NHL: Coaches, Coaches, Coaches!!!

Since the last couple of weeks, there has been a excessive amount of openings for coaches in the NHL. Just recently, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired Paul Maurice, and before then the Florida Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers, and Ottawa Senators were vacant in the ‘HC’ position. Since the Maurice firing, the Colorado Avalanche fired Joel Quenneville, hired Tony Granato, and it is rumored that San Jose might fire Ron Wilson as well as the Tampa Bay Lightning and John Tortorella.

The overabundance of openings is making many experts, players and fans question themselves and why this might be happening this off-season. Most are puzzled, but I would ponder to guess that no one else is more puzzled than Pat Burns.

Burns has been out from behind the bench since the New Jersey Devils, four years ago. Since then, Pat Burns has been diagnosed twice with colon and liver cancer. Pat Burns fought for his life for the last couple of years, and since then he has decided to return to coaching. He joined Team Canada this year as the assistant coach to Ken Hitchcock.

Pat Burns is on the list for possible coaching positions for about 10 different teams—and why not? Burns has proven himself as a coach in the new NHL, when he won a Stanley Cup with the Devils in the 2002-2003 season. His grit, fight and power behind the bench is the target that most teams are looking at this time around. I would assume that we will see Burns as the head coach of an NHL team in the very near future. It is also rumoured that Ottawa is looking closely at Craig Hartsburg and I agree that he will be a great fit in Ottawa.

I will give my predictions as to who some teams might have on their radar. Actually, better yet, I will give all of the possible candidates that will be interviewed this off-season and some who might get the “boot” within the next upcoming days.

Who do you think would be good to coach your team??

• - Pat Burns
• - Bob Hartley
• - Pat Quinn
• - John Tortorella
• - Ron Wilson
• - John Paddock
• - Joel Quenneville
• - Randy Cunnyworth
• - Paul Maurice
• - Steve Yzerman
• - Patrick Roy
• - Joe Nieuwendyk
• - Scotty Bowman
• - Craig Hartsburg
• - Don MacLean