ANOTHER ONE BITEST THE DUST - coach firings

If you want to keep your job, then maybe being a coach or GM in the NHL isn't the place for you - unless of course you can win games.  Since we now have a string of firings, I thought we might as well blog about it. We may see some of these guys switching teams as we did with the canucks  & rangers last season. 

 CAROLINA HURRICANES on Monday fired coach Kirk Muller and assistant coaches John MacLean and Dave Lewis.  The new GM Ron Francis didn't waste any time in giving the canes a fresh look.  Assistant coach Rod Brind’Amour will remain part of the coaching staff and has been mentioned as possbily getting the head coaching job.  From what i've read, the fans would like this!

FLORIDA PANTHERS (miami) general manager Dale Tallon said it's time to have an experienced coach.

and fired interim coach Peter Horachek. Just like Kevin Dineen, the man he replaced in November, and Dineen's predecessor Peter DeBoer, Horachek had never been an NHL coach before leading the Panthers.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS fans were so exicted about the new GM & former player Trevor Linden coming on board that the firing of John Tortorella and Mike Sullivan were anything but a surprise.  At Lindens press confernce, while good-naturedly fielding questions about concession stand food & skate-out music, he mentions that season ticket renewals have until July 1 to cancel with a full refund if they didn't like the changes. So we pretty much knew the change was going to be torts out - but no replacement has been named. I do look for that to happen prior to the JUly 1 season ticket window.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS fired general manager George McPhee and coach Adam Oates.  The great  Wayne Gretzy is getting lots of press for joining the office. The fans, well lets face it, all hockey fans, would love to see something like this happen!  He just looks mean.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS Barry Trotz said an emotional goodbye on Monday to the organization that he coached from its inception, but you have to win to stay in the game.