The Boston Bruins have named Marc Habscheid as an associate coach of the team, it was announced today by Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli. Habscheid, who signed a multi-year contract, is the first person added to coach Dave Lewis’ staff.

"Marc has a lot of experience and is a strong addition to our coaching staff," said Chiarelli. "He’s worked with young players as both a coach in Major Junior Hockey and with Hockey Canada’s development teams, and he’s worked with some of the top players in our league as a coach for Team Canada at both the World Championships and with the Canadian Olympic Team.”

Habscheid, 43, enjoyed an 11-year professional career as both a right wing and center with four NHL organizations. He was drafted by Edmonton as their sixth pick, 113th overall, in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft following a junior career with Saskatoon and Kamloops of the Western Hockey League. He had 72 goals and 91 assists for 163 points and 171 penalty minutes in 345 career NHL games with Edmonton, Minnesota, Detroit and Calgary, while also spending time with the Canadian National Team and he concluded his playing career following the 1995-96 season in Germany.

The native of Swift Current, Saskatchewan turned to coaching in 1996 as the coach of the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs and after one season with Melfort, he was named coach of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers in 1997-98. He compiled a 85-43-16 record over two seasons with Kamloops and was then named as coach of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. Over four-plus seasons with the Rockets, Habscheid led the team to two Memorial Cup berths, winning the Major Junior Hockey championship in 2003-04, and he earned CHL and WHL Coach of the Year honors in 2002-03 as his team compiled a 51-14-6-1 record.

Habscheid joined Hockey Canada in June, 2004 when he was named head coach of Canada’s National Men’s team for all international hockey events. He served as head coach for Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships each season, winning a Gold medal in 2004 and a Silver medal in 2005, and also served as a Team Canada assistant coach at the 2006 Olympic Games in addition to working with Hockey Canada’s coaching and development programs. He is the only Canadian to have both played and coached for Canada in a World Junior Championship (1982 as a player; 2003 as a coach), Olympic Winter Games (1988 as a player; 2006 as a coach) and World Championship (1992 as a player; 2004, 2005 and 2006 as a coach).