Penguins name Reirden assistant coach

The Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday named Todd Rierden, coach of their top farm club, as an assistant to coach Dan Bylsma.

Reirden spent the previous year and a half coaching the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins following Bylsma's promotion from that job to to coach in Pittsburgh on Feb. 15, 2009. He fills the opening left when Mike Yeo left to become the coach of the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League.

"We interviewed between 10 and 15 candidates and conducted an extensive search, and the most qualified coach was in our organization the whole time,"Bylsma told the Penguins' website. "Todd and I have developed a strong working relationship, which started when we played college hockey together at Bowling Green and continued in our time together in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He's a valuable asset to our coaching staff."

It's Reirden's first National Hockey League coaching assignment. The 38-year-old Deerfield, Ill., native began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Bowling Green, in 2007-08, before spending the past two seasons with the Baby Pens, posting a record of 55-43-8 in 106 games.

Reirden was also a key contributor to Bylsma's coaching staff during the Penguins' run to the 2009 Stanley Cup championship, serving as an eye in the sky during games while traveling with the team during the Stanley Cup Final. He would watch the games from the media level and then report to the coaching staff via headset and during intermissions.

"When this opportunity became available it was something that I became very excited about – being an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins,"Reirden said.

"I consider it an honor to be a part of this organization. Ever since they hired me two years ago to be a coach in WBS I have always been extremely proud to represent the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was very rewarding to help the coaching staff during the Stanley Cup run, and I look forward to another such run this season."
To replace Reirden at WBS the Penguins promoted John Hynes, who spent the '09-10 season as Reirden's assistant, to coach. Hynes, 35, joined the Pittsburgh organization prior to last season following a successful six-year stint as a coach with the United States National Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.