Edmonton Oilers

Isles hire Kelly Buchberger as assistant coach

Published Jul. 11, 2017 2:28 p.m. ET

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AP

NEW YORK (AP) The New York Islanders have hired Kelly Buchberger to be an assistant under coach Doug Weight.

The Islanders announced the hire Tuesday. Buchberger served as vice president of player development for the Edmonton Oilers last season, after spending the previous two as the club's manager of player personnel. He spent six seasons (2008-2014) as an assistant coach with the Oilers.

During his 18 NHL seasons as a player, Buchberger had 309 points (105 goals, 204 assists) in 1,182 regular-season games in a career that began during the 1987 Stanley Cup playoffs with the Oilers and concluded in 2003-04 with the Penguins. Buchberger won two Stanley Cups with the Oilers, in 1987 and 1990, and was a teammate of Weight's in Edmonton.

''Kelly adds years and years of NHL coaching and management experience to our staff,'' Weight said in a statement. ''He is a tireless worker who commands respect behind the bench and in the locker room.''

Also Tuesday, the team agreed to terms with goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis on a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) deal. The Islanders had acquired Gudlevskis from the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1 for forward Carter Verhaeghe.

Gudlevskis, 24, had a 2.65 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage in 37 games with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League last season. He represented Latvia at the 2014 Winter Games.

On Monday, the Islanders hired Fred Brathwaite as goaltending coach. Brathwaite was the goaltending coach for Hockey Canada with its under-18 team for the past three seasons. During nine NHL seasons as a player, the Ottawa, Ontario, native played in 254 games and posted an 81-99-37 record with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.

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