Devils to add former Canucks HC to coaching staff

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the New Jersey Devils are expected to bring in Travis Green as an assistant coach.

Green will replace the recently vacated Andrew Brunette, who will take over as Nashville’s coach for 2023-24. According to Friedman, the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs were believed to have an interest in Green.

The 52-year-old has never been an assistant coach in the NHL, last serving as the head bench boss with Vancouver from 2017-21. Green’s most recent coaching gig saw him running Canada’s Spengler Cup entry in December. Canada finished the tournament without a win for the first time ever, scoring just four goals in three games.

Green had a 133-147-34 record over 314 games with the Canucks, with the highlight being a second-round playoff appearance in 2020. The team missed the playoffs in his three other full-time seasons before getting let go with an 8-15-2 record in 2021.

Before becoming a pro hockey coach, Green won the WHL championship with Portland in 2012-13. He became Utica’s coach in the AHL in 2013-14, with the highlight being a Calder Cup final appearance in 2014-15.

Green had a 14-year NHL career, scoring 193 goals and 455 points in 14 games. He had a career-high 70-points in 1995-96 and would go on to play with Anaheim, Arizona, Toronto, Boston and Anaheim. He finished his NHL career with a second stint in Toronto before playing his final pro hockey season with EV Zug in 2007-08, putting up a respectable 20 points in 29 games in Switzerland’s top league.

The Devils had a big resurgence in 2022-23, going from seventh in the Metropolitan Division and selecting second in the NHL Draft to finishing second in the division this season. With 52 wins under coach Lindy Ruff, it was the first time the team hit that mark since 2008-09.