Calgary Flames' head coach Brent Sutter reacts to a penalty call during the third period of their NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings in Calgary, Alberta, January 14, 2012. REUTERS/Todd KorolReuters
Brent Sutter wasn't out of the coaching game for long.
One day after leaving the Calgary Flames, the former NHL head coach was announced as the bench boss for Canada's team at the coming IIHF world championships in Finland-Sweden beginning later this month.
Joining Sutter as assistants will be Guy Boucher of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Kirk Muller of the Washington Capitals.
"This is a coaching staff that has a great deal of professional and international experience," Canadian general manager Kevin Lowe, of the Edmonton Oilers, said in a news release. "Brent, Guy and Kirk are all looking forward to working with the 17 players we have named and leading this group to success in Helsinki."
Sutter has a wealth of international experience at the world junior level, coaching Canada to gold medals in 2005 and 2006. He spent the past three NHL seasons with the Flames but was unable to guide the team to a playoff spot even once. With his contract expiring, Sutter met with Flames' GM Jay Feaster on Wednesday and agreed it was in everyone's best interest that he move on.
Coaching the world championship team could mean Sutter will be considered when the Canadian team is assembled for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. It is not yet decided whether NHL players will compete in Russia.