Campbell River’s Rod Brind’Amour has been named the next head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, the team he led to a Stanley Cup championship as captain in 2006.
Signed!
Welcome, Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour! pic.twitter.com/stwvgEP8d7
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) May 8, 2018
Brind’Amour, 47, an assistant and development coach for Carolina since June 7, 2011, will replace Bill Peters, who resigned April 20 and was hired as coach of the Calgary Flames three days later, NHL.com reports.
Don Waddell was also named Carolina’s president and general manager.
“Rod is the greatest leader in the history of this franchise and has earned the opportunity to take charge of our locker room,” Waddell told NHL.com. “We spoke to a number of candidates for this position, but our conversations with staff and players consistently returned to the same person. Rod’s fresh ideas, ability to motivate and understanding of what it takes to bring a championship to Raleigh will help our young team take the next step toward competing to bring the Cup back to North Carolina.”
In his 20-year NHL playing career, Brind’Amour suited up for the St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and Hurricanes. In 2006, he led the Hurricanes to a with a seven-game Stanley Cup victory against the Edmonton Oilers. He has won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward twice and retired on June 30, 2010, with 1,184 points (452 goals, 732 assists) in 1,484 NHL games, NHL.com says.
Hockey Night In Canada’s Elliotte Friedman fueled rumours when he posted in a tweet earlier this morning that the team was set to name Brind’Amour as the new coach. The official announcement came later this morning.
Announcement may not be until later in the week, but Rod Brind’Amour will be the head coach in CAR
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 8, 2018
Brind’Amour was born in Ottawa, ON and lived in Prince Rupert, B.C. where he started his minor hockey. His family then moved to Campbelll River where he played the rest of his minor hockey. His hometown has followed his career eagerly. The Rod Brind’Amour Arena in Campbell River is named after him and he has supported the Rod Brind’Amour Golf Classic fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis research and awareness for 20 years. He recently brought Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins onboard to give it an association with a newer generation of players.
Related: Brind’Amour/Nugent-Hopkins Golf Classic goes this weekend
This year’s golf classic will run June 16 at Storey Creek golf course in Campbell River, B.C.
