Peter Laviolette |
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Peter Laviolette Jr. (born December 7, 1964) is an American former National Hockey League (NHL) defenseman and former head coach. From 2003-2008, he was the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, which he led to a Stanley Cup championship in the 2005-06 season.
As a player, Laviolette spent the majority of his 10-year career playing for various minor league teams. He played twelve games in the NHL for the New York Rangers in the 1988–89 season.
He began his coaching career as head coach of the ECHL Wheeling Nailers. In one season as coach, he led his team to a 37–24–9 record and a berth in the playoffs, wherein they lost in the third round. He left Wheeling to take over the head coaching job for the Providence Bruins. In 1998–99 he coached the team to a 56–15–4 regular-season record. In the playoffs Providence won the American Hockey League (AHL) Championship with a 15–4 playoff record. Laviolette was named AHL Coach of the Year.