Sadler earns promotion with Rangers
The Kitchener Rangers have promoted Cottam's Mike Sadler to director of player personnel.
The 64-year-old Sadler had been the Kitchener's head scout for the past nine seasons. Murray Hiebert has been promoted to that position.
"Mike's new position will allow him to concentrate on our drafted players, possible free-agent signings, players within the Ontario Hockey League (for possible trades) and the scouting of our top 60 players for the OHL Draft," Rangers head coach and general manager Steve Spott said.
Sadler has worked for the Rangers, Plymouth Whalers and Peterborough Petes along with the OHL's Central Scouting Bureau.
"It's a different way of contributing to the Kitchener Rangers," Sadler said.
"It's a different kind of work and I'm sure I'll find it gratifying and the Kitchener Rangers will find it helpful."
LAMBERT EXTENDED
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds gave head coach Denny Lambert a two-year extension through the 2012-13 season.
Lambert, 40, was an assistant for the club for five seasons before being promoted to head coach for the 2008-09 season.
The Greyhounds finished last in the OHL that season with a 19-45-2-2 record, but had a 35-point turnaround last season to finish 36-27-1-4.
"Denny has continued to grow and improve as a hockey coach every year and we feel, with his knowledge, passion and work ethic, he will continue to develop into an elite coach at the OHL level," Greyhounds general manager Dave Torrie said.
"He has done a great job mentoring and developing our players both on and off the ice and we believe that under his leadership, our team can accomplish great things the next three seasons."
The Greyhounds also extended assistant coach Nick Warriner a two-year extension and added former London Knights assistant coach Pat Curcio to the staff with a one-year deal.
Curcio spent last season as the assistant coach and assistant director of hockey operations for the Utah Grizzlies of the East Coast Hockey League.
BURNETT JOINS
Belleville Bulls head coach and general manager George Burnett has been named an assistant coach for Canada's national junior team for the 2011 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, which will be held Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Buffalo and Niagara, N.Y.
Burnett replaces Windsor Spitfires president Bob Boughner, who had to resign his post after taking an assistant coaching job with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.
"I am absolutely thrilled to take on this additional role with Hockey Canada and join the staff of Canada's national junior team," Burnett said.
"We will work extremely hard to ensure that 2011 is a golden year for the nation's top under-20 male hockey players."
Burnett is serving as head coach of Canada's under-18 summer team, which will compete at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament next month in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Windsor's Austen Brassard and Essex's Matt Puempel are among 42 players vying for a roster spot on that team.
jparker@thestar.canwest.com or 519-255-5784
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