Dineen and Shuchuk Hired as Falcons Assistants by Coyotes
August 14, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, MA â The Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League (AHL) today announced that Gord Dineen has been hired as the club's assistant coach by their NHL affiliate, the Phoenix Coyotes. The Coyotes have also signed center Gary Shuchuk (SHOO-chuck) to a one-year contract to serve as a player/assistant coach with the Falcons. Per organization policy, terms of the agreements have not been disclosed. Dineen and Shuchuk will join Head Coach Marty McSorley to make up the Falcons' coaching staff during the 2003-04 season.
The upcoming campaign will mark Dineen's fifth season in coaching. He served as a player/assistant coach for the Utah Grizzlies, then of the International Hockey League (IHL), during the 1999-2000 season. Dineen retired as a player the following season and became assistant coach of the AHL's Louisville Panthers for the 2000-01 campaign. The Toronto native took over his first head coaching position in 2001-02 and guided the East Coast Hockey League's (ECHL) Macon Whoopee to a record of 29-31-12. Last season Dineen served as head coach for the ECHL's Richmond Renegades, guiding the club to a 35-31-6 record.
Dineen skated 18 professional seasons as a player including 13 in the NHL. He played a total of 528 NHL games, collecting 106 point (16g, 90a) and 695 penalty minutes (PIM). The defenseman was a member of the 1990-91 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins and was a member of the 1983-84 Stanley Cup Finalist New York Islanders.
Dineen played a total of 36 games with the Springfield Indians during the 1984-85 and 1985-86 seasons, collecting 14 points (3g, 11a) and 66 penalty minutes. While playing for the old Central Hockey League's Indianapolis Checkers, he was honored with the Bobby Orr Trophy for the 1982-83 season as the league's best defenseman. He won IHL Turner Cups as a member of the Denver/Utah Grizzlies in 1994-95 and 1995-96 and with the Chicago Wolves in 1999-2000.
Dineen, 40, is one of five brothers to play professional hockey. His brother Kevin retired last season as a player for the Columbus Blue Jackets after 19 NHL seasons. His father Bill served as head coach for the Philadelphia Flyers (1991-92 to 1992-93), the World Hockey Association's Houston Aeros (1972-73 to 1977-78) and New England Whalers (1978-79), and the AHL's Adirondack Red Wings (1983-84 to 1988-89). Bill won the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's Coach of the Year for the 1984-85 and 1985-86 seasons and coached Adirondack to Calder Cup Championships in 1985-86 and 1988-89. Bill also played 18 seasons of professional hockey including five NHL campaigns with the Detroit Red Wings (1953-54 to 1957-58) and Chicago Blackhawks (1957-58).
Shuchuk, 36, has played the last three seasons in the German Elite League. Last season, the forward tallied 20 points (7g, 13a) and 62 PIM in 51 games with Krefeld. The Edmonton native has posted 39 points (13g, 26a) in 142 NHL games during his career with Detroit and the Los Angeles Kings. Shuchuk was teammates with McSorley with Los Angeles from the 1992-93 season to 1995-96. The 5'10", 190-pounder played three AHL seasons with Adirondack from 1990-91 to 1992-93. Shuchuk scored 32 goals among 80 points during the 1991-92 campaign and helped lead Adirondack to a Calder Cup Championship that season. Shuchuk also played four seasons in the IHL with the Phoenix Roadrunners (1994-95 and 1995-96), Houston (1996-97), and the Orlando Solar Bears (1999-00).
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