Mike Kitchen

Mike Kitchen
Kitchen as an assistant coach for the Blackhawks
Born	(1956-02-01) February 1, 1956 (age 61) Newmarket, ON, CAN
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Colorado Rockies New Jersey Devils
NHL Draft	38th overall, 1976 Kansas City Scouts
WHA Draft	83rd overall, 1976 Toronto Toros
Playing career	1976–1985

Michael Elwin "the Kitch" Kitchen (born February 1, 1956) is a Canadian former defenceman and he currently serves as an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. As of February 2016, Kitch has coached in over 2400 NHL games including playoffs. In 2012/2013 he assisted in coaching the Hawks to their longest winning streak without a loss.

He was selected in the third round of the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft, 38th overall, by the Kansas City Scouts. He was also taken in the seventh round of the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft, 83rd overall, by the Toronto Toros, although Kitchen ultimately chose to enter the NHL. Kitchen was born in Newmarket, Ontario, but grew up in Schomberg, Ontario.

Mike is well known for his charitable work and has used his day with the Stanley Cup to raise funds for Southlake Regional Health Centre and other local charities.

Kitchen is the older brother of Bill Kitchen, also a former hockey player.

A defensive defenceman, Kitchen played his amateur career with the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association, winning a Memorial Cup in 1975. He turned professional for the 1976–77 NHL season, serving a brief, 14-game apprenticeship Rhode Island Reds of the AHL, before making his NHL debut. Kitchen joined the Colorado Rockies in his first professional season, and spent his entire NHL career with the same franchise. The team moved to New Jersey after the 1981–82 NHL season, and Kitchen went on to play two more seasons for the New Jersey Devils. Kitchen was sent to the Maine Mariners of the AHL for the entire 1984–85 NHL season, and decided to retire following that season's conclusion.