The Anaheim Ducks have brought back a familiar face, hiring Newell Brown as an assistant coach for the 2021-22 season. This will be Brown’s third tenure with the organization, going back to when they were still the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
It’s hard to find an assistant with more NHL experience than Brown, who has been behind a bench somewhere in the league since 1996. Most recently, he served as an assistant with the Vancouver Canucks for four seasons, but will go back to the place where he won the Stanley Cup in 2007. That was as part of Randy Carlyle’s staff, but this time Brown will be joining Dallas Eakins’ group as they try to get the rebuild turned in the right direction.
The Canucks moved in a different direction this year, bringing in Brad Shaw after he parted ways with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brown had been responsible for the powerplay in Vancouver, which at times was among the best in the league; in 2019-20, Vancouver ranked fourth in the league with the man advantage, cashing in 24.2% of the time.
It’s not yet clear what role he will serve with the Ducks, but is certainly a welcome addition to a group that has missed the playoffs for three straight years. In those three seasons, the powerplay has ranked 31st, 30th, and 24th, suggesting that Brown could have an immediate effect if he can simply get the team to the middle of the pack.
PLAN THE PARADE