The Maple Leafs continued to challenge for the NHL lead in off-ice hirings yesterday, confirming Tim Hunter and Rob Zettler as new assistant coaches.
Hunter and Zettler had spent the past five seasons working with San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson. The Leafs hired Wilson as their new bench boss last month.
"Their familiarity with Ron's coaching style, along with their previous success in San Jose, will allow them to quickly bring in a structured system for our players to work within," Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher said.
The Sharks last year led the NHL in penalty killing (85.8%) and ranked third in goals against average (2.28).
DEFENCE KEY
With so many mediocre forwards up front, team defence will be key to any Leafs' success this year. The 40-year-old Zettler, a former defenceman, played 14 seasons in the NHL, including three with the Leafs (1995-98).
Hunter spent 16 seasons in the NHL, the majority with the Calgary Flames, where he won a Stanley Cup in 1989. Fletcher was the Flames' GM at the time.
A rough-and-tumble forward, Hunter, 47, still ranks eighth in all-time career penalty minutes (3,142).
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