Norfolk Admirals former assistant coach, Darren Rumble, to return as head coach

NORFOLK , Va – In a press conference held on Tuesday, Tampa Bay Lighting owners Oren Koules & Len Barrie  announced former assistant coach Darren Rumble as head coach and Alan May as assistant coach for their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals.   
 
Darren Rumble began his coaching career in 2004 as assistant coach of the Springfield Falcons. He remained with the Falcons until the Lightning moved its AHL affiliate to Norfolk last season.
 
Rumble was originally drafted in 1987 by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1st round, 20th overall, appearing in 184 NHL games, recording 10 goals, 26 assists and 216 penalty minutes.  Rumble appeared in 614 career AHL

games with 77 goals, 317 assists and 612 penalty minutes, he ranked second among active AHL defensemen with 394 AHL career points at the time of his retirement. He was named to the AHL’s second All-Star team in the ‘94-‘95 season. In the ‘96-‘97 season, he was a first All-Star Team selection  as well as winning the Eddie Shore Award for outstanding defensemen of the year. After joining the Bolts for the 2002-2003 season, he captured his first Stanley Cup title in 2004.   
 
Alan May became head coach of the Fayetteville Force in the CHL after his retirement from playing in the ‘96-‘97 season.  After briefly returning to the ice in ‘98-‘99 with the Western Professional Hockey League’s Abilene Aviators, he returned to the bench in 199 and posted a 42-24-4 record in one season as head coach.
 
May was an analyst for the NHL hockey network last season. The NHL lists May as the player who has been dealt most often on trade-deadline day.
 
May played professional hockey for 12 seasons within the NHL, AHL, IHL, and WPHL.   May played 393 NHL games for Boston, Edmonton, Washington, Dallas, and Calgary recording 31 career goals, 76 points and 1,348 penalty minutes.  In the ‘89-‘90 season the winger recorded 339 penalty minutes which remains a Washington franchise record. 
 
May played 139 career AHL games posting 32 goals and 35 assists with 735 penalty minutes and recorded 22 goals, 28 assists and 438 penalty minutes in 156 IHL games winning the Turner Cup in 1996 as a member of the Utah Grizzlies.
 
Contact the author at lisa.murphy-wood@prohockeynews.com.