Sabres' coach Phil Housley hires Chris Hajt as assistant

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Sabres rookie head coach Phil Housley has hired Chris Hajt to serve as one of his assistants.

Hajt spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings' American Hockey League affiliate, including the 2014-15 Calder Cup champion Manchester Monarchs. Hajt is a former defenceman, appearing in six NHL games split between Edmonton and Washington, and 477 career AHL games.

The 39-year-old is the son of former NHL defenceman Bill Hajt, who was Housley's teammate in Buffalo in the 1980s.

The Sabres also announced that assistant coach Tom Ward has been retained. Ward spent the past two seasons as an assistant under Dan Bylsma, who was fired in April.

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The Associated Press