Let The Coaching Carousel Spin

Via: canucks.com

It's starting to be that time of year again, when the contenders are separated from the pretenders, and organizations take some time to evaluate. That also means it's time for a new batch of free agent coaches to start hitting the market.

The most recent name to be given a pink slip was former Vancouver Canuck's bench boss Alain Vigneault,
who followed up two consecutive President's trophies with two consecutive first round exits before he found himself out the door. It could be argued whether the problems in Vancouver were because of Vigneault or because of the roster he was given, but the coach is always the easiest scapegoat for a general manager so the 2007 Jack Adams Award winner is now looking for a job.

He's not the only Jack Adams winner on the unemployment line either, as Lindy Ruff was let go after an astonishing 15 seasons behind the bench in Buffalo. In a "what have you done for me lately?" business, even Ruff's tenure couldn't save him from making the playoffs only twice in the last six years. Add to the list recently disposed Stars coach Glen Gulutzan who was fired after only two seasons in Dallas, failing to make the playoffs both years. Then there's Guy Boucher, the man with the great AHL pedigree who turned out to be a bust hiring for Steve Yzerman in Tampa Bay and was also fired after two straight playoff misses. Not to mention 2004 Stanley Cup winner John Tortorella in New York. While Tortorella is still employed, winning only four playoff series' since 2008 and looking likely to be eliminated by the Bruins this year, may be the next one to join the list.

It's an impressive list of names to be sure. Adams winners, a Stanley Cup winner, coaches with great experience that demand respect, all sitting on the sidelines waiting for the next team to call. But the recent trend in the NHL has been to try to get the next up and coming young coach. Boucher and Gulutzan are examples of guys with a great AHL pedigree that were given a head coaching job in the NHL, but couldn't find the same success. However, there are many others such as Jon Cooper, Ron Rolston, Peter DeBoer and Mike Yeo who have been able to make the jump to the big leagues and stick around. As a result the coaching fraternity in the NHL is very crowded right now.

As the usual off-season coaching carousel begins, where do all these men end up? The vacancy in Colorado after they fired Joe Sacco has already been filled by Hall of Fame goaltender and rookie NHL coach Patrick Roy. However Dallas and Vancouver are still without coaches, and more teams may be joining them before long. Do the Canucks, for example, take a look at a guy like Boucher, or is there other talent out there to be found? Does Vigneault end up behind the Stars bench, or somewhere else? How does Lindy Ruff, a man with so much time with one organization, adjust to a new team, if he gets hired at all? Where does the next big name coach from the AHL, Dallas Eakins, fit into the equation? All questions that will be answered, and for fans of languishing teams, hopefully sooner rather than later.