Staff
- Dave Hughes – Equipment Staff
- Zander Kosmala – Head Athletic Therapist
- Connor Keenan – Head Athletic Trainer
