3 coaches not currently in the NHL the Devils can pursue following Lindy Ruff release
The New Jersey Devils will be embarking on a coaching search come the NHL offseason, so which coaches not currently in the NHL could they target?
There are plenty of solid coaching options for the New Jersey Devils following Lindy Ruff’s release, but perhaps the organization should take a deeper look outside the NHL to find their next leader. That leader does not need to currently find themselves as a current NHL head coach or an assistant to warrant a long look.
Instead, the Devils can explore outside the National Hockey League to find their next coach, including a couple of names that are currently or have recently returned from overseas. While New Jersey will look to give current interim coach Travis Green a chance and put more than a few current names in the NHL onto their shortlist, they must ultimately find a coach who will be the right fit for what is a young, talented hockey team.
New Jersey Devils must put on a vast search for their next head coach
New Jersey may have a poor record and points total this season, or at least lower than what many in the fan base expected when the puck first dropped back in mid-October. But they also have a star player in Jack Hughes, who hasn’t even scratched the surface of his prime yet, plus a strong supporting cast that includes Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, Alexander Holtz, Dawson Mercer, John Marino, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Luke Hughes among others.
That said, it won’t be hard for the Devils to attract head coaching candidates, especially when the team can bounce back within the next calendar year. Having relieved Ruff in early March, the Devils also shouldn’t be in a rush to find their next coach, so there is no reason why they shouldn’t look into the AHL and in other professional leagues worldwide.
Which three coaches not currently in the NHL should the organization strongly consider interviewing? Here are three names they must add to their shortlist in what will be an interesting coaching search.
Marco Sturm, Ontario Reign
A former assistant of the Los Angeles Kings, Marco Sturm has since become the head coach of the Ontario Reign, whom he coached since 2022-23. Earlier in the season, there was speculation that Sturm could succeed former Kings coach Todd McLellan, but Jim Hiller got the nod, and LA has since found itself back on track.
While Sturm’s first season with the Reign was an up-and-down experience, he has since improved upon that mark with a 28-19-3-3 record as of March 5th. Given his time as an assistant with the Kings, Sturm also knows how to coach current NHL talent, and it would be interesting to see what the 45-year-old can do with a young, upstart hockey team like the Devils.
The only real drawback here is whether Sturm would be willing to leave the Kings organization, especially if they don’t remove the interim label from Hiller at any point. Overall, Sturm has been a hot name for a while now, and he has proven to be more than ready to take the next step in his career.
If that next step comes for the Devils, the fan base should be excited to see what could be a dynamic pairing between a young coach and a young hockey team.
Rikard Gronborg, Tappara
If there is one coach overseas the Devils must strongly consider, it’s Rikard Gronborg, whose name has circulated in NHL circles before. Gronborg’s experience goes back to the 1994-95 season when he was an assistant at St. Cloud State, and he landed his first head coaching job back in 1998-99 for the AWHL’s Great Falls Americans.
Like each coach on this list, Gronborg has plenty of experience developing young talent, having coached and acted as a scout for Sweden at the U18 and U20 levels. Most recently, Gronborg spent four seasons coaching the NL’s ZSC Lions, where he turned the team into one of the league’s best in 2019-20 before COVID ended the season.
Gronborg hasn’t coached in North America for over a decade, and he recently signed on to coach Tappara in Liiga, but his credentials are among the best of any coach outside the NHL or AHL. While he wouldn’t be at the top of any initial shortlist for the Devils, his resume and experience speak for themselves, and it would make sense if the organization contacted him.
It’s been reported that the Devils have reached out to him during past coaching searches, so it would surprise nobody in the fan base if they talked to and even garnered strong consideration to hire one of the biggest names at the international level.
Matt McIlvane, San Diego Gulls
Matt McIlvane made his return to North America this season following a four-year stint in Austria with EC Salzburg. He also served as an assistant in Europe with EC Salzburg and EHC Munchen. After a successful stint, the Anaheim Ducks came calling, and despite a not so great season for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls so far, McIlvane’s overall head coaching experience should warrant him strong consideration this summer.
It’s also worth mentioning that McIlvane improved the Gulls dramatically in his first season in San Diego. In 2022-23, they were among the worst teams in the AHL, with just 43 points and a 20-49-2-1 record. This year, McIlvane already led them to 46 points in just 51 contests; still not an ideal record, but a dramatic improvement nonetheless.
Should the Devils take a chance on McIlvane, they are getting a coach who is used to working with and developing young talent, and that would mesh well in Newark. Thanks to his experience, McIlvane should also help the Devils do a better job in handling young players in the system if hired, and that could go a long way.
Further, with Greg Cronin closing in on the end of his first season with a rebuilding Anaheim Ducks team, it doesn’t look like McIlvane would move up within the system any time soon, so if another organization comes calling, he should answer.
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(Data provided by theAHL.com and Elite Prospects as of March 5th)