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Former Coyote Fischer named Swiss national team coach

Czech Republic Hockey Worlds

Switzerland players react after their 1-3 loss to United States at the Hockey World Championships quarterfinal match in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Thursday, May 14, 2015. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

AP

Switzerland has found Glen Hanlon’s replacement as national team head coach.

Patrick Fischer, who spent the 2006-07 campaign playing for the Coyotes, has been named the country’s bench boss, per IIHF.com.

Fischer, 40, had a decorated career in Switzerland’s National League A before jumping the pond and landing in the desert nine years ago. Though his NHL career was brief -- just 27 games -- it led him back to Europe and, eventually, taking a gig with Swiss league powerhouse HC Lugano (he became the club’s head coach in 2013).

Internationally, Fischer represented Switzerland on numerous occasions. He also served as an assistant coach to Sean Simpson for one of the country’s best-ever showings, a silver medal at the ’13 Worlds in Sweden/Finland.

“As a boy it had always been a dream to play for the national team. I stopped as a player, became a coach and now I’m again with the national team to make another dream come true. It’s a great day for me,” Fischer said, per IIHF. “It was about time to rely on Swiss coaches and to have a clear vision from the men’s national team to the juniors. We will work hard to justify the confidence we got. I’m a proud Swiss, I know the mentality and I can bring players forward.”

Fischer’s appointment comes after Hanlon’s contract “was dissolved by mutual agreement” in October.