Future prospects for NHL teams as summer approaches with the draft pick (Part 2)
The list of coaching candidates continues:
Ken Hitchcock
Ken Hitchcock is another productive and experienced coach in NHL. He started his coaching career in 1995 with Dallas Stars. His third, fourth and fifth season with the team were brilliant. He lost in the Conference Finals in the third and in the Stanley Cup Finals in the fifth.
However, the 1999 season, the fourth season of the coach with the team, witnessed him taking the team all the way into the Stanley Cup Finals and then going on to lift the Cup.
Following this season, he started to struggle with Stars and ultimately got fired from the team.
He was then hired by Philadelphia Flyers. His brilliance with Flyers guided them to the play-offs in the first season and the Conference Finals in the second.
However, a loss in the first round of his third season with Flyers resulted in him losing his job once again. He didn’t remain jobless since he was immediately signed by Columbus Blue Jackets.
Hitchcock shined with Blue Jackets as well since Blue Jackets made it to their only play-offs so far under his guidance.
However, this season when they missed the play-offs again, he was fired and now he has an opportunity of making his way into another team.
He has a record of not being jobless since 1995 and the upcoming draft pick would determine whether he maintains his record or not.
Jacques Lemaire
The question that looms around people’s minds is whether Jacques Lemaire would be up for a coaching position or not. He announced his retirement a few years back but he got back into the coaching career, convinced by Minnesota Wild.
He was in charge of Minnesota for a considerable time from 2000 to 2009 but left the job after the team started facing countless issues.
He then moved to New Jersey Devils where he lost in the first round in his very first season. The second season saw him missing the play-offs and as a result, leaving the job.
He is among some of the unique coaches in NHL, never being fired from their job.
For now, he is left jobless but any team that manages to convince him can get hold of Lemaire.
(Continued in part 3) . . . . . . . . .
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