Red Wings fill final coaching staff position with hiring of Torchetti

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By @MichaelCaples –

The Detroit Red Wings’ coaching staff for the 2016-17 season is now complete.

Today, the Original Six franchise announced that they have signed new assistant coach John Torchetti to a two-year contract.

Torchetti, a longtime NHL assistant coach, has served as an interim head coach on three separate occasions. He joins assistant coach Doug Houda and goaltending coach Jeff Salajko as offseason acquisitions for the Wings’ management staff.

A native of Boston, Mass., has served as an NHL assistant head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks and Atlanta Thrashers.

He has served as an interim head coach for the Panthers, the Los Angles Kings and the Minnesota Wild.

During a coaching career that spans more than two decades, the 51-year-old has experience coaching the ECHL, the CHL, the IHL, the QMJHL (as head coach for the Moncton Wildcats), the AHL (as head coach of the Houston Aeros and later the Iowa Wild) and the KHL (as head coach of CSKA Moscow).