Hockey News

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, the 2007-08 regular season points champions of the American Hockey League, today announced that head coach Scott Gordon has been named the new head coach of the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders. Gordon, the reigning AHL Coach of the Year, becomes the 14th head coach in Islanders history, agreeing to a multiple-year contract.

Gordon, 45, heads south to New York following eight seasons coaching in Providence, the last five spent as a head coach. Since taking over for Mike Sullivan late in 2002-03 as the eighth bench boss in Providence’s franchise, Gordon compiled a regular season record of 221-141-20-14-13 (W-L-T-OTL-SOL), in addition to taking his clubs to five straight playoff berths. He leaves Rhode Island following his best season behind the bench, guiding the P-Bruins to an AHL-best record of 55-18-3-4 and 117 points. Providence ranked second in the league in goals scored and seventh in fewest goals against in 2007-08. Gordon’s club also led the AHL in shots taken and fewest shots against per game.

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NORFOLK, VA - The Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL parent club of the Norfolk Admirals, have named Brad Chavis head athletic trainer of the Admirals, Norfolk general manager Mike Butters announced today.

“Brad joins the Admirals with a wealth of experience in hockey,” said Butters. “He is well-liked by his players, and his professionalism and approach to the game is extremely valuable. With the amount of injuries in the game, having a person of Brad’s nature will surely eliminate man-games lost to injury.”

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PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that Craig Berube has been named assistant coach, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren. In addition, the team announced that John Paddock has been named head coach of the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms.

“Craig will bring new energy to the Flyers’ coaching staff,” said Holmgren in making the announcement. “His knowledge of, and experience with, many of our young players will be invaluable.”

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PORTLAND, ME - The Portland Pirates announced today that the Buffalo Sabres have named Kevin Dineen as the head coach of the Portland Pirates, Buffalo’s primary player development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

“We are very excited to announce Kevin Dineen as the head coach of the Portland Pirates,” said Darcy Regier, General Manager of the Buffalo Sabres. “Our AHL team has been a very integral part of our success on the NHL level over the last five years and we expect Kevin to continue this tradition. He’s familiar with Portland and his coaching record and player development skills the past three years in the AHL are very important to our organization. Kevin’s a proven winner, a quality individual and a great addition to the Buffalo Sabres.”

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WILKES-BARRE, PA - Dan Bylsma has been named head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, it was announced Monday by Pittsburgh Penguins Assistant General Manager Chuck Fletcher. He becomes the fifth head coach in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton history.

Bylsma, 37, spent the past two seasons as an assistant with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and takes over the head coaching duties from Todd Richards, who accepted a position as an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks last month.

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Bridgeport, Conn. - New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow has announced the hiring of Matthew Bertani as assistant coach of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate. Bertani will join head coach Jack Capuano and assistant coach Pat Bingham, assisting in video analysis for the upcoming 2008-09 AHL season.

“I am looking forward to this exciting opportunity that Garth Snow, Howard Saffan, and Jack Capuano have provided me,” Bertani said. “To join an organization with such a rich history is really an honor. “I look forward to helping the coaching staff put a winning product on the ice.”

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SAN JOSE — San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson and Head Coach Todd McLellan announced today that Trent Yawney, Todd Richards and Jay Woodcroft will serve as assistant coaches on McLellan’s staff. In addition, Corey Schwab has been named as the organization’s goaltending development coach. In keeping with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Yawney, 42, most recently spent the 2007-08 season as a scout for the Anaheim Ducks. He also served as Head Coach of Team Canada at the World Under-18 Championships held in Finland, April 11-22, 2007.

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HARTFORD, July 15, 2008: Hartford Magazine included Hartford Wolf Pack head coach Ken Gernander in its list of Greater Hartford’s “50 Most Influential People”, released in the July issue of the magazine.

Citing Gernander’s status as “the face of the franchise”, his role as President of the Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation and the Wolf Pack’s impact on the Downtown Hartford economy, Hartford Magazine recognized the Wolf Pack bench boss as one of what it termed, “The leaders…who have helped shape the look, feel, culture and vibrancy of the area in a positive way.”

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ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has named Matt Shaw an Assistant Coach for the 2008-09 season.

“In addition to his video responsibilities this season, Matt helped plan strategically for practices and games, worked with players in a teaching capacity, was regularly on the ice with the team and also assisted Jacques behind the bench at times,” said Risebrough. “Over the last year it became clear that Matt’s role and responsibilities were best suited to be an Assistant Coach in the NHL.”

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Springfield, MA - The Springfield Falcons, proud members of the American Hockey League, announced today that Gerry Fleming has been named assistant coach of the Falcons by their National Hockey League affiliate, the Edmonton Oilers. Fleming will join head coach Jeff Truitt and assistant coach David Bell to complete the Falcons’ coaching staff for the 2008-09 season.

Fleming spent the previous seven seasons (2001-2008) with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades compiling a regular season record of 282-162-60 in 504 career games as Florida’s bench boss. The 40-year-old native of Montreal, Quebec led the Everblades to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in each of his seven seasons with Florida, including back-to-back trips to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2004 and 2005. Fleming amassed more regular season wins (282) in his seven years with Florida than any other ECHL coach in that same time period, while also posting a post-season record of 39-31 in 70 playoff games with the Everblades.

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