Maurice to coach in KHL; Hartsburg out in Calgary

Sault Ste. Marie native Paul Maurice will be coaching in Russia when the 2012-12 hockey season opens in the fall.

Maurice has signed on to coach Magnitogorsk of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.

The 15-year NHL coaching veteran will be joined behind the Magnitigorsk bench by former NHL netminder and goalie coach Tom Barasso.

In his 15-year NHL coaching career, Maurice had a record of 460-457-99-68 in 1084 games. Maurice began his NHL head-coaching career with the Hartford Whalers in 1995-96 at the age of 29 and stayed with the organization for nine seasons, which include the franchise move to Carolina.

After two seasons away from coaching at the NHL level, Maurice was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006, where he spent two full seasons. After parting ways with the Leafs after the 2007-08 season, Maurice re-joined Carolina the following season, where he stayed until being fired by the team after 25 games this season.

In other NHL coaching news, the Calgary Flames announced on Thursday that former Soo Greyhounds coach Craig Hartsburg has been released from his duties as associate coach with the team.

The news didn't come as a shock to Hartsburg after the team announced the hiring of new head coach Bob Hartley.

"I had a couple of conversations with Bob," Hartsburg told the Calgary Herald. "As an older coach in the league, I kinda sensed that maybe it's the best situation for him having his own guys. I've been in his shoes."

The 2011-12 season was Hartsburg's first with the Flames after a two-year stint with the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips, the team he joined after his lone season with the Ottawa Senators.

Hartsburg spent spent five seasons as coach of the Greyhounds spread over two terms. He signed with the Greyhounds prior to the 2001-02 season and spent one season with the team before moving on to become an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers. After two seasons in Philadelphia, Hartsburg re-joined the Greyhounds and spent four seasons behing the bench. He has also coached the OHL's Guelph Storm and split six seasons as an NHL head coach with the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Mighty Ducks.