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Nasreddine follows head coach Hynes to Devils (Updated)

Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins

Alain Nasreddine

AP

It sounds like bench boss John Hynes will be retaining one of his assistant coaches from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as Alain Nasreddine is set to make the jump to the New Jersey Devils, according to Trib Total Media’s source.

Update: The Devils have officially announced the hiring of Nasreddine. Former Boston Bruins assistant coach Geoff Ward is also joining Hynes’ staff.

Like Hynes, the 39-year-old Nasreddine lacks NHL coaching experience, but he has spent the last five seasons with the AHL Penguins. Before that he was a journeyman defenseman that logged 74 games at the NHL level.

Nasreddine’s primary duties as part of Hynes’ old staff were to help with the defense and penalty kill, which raises further questions about Scott Stevens’ future with the organization. Stevens served as a co-coach along with Adam Oates last season and when he didn’t get the head coaching gig, he expressed an interest in joining Hynes’ staff as an assistant. With Hynes and the Devils now expected to hire Nasreddine, there might not be a role available for Stevens.

As previously noted, the Devils won’t have to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a draft pick to hire Nasreddine after already surrendering a 2016 third rounder for Hynes’ services.

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