Who says you can’t go home again?
First Kasperi Kapanen found his way back home to the team that drafted him in a multi-player swap with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now Todd Reirden returns to the team that gave him his first coaching assistant job.
Yes, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that Reirden and Mike Vellucci will be taking over the roles Mark Recchi, Jacques Martin, and Sergei Gonchar performed last season. Reirden will be responsible for the Defense and Power Play units, while Vellucci will oversee the Forwards and Penalty Kill.
The Bowling Green Falcons gave Reirden his first over all coaching opportunity as an assistant in 2007-2008. He then replaced Mike Yeo on July 31, 2010 with the Penguins. On June 25th 2014, he was relieved of his duties with the Penguins, 19 days after head coach Dan Bylsma was fired. He was hired immediately as an assistant coach with the Washington Capitals.
After serving under Barry Trotz for several years he took over the Head Coaching duties after a contract dispute between Trotz and Capitals management. During his tenure with the Capitals he guided the Capitals to finish 1st in the Metropolitan division both seasons, winning 89 games, losing 46 games in regulation and an additional 16 games in Over-Time.
His playoff coaching record looks a little like our Penguins own playoff record over the last couple of seasons, losing in the 1st round both times; first to the Carolina Hurricanes then to the New York Islanders.
Vellucci started his Coaching career in the North American Hockey League, where his teams went 241 – 82 – 27, from 1994-1999.
He went on to coach the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League from 2001-2014, building a record of 468 – 268 – 90. He won Coach of the year honors in 2007 after leading Plymouth to the J Ross Robertson Cup and then again in 2012-2013. He also won executive of the year in 2012-2013.
In 2013-2014, Vellucci moved on to the Carolina Hurricanes as Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Development. After three Seasons he moved over to be Head Coach of the Hurricanes AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. In 2019 he guided the Checkers to win the Calder Cup.
Last Season, Vellucci took over the Head Coaching position of our Penguins AHL affiliate the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Interesting, very interesting, two assistant coaches with head coaching experience – or am I just over Arm-Chair GMing again?
