John Hynes Named to Team USA Coaching Staff for World Cup of Hockey

Devils coach John Hynes has been named as an assistant on John Tortorella’s staff at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey coming this September.

The Warwick, Rhode Island native joins Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, Predators assistant (recent Hall of Famer and former Devils defenseman) Phil Housley, Islanders coach Jack Capuano and Scott Gordon on Team USA’s coaching staff.

The first year Devils bench boss has had them contending for a playoff spot despite predictions that this was a rebuilding year for the franchise and still has them in the mix despite a depleted roster due to injuries and suspensions.

His previous international coaching experience includes six seasons as head coach of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. He also coached the US to three medals at the IIHF Men’s World Under-18 Championship according to the press release on the Devils official website. He won gold in 2006, silver in 2004 and bronze in 2008. He also served as an assistant on the staff for the first US team to win gold at the World Junior Championship (2004).

Coach Hynes certainly has the international coaching experience and his time in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and at the NHL level with the Devils gives him even more knowledge on how to deal with players of all levels.

The 2016 World Cup of Hockey will be played in Toronto from September 17 to October 1 at the Air Canada Centre and will feature teams from USA, Canada, the Czech Republic, Europe, Finland, North America, Russia and Sweden according to the press release. Team USA’s general manager is LA Kings GM Dean Lombardi. The head coach is Columbus coach John Tortorella.

Some might see this as a weird choice, being that Hynes is a rookie NHL coach. However, when you take into consideration his service to American hockey at the international level previous, it makes sense. As Devils fans, we see Hynes coaching each night and the man knows what he is doing, so while not an obvious choice, he is a good one.

Congratulations to coach Hynes on this honor.

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