Things have not turned around for the New Jersey Devils since Lindy Ruff was fired. The Devils have tried things with Travis Green, but it hasn’t gone well. It’s clear the Devils and Tom Fitzgerald need to prioritize hiring a coach this offseason over anything else, even getting an upgrade in net.
Devils fans want a big name. They want someone who is going to upgrade this roster immediately. They want a coach who is going to take one of the most talented forward and defensive groups and turn it into a winner. Most of all, they want a coach who can win a Stanley Cup or five.
The easiest way for the Devils to do that is hire someone who is ready to go right off the bat. There are some championship-level coaches who might see themselves available for hire. It seems unlikely today, but as we saw with Barry Trotz and the Washington Capitals, anything is possible when a contract isn’t in place. With that said, let’s go to one who seems more unlikely as the days go by, but a change at the end of the season could make him available.
Mike Sullivan
Current Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Everyone is hoping that Mike Sullivan is going to be available when the Penguins season ends, but the Metropolitan’s ineptitude and a run by Pittsburgh has them squarely in the playoff race. As of this writing, it appears that Pittsburgh is going to make it at the last moments. However, what if the Penguins fall out of the playoffs at the last moment?
This would be the second year in a row that the Penguins controlled their own destiny and failed. The Penguins have a new president and GM in Kyle Dubas, an aging superstar in Sidney Crosby (among others), and a city with high expectations. They traded for Erik Karlsson, another expensive asset, last offseason.
It seems like the Penguins will keep Sullivan in place if they make the playoffs. If they don’t? Now, that’s when it gets interesting.