New York Rangers add Dan Muse and Michael Peca to coaching staff

In addition to bringing on Phil Housley yesterday, the New York Rangers announced this morning that they are hiring Dan Muse and Michael Peca as assistant coaches and will be behind the bench this year with the Blueshirts.

Muse most recently served as the head coach of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (USNTDP). He has also been the head coach of the United States U18 team, guiding them to multiple championships over the last few seasons. Muse has an NHL background on his resume which includes a stint with the Nashville Predators, where he was the assistant coach under Peter Laviolette for three seasons.

But, prior to his stint with the Predators, Muse was the head coach of the premier Chicago Steel, a junior hockey club part of the United States Hockey League. He led them to a Clark Cup Championship in 2016-2017. Additionally, Muse spent time on staff at Yale University from 2009-2015, where he helped the Bulldogs to the 2013 NCAA title.

Peca had a long playing career; over 14 seasons, he appeared in 864 games with the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets, totalling 176 goals and 289 assists for 465 points. Peca was nominated for the Frank J. Selke Trophy four times, given annually “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.” He won it twice, once in 1996-97 and a second time in 2001-02. He captained the Sabres to the 1999 Stanley Cup Final.

Peca has spent the last two seasons serving as an assistant coach with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. He was also a member of Laviolette’s staff in 2020-21 with the Washington Capitals, where he was a player development coach.