With preseason only days away, and the regular season kicking off in roughly three weeks, the Pens can now focus on the coaching staff. As of Wednesday, the Penguins resigned three assistant coaches in efforts to keep a stable backbone to an ever growing team.
Andre Savard and Mike Yeo, both assistant coaches, received one-year extensions bringing them through the 2008-09 season. As a former player for the Nordiques himself, Savard has held different positions; ranging from scout to the head coach position in 1987. From there, Savard assumed a role as assistant coach for the Senators, Assistant General Manager for the Canadians before ultimately making his way on to the Pens in 2006.
Despite only enterting his second season as an assistant coach for the Penguins, Mike Yeo has been part of the Penguins' circuit since 2000. Formerly a player for Wilkes-Barre Scranton, Yeo was given the title of assistant coach in 2000, the first ever for the WBS club. In his tenure there, Yeo led the baby Pens to the Calder Cup finals in 2001 and 2004.
The third and final coach offered an extension is no stranger to the Penguins' coaching staff. As scout and goaltending coach since the days of the cup in '91 and '92, Gilles Meloche has signed on for what will officially be his 19th season with the franchise. A former Pens goalie who received the lot of his recognition as netminder for the Minnesota North Stars (including two All-Star appearances in 1980 and 1982), it goes without saying that Meloche is certainly an expert in his field. He will continue his role with the Pens, also offering his goaltending feedback and alysis' to the Wilkes-Barre club.
And finally as a last reminder, Penguins regular season tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10am. With the team selling 95-98% capacity for the past two seasons, you better get them as soon as possible.
