Craig Hartsburg steps down as Coach of WHL Silvertips as he eyes a coaching opportunity in NHL
Craig Hartsburg, former professional ice-hockey player and also National Hockey League (NHL) coach of Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks, has stepped down from his position as a coach for the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Everett Silvertips and is eyeing
a position in the major league.
Everett Silvertips announced in a press conference on Sunday that Hartsburg has stepped down due to his will to persuade a career in NHL and is a candidate as a coach for Western Conference team, Calgary Flames, as reported by Vancouver Sun newspaper.
Hartsburg remained with Everett Silvertips for two years and led the team to maintain a 74-54-10-6 record.
"We are very appreciative of Craig's professionalism and his guidance of our hockey players over the last two years", said Doug Soetaert, the WHL team’s vice president and General Manager (GM). He also added when asked about the reason for his stepping down
as the coach, "to pursue an opportunity in the National Hockey League".
Hartsburg was in a troubling situation when Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators fired him for not improving the team and further decreasing their records to an embarrassing 11-15-3 and 17-24-7, only halfway through the 2008-2009 regulation season, respectively.
Hartsburg bounced back in the 2009-2010 season when he transferred to the WHL and was nominated for WHL’s Coach of the Year Award for his spectacular performance in leading the team.
He began his coaching career in the NHL during the 1996-1998 seasons, as he started off with Chicago Blackhawks, guiding it to the playoffs during the first two seasons.
Calgary seems to be a good start for the 51-year-old, looking to make a comeback in the NHL and changing his reputation.
It was considered by most analysts as a good call when he shifted to WHL to polish his skills with the minor league teams and returning now will certainly be different from before.
Speculations about joining Flames continue, but until now, there is still no final word on where Hartsburg is headed.
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