Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden named to Mike Sullivan's Team USA coaching staff

When he was head coach of the Washington Capitals, Todd Reirden was often tasked with figuring out a way to stop Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

At the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February, he’ll be at it again.

Reirden, now a Penguins assistant coach, has been named one of Mike Sullivan’s four assistant coaches for Team USA’s men’s Olympic hockey team.

USA Hockey also announced Friday that Penguins video coach Andy Saucier will hold the same role for the Olympic team.

“It always takes on something special when you’re going against the guys that you’re actually coaching for the majority of the time, especially during the year as a part of your job,” Reirden said. “It goes to a whole other level when you start talking about representing your country. I couldn’t be any prouder to have that opportunity.

“I know it’s going to be a challenge coaching against those guys. We’re so fortunate to have them here in Pittsburgh. I didn’t like it in the past when I had to coach against them and I won’t like it in Beijing either, but so fortunate to be given that opportunity.”

While Reirden is well acquainted with Crosby and Malkin’s tendencies as players, they’re also very familiar with the way he coaches. That isn’t lost on the 50-year-old Illinois native.

“There’s give and take both ways,” he said. “Some of it comes from the players’ perspective as well, knowing the systems we like to play here in Pittsburgh, knowing some of the things I do here on the power play with Malkin and Crosby, they may take that back to their homeland teams and share some of that information.”

Other assistant coaches include Nashville Predators head coach John Hynes, former New York Rangers head coach David Quinn and recently retired 18-year NHL veteran Ryan Miller.

It’s a strong Penguins presence.

Hynes was a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton assistant coach (2009-10) and head coach (2010-15). Among other ties to the Penguins, Team USA’s assistant general manager is Bill Guerin, who played for and was the development coach and assistant general manager with the Penguins.

“Certainly it says a lot, for me, about the Pittsburgh Penguins and how they choose their staff and how important it is to do your due diligence and get people you feel can set your team up for success and eventually develop as coaches in this league,” Reirden said.

Reirden — who noted that the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid in 1980 made quite an impression on him as a 9-year-old — will be making his Olympics debut. He is in his sixth season with the Penguins, severing as an assistant coach over two stints. He also won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Capitals coaching staff, where he was head coach from 2018-20. He also was an assistant coach and head coach with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Saucier, 35, also served as the Team USA video coordinator in 2014. He is entering his 10th season as the Penguins video coach and also served the same role before that with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

“An extremely exciting day for myself and my family,” Reirden said. “I just feel so honored to be given this opporunity. Any chance you have to represent your country is one you don’t take lightly and is obviously a very special moment.”