Lightning hire Bowness as associate coach

The Tampa Bay Lightning have hired Rick Bowness as an associate coach.

Bowness spent the previous seven seasons working as an assistant coach for the Vancouver Canucks, but was fired last week along with Alain Vigneault and Newell Brown.

A former head coach for the original Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and Phoenix Coyotes, the 58-year-old Bowness fills the spot on the Lightning coaching staff vacated when it was announced that Daniel Lacroix would not return.

"We are extremely pleased to add Rick Bowness to our coaching staff today," general manager Steve Yzerman said. "With 24 years of NHL coaching experience as both a head coach and an assistant, we are confident Rick will be a valuable addition. We look forward to having him behind the bench next season."