The Toronto Maple Leafs went with an experienced hand and a familiar face in hiring an assistant coach for the Newfoundland Growlers.
The Leafs have named 36-year-old John Snowden to head coach Ryane Clowe’s staff on the ECHL expansion team.
Snowden knows the league as a player — he skated for five seasons in the ECHL as part of 11-year minor-league career — and as a coach. He spent the last three seasons as an assistant/associate coach for the Orlando Solar Bears, who happened to be the Maple Leafs’ ECHL affiliate during that stretch.
A native of Snohomish, Wash., Snowden was a product of the United States National Team Development Program before playing junior hockey in the United States Hockey League.
He then embarked on a pro career that saw him suit up with 15 different teams in four North American circuits — the ECHL and the American, Central and International leagues — as well as putting in a half-season stint in Germany.
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