The Florida Panthers hired former St. Louis Blues head coach Mike Kitchen to be one of the club's assistant coaches on Monday.

"We are very pleased to bring aboard a man with as much hockey intelligence and experience as Mike," said Florida general manager and head coach Jacques Martin. "He has worked for two very successful NHL franchises in Toronto and St. Louis, and Mike brings to our team a great deal of playoff experience and a player's perspective for the game."

Kitchen served as Blues head coach from February, 2004 to December, 2006 and had been a member of the organization since 1998. Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach for the Maple Leafs.

The 51-year-old Ontario native played eight years in the NHL as a defenseman for the Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils franchise.