Former NHL player Tim Hunter hired as Washington Capitals’ assistant coach
Tim Hunter, a former Calgary Flames, Quebec Nordiques, Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks’ player, has been named assistant coach of Washington Capitals. Hunter will work under Adam Oates, who was hired as head coach of Capitals last month, after he left
New Jersey Devils’ assistant coach’s job.
Washington Capitals is not the first team where Hunter would work as an assistant coach. 51-year-old former right winger has got pretty much coaching experience under his belt.
This is the second time he is hired as Capitals’ assistant coach because after he left playing hockey and took retirement in 1997 season, he immediately joined Washington Capitals as an assistant coach, making them the first team to have him in that position.
In between, Hunter worked as assistant coach with two other teams of NHL, i.e. San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs. He joined San Jose Sharks in 2002 and remained there until 2007-2008 season and then was named Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach but
left that too after 2010-2011 season.
Native of Calgary, Alberta, the Canadian international player will join three people who would be very new in their fields, Adam Oates, a first time head coach and Calle Johannson, a first time assistant coach and Olaf Kolzig, who would be doing the job
of goaltender’s coach for the first time.
Hunter talked about the time when he started this job for the first time and the help he got from his senior coaches then. He thinks it’s his turn to do the same as he said,
“I started off with the Caps, 15 years ago with Ron and I was a first time coach. I was able to learn the ropes and become an entrepreneur at my own position. That was through good guidance by Ron and Tim Army, who taught me how to be a professional coach
and I learned a tremendous amount from him. It’s my turn to do the same thing.”
When he was assistant coach there before, he had coached the players who would now work with him behind the bench and now he is looking forward to help them again. He further added,
“I’m a career assistant coach and I’m looking forward to helping Adam and Calle become better coaches and the Caps to become a better team.”
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