The NHL Off-Season Thread Starts With a Bang

[Wezil]

Maybe the people wanting to bring an expansion team to town will pony up the expansion fee next time. That wouldn't take a truck full of lawyers.

Expansion is exactly what a ice hockey league with dying desert teams needs.

Who the hell would pay for an expansion team with people like Bettman at the helm? Look how well they treated Moynes' money.

[notyoueither]

http://www.mc79hockey.com/?p=3145#more-3145

For further reading about the crock that is widely accepted regarding the state of Phoenix's finances, see here

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=644649

[Asher]

Oilers name Pat Quinn coach, Tom Renney assistant coach.

Awesome.

Leafs 2.0

[Guynemer]

[Asher]

Sutter considers himself to be top candidate for new Flames coach. Doesn't like what Keenan did to Calgary's defensive game.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Sports/Sutter+considers+self+candidate+Flames+coaching/1632287/story.html

Sutter considers self to be top candidate for Flames' coaching job

CALGARY - Darryl Sutter says he will consider stepping back behind the bench for the Calgary Flames.

Three other NHL coaches, all under contract, are of interest to Sutter. Otherwise, the Calgary GM considers himself the top candidate to replace the fired Mike Keenan as head coach.

“I have high standards,” Sutter said Tuesday. “We have high standards.

“I can separate general manager and head coach pretty easily if you’re surrounded by good people. …If I find out at the end of the search that I’m the best candidate, then I’m the coach.”

Sutter said he fired Keenan over the abysmal team defence — not the first-round playoff loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Flames ranked 23rd in team defence this season.

"Mike Keenan, he is one of the best coaches in the history of the game," Sutter said. ""He hit milestones this year that nobody's ever going to catch."

In related news, the team has also offered Jim Playfair a job as head coach of the Abbotsford Heat, their top farm team in the American Hockey League.

The contracts of Rich Preston, David Marcoux and Rob Cookson will not be renewed.

And most importantly, the assistant coaches are finally out the door. The special teams were too bad for too long for them to stick around.

[notyoueither]

Oilers name Pat Quinn coach, Tom Renney assistant coach.

Awesome.

It could be.

Associate coach, incidentally.

I'd say this lends weight to the idea that the Czech is in the mail. It could be an interesting summer.

[Asher]

It could be.

Associate coach, incidentally.

I'd say this lends weight to the idea that the Czech is in the mail. It could be an interesting summer.

Hey, why not Nylander...that makes just as much sense.

[notyoueither]

Because Jagr has been making noises about wanting to play with Hemsky and for the Oilers for some time.

Apparently, one of his latest statements was to the effect that Renney as coach would make it a lock (or nearly). That was about the time that Lowe went to Russia on a trip that was not reported on very much.

[Asher]

What's this about Hemsky? I'd heard that Jagr talked about the Oilers being his first choice, but only because they were the first to ask?

[notyoueither]

That was just this past trade deadline time.

Last summer he was offered a one year deal that he was close to taking, but opted for the two or three year in Russia with a plan to retire from there to help his home town hockey club (I think his father is in that). Then the Russian oil boom melted down and the finances of the KHL didn't fair too much better.

Going back several years there have been recurring noises that he has wanted to play with Hemsky.

[Asher]

Surely he could find a dozen players that'd be better to play with. Bizarre.

[notyoueither]

Yes, but most of those players are not eligible for the Czech national team.

Jagr is a very odd individual. It is hard to say what makes him tick, as well as how much is smoke and how much is real.

All I can say is that the rumours of long ago that he wanted to play with Hemsky have done nothing but become more reinforced as time goes on. His statement about Renney as coach was quite strange considering it was during the season and MacT was still in the fight.

Now the coaching change. MacT going was understandable and natural considering the results the last two seasons. Naming one experienced coach is not a surprise, although it is the first time in Oilers history that they have named a head coach who was a head coach elsewhere in the league. Naming two coaches with experience (and the pay cheques) is the bolt out of the blue... and then I recalled Jagr's statements back around trade deadline and the roster freeze.

I'm just putting 1 and 1 and 1 together and hoping to get to 3.

[notyoueither]

I should say it is also hard to say if Jagr would be a net positive for the Oilers.

When he is good, he is great, an all time all star. However, not much of that was recent. When he is not happy, he is a millstone and can kill a dressing room in pretty short order.

If he gets out of his KHL contract and they sign him for one year, I'll be fine. If they sign him to more than one year I'll be looking for my rope. Not sure if I'll prep it for Tambo, Lowe, or myself.

[Flubber]

Sutter considers himself to be top candidate for new Flames coach. Doesn't like what Keenan did to Calgary's defensive game.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Sports/Sutter+considers+self+candidate+Flames+coaching/1632287/story.html

And most importantly, the assistant coaches are finally out the door. The special teams were too bad for too long for them to stick around.

yes-- and considering Kippers play in the last two years , there wasn't much case to keep the goalie coach around either

Did you see that Jim Playfair was offered the AHL head coaching gig. Apparently Sutter still likes him and the players scredit him with the fabled mid season improvement after they tanked in San Jose . Apaprently he took charge of the x's and o's in a way that Keenan never did. Did you know that Keenan dedicated almost no time EVER to working on the PP??


Sutter as coach? My thinking is simple. Sutter is probably pretty certain that if the team is not seen as a success this year, he is gone as GM. So unless he knows of a better coach , he will take the job-- He is unlikely to risk someone untried unless he REALLY REALLY believes in him as it will be Sutters heinie on the line. Running the team out of cap room this year made Sutter look bad and I think opinions about Sutter have become pretty negative (ever listen to FAN960-- some of the ncomments about him are venemous)-- I cannot believe that the owners are immune to similar feelings

[Asher]

Speaking of which...

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Sports/Sutter+going+anywhere+thanks+infinite+contract/1634563/story.html

Sutter not going anywhere thanks to 'infinite' contract

King explains GM's unique agreement

When it comes to job security, Darryl Sutter's deal with the Calgary Flames is beyond long-term.

So says his boss, Ken King.

"Darryl does not have a year left on his contract," King, the team president and CEO, said Tuesday. "Darryl has an employment agreement that does not have an end term on it.

"It's unique in the league and it's the best thing to build a long and deep relationship as part of our culture. We've deviated from the norm, and it's a very positive situation."

In other words, any talk of Sutter having to win next year or else--as general manager or head coach--is completely groundless, according to King.

The Flames are committed to Sutter. Sutter is committed to them.

Period.

"Nobody's ever talked about Darryl's contract before now," King said. "The arrangement we have with Darryl is a private arrangement, as you would appreciate. And it does not have a finite term. If it's not unique in the NHL, at that level, it's certainly unusual.

"It's innovative. It's creative. And I think perfectly appropriate for a culture that's trying to build continuity."

Darryl Sutter, of course, is a brand unto himself. Hard working. Blue collar. Alberta through and through.

That brand is on the verge of moving down from the press box and back behind the bench as general manager and head coach.

Sutter pronounced himself the best candidate, at present time, Tuesday for the Calgary coaching vacancy created by the firing last week of Mike Keenan.But King said Sutter, by no means, is under any pressure from ownership to step behind the bench to save money.

Keenan had a year remaining on a three-year contract believed to pay $1 million annually.

"That has no bearing on it,"King said. "Mike's not here. I think we demonstrated -- the ownership group has demonstrated -- a tremendous commitment to the team in terms of populating the team con-tract-wise, money-wise.

"We're not trying to get rid of money, but the fact of the matter is that Mike's not here, and we'll have to pay him.We're not going to try and save that money by giving Darryl double-duty. That wouldn't be the right thing to do."

King called Sutter a "great candidate" for the coaching gig with a team mired in four consecutive first-round playoff exits. Why?

"His track record," King said. "His knowledge of the group. His level of commitment to what he does.

"Darryl has a very straightforward mantra and that's family and hockey. He puts family first, which is rightly where it should be. And hockey occupies everything else. He's really committed to what we're doing here. Always has been."

As for Sutter's performance as GM, King offers rave reviews.

"I think Darryl has done a magnificent job populating our team with free agents--the core group, young guys, and developing players," King said. I mean, we haven't been at the top of the draft and we don't expect to be any time soon. So (the owners) are very satisfied with much of the work that has taken place.

"But like everyone, we have a very good team, and they want a great team."