Predators Add Scuderi, Bordeleau, Rook to Hockey Operations Staff

Nashville, Tenn. (June 18, 2019) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Tuesday that the team has hired Rob Scuderi as a Defense Development Coach, Sebastien Bordeleau as a Forward Development Coach and Dave Rook as a Goaltending Development Coach.
In their roles, they will assist Director of Player Development/Milwaukee Admirals GM Scott Nichol in following and evaluating prospects drafted by Nashville, helping them with their maturation process into NHL players by focusing on nutrition, off-ice workouts and conditioning, practice habits and game performance.
"We are thrilled to have these three individuals join our hockey operations staff," Poile said. "With their extensive experience both playing and coaching at the highest level, Rob, Sebastien and Dave will play a vital role in helping our prospects reach their full potential on and off the ice."

"It's an exciting step for our organization to add a forward, defense and goaltending coach on the development side," Nichol said. "Our prospects will get more coverage and more information on their game, which will help them become better professionals."

Scuderi, 40 (12/30/78), retired in 2016 after spending 12 years in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, claiming hockey's ultimate prize with Pittsburgh in 2009 and Los Angeles in 2012, and in his 783 career NHL games picked up 110 points (8g-102a) and 198 penalty minutes. The defenseman served as an alternate captain on Pittsburgh's Cup-winning squad and captained the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during the 2004-05 season. Scuderi, a Syosset, N.Y., native, played college hockey at Boston College from 1997-01, winning the NCAA title in 2001 and the Hockey East championship three times. During the 2018-19 season, he served as a development coach for the P.A.L. Junior Islanders, a junior hockey team located in Hauppauge, N.Y.
"I was fortunate enough to play in the NHL for a long time, and now that my playing career is over, I am looking forward to this opportunity to help young professionals make decisions that will positively affect their careers," Scuderi said. "As someone who did not immediately jump into a roster spot in the NHL, player development is an area I can relate to players in and it's an opportunity I will be fully invested in. The reputation the Predators have speaks for itself and I'm honored to be joining this organization."

Bordeleau, 44 (2/15/75), returns to the Predators organization after spending three seasons with the team as a forward from 1998-01. He tallied 68 points (28g-40a) in 146 games with Nashville, including 40 (16g-24a) during the franchise's inaugural campaign in 1998-99. A seven-year NHL veteran, the Vancouver, B.C., native posted 98 points (37g-61a) in 251 games with Nashville, Montreal, Minnesota and Phoenix from 1996-02. He played the final 10 seasons of his professional career in Switzerland, competing for Bern and Biel-Bienne, winning the league championship in 2004 with Bern. Bordeleau served as a skills coach for the Canadiens in each of the last two seasons; he also spent the 2018-19 season as a skills coach for the Montreal Canadiennes of the Canadian Women's Hockey League.
"I feel very privileged and it's an honor for me to be back in the NHL and back with the Predators organization," Bordeleau said. "They've always had a special place in my heart, and Nashville and Mr. Poile have always been very good to me and my family. It was an honor play for this team during its first few NHL seasons, so I am very thankful to come back and try to help the Preds and their players reach all their goals."

Rook, 51 (6/26/67), joins Nashville's staff full time after serving as a goaltending consultant for the team in last five seasons. A coach in junior and professional hockey for more than 20 years, Rook has extensive experience helping goaltenders reach the NHL and AHL, including Preds goalies Juuse Saros and Troy Grosenick. In addition to his work with the Predators, he spent nine seasons as the goaltending coach for the OHL's London Knights, winning the Memorial Cup in 2005 and the OHL championship in 2005 and 2016. Rook also has two additional years of NHL experience, working with the Columbus Blue Jackets as their goaltending coach from 2009-11.
"It's great to continue with the Predators organization in this capacity," Rook said. "It's a world-class franchise and being a part of this staff makes me realize I wouldn't consider being anywhere else. I'm looking forward to continuing what we've established with our goalie department and will work hard to build on it."