Minnesota Wild Names Jack Capuano Associate Coach

Capuano joins the Wild after spending five seasons as Associate Coach with the Ottawa Senators (2019-24). The native of Cranston, R.I., worked as Associate Coach with the Florida Panthers for two seasons (2017-19) following a 12-season stint (2005-17) coaching in the New York Islanders organization. While with the Islanders, Capuano served as Head Coach for parts of seven seasons (2010-17) and was an Assistant Coach for one season (2005-06). He also coached for the Islander’s primary affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League (AHL), working as the team’s Head Coach for parts of four seasons (2007-11) and as an Assistant Coach for one season (2006-07). Capuano began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach with the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks of the ECHL for parts of two seasons (1995-97). He then served as Head Coach and General Manager of the ECHL’s Knoxville Cherokees/Pee Dee Pride for parts of eight seasons (1996-2005). At the international level, Capuano has served as an Assistant Coach with Team USA at both the 2016 World Cup and the 2017 IIHF World Championship and worked as Head Coach for Team USA at the 2021 IIHF World Championship. As a player, Capuano was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round (No. 88 overall) in the 1984 NHL Draft. An All-American defenseman at the University of Maine, he played in six career NHL games over parts of three seasons with Toronto (1989-90), Vancouver (1990-91) and Boston (1991-92). He also played professionally with the AHL’s Newmarket Saints (1988-90), Springfield Indians (1989-90) and Maine Mariners (1991-92) along with the International Hockey League’s (IHL) Milwaukee Admirals (1989-91). Capuano and his wife, Donna, have a daughter, Adriana and a son, Anthony.