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HNIC's "Hot Stove" regular and Fox Sports columnist Al Strachan doesn't care if he rubs hockey fans--and his co-hosts--the wrong way. He is, however, a writer with his ear to the ground and sources that appear to have substance.
Always provocative, this article from today's FoxSports.com NHL page is sure to set tongues and fingers wagging.
Teams not done with personnel changes
by Al Strachan
Noted hockey writer Al Strachan is a regular contributor for FOXSports.com.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/9486540/Teams-not-done-with-personnel-changes
If you're looking for job security, the NHL is not the place to be.
Seven coaches were fired in midseason, and two more — Jacques Lemaire in Minnesota and Craig MacTavish in Edmonton — parted ways with their respective teams after the season ended.
But the shuffling is far from over, not only at the coaching level but also in the front office. There are varying degrees of unrest in at least a dozen NHL franchises. In some cases, the chance of a change is remote, but in others, it is almost inevitable. Here is the way the league unfolds at the moment.
Boston: General manager Peter Chiarelli has been negotiating a new deal and it's not far from being signed. But he is being mentioned as a potential replacement for Doug Risebrough in Minnesota and could opt for a new challenge. He's not likely to head west, but it's a possibility.
Calgary: The word around the league is that barring a long playoff run, coach Mike Keenan will get fired. When the team was healthy and fully stocked, it was one of the league's best. But injuries to key players and the inability to dress a full roster because of salary-cap problems (Tell us again how the cap is good for the fans, Gary) started the Flames into a downslide that may end with an early exit from the playoffs. If that happens, Keenan is likely to get the blame — whether he deserves it or not.
Chicago: Should the Flames rebound and knock off the 'Hawks, there may be a house-cleaning in the Chicago front office. Team president John McDonough, one of those annoying marketing types who assumes he knows everything, would love to have a puppet as a general manager. Instead, he has a competent hockey guy, Dale Tallon, who supervises an equally competent staff. An early 'Hawks exit would give McDonough the excuse he needs to bring in a sycophant.
Colorado: Pierre Lacroix has been brought out of mothballs to help find a general manager. His son Eric has ruled himself out as a candidate, but the usual suspects have surfaced — Jay Feaster being one of the better known. In this organization, though, a Quebecois background seems to be a requirement so Michel Goulet is said to have a good crack at the job.
Edmonton: The lifespan of a coach is roughly three years. By that time, your team will be closing in on 300 games under your tutelage and the players will have seen all your tricks more than once. They'll have heard you shout, seen all your game plans, witnessed all your motivational ploys and so on. MacTavish had a remarkable run, having taken the job in 2000, but now the Oilers need someone new. This franchise also needs an infusion of outside blood, so Kelly Buchberger probably won't graduate from the minor-league system. Tom Renney has been mentioned, but his style doesn't suit the demands of the Oilers' fans. If the Oilers can get the permission of the Vancouver Canucks, they might opt for Manitoba Moose coach Scott Arniel.
Florida: Whispers continue to circulate that GM Jacques Martin is in trouble because he lost Jay Bouwmeester and missed the playoffs. One of those circumstances might have been acceptable but not both. Technically, Bouwmeester won't be lost until at least July 1, but no one expects him to return to Florida. Expectations for Martin are not much higher.
Minnesota: Owner Craig Leipold may as well give the GM and coaching jobs to Marian Gaborik. It was at Gaborik's insistence that he got rid of Doug Risebrough and if Lemaire hadn't quit, Leipold would have gassed him as well. Now, it looks as if Gaborik will stay, but how much authority will the new coach and GM have if they don't cater to his whims?
Montreal: Don't be surprised if coach/GM Bob Gainey throws in the towel. He is being subjected to torrential criticism in Montreal, not only because of the Canadiens' poor postseason performance but also because he fired coach Guy Carbonneau and, according to the irate fans, has drafted poorly. Owner George Gillett loves Gainey and might be able to talk him into staying on. But how long will Gillett be there? The team is for sale. Either way, Gainey isn't likely to coach next year. Bob Hartley and assistant coach Don Lever are the leading candidates.
New Jersey: Coach Brent Sutter has never strongly denied that he's thinking of leaving once the Devils' postseason is over. In this case, on-the-job performance is not a factor. Sutter is a born-and-bred Albertan and while he toils in the swamp, his wife and family are back in western Canada. If Sutter were to leave, it would simply be a quality-of-life decision, but it's one he might make.
Ottawa: Rumors continue to persist that GM Bryan Murray will be fired. Steve Yzerman is often mentioned as a replacement, but those stories seem far-fetched on both fronts. Still, with a mercurial owner like Eugene Melnyk, one never knows.
San Jose: General manager Doug Wilson is one of the best in the league but if the Sharks make another early exit, the team will be under a lot of pressure to dump him. It would be a mistake, but it wouldn't be the first in the NHL's history. And if it's any consolation for Wilson, he'd get a dozen job offers within a day.
Tampa Bay: In theory, all the positions are nailed down. But in this rather bizarre organization, it's best to make no assumptions. Ownership is still less than stable and in situations like that, the fallout can have its effect down the ladder.
Always provocative, this article from today's FoxSports.com NHL page is sure to set tongues and fingers wagging.
Teams not done with personnel changes
by Al Strachan
Noted hockey writer Al Strachan is a regular contributor for FOXSports.com.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/9486540/Teams-not-done-with-personnel-changes
If you're looking for job security, the NHL is not the place to be.
Seven coaches were fired in midseason, and two more — Jacques Lemaire in Minnesota and Craig MacTavish in Edmonton — parted ways with their respective teams after the season ended.
But the shuffling is far from over, not only at the coaching level but also in the front office. There are varying degrees of unrest in at least a dozen NHL franchises. In some cases, the chance of a change is remote, but in others, it is almost inevitable. Here is the way the league unfolds at the moment.
Boston: General manager Peter Chiarelli has been negotiating a new deal and it's not far from being signed. But he is being mentioned as a potential replacement for Doug Risebrough in Minnesota and could opt for a new challenge. He's not likely to head west, but it's a possibility.
Calgary: The word around the league is that barring a long playoff run, coach Mike Keenan will get fired. When the team was healthy and fully stocked, it was one of the league's best. But injuries to key players and the inability to dress a full roster because of salary-cap problems (Tell us again how the cap is good for the fans, Gary) started the Flames into a downslide that may end with an early exit from the playoffs. If that happens, Keenan is likely to get the blame — whether he deserves it or not.
Chicago: Should the Flames rebound and knock off the 'Hawks, there may be a house-cleaning in the Chicago front office. Team president John McDonough, one of those annoying marketing types who assumes he knows everything, would love to have a puppet as a general manager. Instead, he has a competent hockey guy, Dale Tallon, who supervises an equally competent staff. An early 'Hawks exit would give McDonough the excuse he needs to bring in a sycophant.
Colorado: Pierre Lacroix has been brought out of mothballs to help find a general manager. His son Eric has ruled himself out as a candidate, but the usual suspects have surfaced — Jay Feaster being one of the better known. In this organization, though, a Quebecois background seems to be a requirement so Michel Goulet is said to have a good crack at the job.
Edmonton: The lifespan of a coach is roughly three years. By that time, your team will be closing in on 300 games under your tutelage and the players will have seen all your tricks more than once. They'll have heard you shout, seen all your game plans, witnessed all your motivational ploys and so on. MacTavish had a remarkable run, having taken the job in 2000, but now the Oilers need someone new. This franchise also needs an infusion of outside blood, so Kelly Buchberger probably won't graduate from the minor-league system. Tom Renney has been mentioned, but his style doesn't suit the demands of the Oilers' fans. If the Oilers can get the permission of the Vancouver Canucks, they might opt for Manitoba Moose coach Scott Arniel.
Florida: Whispers continue to circulate that GM Jacques Martin is in trouble because he lost Jay Bouwmeester and missed the playoffs. One of those circumstances might have been acceptable but not both. Technically, Bouwmeester won't be lost until at least July 1, but no one expects him to return to Florida. Expectations for Martin are not much higher.
Minnesota: Owner Craig Leipold may as well give the GM and coaching jobs to Marian Gaborik. It was at Gaborik's insistence that he got rid of Doug Risebrough and if Lemaire hadn't quit, Leipold would have gassed him as well. Now, it looks as if Gaborik will stay, but how much authority will the new coach and GM have if they don't cater to his whims?
Montreal: Don't be surprised if coach/GM Bob Gainey throws in the towel. He is being subjected to torrential criticism in Montreal, not only because of the Canadiens' poor postseason performance but also because he fired coach Guy Carbonneau and, according to the irate fans, has drafted poorly. Owner George Gillett loves Gainey and might be able to talk him into staying on. But how long will Gillett be there? The team is for sale. Either way, Gainey isn't likely to coach next year. Bob Hartley and assistant coach Don Lever are the leading candidates.
New Jersey: Coach Brent Sutter has never strongly denied that he's thinking of leaving once the Devils' postseason is over. In this case, on-the-job performance is not a factor. Sutter is a born-and-bred Albertan and while he toils in the swamp, his wife and family are back in western Canada. If Sutter were to leave, it would simply be a quality-of-life decision, but it's one he might make.
Ottawa: Rumors continue to persist that GM Bryan Murray will be fired. Steve Yzerman is often mentioned as a replacement, but those stories seem far-fetched on both fronts. Still, with a mercurial owner like Eugene Melnyk, one never knows.
San Jose: General manager Doug Wilson is one of the best in the league but if the Sharks make another early exit, the team will be under a lot of pressure to dump him. It would be a mistake, but it wouldn't be the first in the NHL's history. And if it's any consolation for Wilson, he'd get a dozen job offers within a day.
Tampa Bay: In theory, all the positions are nailed down. But in this rather bizarre organization, it's best to make no assumptions. Ownership is still less than stable and in situations like that, the fallout can have its effect down the ladder.
