Larry Mitchell (born June 2, 1967 in Zweibrücken) is a Canadian-German professional ice hockey coach and a former professional ice hockey player. He is currently head coach of the Straubing Tigers in the German top-flight Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
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Playing career
Mitchell spent his early career in his native Canada, playing for the Brockville Braves in the CJAHL, followed by a stint with OHL’s Cornwall Royals.
In 1988, he signed his first contract with a team in Germany, Dinslakener EC of the country’s third tier league. He recorded 70 goals and 59 assists in 38 games for the club. Mitchell then stayed in Germany for the remainder of his professional career, mostly playing for lower league teams. His 14 appearances in the German top-flight Deutsche Eishockey Liga for Krefeld and Hannover came between 1995 and 1997. A proven scorer at the 2. Bundesliga level, he tallied 77 goals and 69 assists for ESC Wedemark during the 1995-96 campaign.
Mitchell finished his professional playing career in 2002.
Coaching career
As a head coach, Mitchell guided Oberliga team EV Landsberg to promotion to the 2. Bundesliga.
He then spent seven years as head coach of DEL side Augsburger Panther and was the man behind the team’s impressive run to the 2010 DEL finals, the Panthers’ greatest success since winning the 2. Bundesliga championship in 1994. Under his guidance, Augsburg reached the DEL playoffs four times. The Panthers and Mitchell parted ways in December 2014 after a run of bad results.
Only a couple of days later, Mitchell was appointed new head coach of fellow DEL side Straubing Tigers.
Personal info
Mitchell was born in Zweibrücken, Germany, where his father, a soldier in the Canadian army, served at the time.