Canadiens complete coaching staff, hire J.J. Daigneault as assistant | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Canadiens complete coaching staff, hire J.J. Daigneault as assistant

Montreal Canadiens' Petteri Nokelainen, December 13, 2011 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens added to their coaching staff Friday with the hiring of former NHL defenceman Jean-Jacques Daigneault.

The 46-year-old Daigneault played six of his 16 NHL seasons in Montreal, winning a Stanley Cup in 1993.

New coach Michel Therrien's staff is now likely complete with Daigneault, Gerard Gallant and Clement Jodoin as assistants, along with returning goaltender coach Pierre Groulx and video coach Mario Leblanc.

"Our group of defencemen will largely benefit from his experience and his solid reputation as a coach," Therrien said of Daigneault in a statement.

Daigneault spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. He got into coaching in 2005-06 with the Phoenix Roadrunners of the ECHL.

Daigneault grew up in southwestern Montreal playing on minor hockey teams with new Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin and Pittsburgh Penguins owner and former star player Mario Lemieux.

Montreal also signed checking centre Petteri Nokelainen and defence prospect Brendon Nash to one-year contracts.

Nokelainen, 26, a five-year NHL veteran, had three goals and four assists in 56 games last season. His contract pays US$575,000.

He was acquired in a trade from Phoenix last October. Nokelainen has 20 goals and 21 assists in 245 career NHL games.

The 25-year-old Nash missed all of last season after suffering a shoulder injury in training camp.

The six-foot-three 214-pound blue-liner played two games for the Canadiens in 2010-11, while spending most of the season with AHL Hamilton.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2012
The Canadian Press

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