David Quinn sets San Jose Sharks coaching staff

The Sharks were the last NHL team to fill their head coaching role when they hired David Quinn in late July. Now, with around a month until the start of training camp, they have the rest of their coaching staff set.

San Jose announced that Scott Gordon and Ryan Warsofsky will work alongside Quinn as assistant coaches, with Thomas Speer tabbed as NHL goaltending coach and Nick Gialdini as video coach.

Gordon, 58, brings prior NHL head coaching experience, coaching the New York Islanders from 2008-2011 and as interim head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers for 51 games in 2018-19. His all-time record as a head coach was 89-116-27.

Warsofsky is considered a rising star in the coaching world, one who reportedly got interviews for NHL head coaching jobs. At 34, he joins the Sharks fresh off of winning the Calder Cup with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. In his two seasons in charge in Chicago, Warsofsky’s record was an impressive 71-25-6-7.

He also was the head coach for one season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, becoming the youngest head coach in the AHL at the time (he was 31 for the 2019-20 season).

Gialdini has the strongest local ties of anyone. Born and raised in San Jose and a graduate of San Jose State, the 31-year-old worked for the Sharks as far back as high school, helped the Jr. Sharks program and working for the Sharks Ice facility. He’s spent the last six seasons as the Barracuda’s video coach and hockey operations manager.

Speer will take on the role of goaltending coach after spending the last three years coaching the goalies of the AHL’s Stockton Heat. He’s also spent time in the role for Team USA, coaching the goalies at the U-18 World Juniors in 2017-18.

“I am thrilled to announce our coaching staff for the upcoming season,” Quinn said in a statement. “Scott brings an immeasurable amount of experience and knowledge of the game to our staff, and Ryan is a passionate individual who has proven himself as an up-and-coming head coach, winning the Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves this past season.”

“Thomas has a great track record with each of the goalies he has worked with, and Nick has earned the opportunity at the NHL level after having been with the Sharks organization for the last several years. We are excited to have each of them with us.”

The initial announcement cast some doubt over how Evgeni Nabokov, the most prominent goaltender in franchise history and longtime assistant coach, would proceed with the team going forward. But the Sharks clarified on social media that Nabokov remains a part of the organization, as Director of Goaltending.

Quinn, his new staff and the Sharks will have their first preseason games on Sunday, Sept. 25 at SAP Center against the Los Angeles Kings. They begin the regular season in Prague as part of the NHL Global Series, with two games against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 7-8.