The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs have started. Teams that didn’t make the playoffs evaluate their coaching staff and front office. The Toronto Maple Leafs fired Head Coach Peter Horachek and General Manager Dave Nonis. The Buffalos Sabers let Ted Nolan go after another disappointing season. Did these firings really need to happen?
The Toronto Maple Leafs had a 30-44-8 record this year, good enough for 68 points and second to last in the Eastern Conference. That was also 16 points worse than last year. The firing of interim Head Coach Peter Horachek was only a matter of time. They fired Randy Carlyle in January and hired Peter Horachek in hopes of salvaging the season. They went 9-28-5 under Horachek. It was clear to President Brendan Shanahan that it was time to go in a different direction.
According to ESPN, Shanahan said, “The players as a group failed to deliver this season and they understand more moves will be made.” He also wants a coach and team that can handle the pressure of playing in Toronto, a city who loves their hockey team. Shanahan also fired General Manager Dave Nonis. Nonis had been the GM since January of 2013. Their only playoff appearance under Nonis was in 2013. This will give Shanahan a chance to handpick a General Manager and a coach who he hopes will lead the Leafs to a Stanley Cup. They have not won it all since 1967!
The Buffalo Sabers are searching for a new head coach as they fired Ted Nolan. Nolan coached the Buffalo Sabers to a league worst 23-51-8 for 54 points. Nolan took over the Sabers 20 games into the 2013-2014 season, going 17-36-9. This year it has been all downhill. The Sabers didn’t play great hockey and it was time for a change. A name that has been mentioned to be the next coach is Detroit Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock if he is fired. General Manager of the Sabers Bob McKenzie, had worked with Babcock in Anaheim where Babcock was the head coach from 2002-2004.
Todd McLellan, Head Coach of the San Jose Sharks could also be fired. McLellan has been the Head Coach of the Sharks since June of 2008. He guided them to three division titles and made the playoffs six times. In the regular season he had a record of 311-163-66. He is a great regular season coach but it’s the playoffs where he couldn’t get it done.
He never coached San Jose to the Stanley Cup. In his first year the Sharks made it all the way to the Western Conference Quarterfinals. In 2010 they had success going all the way to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. The next year it was another appearance in the Conference Finals but they lost 4-1 to Vancouver. 2012 was a first round playoff exit. Last year they were ahead in the first round 3-0 against the Kings. It looked like they were going to sweep the Kings but L.A. won the next 4, to win the series on their way to winning the Stanley Cup.
Todd McLellan would be a great head coach for any NHL team if he is canned. He knows how to coach a team to the playoffs. He just has to find a way to coach a team past the first round. The Sharks should keep him because there aren’t any other coaches who could coach the Sharks to a great record and playoffs every year.
Who will be the next coach or GM to be fired?
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