Earlier this afternoon, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they are restructuring their hockey operations staff as a few new hires were made along with a few other members receiving promotions and contract extensions. Among those receiving promotions were Ron Francis, who will now serve as the Vice President of Hockey Operations, Jason Karmanos, who was promoted to Executive Vice President and Assistant General Manager and Rod Brind'Amour who will be behind the bench full-time next season as an assistant coach.
Joining the staff as the Director of Forwards Development will be former Hurricane Cory Stillman. Most Carolina fans should be familiar with Stillman as he played a big role on their Stanley Cup winning squad from 2006 and he has always been known for his great hands and goal-scoring touch back in the day. He retired after the 2010-11 season as the member of the Hurricanes and is now back with the club to take over Brind'Amour's position after working in a player development role with the Florida Panthers last season. Some of the younger forwards on the team will be able to learn a lot from him.
Another familiar face who will be re-joining the staff as the team's Goalie Coach will be Greg Stefan. He was Carolina's goalie coach from 2005-07 and worked with the Canes as a pro scout last season. He will be swapping positions with former Goalie Coach Tom Barrasso, who will stay with the team as a pro scout. Both have played a key role in the development of Cam Ward, so it will be interesting to see how Stefan will work with him and his back-ups next season.
Dave Hunter was also hired as a pro scout. He worked with the team as a part-time amateur scout last season. Both Dave Lewis and Glen Wesley were also given contract extensions as Assistant Coach and Director of Defensemen, respectively.
For more information and a statement from the team on these hires is after the jump.
HURRICANES ANNOUNCE HOCKEY OPERATIONS CHANGES
Francis promoted; Stillman, Stefan and Hunter added to hockey staff
RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced changes and restructuring for the team’s hockey operations department.
Several staff members have received contract extensions and promotions. Ron Francis, who is entering his seventh season in the team’s front office, has been promoted to Vice President of Hockey Operations. Jason Karmanos, in his 15th year with the Hurricanes, is now Executive Vice President and Assistant General Manager. Rod Brind’Amour joined the team’s front office in 2010, and will serve as a full-time Assistant Coach in 2012-13. Assistant Coach Dave Lewis and Director of Defensemen Development Glen Wesley also each received contract extensions.
"We feel that the staff we have assembled in our hockey department is stronger than ever," said Rutherford. "I am very fortunate to have Ron working with me on a day-to-day basis in the front office. With Rod coaching full time and Dave agreeing to an extension, our coaching staff is solidified with a tremendous amount of experience."
Rutherford also announced several new hires in addition to the existing staff adjustments. Former Hurricane Cory Stillman has joined the organization, taking the position of Director of Forwards Development previously held by Brind’Amour. Stillman, 38, retired as a player in September 2011 after 16 NHL seasons, and spent the 2011-12 season working as player development assistant for the Florida Panthers. A first-round selection (6th overall) of the Calgary Flames in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, Stillman totaled 278 goals and 449 assists (727 points) in 1,025 career games with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers. Stillman won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Lightning in 2004 and the Hurricanes in 2006.
"We’re very happy to have Cory back in our organization," said Rutherford. "He’s always had a mind for the game and is just a great hockey guy."
Greg Stefan, 51, rejoins the Hurricanes’ coaching staff as Goalie Coach. A former NHL goaltender with the Detroit Red Wings, Stefan served as Carolina’s goaltending coach from 2005-2007, holding that role when the team captured its first Stanley Cup championship in 2006. Stefan worked as a pro scout for the Hurricanes in 2011-12. Tom Barrasso, who served as an assistant coach for the Hurricanes last season, will remain with the team as a pro scout.
Dave Hunter, who has worked as a part-time amateur scout for Carolina for the past four years, also joins the team as a pro scout. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, but raised in St. Catharines, Ont., Hunter played college hockey at Cornell from 1982-86. Hunter coached high school hockey in Reading, MA, for 13 years, and has served as the head coach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for two seasons.
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