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The Carolina Hurricanes have a new goalie coach. Jason Muzzatti was announced Tuesday as the Canes’ goaltending coach for the upcoming 2019-2020 season. He replaces Mike Bales, who moved on to the same position with the Buffalo Sabres back in June.
Muzzatti, 49, joins the Canes after spending the last four years as goaltending coach at Michigan State. Prior to coaching there, Muzzatti was a standout goaltender with the Spartans, where he also played alongside another famous Spartan: Rod Brind’Amour. The two were teammates during the 1988-89 season.
Muzzatti was drafted by the Calgary Flames 21st overall in the 1988 NHL draft. He spent 16 years as a professional goalie in different leagues - NHL, AHL, IHL, as well as stints in Germany, Finland, even Italy, where he also competed on the national team. Muzzatti was named the 2010 IHL Coach of the Year when his Flint Generals were the league runners-up.
Based on his proclivity to delegate - in particular to Bales’ suggestions on who should start in net last year - it seems reasonable to assume Brind’Amour wanted someone he could trust to fill the role of goalie coach. It appears that in Muzzatti, the coach has exactly that.
The release from the team is below.
MUZZATTI NAMED HURRICANES GOALTENDING COACH
Most recently served in the same capacity at Michigan State
Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has hired former NHL goalie Jason Muzzatti as its goaltending coach.
“Jason brings a wealth of experience as a former NHL goaltender and a coach at multiple levels,” said Waddell. “We believe he will fit in well in our coaches’ office and form strong relationships with our netminders.”
Muzzatti, 49, spent the past four seasons as goaltending coach for his alma mater, Michigan State University. Previously, the Toronto, Ont., native had coached for two seasons in the International Hockey League (IHL), serving as assistant coach and then head coach for the Flint Generals. In 2009-10, he led the Generals to the IHL Finals, earning league coach of the year honors. Muzzatti also co-founded the highly-successful “Just Goalies” camps in 1999, and continues to operate the camps in East Lansing, Mich., and Indianapolis, Ind.
Selected by the Calgary Flames in the first round, 21st overall, of the 1988 NHL Draft, Muzzatti played 16 seasons of professional hockey in the NHL, IHL, American Hockey League (AHL) and European leagues in Germany, Finland and Italy. He appeared in 61 career NHL games with Calgary, Hartford, San Jose and the New York Rangers, posting an 18-15-6 record with a 3.34 goals-against average. Prior to turning professional, he established himself as one of the greatest netminders in Michigan State history, helping the Spartans to two CCHA championships, three NCAA appearances and a Frozen Four, and ranking second in school history in wins (83). Muzzatti was teammates with current Hurricanes Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour during the 1988-89 season at Michigan State.