Canucks add assistant Lidster to coaching staff

Former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Doug Lidster joined their coaching staff Monday, reuniting with new coach Willie Desjardins.

Lidster, 52, was an assistant coach on Desjardins' staff with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League the past two seasons. The Stars won the Calder Cup last month.

Lidster was a seventh-round pick (No. 133) of the Canucks in the 1980 NHL Draft and played the first 10 seasons of his 16-year career with the team. Lidster also played for the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars, winning the Stanley Cup in 1994 with New York.

Prior to joining the Stars, he served as assistant coach for the Canada Women's national team from 2008 to 2010, where he helped guide Canada to gold in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics as well as the 2009 4 Nations Cup Championship in Finland, the 2010 MLP Cup Championship in Germany, and a silver medal at the 2009 IIHF World Women's Championship in Finland.