The Devils today announced that they have added two new members to their staff: Andy Schneider, an amateur scout and Patrick Rissmiller, a development coach.
Schneider comes to the Devils from the Columbus Blue Jackets where he held the same position for the past three seasons. The 43-year-old native of Edmonton played five years in the major junior Western Hockey League with the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Swift Current Broncos. His junior career lasted from 1988 to 1993 and included representing Canada at the 1992 World Junior Championships. Afterwards, he began his professional career, which would last for the next 18 seasons. He played in Germany for 10 of those years (from 1997 to 2007). He also played four years in Austria, which included a championship with Klagenfurter AC in 2008-09.
NHL-wise, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by Ottawa in 1992. He played two years in the Senators’ organization and played in ten games with the big club in 1993-94. In 1994-95, he split the season between the AHL’s Prince Edward Island Senators, the Canadian national team and Leksands IF of the Swedish Elite League. He played with the IHL’s Minnesota/Manitoba Moose from 1995 to 1997 before leaving for Germany.
He began his coaching career in 2011-12 with Swift Current before joining the Blue Jackets the following season as an amateur scout.
Rissmiller, a 36-year-old native of Belmont, Massachusetts joins Pertti Hasanen and former Devils goaltender Scott Clemmensen on the Devils’ development staff.
He played professionally for 13 years, retiring after the last two in Italy, where he played for Ritten Renon (where he won the league championship in 2013-14). From 2002-03 to 2007-08, he was in the Sharks’ organization. He spent 2005-06 to 2007-08 with San Jose in the NHL. In total, he played in 192 games in the NHL with the Sharks, Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers and the Panthers. He also played in 30 Stanly Cup Playoff games.
His pro debut came in 2002-03 with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL after four seasons playing college hockey at Holy Cross. He went on to play for the Cleveland Barons of the AHL as well as Hartford, Grand Rapids, Chicago, Lake Erie, Rochester and Worcester of the AHL from 2002-03 to 2012-13.
He will now join the Devils where “he will work with all of the players in our organization, as well as our prospects” said GM Ray Shero, who also praised Rissmiller for having experience at almost every level from high school to college to the ECHL to the AHL, NHL and Europe “with multiple organizations.”
Overall, judging by the experience both men bring to the table, these look like two solid hires for the Devils. Ones that will bring a foundation of hockey knowledge and coaching skill to the players in the organization and will ultimately help make the club better.