Pat Burns is back where he belongs.
Cancer has kept him from coaching since 2004 but he's finally feeling healthy enough to step behind the bench again. Burns has been named as one of Ken Hitchcock's three assistants on the Canadian staff for next month's IIHF World Hockey Championship.
"Coaching is in your blood," he said Monday. "I like the terms that Hitch used the other day saying, 'It's a caffeine for us.' And it is.
"You miss it when you're not there."
Burns was coaching the New Jersey Devils when he was diagnosed with colon cancer prior to the 2004 playoffs. He kept the news quiet until stepping down from his job after the team was eliminated in the first round.
The 56-year-old has since undergone surgery and chemotherapy to treat the disease and is no longer going through treatment. He remains on staff with the Devils as a scout and took in almost 70 NHL games this season.
Burns was thrilled when Team Canada GM Steve Yzerman phoned him and extended an invitation to join the staff. He has more than 1,000 games of NHL head-coaching experience and might use his world championship tenure as a springboard back into the profession.
"To get back into coaching is something I'm going to look at," said Burns. "This is like taking baby steps back into it but I'm certainly excited about it."
The other assistants named to Hitchcock's staff Monday were Edmonton Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish and Los Angeles Kings associate coach Mike Johnston.
Hitchcock plans to use all three assistant coaches as a "security blanket" and sounding board.
"I think the difference in opinions and difference in philosophies is really going to help us," he said.
The specific roles for each man is still being worked out, although Hitchcock says he's leaning towards having MacTavish handle the defencemen and penalty killers. Johnston, who won gold as an assistant with last year's team, has extensive international experience and will be a valuable resource for information about the other countries.
Burns will provide another pair of eyes to help Hitchcock during games.
"I'm going to really lean on (MacTavish and Burns) because they've been head coaches," said Hitchcock. "Pat's got a great feel for the competition and his ability to make changes is going to be really valuable for me.
"I'm going to really need that."
With the coaching staff now in place, the focus turns to the roster. Yzerman and assistant GMs Luc Robitaille and Doug Armstrong have been in contact with a number of players in recent days and expect to announce the first list of commitments this week.
Canada opens training camp April 24 in Quebec City and plays its first world championship game in Halifax on May 2.
The team's staff is full of veteran hockey men that have worked with each other in many different capacities in the past. Robitaille played under Burns with the QMJHL's Hull Olympiques and later at the 1991 Canada Cup, where Burns was an assistant with the Canadian team.
Robitaille has full confidence in the coach.
"He deserves the job because he's a quality person hockey-wise - it has nothing to do with what he's gone through," Robitaille told The Canadian Press. "To see him back in the fold makes us all feel good because we know he's going to do a great job."
Burns coached the Devils to the Stanley Cup in 2003 and has been named the NHL's coach of the year three times. His other NHL stops were in Montreal, Toronto and Boston.
He's gone through his share of ups and downs since being diagnosed with cancer but is not the type of guy to feel sorry for himself.
"Definitely, I went through some tough times," said Burns. "You know, people do get sick sometimes. Nobody can say that they're immune (from getting sick).
"I feel fine now. I've had some great treatments. I've had some great doctors that were following me."