One of the best coaches in hockey is in the market for a new job.
Barry Trotz was fired by the Islanders after the conclusion of the regular season in the most shocking move of the offseason thus far. New York disappointed and missed the playoffs, but the team also had injuries and COVID issues and spent the first 13 games of its season on the road while its new arena was being made ready. And the Isles were one game away from making the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.
Nonetheless, Trotz, 59, is hunting for a new job. Plenty of teams, even some with current coaches, should be considering a move to hire him.
Trotz’s resume is extensive and impressive. He owns the third-most coaching wins in NHL history, he won a Stanley Cup in 2018 with the Capitals, and he transformed the Islanders from the worst defensive team in hockey into a juggernaut in their own zone.
Unless Trotz does not want to be a head coach (there are rumors he could be eyeing a management role), it’s almost a guarantee that he’ll be on an NHL bench when the 2022-23 season rolls around. It’s just a matter of where.
As of this writing, five teams either have an opening at head coach or are actively looking for a new one. The Sporting News ranks those potential landing spots:
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Ranking the best potential landing spots for Barry Trotz
1. Golden Knights
Vegas is known for going after the shiny attraction that everyone wants. Trotz is that within the coaching world this summer.
After the team missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the front office fired Peter DeBoer, creating a vacancy with a team that is built to win now.
Of the teams with openings, the Golden Knights give Trotz absolutely the best chance of winning another Cup. They entered the 2021-22 season as Cup favorites, but injuries derailed their season. A fully healthy Golden Knights team remains a lethal group.
2. Jets
“Hey, Siri, play ‘Coming Home’ by Diddy.”
It makes almost too much sense for Trotz to take over his hometown team in Winnipeg. Paul Maurice stepped down in December and Dave Lowry took over on an interim basis.
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is searching for a new bench boss for the first time since 2014. The team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017, but there are enough pieces on the roster that the Jets should bounce back, especially under a new coach.
Winnipeg has already jumped ahead of the competition by reportedly securing an interview earlier with Trotz.
Hearing Winnipeg is interviewing Barry Trotz for its coaching position today.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 17, 2022
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3. Flyers
Philadelphia had one of its worst seasons in recent history, finishing 29th in the league. Alain Vigneault was fired in-season and interim coach Mike Yeo didn’t do enough to earn the position on a full-time basis.
The main issue was the offense, which is why Trotz may not be the best fit for this team. Philadelphia scored the second-fewest goals per game (2.56), had the second-lowest shooting percentage (8.3) and owned the worst power play (12.1 percent).
While the Jets were the first team to get a chance to talk to Trotz, the Flyers reportedly will meet with him on May 20. He’s reportedly near the top of Philadelphia’s wishlist.
I’m told the @NHLFlyers will be interviewing Barry Trotz for the head coaching position on Friday.
Here’s the latest.
Updates to come if there are any. https://t.co/lDe5Cr6y2y
— Anthony SanFilippo (@AntSanPhilly) May 18, 2022
4. Red Wings
The Wings appear to be on the cusp of completing their rebuild, and letting Jeff Blashill go certainly seemed like the first step of the next era in the Motor City.
Detroit has a lot of promising stars in the organization. Some, such as Mo Seider and Lucas Raymond, proved they could adjust to the NHL quite easily. Others, such as Simon Edvinsson and Antti Tuomisto, will be with the club soon.
If any team desperately needs help with its defensive structure, it’s the Red Wings. This season, they allowed the second-most goals per game (3.78) and had the worst penalty kill.
I still don’t see the team competing for a Cup in the next two years or so, but if Trotz wants to try to take another horrendous defensive team and turn it into a nightmare for offenses to face like he did with the Islanders, then the Red Wings are that club.
5. Blackhawks
General manager Kyle Davidson has not changed interim coach Derek King’s title yet. It’s clear the team is searching for its next full-time coach.
While Davidson and the Blackhawks should absolutely chase Trotz, I don’t see any reason why Trotz would have an interest in going to Chicago. The team is facing a full rebuild and won’t be competitive for years. At this point, Chicago would be lucky if Trotz even answers its call.
This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here