Mara joins Wolf Pack as assistant coach

Photo: Boston Globe

The New York Rangers have named Paul Mara as an assistant coach on the staff of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.

Mara will join interim head coach Steve Smith and assistant coach Jaime Tardif, effective immediately.

Mara, 44, initially joined the Rangers on Aug. 25, 2023, as a player development assistant. He will continue to serve in that role while working on the Wolf Pack coaching staff.

Before joining the Rangers, Mara spent five seasons as the head coach of the NWHL and PHF’s Boston Pride, leading the club to Isobel Cup championships in 2021 and 2022.

Mara served as an assistant coach for the U.S. women’s national team at the 2018 Olympics, where they won the gold medal.

Prior to coaching, Mara played 13 professional seasons as a defenseman, including 734 games in the NHL with Montreal, Anaheim, the Rangers, Boston, Phoenix and Tampa Bay. He also dressed in 36 games for the AHL’s Houston Aeros in 2012-13.

Mara was selected by the Lightning in the first round, seventh overall, in the 1997 NHL Draft.