COACHES CORNER
Trotz being fired by Islanders is just the start of many changes behind NHL benches
The coaching world was dealt a bombshell on Monday when the New York Islanders announced that Barry Trotz would not be back after missing the playoffs for the first time in four years.
Consider it the first of many dominoes to fall.
With so many teams looking to fill vacancies and so many others on the hot seat, you can expect there will be quite a few changes behind the benches this summer, especially with Trotz joining Paul Maurice, Mike Babcock and several other big-name coaches on the unemployment line.
FIVE VACANCIES Chicago Blackhawks
With Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews entering the final year of their contracts, the Blackhawks appear headed toward an inevitable rebuild. And while interim head coach Derek King might be a perfect stopgap for now, there's a number of NHL associate coaches (Tampa Bay's Derek Lalonde, Pittsburgh's Mike Vellucci, and Kris Knoblauch of the New York Rangers) who could be worth taking a chance on.
Detroit Red Wings
Following six straight years of missing the playoffs, Detroit finally moved on from Jeff Blashill. It was a sign that the team is done rebuilding. With a young-and-emerging core that includes Calder Trophy candidates Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, as well as Swedish league top rookie Simon Edvinsson, the Red Wings need someone who can turn into perennial contenders.
New York Islanders
Only GM Lou Lamoriello seems to know why a team that reached the conference final in back-to-back years fired Trotz after just one bad season. Either way, the team is looking for a “new voice” who can help them contend again. Lamoriello has a history with Babcock, but Islanders associate coach Lane Lambert probably has the inside track.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers, who missed the playoffs for the fourth time in six years, find themselves in a transition period after trading away longtime captain Claude Giroux. Expect them to go with a coach who can grow with the team and help develop its youngsters as Philadelphia moves toward a rebuild.
Winnipeg Jets
After parting ways with Maurice in December, the Jets went 26-22-6 under interim coach Dave Lowry and missed the playoffs for the first time in five years. While Lowry remains a candidate to stay on, you have to think that the underachieving team has its sights set on Manitoba native Trotz, who was inexplicably fired Monday.
FIVE ON THE HOT SEAT Edmonton Oilers
If there's one thing the Oilers have lacked over the years, it's stability in the front office and behind the bench. That's enough of a reason to keep Jay Woodcroft employed. After all, he did lead the team to second place in the Pacific Division. But when you have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on your team, the expectations are slightly higher than just qualifying for the post-season.
Florida Panthers
When the Panthers removed Joel Quenneville as head coach following a decades-old coverup while in Chicago, few believed associate coach Andrew Brunette would then lead the team to the top of the standings. That being said, Brunette will have a difficult time removing the interim tag from his title if Florida fails to get past Washington in the first round.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs finished with the most wins and points in franchise history. But what matters is what they do in the playoffs. If Sheldon Keefe can't get the team over the first-round hump, it's hard to imagine a scenario in which he — and GM Kyle Dubas — will be back.
Vancouver Canucks
After leading Vancouver to a 32-15-10 record, you'd think that Bruce Boudreau's job was safe. But while the Canucks said that they would welcome Gabby back for another year, his lame-duck status puts him in a position where he could be on the move if things go sideways or something more stable comes up elsewhere.
Vegas Golden Knights
It seems like any day now Vegas will announce that Peter DeBoer has been relieved of his duties. That's how disappointing this season was for the Golden Knights, who missed the playoffs for the first time since entering the league. That they did so after adding Jack Eichel to their star-studded roster has put DeBoer's job in even more jeopardy.
FIVE LOOKING FOR JOBS Mike Babcock
Though his reputation took a hit following allegations of verbal abuse, there is no denying that Babcock gets results. He'd be perfect for a Stanley Cup contender like Vegas. But don't rule out a return to Detroit, where he qualified for the playoffs in 10 straight years, won a championship and even coached now-GM Steve Yzerman.
Paul Maurice
The Jets were 13-11-5 and sitting just outside a playoff spot when Maurice handed in his resignation, believing the team had tuned him out. Since then, he's been quiet in his intentions to get back behind the bench. Though it's clear that the player- and media-friendly coach would be a welcome addition to any team in any market.
John Tortorella
Love him or hate him, you know what you're going to get with Tortorella, who tends to do his best work in situations where his teams are lacking in big-name talent. For that reason, Philadelphia might be a good fit. After all, it's a blue-collar town, and Trotz is a blue-collar coach.
Barry Trotz
The No. 1 free agent might be known as a defence-first coach, because of his time in Nashville and recently the New York Islanders. But that's mostly because those teams were bereft of offensive talent. In Washington, where he won a Stanley Cup, Trotz coached Alex Ovechkin to 48-, 49-, 50- and 51-goal seasons. During that time, Ovechkin also never had a minus rating.
Alain Vigneault
A classic case of a recycled coach, Vigneault has spent 15 of the past 16 years employed by three different teams. And while his tenure in Philadelphia was brief, he has won a Jack Adams Award, reached the Stanley Cup final twice and missed the playoffs only three times since 2006-07.