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Thursday, August 14, 2008
Coaching Carousel Cycle Complete
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With Scott Gordon being named as the Islanders new head coach Wednesday afternoon, the latest turn-around cycle of NHL bench bosses… started last October 17 when Atlanta relieved Bob Hartley of his duties… was completed.
Since the opening of last season, no less than ten teams have made head coaching changes. A brief re-cap since that time:
Atlanta: Out, Bob Hartley… In, John Anderson
Washington: Out, Glen Hanlon…In, Bruce Boudreau
Ottawa: Out, Bryan Murray…In, Craig Hartsburg
Toronto: Out, Paul Maurice…In, Ron Wilson
Florida: Out, Jacques Martin*…In, Peter DeBoer
San Jose: Out, Ron Wilson…In, Todd McClellan
Colorado: Out, Joel Quenneville…In, Tony Granato
Tampa Bay: Out, John Tortorella…In, Barry Melrose
L.A. Kings: Out, Marc Crawford…In, Terry Murray
N.Y. Islanders: Out, Ted Nolan…In. Scott Gordon
*Martin will remain as general manager of the Panthers organ-I-zation.
Of those “IN”…Anderson, DeBoer, McClellan and Gordon are NHL head coaches for the first time. Boudreau was a first timer when he stepped behind the Caps bench last fall. Granato is beginning his second term as the Avs head coach. Murray, Melrose, Wilson and Hartsburg have such experience with other NHL teams.
John Anderson and Bruce Boudreau recently won the AHL’s Calder Cup. Anderson did so just last season with the Chicago Wolves, his fourth championship with that team. Boudreau accomplished the feat in 2006 with the Hershey Bears. When the Capitals moved Hanlon out at Thanksgiving, the team was D.R.T., (Dead…Right There). But Boudreau, a close friend of Anderson’s, guided that team to the Southeast Division crown.
Scott Gordon was named the AHL’s coach of the year last season while with the Providence Bruins. You’ll probably also remember him from his days as a player and assistant coach for the Atlanta Knights back in the mid-nineties.
Peter DeBoer lifted the J. Ross Robertson Cup last season as he coached the Kitchener Rangers to the OHL championship. He is a two-time coach of the year in that league and also led the Rangers to the Memorial Cup in 2003.
Todd McClellan, Tony Granato and Craig Hartsburg have the privilege of taking over playoff teams. San Jose’s second-round departure was a disappointment and Ottawa simply collapsed down the stretch before being swept away in the first round by Pittsburgh. Granato, of course, was behind the bench for the last several seasons in Colorado.
Anderson, Melrose, Gordon and Murray all take over lottery pick teams from last year.
Of those who were shown the door last season but failed to gain employment elsewhere, the names that stick out to me are Hartley, Tortorella, Quenneville and Maurice. Two, Hartley and Torts, are Stanley Cup winners and Quenneville has taken teams to nine playoff births in eleven seasons as a coach. Paul Maurice’s Toronto teams didn’t fair very well, but he has had postseason success in Carolina…taking them to the finals in 2002.
However, their being left out this time around is probably due to the willingness of NHL clubs to turn to new faces that were successful in other leagues…new coaches to handle the fresh crop of young stars that have entered into the league recently. Out with the old, pre-lockout style thinking…in with the new, I suppose.
I’ll also add that I am a bit surprised that Mike Sullivan lost out on a chance to take over a team during this coaching turnaround cycle.
But with the start of a new season comes the possibility that the coaching carousel will get started once again. Given that…who is on the hot seat starting off the season?
Andy Murray, who is entering into the third season as head coach of the Blues? After qualifying for postseason every year between 1980 and 2004, St. Louis hasn’t returned since.
Alain Vigneault in Vancouver? Missing the playoffs last season by three points was enough for them to change GMs. A bad start could cause Mike Gillis to seek a coach of his own choosing.
Craig MacTavish? After coming within a game of the Stanley Cup in 2006, the Oilers haven’t returned to post-season play, although last year they were only three points out like Vancouver. I’d be surprised if he was even on a warm seat right now.
Ken Hitchcock in Columbus? The coach that lead Dallas to the cup in ’99 is entering his third season with the CBJs…but last year saw improvements from the one prior when he took over in November of that year.
Regardless, the great coaching carousel has come full circle and is now at a stop…at least for now.
