Coaching changes for Vegas Golden Knights

The reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights have announced a few additions to their coaching staff who will now be working alongside Bruce Cassidy, who guided the team to ultimate glory last month. 

Two new assistant coaches were officially named this afternoon, as former Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme as well as Henderson Silver Knights and ex-NHL forward Joel Ward have been added to the staff. 

"We are extremely pleased with the additions of Dominique and Joel to our coaching staff here in Vegas," said Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon. "Dominique brings a wealth of coaching experience into our organization and has proven to be a successful leader at multiple levels. Joel has excelled in Henderson during the first three years of his promising career as a coach and we're excited for him to be taking his next step with us."

As head coach, Ducharme actually helped the Canadiens defeat the Golden Knights in the third round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which advanced them to the Cup Final for the first time since 1993. He would be terminated by the team following a poor start to the following season. 

Meanwhile, Ward had been on the bench of the Silver Knights, Vegas' American Hockey League affiliate, since their inception in 2020-21. He also previously played 11 years in the NHL, scoring 133 goals and 171 assists. 

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