The Steelers (not those Steelers) have a new head coach with a very familiar name to Pittsburgh.
The Sheffield Steelers of the United Kingdom-based Elite Ice Hockey League have hired former Penguins goaltender Tom Barrasso as their new head coach, it was announced Tuesday.
Barrasso, 53, joins the Steelers after two successful seasons with Italian club Asiago of the top-division Alps Hockey League. Barrasso and Asiago made it to the Alps championship in 2016-17 and lost, then won the championship in 2017-18.
Prior to coaching Asiago, Barrasso was with the NHL's Hurricanes as a goaltending coach from 2007-09 before being promoted to assistant coach, a role he held until 2012. Barrasso spent one season as assistant coach for Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the KHL in 2012-13. He also spent a few months as goaltending coach for HC Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia in 2015.
“This has been an extensive search to find the right man," Sheffield owner Tony Smith said of the hire in a team release. "Ourselves and our agents have scoured the best leagues in the world to find the right coach and fit for our hockey club. In Tom Barrasso, we believe we have that man. Of course, Tom’s resume as a player is very impressive, but it’s what we believe he will bring to our organization as a head coach that attracted us to him. I love the fact that despite achieving what he has already done he is still so hungry to come to Sheffield and lead our club."
Barrasso replaces Paul Thompson behind the Steelers' bench, who resigned on Oct. 1 due to personal reasons.
The Steelers are currently in last place in the 11-team league with a record of 3-6. Barrasso's first game as head coach will be on Oct. 13 on the road against the league-leading Nottingham Panthers.
Barrasso ranks second all-time among Penguins goaltenders in games played (490), wins (226), and shutouts (22), trailing only Marc-Andre Fleury. He’s the NHL’s all-time leading scorer among goaltenders with 48 assists, and was the first U.S. born goaltender to reach 300 wins
