Rangers hire ex-Canucks assistant Darryl Williams

Darryl Williams, who worked on head coach Alain Vigneault's staff in Vancouver, is joining the Rangers as an assistant coach, replacing Dan Lacroix, who left for the Canadiens last week.

Williams, 46, was an assistant coach for the Canucks for the last six seasons. According to the Vancouver Sun, Canucks President Trevor Linden said that Williams, a video coach, left for a “real exciting opportunity” that works better for him and his family and was not fired.

Williams, a former left wing, also was associate coach, video coordinator, and strength and conditioning coach for St. John’s of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2005-06 to 2007-08. The Newfoundland native also was as an assistant coach with the AHL's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks and head coach with the Kansas City Outlaws of the United Hockey League. In 676 AHL and IHL games, Williams scored 126 goals and 283 points.                      

Lacroix, who will work as an assistant behind the bench in Montreal, was the team's "eye in the sky", watching games from the press box and helping run practices and workouts.