"I would like to thank Rick Tocchet for his invaluable contributions to our team over the last three years," Rutherford said. "Rick has done a terrific job for us, and we wish him the best as a head coach.
"Mark Recchi will be a tremendous addition to our coaching staff. His recent history with the organization, especially with our players and coaches, and his incredible knowledge of the game, will help to ensure a seamless transition. It's only fitting that he starts his NHL coaching career the same year he is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame."
Recchi, 49, will assume the duties handled by Tocchet, which include running the team's forwards and working closely with Sullivan on the power play. Recchi joins assistant coach Jacques Martin, recently-appointed goaltending coach Mike Buckley, and video coach Andy Saucier, on Sullivan's staff.
A Kamloops, British Columbia native, Recchi had spent the past three seasons as the Penguins' player development coach, and had recently been promoted to director of player development.
On June 26, Recchi was elected to the Hall of Fame as one of seven members of the Class of 2017 that will be enshrined on Nov. 13, 2017, a day off for the Penguins. The NHL's 12th all-time leading scorer with 1,533 points in 1,652 games, Recchi is a five-time Stanley Cup champion. He won three times as a player, first with Pittsburgh in 1991, then with Carolina (2006) and Boston (2011). Recchi has added his name to the Cup two more times as an executive with the Penguins the last two seasons.
Recchi is one of just 10 players from the modern era to win the Stanley Cup with three different teams. As a Bruin in 2011, Recchi became the oldest player to ever score in the Stanley Cup Final, as his Cup Final point total led Boston that year.
Nicknamed 'The Wrecking Ball,' Recchi solidified a spot on the Penguins' All-Time Team by producing 385 points (154G-231A) in 389 career appearances with Pittsburgh. He was the leading scorer on the '91 Stanley Cup championship team with 113 points in the regular season.
A seven-time NHL All-Star, including the '91 season with Pittsburgh, Recchi joined the 500-goal club as a Penguin, scoring the milestone marker against the Dallas Stars on Jan. 26, 2007.
In addition to playing for Pittsburgh, Recchi suited up for Philadelphia, Montreal, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Boston. Pittsburgh originally chose Recchi in the fourth round (67th overall) of the 1988 NHL Draft.
