Ex-Hawks assistant Haviland is new Hershey coach

Mike Haviland, a Stanley Cup-winning assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, on Tuesday was announced as the head coach of the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears.

Haviland, 45, bring 14 years of experience to the Washington Capitals' AHL affiliate, having served as both a head coach and an assistant coach while winning championships at three different levels.

"The Hershey Bears have long become synonymous with competing and winning," Bears president and general manager Doug Yingst said in a statement. "Mike Haviland has coached his teams to compete and win, and we look forward to having him do the same in Hershey. Of the numerous candidates who applied for this position, we felt Mike was the best man to help our team push toward a 12th championship and we welcome him."

The native of Middletown, New Jersey, most recently returned to his AHL roots in Hampton Roads, serving as associate coach of the Norfolk Admirals in 2012-13. From 2005 through 2007, Haviland guided the Admirals, who were then the top affiliate of the Blackhawks, to a 93-51-10-6 record. During those seasons, Norfolk broke single-season wins and points records, an achievement that earned Haviland the 2007 Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as AHL Coach of the Year.

Following the 2007-08 season, Haviland was named assistant coach for the Blackhawks and, in a span of four years, helped Chicago to a cumulative mark of 187-101-40, a Central Division title in 2009-10 and the 2010 Stanley Cup.

Prior to his time in the AHL and NHL, Haviland spent four seasons with the ECHL's Trenton Titans (2004-05) and Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (2001-04). He led the Bullies to a Kelly Cup championship in 2003, and two years later, hoisted the trophy as the Titans' head coach.

He also served as an assistant coach with Elmira College in New York, leading the team to a pair of ECAC championships from 1996 through '98.