The St. Louis Blues have given Ken Hitchcock a one-year contract extension that will see him stand behind the bench until the end of the 2013-14 season.

There is also a mutual option for the 2014-15 campaign. Hitchcock took over as head coach of the Blues in November when the club had a 6-7 record and he helped the team secure a mark of 43-15-11 afterward. His work in St. Louis this past season earned him the Jack Adam’s Award as the NHL’s coach of the year.

“Ken came in and immediately steadied our group and was able to get each one of our players to elevate their game,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said. “He still has the passion and drive to be a head coach in this League and is committed to taking this team to the next level.”

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