Derek Plante, a former All-American at Minnesota-Duluth, has joined his alma mater as an assistant coach.
He replaces Steve Rohlik, who left for a similar position at Ohio State.
Plante was enshrined in the Minnesota-Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009 after a collegiate career that finished with a national-best 92 points in 1992-93.
He then played eight seasons in the NHL, mostly with the Buffalo Sabres.
“I can’t say enough about how excited I am to be given this opportunity,” Plante, 39, said in a statement. “I grew up in this area, got a chance to play for my favorite college and now I get to coach here. I couldn’t be more thrilled. Coaching has always been in the back of my mind and my dad [longtime Hermantown High School coach Bruce Plante] certainly had a lot of influence on me.
“This is what I wanted my next step to be in my hockey career, and with the recent successes and a new rink on the immediate horizon, I think it’s a great time to be involved with UMD hockey again.”
Minnesota-Duluth is scheduled to open Amsoil Arena on Dec. 30.
Plante joins coach Scott Sandelin and assistant Brett Larson on the Bulldogs staff.
“Derek is a first-class person and a Bulldog through-and-through,” Sandelin said. “He has played the game at the highest level, knows what it takes to win, and is a great addition to our program.”
