Tired Of Sloppy Seconds

As the NHL season is finishing its regular season (i.e., Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks) due to COVID-19 protocol and is in full swing of its playoff season (i.e., Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, etc.), many coaches will be let go or decide not to return. For example, Coach John Tortella decided not to return for another year with the Columbus Blue Jackets whereas Coach David Quinn of the New York Rangers was relieved of his duties.

There will be several more coaches in those situations, and the tendency within the NHL in the past has been to rehire the last fired or retired from another team. For example, Coach Alan Vigneault has coached the Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, and the Montreal Canadians. Mike Babcock was a coach for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Detroit Red Wings, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Ken Hitchcock has coached the Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers.
Think those guys are the exception? No, no they are not. More examples include John Tortella (i.e., Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks), Mike Sullivan (i.e., Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks), and Joel Quenneville (Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blue, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks) to name just a few more.

However, what if the general managers and ownerships of NHL teams seeking new captains to lead their ships actual found new captains. Now, I am speaking metaphorically here. I mean coaches when I say captains not the guys with the Cs on their chests actually skating on the ice.

And it is wonderful to see women being promoted. It provides credibility and acknowlegement to their ability as well as the NHL. Yet, the League and several of its teams stated last year that it was seeking to End Racism.

So continue move forward by hiring more BIPOC individuals as coaches. It is nice that Joel Ward, Blake Bolden and Paul Jerrard are assisting. It nice that more coaches like Nate Leaman (Providence College) from the NCAA ranks are being given an opportunity to interview for head coaching positions. But there are other BIPOC individuals who are deserving of being interviewed and even hired to serve as coaches in the NHL including as head coaches.

BIPOC coaches that could be considered are Daniel Kim from Los Angeles, Cincinnati Cyclone’s Jason Payne, Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Kahlil Thomas and Kalamazoo Wings’ Joel Martin. Greg Mauldin could be a candidate. There is Leo Thomas, John Paris, Jr., and Graeme Townshend. Further, there are several retired NHL BIPOC players that could be considered as candidates.

While the coaches who tend to keep being recyled have great success with teams, one has to remember they were let go for a reason (i.e.,not doing great within a certain window of time). The least the ownership and GMs of teams needing a coach could do is #GetUncomfortable and seek fresh perspective from someone who does not look like them. The sloppy seconds has gotten old and is not inline with the message the League portrayed last summer.