The Buffalo Bandits today announced the hiring of Darris Kilgour as the team's new head coach, replacing interim head coach Frank Neilson.

The deal, first announced six days ago in the Outsider's Guide's News and Notes column, brings Kilgour back to the team where he played for eight seasons.

"We're very excited to bring Darris Kilgour back to Buffalo as the head coach of the Buffalo Bandits," Bandits general manager Kurt Silcott said. “I'm sure that Darris' commitment to this organization as a player will only be outdone by his new commitment as the team's head coach. We certainly expect Darris to bring out a new level of accountability to the locker room as well as his unique level of toughness back to the Buffalo Bandits floor."

"As the league continues to grow, Darris will be at the focal point of our success in the future. As the only Bandits player with his number retired, we are happy that his legacy with this organization will continue as the head coach."

The first-ever draft pick of the Bandits, Kilgour played in Buffalo from 1992 to 1999, scoring 128 goals, dishing out 127 assists, and serving 257 penalty minutes in 62 games. In Bandits franchise history, Kilgour is second in goals, fourth in assists, second in points, and first in penalty minutes.

Late in the 1999 season, expecting to retire after the season and with the Bandits out of the playoff chase, Kilgour requested a trade and was sent to the Rochester Knighthawks. He posted three goals and three assists in two regular season games, then the same in two playoff games. Kilgour moved on to the expansion Albany Attack in 2000, scoring thirteen goals and assisting on 38 others before retiring.

The past two seasons, Kilgour served as head coach of the Washington Power, posting an overall record of nineteen wins and fourteen losses, reaching the playoffs both years. One of those wins was a quarterfinal win at Philadelphia this season, following Washington's Eastern Division championship. However, in both seasons with Kilgour at the helm, the Power lost in Toronto in the semifinal round.

Kilgour becomes the sixth coach in the Bandits' eleven-year history, following Buff McCready (1992), Les Bartley (1992-1997), Les Wakeling (1998-1999), Ted Sawicki (2000-2002) and Neilson (2002).

Neilson, whose future with the Bandits was not mentioned in today's announcement, was named interim coach in February, after Sawicki's abrupt resignation.