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Penguins hire ‘long-time NHL assistant’ coach Agnew

Columbus Blue Jackets 2007 Headshots

COLUMBUS, OH - 2007: Gary Agnew of the Columbus Blue Jackets poses for his 2007 NHL headshot at photo day in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Getty Images)

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have tapped Gary Agnew to join Mike Johnston’s staff as an assistant coach.

Agnew spent the last two seasons on Ken Hitchcock’s staff in St. Louis. Before that, the 54-year-old spent four years as Hitchcock’s assistant in Columbus, with one season as head coach of OHL Oshawa in between.

“I am very excited to add Gary Agnew to our coaching staff,” Johnston said in a release. “He is a long-time NHL assistant who has worked with both forwards and defensemen, along with having extensive special team’s experience.

“I like the fact that Gary has also had head coaching experience, including very successful stints in the AHL and at the junior level. Gary has been a career coach and is well known for his communication and teaching abilities.”

Agnew was a head coach in the OHL (London and Kingston) from 1990-2000, after which he spent six seasons as the bench boss of AHL Syracuse.

Related: ‘Something was amiss,’ says former Blues assistant coach Agnew