Minnesota Wild coaching staff named

As Bryan and I were sitting at the draft over the weekend, I asked him whether he thought Darryl Sydor was going to come up with Mike Yeo as an assistant coach, or potentially be given the reins down in Houston. He said no to both questions. I disagreed and felt that Sydor would join the big club and I think he'll be a great asset for the youth movement.

I was right

Thanks to our good friends at Wild PR for the news.

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has named Darby Hendrickson, Darryl Sydor and Rick Wilson Assistant Coaches and Bob Mason Goaltending Coach. They will join the staff of Head Coach Mike Yeo, who was named the third coach in Wild history on June 17, 2011.    

Hendrickson, 38 (8/28/72), begins his second season as a Wild assistant coach after being named to the position on Sept. 10, 2010. He is an original member of the Wild and one of the most popular players in team history, having played four seasons (2000-04) and scored the team's first goal at Xcel Energy Center on Oct. 11, 2000 vs. Philadelphia. The Richfield, Minn., native posted 60 points (29-31=60) in 182 regular season games with the Wild. He appeared in 17 playoff matches with Minnesota in 2003 and recorded five points (2-3=5) including the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinal series at Vancouver. Hendrickson also skated with Toronto, the New York Islanders, Vancouver and Colorado, posting 129 points (65-64=129) in 518 NHL games in parts of 10 NHL seasons.    

Mason, 50 (4/22/61), begins his 10^th year as Goaltending Coach for the Wild after being named to the position on Sept. 14, 2002. He is responsible for working with goaltenders throughout the Wild organization. Under his tutelage, Wild goaltenders Niklas Backstrom (2007) and Dwayne Roloson (2004) have won the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award given annually to the goalie with the NHL's best save percentage. Backstrom (2009) and Roloson (2004) also represented Minnesota in the NHL All-Star Game. Mason also served as a Goaltending Consultant for the Atlanta Thrashers during its first two seasons of existence from 1999-2001. Prior to joining the Thrashers, he spent three seasons with the University of Minnesota as a volunteer Goaltender Coach. Mason played parts of eight seasons (1984-91) in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks posting a 55-65-16 record and a 3.76 GAA in 145 games. The native of International Falls, Minn., played two seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and was a member of Team USA at the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.    

Sydor, 39 (5/13/72), begins his first season as an assistant coach in the NHL after serving as an assistant coach for Mike Yeo with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2010-11. In his first season as a professional coach, the Aeros went 46-28-1-5 and advanced to the Calder Cup Final after not qualifying for the playoffs in 2010. Sydor played 18 seasons in the NHL collecting 507 points (98-409=507) and 755 penalty minutes (PIM) in 1,291 games with Los Angeles, Dallas, Columbus, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. The defenseman recorded 56 points (9-47=56) in 155 playoff games and won a Stanley Cup with the Stars in 1999 and the Lightning in 2004. The native of Edmonton, Alb., appeared in two NHL All-Star Games (1998, 1999) and retired following the 2009-10 season.    

Wilson, 60 (8/10/50), begins his 22^nd season as an NHL coach and second season with the Wild after being named an assistant coach on Aug. 10, 2010. He served as associate coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009-10. Prior to joining the Lightning, he spent 16 seasons (1992-2009) with the Stars franchise as an assistant and associate coach. Wilson was an interim coach with Dallas in 2002, leading the Stars to a 13-11-7 record. He won a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the University of North Dakota from 1978-80 and was part of the Fighting Sioux's 1980 NCAA championship team. He spent the next eight seasons with Prince Albert of the Western Hockey League, winning the Memorial Cup in 1985 and serving as head coach the last two seasons. Wilson was an assistant coach with the New York Islanders in 1988-89, and with Los Angeles from 1989-92. The Prince Albert, Sask., native played college hockey at the University of North Dakota for three seasons serving as captain in 1971-72. The defensemen recorded 32 points (6-26=32) in 239 career NHL games in four seasons with Montreal, St. Louis and Detroit from 1973-77.