Devils Hire Assistants, Opt for a blend of Experience and Youth

from Mannheim.de
Geoff Ward

The New Jersey Devils have announced the hiring of new assistant coaches Geoff Ward and Alain Nasreddine. This is a nice blending of old and young, NHL experience and AHL dominance, and a new face and a close confidant.

Ward is 53 years old and coming off of a championship-winning season in Germany where he was named the coach of the year. Prior to coaching overseas, he spent seven seasons with the Boston Bruins and was part of a coaching staff in Boston that won the 2011 Stanley Cup and the 2013 Eastern Conference.

Nasreddine is 39 and has spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton under John Hynes. During his time the WBS Penguins team allowed the fewest goals in four out of his five seasons as assistant coach.

The hiring of Nasreddine means the Devils organization is now completely on the same page as the general manager, head coach, and assistant coach have all spent a considerable amount of time in the Penguins organization. This will only further assist with player selection and development and will help ease Hynes into his new role as head coach.

Ironically enough, both Nasreddine, in his playing days and Ward, during his time coaching, spent time in the German league. Now they both find themselves behind the bench for the New Jersey Devils.