The NHL’s Anaheim Ducks announced today that the club has named Eric Weinrich assistant coach of the Portland Pirates, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League.
The announcement follows his retirement from the NHL as a player after 18 seasons.
"First I’d like to congratulate Eric on a successful playing career," said Ducks senior vice president of hockey operations Bob Murray. "Now that he’s decided to join the coaching ranks, we feel fortunate to have someone with such great character and leadership qualities join our organization."
Weinrich, 39, will join Bruce Crowder as an assistant under Kevin Dineen. He spent 18 years in the NHL as a defenseman from 1988-2006, playing in 1,157 career games with New Jersey, Hartford, Chicago, Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Vancouver.
Weinrich played two seasons in the AHL with the Utica Devils, and captured the Eddie Shore Award as the league’s outstanding defenseman in 1989-90.
