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Detroit hires ex-Wild bench boss Torchetti

John Torchetti

Minnesota Wild interim coach John Torchetti is seen during first period NHL action against the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver, Canada, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

AP

Detroit’s lengthy search for new assistant coaches has come to a close.

After hiring Doug Houda last month, the Wings announced they’ve signed former Minnesota head coach John Torchetti as Jeff Blashill’s new right-hand man.

Torchetti, 51, has previous head coaching experience in Florida, Los Angeles and, as mentioned above, Minnesota -- last year, he took over duties after the Wild fired Mike Yeo and fared reasonably well, going 15-11-1 during the regular season to qualify for the playoffs.

In the postseason, the Wild were ousted by top-seeded Dallas in six games.

It’s assumed Torchetti will focus on Detroit’s power play, given that Houda has traditionally worked with defensemen and the penalty kill during his coaching career.

If that’s the case, Torchetti has his work cut out for him -- the Red Wings PP was average at best during the regular season and went completely south in the playoffs, going 1-for-25 in an opening-round loss to Tampa Bay.

Torchetti had previously run the power play as an assistant under Joel Quenneville in Chicago, and helped the club to the Stanley Cup in 2010.

Detroit’s PP had previously been run by Blashill’s old assistant Pat Ferschweiler, who has since been re-assigned to work out of the press box.