Craig Ramsay joins Florida Panthers as the team’s new Assistant Coach –NHL offseason Update
Former head coach of Atlanta Thrashers and long-time left winger for Buffalo Sabres, Craig Ramsay, signed on with his previous team, Florida Panthers, as Panthers' new assistant coach, after being relieved of his duties in Atlanta as the franchise shifted
to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
After cutting loose and slamming the True North Sports and Entertainment business group, the owners of Winnipeg’s new team, about their undermining and ambiguous shifting, Ramsay was offered a deal and he took the opportunity.
Ramsay felt left out when the group bought the Atlanta based franchise and did not even give him a phone call.
Ramsay praised newly appointed general manager of Winnipeg Jets, Kevin Cheveldayoff, for his taking responsibility of the issue and having taken Ramsay into confidence.
Nevertheless, Ramsay is happy with his new position which became clear after a few twitter messages by the people in-charge.
"It is great to be able to re-join the Florida Panthers organization and come back home again", Ramsay said after the decision was officially announced by team management. "I look forward to working with Head Coach Kevin Dineen, the entire coaching staff,
our management team and all our players as we strive to reach our goals and objectives. Having previously served as associate coach during the team’s first two seasons, I have seen firsthand the passion that the South Florida community has for hockey and I
look forward to being part of it once again".
The 60-year-old coach was in his first year with Atlanta after being nominated a few days prior to the new 2010-2011 season beginning.
Thrashers had a good run during the first half, until the All-Star game, but slacked and remained in the lower ranks after that, ultimately keeping them out of the playoffs.
Claude Noel, coach of Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg’s American Hockey League (AML) affiliate team, was chosen for the position after three people including him, Ramsay and Mike Haviland from Chicago, were shortlisted for the position.
Ramsay played 1,070 NHL games during his 14 season professional career as a player, in which he scored a total of 672 points (252 goals, 420 assists).
He retired from the sport in 1985.
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