 | t was announced this afternoon that the Penguins have hired Jay Leach has been named assistant coach of the WBS Penguins, the announcement came from associate general manager Jason Botterill. | | Wilkes-Barre - July 7, 2015 - t was announced this afternoon that the Penguins have hired Jay Leach has been named assistant coach of the WBS Penguins, the announcement came from associate general manager Jason Botterill.
Leach, 35, joins the Penguins organization after most recently serving as an assistant coach last season for Alder Mannheim, helping the team to a Deutsche Eishockey Liga championship.
“We are pleased to be able to add Jay to our coaching staff,” said Botterill. “With veteran experience as a player who spent time in both the NHL and AHL and success coaching at one of the highest levels of international hockey, we believe that Jay has an ideal skill set that will allow him to have success developing players in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.”
Leach’s playing career began in 2001-02 and spanned 12 years throughout the ECHL, American Hockey League and National Hockey League.
Leach totaled 87 points (25G-62A) in 499 AHL contests with Springfield, Providence, Bridgeport, Norfolk, Portland, Lowell/Albany and Worcester. He served as team captain for the Bruins in 2005-07, the Sharks in 2010-11 and also the Devils during the 2008-09 (Lowell) and 2012-13 (Albany) seasons.
Originally from Syracuse, New York, Leach appeared in 70 NHL games with Boston, Tampa Bay, New Jersey, Montreal and San Jose.
Leach was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the fifth round (115th overall) of the 1998 NHL Draft. He was a four-year letterman at Providence College from 1997-2001 and the Friars’ co-captain during his senior season. | 
