Welcome home Todd Richards, new Minnesota Wild head coach

The Associated Press is reporting that Todd Richards was hired as the Minnesota Wild's new head coach on Monday.

Richards, 42, an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks this past season, graduated from Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in 1985. As a defenseman, he moved on to play four years for the University of Minnesota after high school. During those four years with the Gophers, Richards also played on the United States National Team in 1987-1988. He then played several years in the AHL, NHL, and the IHL. He last played professionally for Servette Geneve in the Swiss-B League in Europe.

From 2002 through 2006, he was an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL). In the 2006-2007, he became the head coach for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penquins of the AHL where he compiled a 98-49-0 record in two seasons. He took the Penquins to the AHL Calder Cup Finals in 2007-2008 but lost to the Chicago Wolves four games to two.