The Indy Fuel announced Friday, May 23rd, that they have extended Coach Duncan Dalmao‘s contract for two years. Dalmao joined the Fuel as interim head coach at the end of the 2021-2022 season. Under his leadership, the Fuel has made him their winningest coach, a title earned for achieving the most wins in the team’s history. Dalmao has also attained the franchise record for most games coached, overseeing 232 games.
Under Coach Dalmao’s leadership, the Indy Fuel has seen a significant improvement in its playoff history. They made it to the first round of the postseason for the third time in the 2024-25 season, a feat they had not previously achieved. Despite losses to the Toledo Walleye and the Wheeling Nailers in previous years, the team’s performance has shown promise. With Coach Dalmao at the helm, the Indy Fuel holds a regular season record of 124 wins and 108 losses, including overtime and shootouts, indicating a bright future for the team.
Coaches History
Coach Dalmao’s commitment to the Indy community is unwavering. He was quoted by Fuel PR saying, “I’m really looking forward to being behind the bench in Indy, and even more so being a part of the community that we’ve built. It’s been an honour and a privilege to be able to represent this organization as its Head Coach and GM, as I believe it’s one of the premier organizations and markets in the ECHL, with a fan base that is second to none. We will continue to build on the success we’ve had here recently, but also strive for more as we look forward to this upcoming season!” His dedication to the community fosters a sense of belonging and connection among the fans.
Before his coaching position with the Fuel, Duncan Dalmao was an assistant coach with the Brampton Beast for two years and an associate coach with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16. Coaching wasn’t what Dalmaos started out doing in the leagues. Originally, Dalmaos was a left-handed defenseman whose career spanned 19 seasons. He played with teams from the ECHL, OHL, AHL, EIHL, Netherlands, and the now-defunct Germany3 and WPHL. He played three hundred ninety-one games with ECHL teams, garnering 49 goals and 152 assists. His outstanding performance on the ice earned him the prestigious 2001 ECHL Defenseman of the Year award, a testament to the skill and dedication he now brings to his coaching career.
ITR 39: Conference Finals – Inside The Rink
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