The New York Rangers on Wednesday announced the hirings of Ulf Samuelsson and Scott Arniel as assistants to new coach Alain Vigneault.
The New York Daily News reported Sunday that Samuelsson would be added to the staff, a report that appeared to be confirmed when Samuelsson was on the ice Tuesday with the team's prospects at its rookie camp at the MSG Training Facility in Tarrytown, N.Y.
Samuelsson spent the previous two seasons as coach of Modo in the Swedish Elite League. He last worked in the NHL as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes from 2006 to 2011.
He played in the NHL for 17 seasons, including four with the Rangers.
ESPNNewYork.com and The (Bergen) Record reported Tuesday that Arniel, former coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, also will join Vigneault's staff. Arniel spent last season as coach of the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. Chicago was the American Hockey League affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, whom Vigneault coached until being fired following the Canucks' first-round loss in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Prior to taking the Blue Jackets coaching job in 2010, Arniel coached the Manitoba Moose, then the Canucks' AHL affiliate, where he also worked with Vigneault.
"It had a lot to do with it," Arniel told the Vancouver Sun. "Alain was really good to me when I was in Manitoba and he was starting in Vancouver and also last year when I was in Chicago.
"And when I was in Columbus he was a guy I talked to regularly. He's become a good friend and I am excited to work with him."
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