Chiefs name ex-player Klemm assistant coach

Former Memorial Cup and Stanley Cup champion Jon Klemm has been named assistant coach for the Spokane Chiefs.

Klemm played 204 games for the Chiefs in a three-season career that culminated with the 1991 Memorial Cup championship as a 20-year-old captain. The Cranbrook, British Columbia, native won a pair of Stanley Cups, 1996 and 2001, with the Colorado Avalanche in his 17-year pro career.

“We think the intangibles he brings to our organization, along with his NHL experience, are going to be great assets to our hockey team going forward,” Spokane Chiefs coach Hardy Sauter said.

“This opportunity is an exciting one for me,” Klemm said. “I really started to think about coaching the last couple of years. After last year when I played in Germany, I knew it was going to be my last season but I knew I wanted to stay close to the game.

“Spokane came up right away and the opportunity was exciting.”

In total, Klemm played 773 career games in the NHL and another 322 in the AHL.

“We’re looking forward for him to share his hockey knowledge,” Sauter added. “We know he has a wealth of experience that he can share with any of our players that have an intention of playing pro hockey.”