Storm’s Chris Hajt accepts AHL coaching position

The Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League announced that they have hired Chris Hajt as an Assistant Coach. 

Hajt, the Storm’s Assistant General Manager in 2013-14, was an Assistant Coach with the Storm from 2008-09 through 2012-13.  After a 10-year pro hockey career and four junior seasons with the Storm, Hajt stepped behind the bench with his former junior club.  During his playing career in Guelph, the former defenceman played in a pair of Memorial Cups  and earned the Most Valuable Player Award on two occasions. 

The Saskatoon native is the first Assistant Coach hired by new Monarchs’ bench boss Mike Stoethers, who was named on July 1st.

“The Los Angeles Kings are one of the elite franchises in the National Hockey League for a lot of reasons, one of which is their ability to hire the brightest and best people for their Hockey Operations.  In the hiring of Chris Hajt, they have selected one of the very best young hockey coaches, outside of the National Hockey League.  As much as it is difficult to lose an individual of Chris’ calibre, we are thrilled to see him take the next step in his professional development,” offered Storm General Manager Mike Kelly.

The Monarchs are the AHL affiliate for the Los Angeles Kings.  Hajt joined the team for their annual Prospect Camp that’s underway at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California and includes Zac Leslie, Nick Ebert and Justin Auger from the Storm’s 2014 OHL Championship team.