Head Coach discussion

[RainyCityHockey]

I thought it would be good if there was a single thread about the head coaching search instead of random ones for different coaches.

First off, here's a list of the current NHL coaches and their contracts from Cap Friendly.

Currently there's a lot of speculation about coaches not under contract, but I think we've got to look at the whole picture.

Free Agents:
Gerard Gallant(last stop Vegas)
Claude Julien(last stop Montreal)
Mike Babcock(last stop Toronto)
Bruce Boudreau(last stop Minnesota)
Rikard Gronborg(Swiss League)

Assistant Coaches:
Todd Nelson(Stars)
Mike Velucci(Pens)
Marco Sturm(Kings, coached the German NT to silver during the Olympics in 2018)

Current NHL Coaches, Free Agents 2021:
Dallas Eackins(Ducks)
Rick Tocchet(Coyotes)
Bruce Cassidy(Bruins)
Don Granato(Sabres)
Rod Brind'Amour(Hurricanes)
John Tortorella(Blue Jackets)
Jeff Blashill(Red Wings)
Dominique Doucharme(Canadiens)
Lindy Ruff(Devils)
Travis Green(Canucks)


Looking at that list of Gallant certainly stands out given the job he did with Vegas.
But there are certainly other options, especially ones that are currently still under contract until the summer.

We've got to take into account that Ron Francis likes to build teams from the back on out and that high scoring/skilled forwards will be hard to come by during the expansion draft and most likely free agency as well.
That means we'll also need a coach that gets the most out of players and is able to work with a roster like that.

Looking at that list, I think that both Rick Tocchet and John Tortorella come to mind.

Tocchet doesn't have too much offensively but still tries to get the most out of what the Coyotes front office has given him.

Tortorella's a character but he's able to put a structure in place that helps his goalies look good(no one thought Korpisalo could take over for Bobrovsky), has his team play solid defensively and his quirks with offensive minded players shouldn't be the biggest problem with the roster we'll start out with.

Another guy that has been thrown into the mix is Rod Brind'Amour, given his connections with Francis in Carolina and with his contract being up as well.

So who do you think will become the head coach?
One of the guys listed, or someone completely different?

Let's discuss and have fun!

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[Fistfullofbeer]

I would prefer a proven NHL coach to start with.

In no particular order: Gallant, Julien, Boudreau, Cassidy, Blashill.

I want no part of Babcock or Tortorella.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

I would prefer a proven NHL coach to start with.

In no particular order: Gallant, Julien, Boudreau, Cassidy, Blashill.

I want no part of Babcock or Tortorella.

What about Brind'Amour or Tocchet?

 

[Riverfront]

dave Tippett
Joel Quesnville ( # 1 choice but unlikely )
Ulf Samuellson
Rod Brind'Amour
Rikard Gronborg
Rick Tocchet
SEATTLE KRAKEN FIRST HEAD COACH WILL BE ONE OF THESE GUYS

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

What about Brind'Amour or Tocchet?

Brind'Amour could be good but I he has had only 2 seasons under this belt. Tocchet, has more experience than Brind'Amour but it has been a mixed bag.

 

[Piffle]

Carolina is on a pretty good upswing and tearing it up right now. Can't see Brindamour leaving them right now.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Carolina is on a pretty good upswing and tearing it up right now. Can't see Brindamour leaving them right now.

I think his low salary, expiring contract and connections to Francis are the reasoning for those rumors.

Though, he certainly has a fantastic team to work with in Carolina.

 

[Northernhawk]

Kevin Dineen? Current San Diego(AHL) head coach, Ducks farm team

John Anderson?

Brad Shaw? Current Blue Jackets assistant coach

Those are my three choices

 

[infinitemile]

Not saying this will for sure happen, but I could definitely see Travis Green being the first head coach

 

[Cogburn]

Not saying this will for sure happen, but I could definitely see Travis Green being the first head coach

I hope not.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Not saying this will for sure happen, but I could definitely see Travis Green being the first head coach

I think you're once again overreacting to the current season.
And as far as I know, you guys seem to be really interested in extending Green.

 

[Dog]

Be nice to see Brind'Amour reunited with Francis but don't this as possible. I am the only one who went with so far a coach from outside NA in a choice of Grönborg. Who knows but hope they go with more youthful oriented coach.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Ulf Samuelsson might be a good pick considering he was here as a scout and has worked well with Quenneville.

 

[StarterHart]

Be nice to see Brind'Amour reunited with Francis but don't this as possible. I am the only one who went with so far a coach from outside NA in a choice of Grönborg. Who knows but hope they go with more youthful oriented coach.

Oh it's very possible, even if unlikely. I say it's unlikely only because he has commented in the past that he has no desire to coach anywhere else but Carolina. However, his contract is up this year, and he's only making 600k per season. He has clearly earned a new contract and a significant raise, but Dundon may try to lowball him. (By the way, thanks for handing us the best pbp guy in the league, you cheapskate.) IF that happens, maybe he changes his mind, and is willing to explore other options. You would have to think Seattle would be an intriguing possibility for him, if not the very top of his list. No ill will at all toward the canes, but I'm hoping it happens, as I would love Rod the Bod here.

I voted a head coach currently under contract. Ownership has already given the go ahead to hire a head coach, and i feel if one of the available coaches were first choice, it would have already happened. I think they have their eyes on a current coach, and I really do think Ron is waiting to see how Rod's situation in Carolina plays out.

 

[Riverfront]

thinking it may be one of :
ulf sammuelson
kevin dineen
rod brind Amour

 

[Lunatik]

Since I don't think you will find any teams as stupid as Florida was during the Vegas expansion, I think a coach that can have the team play with structure should be a priority. There will be good defensemen and goaltenders available, but less offense. So I think a guy like Torts would be a good choice.

 

[kihei]

Not Babcock, not Torts. Not sure who, but someone who can build cohesion and actually teach an expansion team how to be competitive; not somebody with a huge ego who sucks all the oxygen out of a room. Sturm is an interesting possibility, I think.

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

Paul Maurice has a good sense of humour.

 

[ultradan]

please not tocchet unless we really want to see uninspired, unmotivated hockey for the length of his tenure

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Now that we are officially part of the NHL, I am hoping we figure the coaching situation out sooner than later. I think it is going to be important to have the coach consulted before the expansion draft to make sure we can build a team around what suits the coaching style.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Now that we are officially part of the NHL, I am hoping we figure the coaching situation out sooner than later. I think it is going to be important to have the coach consulted before the expansion draft to make sure we can build a team around what suits the coaching style.

I think Francis said that he's comfortable waiting until after the season or even after the playoffs.

 

[gstommylee]

I think Francis said that he's comfortable waiting until after the season or even after the playoffs.

After the playoffs would put us way way too close to the expansion draft and leaving us with not great options coaching wise to go with. No way we are going into july with out a coach that's just stupid.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I think Francis said that he's comfortable waiting until after the season or even after the playoffs.

Yeah, I remember him saying that but I am not a fan of that idea. The more time the GM and coach get together to strategize before the draft, the better.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

After the playoffs would put us way way too close to the expansion draft and leaving us with not great options coaching wise to go with. No way we are going into july with out a coach that's just stupid.

Or maybe it's not stupid because Francis is waiting on the guy(Brind'Amour???) he's wanted all along.

I'm leaning more and more of us bringing in a guy who's still coaching this season(don't have any sources on this), cause we could've signed Gallant(who supposedly isn't the biggest fan of analytics) etc. for quite some time.

Yeah, I remember him saying that but I am not a fan of that idea. The more time the GM and coach get together to strategize before the draft, the better.

Ideally we would've already signed the coach and he would be doing his own mock drafts and compare them to the rest of the staff and Francis.

But like I've said, I have a suspicion that we'll sign a coach that is still with a team and can't be signed before the regular season ends or even later

 

[gstommylee]

Brind'Amour isn't going anywhere. The owner of the canes said that he wouldn't own the team if Brind'Amour isn't HC or something like that.