The first new addition to Ted Nolan’s coaching staff is a noteworthy one.
On Tuesday, a report from the Buffalo News claimed Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier reached an agreement to serve as Nolan’s assistant for the upcoming campaign. The coaching hire is the first mid-April, when the Sabres canned all of Nolan’s staff from last season: assistants Jerry Forton, Joe Sacco and Teppo Numminen, along with goalie guru Jim Corsi.
Trottier, 58, has extensive coaching experience. He broke in as an assistant with Pittsburgh immediately following his decorated playing career in 1993-94, and worked four seasons under Eddie Johnston. From there, he spent one year as the bench boss in AHL Portland before a four-year stint with Bob Hartley in Colorado (winning a Stanley Cup in 2001).
Following his Avalanche tenure, Trottier slogged through an ill-fated season as the Rangers’ head coach, where he was dismissed midway through the year after recording just 21 wins in his first 54 games.