Kypreos, MacLean named Top Prospects assistants

Former NHL player Nick Kypreos and former NHL coach Doug MacLean have been named assistant coaches for the 2013 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

The Top Prospects Game will be held Jan. 16, 2013 at the Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and features 40 of the best 2013 NHL Draft-eligible prospects playing in the Canadian Hockey League.

Kypreos, who was part of the 1994 Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers during his eight-season NHL career, will be an assistant coach for Team Cherry, which will be coached by hockey icon Don Cherry.

Also announced as assistant coaches for Team Cherry are Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Kilrea and long-time junior-hockey coach Bert O'Brien. Kilrea won a Canadian Hockey League record 1,193 games in 32 years as coach of the Ottawa 67's, while O'Brien was his assistant for 23 years. Both retired from coaching full-time in 1999.

Doug MacLean, who coached the Florida Panthers to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final and also spent six seasons as GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets, will assist Team Orr coach Mike McPhee.

Also serving as an assistant coach for Team Orr is Halifax Mooseheads coach Dominique Ducharme. He'll be coaching against three of his players on Team Cherry -- forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin, and goaltender Zachary Fucale.

Kypreos and MacLean are co-hosts of Sportsnet's Hockey Central at Noon radio show.

Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK