Experienced coach Kirk Muller, a former Montreal Canadiens, will return to the Eastern Conference, having been hired Thursday as an assistant coach by the Washington Capitals.
For two years, the Ontarian was an associate coach with the Calgary Flames, a position he held for five years with the Habs. As one of Darryl Sutter’s senior advisers in Alberta, he helped the team reach the second round of playoffs in 2021-22.
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Since 2006, the beginning of his stay behind the bench in Montreal as an assistant, Muller has gravitated around the National League. He was head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes from 2011 to 2014, then assistant for the St. Louis Blues.
The 57-year-old knows two Caps forwards, Dylan Strome and Anthony Mantha, as he was on Canada’s coaching staff at the 2019 World Championship.
As a player, Muller enjoyed a prolific career. Drafted second overall in the 1984 auction by the New Jersey Devils, he amassed 959 points in 1,349 games. He also wore the Canadiens uniform from 1991 to 1995.
The Capitals also signed Kenny McCudden from the Blue Jackets, who spent the past eight years as an assistant coach in Columbus. The 61-year-old American will take on the same duties in Washington.