OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators announced today the appointment of Steve Stirling to the dual roles of NCAA recruitment coordinator and professional scout.

Stirling, 67, has spent the past seven seasons as an assistant coach with the Binghamton Senators after being hired by the club to join Kurt Kleinendorst's staff on Aug. 26, 2010. Alongside Kleinendorst, he helped guide the B-Sens to the city's first professional championship as the team captured the 2011 Calder Cup.

A native of Clarkson, Ont., Stirling's new role will primarily see him attend games across the National Collegiate Athletic Association in an effort to evaluate potential collegiate free agents. He will also attend both American Hockey League and National Hockey League games in a professional scouting capacity for the Senators. Additionally, and ahead of the upcoming season, Stirling will lean on his extensive AHL expeirience in an effort to help with the transition of the Senators' AHL team to Belleville, Ont.

Prior to returning to the AHL in 2010, Stirling served as head coach of the Iserlohn Roosters of the German elite hockey league (DEL) in 2008-09. He spent the 2007-08 season as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, following one year with the Springfield Falcons (the Lightning's former affiliate) in 2006-07. Stirling also spent more than three seasons in the New York Islanders' organization from 2001-02 to 2005-06, including a season and a half as head coach of the NHL club, where he registered 56 wins in 124 games and a post-season berth in his first year with the team in 2003-04.

Undrafted, Stirling played professionally for six seasons after a collegiate career at Boston University. He played in the AHL with Boston (1971-72 to 1973-74) and Rochester (1974-75 to 1976-77) before concluding his career with one season in Austria.

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