Major trend: Head coaches from minors
Islanders head coach Jack Capuano speaks to the media. (undated file photo) Credit: Jim McIsaac
When the Islanders promoted Jack Capuano to be their head coach in November, it seemed like a stopgap measure. When the Isles hired Capuano full-time in April, it may have seemed to some like a cost-effective way to plan for the future behind the bench.
Well, if you believe the Islanders are coaching on the cheap, so is nearly half the NHL.
With the announcements this week of Glen Gulutzan taking over the Stars' coaching duties and Mike Yeo doing the same for the Wild, there are now seven teams whose head coaches came directly from their own minor-league affiliates.
And, pending the search outcome in Winnipeg, there could be 13 teams whose head coaches came directly from the AHL, with no prior NHL head-coaching experience.
"I think it is a trend," Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk said. "Obviously, the success of [Pittsburgh's] Danny Bylsma and [the Lightning's] Guy Boucher in his first year out of the American Hockey League are examples of that."
The trend away from veteran NHL coaches isn't exactly complete -- the Bruins (Claude Julien) and Canucks (Alain Vigneault) have veteran coaches, and they did just fine this season -- but by comparison, only three of the 30 NHL teams in 2003-04 had coaches who came straight from the AHL.
The minors are no longer seen as a repository for older players who fill out a roster. With the NHL getting younger, the priority is on development in the AHL, so the coaches there are scrutinized far more than they used to be.
Garth Snow is looking for a new coach for Bridgeport, which will likely be announced next week. It may not seem like a big deal, but that new hire will be an important addition to the franchise. Quite possibly even the next Islanders head coach.
