Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Gallant hires familiar face as assistant with Golden Knights

Golden Knights Coach Gerard Gallant

AP Photo/John Locher

Gerard Gallant attends a news conference Thursday, April 13, 2017, in Las Vegas. The Vegas Golden Knights have hired Gallant as the first coach of the NHL expansion team.

Gerard Gallant made his first hire today as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, bringing on assistant coach Mike Kelly.

Kelly is a familiar face to Gallant, and if the pair’s results in Las Vegas are similar to what they have accomplished together elsewhere, it will be a great hire.

Kelly served as Gallant’s assistant in Florida from 2014-17, helping lead the Panthers to a 120-91-35 record and a first-place finish in the Atlantic Division in the 2015-16 season.

Kelly also worked under Gallant for the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as a director of hockey operations and head coach from 2010-12.

Together, Gallant and Kelly led the Sea Dogs to three first place finishes, three league finals, two QMJHL Championships and one Memorial Cup.

“I am very excited to be working with Mike again,” Gallant said. “We enjoyed success in both Florida and Saint John and I am eager to bring that success to the Golden Knights. Mike is a great guy with a wealth of hockey knowledge, and I couldn’t be happier with the decision to bring him to Las Vegas.”

Golden Knights General Manager George McPhee said Kelly’s experience made him a well-rounded candidate for the job. “His familiarity with Gerard’s coaching style and practices will make this a seamless transition for our club,” McPhee said.

Like Gallant, Kelly has experience coaching internationally for Team Canada. As head coach, he led Canada to a gold medal in the 2003 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championships.

Kelly played hockey in college at the University of New Brunswick in Canada from 1981-86, recording 48 goals and 73 assists.

The hire comes a day after the team named Rocky Thompson head coach of the Golden Knights’ American Hockey League Affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

“He knows how to win,” Wolves General Manager Wendell Young said of Thompson. “He was a tough, hard worker when he played, and those characteristics have carried over as a coach. He is meticulous in every area. Everybody I’ve talked to in the hockey world has given him rave reviews. He’s going to be a tremendous asset when it comes to developing players and continuing the Wolves’ winning ways.”

Thompson is fresh off winning the Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires.

Thompson said he was grateful for the opportunity. “Chicago is a tremendous hockey community, and I look forward to helping the Golden Knights develop top players on and off the ice in front of this dedicated fan base,” he said.