Ducks Lose Assistant, Hire Another

The Mighty Ducks lost an assistant coach and hired one on Tuesday.

Newell Brown resigned to become an associate coach with the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets and the Ducks hired Terry Simpson to replace him. They also hired Mike Babcock to coach Cincinnati, their minor league affiliate.

Simpson has been a head coach for three NHL teams, the New York Islanders (1986-89), the Philadelphia Flyers (1993-94) and the Winnipeg Jets (1994-96). Last season he was a scout for the expansion Minnesota Wild, which begins play next season.

Brown was a Duck assistant the last two seasons. He is the second assistant coach to leave since the Ducks failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. George Burnett resigned to become coach of the Oshawa Generals, a junior-level team, and was replaced by Guy Charron.

Babcock coached Spokane in the Western Hockey League last season.