The Anaheim Ducks and Norfolk Admirals announced today that former Admirals coach Mike Haviland will return to Norfolk as associate coach of the Admirals.
Haviland will join head coach Trent Yawney and assistant coach Marty Wilford behind the bench at Norfolk Scope Arena in 2012-13.
Haviland had spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach with the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks. During his tenure, the Blackhawks posted a 187-101-40 record, advanced to the playoffs each season, won the Central Division title in 2009-10 and won the 2010 Stanley Cup.
Prior to moving to the NHL, the Middletown, N.J., native spent three seasons as the head coach of the Blackhawks’ American Hockey League affiliates, the Norfolk Admirals (2005-07) and Rockford IceHogs (2007-08). In his three seasons as an AHL head coach, Haviland guided his clubs to a 137-77-14-12 record.
Haviland succeeded Yawney as head coach in Norfolk and posted a 93-51-10-6 record in two seasons with the Admirals. In both 2005-06 and 2006-07, the Admirals broke previous records for wins and points in a season, and Haviland won the 2006-07 Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding coach after leading Norfolk to a 50-22-6-2 record.
Prior to joining the Admirals, Haviland coached four seasons in the ECHL between Trenton (2004-05) and Atlantic City (2001-04), winning league championships in 2003 and 2005.
Originally selected by the New Jersey Devils in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, Haviland played in the AHL with Binghamton in 1989-90.
