The Ottawa Senators have signed Kurt Kleinendorst to a two-year deal to become the new head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators.
Kleinendorst spent last season as the head coach of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program's Under-18 team, leading it to a to gold medal at the 2010 IIHF U-18 World Hockey Championship held in Belarus. The 49-year-old also served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2008 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Halifax and Quebec City.
The Grand Rapids, Minnesota native spent the previous nine seasons with the New Jersey Devils organization, including three as the head coach of the American Hockey League's Lowell Devils, from 2006 to 2009. Prior to coaching the AHL Devils, he served as a member of the team's scouting staff for the previous five seasons, including four as a special assignment scout and one season as professional scout.
He joined the New Jersey organization as an assistant coach as part of Larry Robinson's National Hockey League staff for the 2000-01 season.
Kleinendorst replaces Don Nachbaur, who led Binghamton to a 36-35-6-3 record last season, missing the AHL playoffs.
