New Jersey Devils: 5 Current Coaches To Keep An Eye On

DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Head Coach Peter Laviolette of the Nashville Predators attends a post game press conference after the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars at Cotton Bowl on January 01, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. The Stars defeated the Predators 4-2. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Dan Bylsma

This is the name everyone is bringing up because of his obvious ties to Ray Shero. Dan Bylsma won a Stanley Cup for Shero with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he’s coached the Buffalo Sabres. Here’s a strange thing, Shero had the chance to hire Bylsma in 2015 when he went to Buffalo, but he chose to hire John Hynes instead. It would feel a little strange that with everything on the line for Shero, he would go back to a coach he might have said no to five years ago.

Either way, it’s possible Bylsma said no at the time, and with the Devils in a much better spot and Bylsma in a much worse one, they could decide to get back together.

The Devils absolutely need a guy who can get the best out of their young players, but is Byslma that coach? The Detroit Red Wings are an absolute tire fire this season, but Scotty Bowman couldn’t get much out of this roster.

There’s talk the Red Wings should replace their current coach with Bylsma, but with Steve Yzerman now leading the charge we think he’s going to want to put his own guy behind the bench. That means that Shero has the option to hire Bylsma if he so pleases. It’s the easy choice, but whether it’s the right choice is yet to be seen.

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