As expected, the Milwaukee Admirals Monday announced that former Montreal Canadiens assistant coach Kirk Muller has been hired as the team's head coach for the upcoming season.

Muller spent the last five years on the bench in Montreal, helping guide the Canadiens to the playoffs the past four seasons, including a run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009 as the eighth seed.

The second overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft, Muller played 19 seasons in the NHL with New Jersey, Montreal, the New York Islanders, Toronto, Florida and Dallas before hanging up his skates after the 2002-03 season. Along the way, he was named to six all-star team, scored 30 or more goals five different times and scored 70 points seven times.

He scored 357 goals during his career, including the Stanley Cup-clincher for Montreal in 1993 and returned to the Stanley Cup Finals again in 2000 as a member of the Stars.

Muller replaces Lane Lambert, who was promoted to become an assistant coach with parent-club Nashville after five seasons in Milwaukee, the last four as head coach.