Silver Knights get familiar name as 2nd head coach

The Golden Knights turned to a familiar face to fill their vacant coaching position in Henderson.

Longtime assistant Ryan Craig was named the second coach of the Silver Knights on Monday, almost two weeks after helping the organization win its first Stanley Cup championship. Craig worked with the Golden Knights’ forwards and ran the power play at different points.

He replaces Manny Viveiros, who was not retained after going 89-79-11 during the Silver Knights’ first three seasons.

“I am excited for the opportunity to lead the Silver Knights and know we have the ingredients for success in place in Henderson,” Craig said in a statement. “I believe my playing and coaching experiences, highlighted by this year’s Stanley Cup run, have prepared me well for this next step in my career.”

Craig, 41, is the only person who has been on the Golden Knights’ bench each of their six seasons.

His value to the organization was evident last summer, when he and assistant Misha Donskov were retained despite coach Pete DeBoer being replaced by Bruce Cassidy. Assistants Steve Spott and Ryan McGill were fired, while goaltending coach Mike Rosati moved to the front office.

Craig will be introduced at a news conference Friday at the Dollar Loan Center.

“I have tremendous respect for Ryan Craig as both a person and a professional and believe we have an ideal coach to lead our team in Henderson,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a statement. “He is a proven leader who has learned from some of the game’s best coaches. He understands the importance of the (American Hockey League) level both in terms of developing our NHL prospects and creating a winning environment.”

Craig joined the Golden Knights as soon as his playing days ended.

He played for the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings — where McCrimmon was owner and general manager — for five seasons, and was an eighth-round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2002. He played 198 NHL games for three organizations, but spent the bulk of his career at the level he now will coach in.

Craig scored 348 points in 650 AHL regular-season games. He was a captain for three organizations, including the Calder Cup-winning Lake Erie Monsters in 2016.

Craig will inherit a roster that features some of the Golden Knights’ top prospects.

Right wing Brendan Brisson and defensemen Daniil Chayka, Lukas Cormier and Kaedan Korczak are recent early-round draft picks who spent the bulk of last season with the Silver Knights.

Henderson finished 29-38-5 last season and missed the playoffs.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.