Coaching Notes: Playfair, Barnes, Schubert

The Edmonton Oilers have hired an associate coach to join Dave Tippett’s staff, bringing Jim Playfair on board. The former defenseman was actually a first-round selection of the Oilers back in 1982, but ended up playing just two of his 21 career NHL games with the organization. After his retirement as a player in 1992, Playfair jumped into the coaching ranks and found success in the ECHL, AHL and NHL. He last worked in the league under Tippett in Arizona in 2016-17.

More coaching notes:

• The Dallas Stars have not renewed the contract of Stu Barnes according to Sean Shapiro of The Athletic. Barnes will not be part of the coaching staff next season, after serving as an assistant the last two seasons. Barnes had a long career in the NHL including several years with the Stars, and has two different stints coaching for the team. It’s unclear whether head coach Jim Montgomery will bring someone else in, after recently adding John Stevens to the staff.
• Former NHL defenseman Christoph Schubert has announced his retirement, and will join the coaching ranks now that his playing career is over. The German Olympian was forced out due to a shoulder injury but had already become something of a player-coach with the Hamburg third division team. Schubert played more than 300 games in the NHL for the Ottawa Senators and Atlanta Thrashers, and was an international staple for Germany for many years.