The 38-year-old, who was part of the United States team that triumphed at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Japanese city Nagano, will be assisted by Robert Marton and Jan Bezdek.

During her long international career as a player, Potter also won four International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women's World Championships with the successes coming in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011.

She ended her international career in 2012 and most recently played during the 2014-2015 season for the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women's Hockey League.  

Potter will now take charge of the Slovakian national team, which recently earned promotion back to the second tier of international women's ice hockey.

They will play for promotion to the top division at the 2018 IIHF Women's World Championship Division I Group A event in Vaujany.

Also set to compete at the event, which is due to take place from April 8 to 14, are Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Norway and hosts France.

Prior to ending her career, Potter had stints as assistant coach with several American high schools, working together with her husband Rob. 

She then became head coach of the women's ice hockey team for Trinity College in Hartford in Connecticut and later coached the women's team for Ohio State University.

Potter also won Olympic silver medals at Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010, and bronze at Turin 2006.

As well as four golds, her World Championship medal haul includes six silvers.

They were won in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2012.

The Slovakian under-18 women's national team will be led by Peter Kudelka with Barbora Kezmarska as assistant coach.