LA Kings hire former St. Louis Blues coach Davis Payne as assistant to Darryl Sutter
2012-07-27 14:16:00
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - The Los Angeles Kings have hired former St. Louis head coach Davis Payne as an assistant to coach Darryl Sutter.
The Stanley Cup champions announced the move Friday.
St. Louis fired Payne on Nov. 6 after nearly two years behind the bench. Ken Hitchcock took over and led the Blues to the second round of the playoffs, where Los Angeles swept them.
Payne will replace Jamie Kompon, who left the Kings for the same job with the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this month. Kompon and John Stevens stayed on in Los Angeles as assistants when Sutter replaced Terry Murray last December.
Sutter says the 41-year-old Payne topped his list of candidates, noting his combination of youth and head coaching experience.
Stevens, the former Philadelphia coach, will return with Sutter and Payne next season.
Advertisement
This Week - Subscribe NowAll things considered, how would you rate this NHL season?
Advertisement
"If we do pick first, we're leaning more toward one of those three forwards."
- Colorado's executive vice president of hockey operations, Joe Sakic, on what the Avalanche plan to do with the first overall pick at the June 30 entry draft. Many were expecting Colorado to take defenseman Seth Jones.
Contests
Our Partners
A TC Media site, Consumer Solutions
