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Bryan Trottier to return to NHL as Buffalo Sabres assistant coach (Report)

Bryan Trottier to return to NHL as Buffalo Sabres assistant coach (Report)

Buffalo Sabres head coach Ted Nolan’s job of hiring assistant coaches this summer will reportedly begin with a Hockey Hall of Famer and seven-time Stanley Cup champion.

According to Bucky Gleason of The Buffalo News, the Sabres will announce sometime in the next week the hiring of Bryan Trottier as an assistant coach. The team told Gleason nothing is planned at the moment.

Nolan and Trottier have history together. The two joined the New York Islanders in June 2006 when Nolan was hired as head coach and Trottier was named player development director. Nolan was fired two years later, while the team decided against renewing Trottier's contract after the 2009-10 season.

Trottier is just the start for the Nolan and the Sabres, who cleaned house behind the bench after the season.

From the News:

Rumors had been swirling about Trottier in recent weeks as the summer carried along without a coaching staff being announced. Recent speculation also had former NHL netminder Arturs Irbe taking over as goaltending coach, but the sources were unable to confirm that.

The last time Trottier was behind an NHL bench it was a disaster. Hired as head coach by the New York Rangers in 2002, his stay with the Blueshirts lasted 54 games, where he compiled a 21-26-6 record before being fired in late January.

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!