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Wild hire ex-Thrashers head coach Anderson

Washington Capitals v Atlanta Thrashers

ATLANTA - OCTOBER 10: Atlanta Thrashers head coach John Anderson looks at the scoreboard during home opener against the Washington Capitals at Philips Arena on October 10, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia. This was Anderson’s first game as head coach. The Thrashers defeated the Capitals 7-4. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

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Just a day after hiring Scott Stevens as an assistant coach, the Minnesota Wild announced that John Anderson has also been selected for an assistant coaching role.

Anderson, who had a 814-game NHL playing career, served as the Atlanta Thrashers’ bench boss in 2008-09 and 2009-10. The squad posted a 70-75-19 record over that span. After that he spent two seasons as an assistant with the then Phoenix Coyotes before taking over as the AHL’s Chicago Wolves head coach in 2013.

Stevens and Anderson are replacing Rick Wilson and Darryl Sydor. The Wild parted ways with Wilson and Sydor back in May, giving new head coach Bruce Boudreau the opportunity to hire his own staff. In Anderson specifically, Boudreau is adding someone he’s already very familiar with. The two go back all the way to the Toronto Marlboros when they were teammates in the 1970s. They also played on the Toronto Maple Leafs together.

“We’ve lived together, played together, ran our own golf tournament together. I know the man inside out,” Boudreau told the Star Tribune’s Michael Russo.