Per Red Wings‘ press release:
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced that they have hired Jim Hiller and Andrew Brewer as assistant coaches. In accordance with club policy, additional details will not be disclosed.
Hiller, 45, joins the organization after 11 years in the Western Hockey League and British Columbia Hockey League, most recently as head coach of the WHL’s Tri-City Americans from 2009-14. In 360 regular-season games behind the Americans bench, Hiller compiled a 210-124-11-15 record, helping the team to four playoff berths, two U.S. Division titles and an appearance in the WHL Finals in 2010. In 2011-12, Hiller was honored as the WHL’s Coach of the Year and won the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award as the top coach in the Canadian Hockey League after leading Tri-City to a 50-18-2-2 record. The Port Alberni, British Columbia, native spent two years as an assistant coach in Tri-City (2002-04) before his first head coaching job with the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs in 2005-06. Hiller compiled a 43-12-2 record in his lone season with Alberni Valley before spending the next three seasons with the WHL’s Chilliwack Bruins.
As a player, Hiller briefly spent time with the Red Wings, appearing in 21 regular-season games and two playoff games with Detroit in 1992-93. Originally drafted in the 10th round (207th overall) of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by Los Angeles, Hiller appeared in 63 career NHL games with the Red Wings, Kings and New York Rangers from 1992-94, recording 20 points (8-12-20) and 116 penalty minutes. Prior to his professional career, he skated in three seasons with the Northern Michigan Wildcats, racking up 205 points (76-129-205) in 123 collegiate games from 1989-92. Hiller also suited up for the IHL’s Phoenix Roadrunners and Atlanta Knights and the AHL’s Binghamton Rangers before finishing his playing career in Europe. He picked up 209 points (80-129-209) in 237 games with Sportbund DJK Rosenheim and the Berlin Capitals in Germany from 1996-01 and recorded 41 points (22-19-41) in 38 for Milano in the Italian League in 2001-02.
Brewer joins the Red Wings after spending three years with Hockey Canada, serving as the organization’s video coach for various international events, most recently working with Mike Babcock for Canada’s gold-medal team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Since joining the organization in 2011, Brewer has served on Canada’s coaching staff for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 IIHF World Championships and World Junior Championships, along with other Hockey Canada events including the Canada-Russia Challenge, CHL Subway Series, Deutschland Cup and World Sledge Hockey Challenge. Before his time with Hockey Canada, Brewer spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of New Brunswick, helping the club win the Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s University Cup as national champions in 2009 and 2011.
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George Malik posted the Hiller news very late last night and had a post about him up this morning, including the news that Hiller could very well fit the role of the “Analytics Guy” the Red Wings have recently shown interest in adding. Malik also posited that these are one-year deals, but the club isn’t going to reveal that information.
[Update: fortunately, Helene is on the case]
Jim Hiller, Tony Granato & video coach Andrew Brewer all 1-year deals, match one year left on Mike Babcock’s contract. #RedWings
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) July 30, 2014
With previous news that Tony Granato would be in charge of the defense, the assumption is that Hiller will be tasked with helping out on the offensive side, while Brewer takes over Keith McKittrick’s old position of video review coach.
