NEWS: Hitmen announce the hiring of Matt Stajan as assistant coach.
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Matt Stajan replaces Joel Otto as Hitmen assistant coach
Photo credit: Kirby Lee / USA Today Sports
Good news and bad news for the Calgary Hitmen, folks.
The bad news is that assistant coach Joel Otto is stepping away due to a hip injury. The good news is that his replacement is beloved former Calgary Flames forward Matt Stajan.
Stajan joins the Hitmen after spending time on the media side with Sportsnet and Flames TV. He retired from pro hockey in 2019 after a 15-year NHL career (and one season in Europe) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and EHC Munchen (in Germany). He played over 1,000 games at hockey’s highest level, first as a responsible two-way centre and later in his career as a shutdown fourth liner and mentor for young NHLers.
Stajan completes a Hitmen coaching staff that also includes head coach Steve Hamilton, assistant coach Trent Cassan and goaltending coach Brad Kirkwood. Otto departs after serving on the Hitmen coaching staff since the 2006-07 season.
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