Brad McCrimmon, good addition to the Red Wings coaching staff?

Question

Todd McClellan was great to have around, but it is apparent that he is destined to move on to take a bigger job in SJ. Brad McCrimmon has held the title of assistant coach in four other NHL organizations, and has an extensive and impressive NHL playing career, as well as a few impressive seasons coaching in the WHL (saskatoon, I believe). McClellan will be hard to replace, but it seems he has the experience. I am just not sure why he has bounced around so much in the past decade. Were other franchises not happy with his performance, or was he not happy being there? I hope he can add to the winning tradition in Hockeytown next to Babs and MacLean (we love our Irish-Canadian assistant coaches in Detroit, apparently), and maybe stick around for a while if he works out.

Answer 1

I was always a big McCrimmon fan when he played with the Flyers in the Mid 80s.He can only help guys like Ericsson get better..Not sure what happened with the other team though.Maybe because he was in Atlanta and he woke up and said to himself"How the h**l did I end up in Atlanta when I can go to a Cup winner?".Also,he was a former Wing so that helps.

It was Saskatoon BTW.

EDIT-Another reason he probably left-McCrimmon was a popular assistant in Atlanta, where Ilya Kovalchuk, Bobby Holik, Marian Hossa and Mark Recchi all made pitches for him to get the head job after Bob Hartley was fired at the beginning of the 2007-08 season. The Thrashers instead promoted John Anderson from their AHL affiliate after Anderson won the Calder Cup this season with the Wolves.

He was probably pissed he didn't get the head job with Atlanta.

Answer 2

Brad McCrimmon is good peeps.  Most Assistant Coaches bounce around looking to eventually fill a Head Coach position.  

Joe's answer is awesome...just want to put in my 2 cents.  Good Question...not sure why so many people are not answering it.