Mike Buckleys new two-year extension keeps him with the Penguins up until the conclusion of the 2021-22 project. The 43-year old has invested the last 3 seasons in his present role as goaltending coach, and prior to that was Pittsburghs goaltending advancement coach from 2013-17.
The Haverhill, Massachusetts native played an instrumental function in Matt Murrays development, assisting him become a two-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender. During his two Stanley Cup runs in 2016 and 2017, Murray had a combined 22-10 record with a 19.5 goals-against average and a. 928 save portion with four nothings.
Additionally, Buckley played a crucial function in developing goaltender Tristan Jarry from an AHL netminder to a 2020 NHL All-Star. In 2019-20, Jarry set career highs in games played (33 ), wins (20 ), goals-against average (2.43 ), conserve percentage (.921) and nothings (3 ). He finished in the top-10 amongst all NHL goaltenders in save percentage (T-8th), goals-against average (9th) and shutouts (T-8th).
The Penguins company has begun the search for the next head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins..
Reirden and Vellucci sign up with head coach Mike Sullivans staff, changing Jacques Martin, Mark Recchi and Sergei Gonchar, whose contracts were not restored at the conclusion of Pittsburghs season. Reirden, 49, will manage the teams protective group and power play unit. Vellucci, 54, will deal with the teams forwards and oversee the penalty kill..
” I am happy to include Todd and Mike to our coaching staff, and think they will complement Mike Sullivans coaching style,” Rutherford said. “Todd is a Stanley Cup winning coach with a decade of NHL experience as both an assistant and head coach. Mike brings champion experience at both the AHL and OHL level, and is really familiar with how we function as a company.”.
Reirden, a Deerfield, Illinois native, spent the past six seasons on the Washington Capitals training staff, serving as head coach for the previous two seasons. He was an assistant coach from 2014-16, and after that associate coach from 2016-18, where he assisted the Capitals to their very first Stanley Cup Championship in franchise history in 2018.
Prior to his time with Washington, Reirden was an assistant coach with the Penguins from 2010-14, where he presumed a comparable role, working with the groups defensemen and power play systems. During his four seasons as Pittsburghs assistant coach, just the Washington Capitals (20.7%) and San Jose Sharks (20.5%) had a better power-play success rate from 2010-14 than the Penguins 20.3%.
While under Reirdens tutelage, alternate captain Kris Letang played a few of the very best hockey of his profession. In the four-year stretch from 2010-14 Letang averaged.74 points per video game, which is.08 greater than his profession average of.66. Letang was also a combined plus-44 over those 4 seasons, and was named a Norris Trophy finalist in 2012-13.
Before signing up with Pittsburghs training personnel, Reirden spent 3 years with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins from 2008-10 as both an assistant coach and head coach.
Vellucci is joining Pittsburghs NHL club after finishing his first season as the general supervisor and head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, assisting them to a 29-26-3-5 record in 63 video games this year. In overall, eight of Velluccis gamers at the AHL level saw action with Pittsburgh last season, most significantly Sam Lafferty, Anthony Angello and Andrew Agozzino.
The Farmington, Michigan native invested the previous five seasons as the assistant basic supervisor and director of hockey operations for the Carolina Hurricanes where he oversaw gamer development and searching. Throughout the 2017-19 seasons, Vellucci also acted as the Charlotte Checkers head coach where he assembled a record of 97-43-8-4 in 152 video games.
Vellucci was important to the success of the Carolina company in 2018-19, leading the Checkers to a Calder Cup Championship after compiling the leagues finest regular-season record (51-17-7-1) and winning the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award for AHL Coach of the Year.
Prior to his time with the Hurricanes organization, Vellucci spent 14 seasons in the exact same double role as general manager and head coach of the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL from 2001-14. He became the first to receive both the OHL Executive of the Year award and OHL Coach of the Year award in the very same season in 2012-13. He also won the Coach of the Year award during the Whalers 2006-07 champion season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have called Todd Reirden and Mike Vellucci assistant coaches, and signed goaltending coach Mike Buckley to a two-year agreement extension, it was announced today by executive vice president and general supervisor Jim Rutherford.
Reirden and Vellucci join head coach Mike Sullivans staff, replacing Jacques Martin, Mark Recchi and Sergei Gonchar, whose contracts were not restored at the conclusion of Pittsburghs season. “Todd is a Stanley Cup winning coach with a years of NHL experience as both an assistant and head coach. Prior to his time with the Hurricanes organization, Vellucci invested 14 seasons in the same double role as basic manager and head coach of the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL from 2001-14. He ended up being the first to get both the OHL Executive of the Year award and OHL Coach of the Year award in the exact same season in 2012-13. He also won the Coach of the Year award during the Whalers 2006-07 championship season.
