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AHL Syracuse Crunch

A.J. MacLean, Maxime Vaillancourt Join Syracuse Crunch Coaching Staff

July 13, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Tampa Bay Lightning have appointed A.J. MacLean to the position of Syracuse Crunch Assistant Coach and Maxime Vaillancourt to Syracuse Crunch Goaltending Coach, Lightning vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today.

MacLean, 39, joins the Crunch after spending eight seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies from 2015 to 2023. He was a member of the Marlies coaching staff that claimed the 2018 Calder Cup. Prior to his time with Toronto, MacLean served two seasons as an assistant coach with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL from 2013 to 2015.

A native of Antigonish, NS, MacLean skated in 496 games over a nine-year professional hockey career. Between 2004 and 2013, he spent time with Quad City (UHL), Dayton (ECHL), Oklahoma City (CHL), Pensacola (ECHL), Arizona (CHL) and Dundee (EIHL). MacLean played major junior hockey with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL, recording 47 points (21g, 26a) in three seasons and was named QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year following the 2002-03 season.

Vaillancourt, 35, has served as goaltending coach and video coordinator with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL since 2011. He also served as an interim coach for the Laval Rocket during the 2020-21 season and goaltending coach for Hockey Canada at the World Under-17 Challenge with Team Canada Red during the 2018-19 season.

A native of LaSalle, QC, Vaillancourt began his coaching career in Quebec minor hockey rising from bantam AA to midget AAA, where he worked with Rousseau-Royal de Laval-Montréal between 2008 to 2017.

Goaltending & Video Coach Joe Palmer will not be returning to the team.

Ticket packages for the 2023-24 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Crunch office located inside the Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial at 800 S. State St. in Syracuse, by calling the office at 315-473-4444 or online through Ticketmaster. For the latest Crunch news, visit www.syracusecrunch.com or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch), Twitter (@SyracuseCrunch) and Instagram (@syracusecrunch).

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American Hockey League Stories from July 13, 2023


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