The Columbus Blue Jackets added longtime Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach Keith Acton to their coaching staff on Wednesday.
The move comes on the same day that Craig Hartsburg was named associate coach of the Blue Jackets.
“Keith is a quality person who brings a lot of experience, both as an assistant coach and player in the NHL, to our coaching staff,” said the club’s new head coach Todd Richards in a press release. “My goal has been to surround myself with knowledgeable and experienced people who could add a lot to our staff and I think we have done that with the group of coaches we have here.”
Acton spent the last ten years in Toronto working with Ron Wilson, Paul Maurice and Pat Quinn. Prior to that he was an assistant with the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers.
The 54-year-old Stouffville, Ont., native also played 14 seasons in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota North Stars, Edmonton Oilers (where he won a Stanley Cup in 1988), Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals and New York Islanders, registering 226 goals, 584 points and 1172 penalty minutes in 1023 games.
At Friday’s NHL Draft the Blue Jackets will make the second-overall selection.
