If someone is a fan of the San Jose Sharks and their minor league affiliates, they know Roy Sommer and his love for a bolo tie.
On Saturday, the Barracuda honored the legendary coach with a banner raising. The all-time winningest coach in American Hockey League history spent 24 seasons in the Sharks organization, all starting from coaching a roller hockey team for two years, and yes, he wore a bolo tie.
Coaching for the San Jose Rhinos of the Roller Hockey International league for two years, Sommer went on to win a championship. The new Sharks organization took notice and helped get Sommer’s coaching career on ice. So how did he get the Sharks to notice him and make it stick for so long?
“I fooled them,” Sommer joked. “I went through several head coaches [in the NHL], and a couple different GMs. The biggest thing in the American Hockey League is if you can put guys up, two, three a year, and that’s what we did. Even when we had some teams that weren’t very good, we had players that would go up and contribute. Make a difference. [If you do that] they’ll keep you around.”
The Barracuda honored the now-defunct team by recreating the iconic purple jersey and wearing it. Ethan Cardwell scored two goals, including the overtime winning goal for the San Jose Barracuda on Saturday.
“I love that jersey,” Sommer said. “I didn’t think they’d be doing anything like this. Apparently, when they score a goal tonight, the ‘Cuda, they’re going to say, ‘and Rhino’s goal by’. That’s kind of neat.”
Not only did they announce every Barracuda goal as a Rhino’s goal, but the goal horn and song changed to what the Rhino’s used at the San Jose Arena.
San Jose Barracuda GM Joe Will told Sommer during Wayne Thomas’ memorial that the team was going to honor him this season. Sommer told reporters that he never expected to have anything like this.
“It was emotional for me. Over a quarter century with the same team, how many people are that lucky to have a run like that?” Sommer said. “I was and acknowledging it meant a lot to me and my family.”
Sommer says he resides in Montana full-time with his family but watches many NHL games. He finished his speech to the crowd with an emphatic “Let’s go, Celebrini!” The former Barracuda head coach has been amazed by Macklin Celebrini’s performance this season, and watches him in amazement, even through a coach’s eye.
“He’s, what do they say? Generational,” Sommer said. “I can’t believe a 19-year-old is carrying the Sharks. He’s just something. Everyone you talk to says what a good person he is and how dedicated he is. So he must have had a good upbringing, because otherwise I don’t think you get a player like that.”
Many former players of Sommer were in attendance to watch the ceremony, including Barclay Goodrow, Logan Couture, and Dan Boyle.
Goodrow, Couture, Cheechoo, Nabokov, Hannan & Boyle are Sommer alumni who are here to honor their former AHL head coach
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 11, 2026
“I like being around. Marley loves coming down,” Sommer said. “He’s in the dressing room right now, firing him up. It’s fun being around and good weekend.”
Sommer’s time with the San Jose Sharks organization came to an end in a bit of a sour way, but there are clearly no hard feelings either way. Sommer is an Oakland native and will now forever stay in San Jose, with his banner in Tech CU Arena.
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