Connect with us

Detroit Red Wings

The Daily: Ten NHL Coaches Fired This Season; Maatta At WC

Published

7 months ago

on

dave Hakstol, kraken

Job security for NHL coaches isn’t what it used to be, and it never used to be very good. The Seattle Kraken fired Dave Hakstol earlier this week after his team didn’t qualify for the postseason. The Kraken made it to the second round of the playoffs last season.

He is third coach canned since the end of the season, and the 10th fired this season. The list includes Jay Woodcroft (Edmonton Oilers), Dean Evason (Minnesota Wild), Craig Berube (St. Louis Blues), D.J. Smith (Ottawa Senators), Lane Lambert (New York Islanders), Todd McLellan (Los Angeles Kings), Lindy Ruff (New Jersey Devils), Don Granato (Buffalo Sabres) and David Quinn (San Jose Sharks).

Ruff recently was hired by Buffalo to replace Granato.

The NHL now only has five coaches hired before 2021: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper (March 25, 2013), Pittsburgh Penguins’ Mike Sullivan (Dec. 12, 2015), Colorado Avalanche’s Jared Bednar (Aug. 25, 2016), Carolina Hurricanes Rod Brind’Amour (May 8, 2018), Toronto Maple Leafs’ Sheldon Keefe (Nov. 20, 2019).

Sullivan didn’t make the playoffs this season and Cooper’s Lightning were knocked out this week. Keefe’s Maple Leafs are in danger of being knocked out. Brind’Amour’s ‘Canes and Bednar’s Avalanche have advanced to the NHL second round.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

  • Former Red Wings prospect Filip Larsson has signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was once considered Detroit’s goalie of the future.
  • Defenseman Olli Maatta has agreed to join Finland’s squad for the upcoming World Championships.
  • Former Detroit Red Wings player Anthony Mantha was scratched for Game 4 of the Vegas Golden Knights playoff series this week. He was scoreless in his first three games. He may have a hard time getting back in the lineup.
  • Axel Sandin Pellikka, a 2023 Red Wings first-round pick, is a Swedish Hockey League champion. He helped Skelleftea win the SHL crown this week.

Red Wings Offseason

The Grand Rapids Griffins are home tonight to play Game 2 of their best-of-five playoff series against the Rockford IceHogs. The Griffins lead the series 1-0. Red Wings management has reason to be excited about this team because their prospects are leading the charge. Jonatan Berggren, Simon Edvinsson, Sebastian Cossa and Carter Mazur are just a few of Detroit youngsters who have played pivotal roles in transforming the Griffins into a highly competitive AHL team. Before Christmas, the Griffins were tied for the fourth-lowest points percentage in the AHL with a 9-13-3-1 record (.423). The Griffins then started to surge, Grand Rapids ownedthe fifth-highest points percentage in the AHL since Dec. 27 with a 28-10-5-3 mark (.696). The Griffins, who sat in sixth place at the holiday break, quickly catapulted themselves into second place in the Central Division, which was their best finish since the 2017-18 season.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: The Boston Bruins are considering lineup changes for Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. We could see Derek Forbert return to the lineup.

Colorado: Did Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev shut up all of the haters?  His Coloraido Avalanche teammates believe he has.

Montreal: Spokane Chiefs center Berkly Catton could be a Montreal Canadiens’ draft target next month.

Nashville: Michael Gallagher explains how Alex Carrier’s third period heroics kept the Nashville Predators alive in their series against the Vancouver Canucks.

Philadelphia: PHN’s Jonathan Bailey believes there is a significant possibility that Matvei Michkov could join the Philadelphia Flyers this summer.

Pittsburgh:  Dan Kingerski explains why the Pittsburgh Penguins try to stay competitive, rather than embrace a full rebuild.

San Jose: Report says Marco Sturm and Jay Woodcroft among the possible candidates for the San Jose Sharks vacant coaching job.

 

Related Topics: