TORONTO - Eric Weinrich apparently has put an end to
his quest for a Stanley Cup championship.
According to a report by TSN of Canada on Friday, Weinrich has
decided to retire as a player and become a coach with the
Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League.
Weinrich would be joining a coaching staff headed by Kevin
Dineen, who ended his glorious NHL career in 2002-03 before
being named the AHL's outstanding coach in his first season
behind a bench in 2005-06.
"Having a guy with his kind of experience on board will do
nothing but help the young defensemen we have on our team,"
Dineen told the Portland Press Herald. "Once he sets foot in
the dressing room, his kind of demeanor is the right kind of fit
to help these guys maximize their potential."
A second-round pick of New Jersey in 1985, Weinrich split last
season with St. Louis and Vancouver, recording one goal and 16
assists in 75 games. In 17 campaigns with the Devils, Hartford
Whalers, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins,
Philadelphia Flyers, Blues and Canucks, the 39-year-old
defenseman collected 70 tallies, 318 assists and 825 penalty
minutes in 1,157 contests.
A member of the NHL's All-Rookie Team in 1991, Weinrich - a
native of Roanoke, Virginia - also represented the United States
in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.
Before turning pro, he played three seasons with the University
of Maine, earning berths on the Hockey East First All-Star Team
and NCAA East Second All-Star Team in 1987, when he recorded 12
goals and 44 points in 41 games with the Black Bears.