Florida Panthers shock hockey fans and fire multiple coaches
Moments ago, NHL insider Kevin Weekes broke the news that the Florida Panthers have terminated some of their assistant coaches, with no word on the future of head coach Andrew Brunutte.
So far, it seems a certainty that assistant coaches Ulf Samuelsson and Derek MacKenzie will not return to the team, but Tuomo Ruutu and goaltending coach Robb Tallas may return. Their interim head coach Brunette who replaced Joel Quenneville early this season, secured a Jack Adams nomination for his work, yet remains without a contract for this upcoming season.
It's a surprising move after the Panthers had a dominant regular season, and the best season in their franchise history. However, after another short playoffs, the team is clearly looking to shake up the room. With the heap of extremely successful available coaches on the market, it's possible the Panthers explore other options at the position.
The list of available coaches included Barry Trotz, Bruce Cassidy, John Tortorella, Paul Maurice, Claude Julien, and more. Those names alone carry significant weight within the hockey world as winners and competitive coaches, leaders who take their teams to the next level. After another series loss to the Lightning, this time coming in a sweep, it's likely the Panthers will contact some of these coaches as new candidates for their head coaching position.
| POLL | ||
Will the Panthers fire Andrew Brunette? | ||
| Yes, he's done | 122 | 49.4 % |
| No, they'll replace the people around him | 125 | 50.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
