Potential head coaches for New Winnipeg team in Canada shortlisted further –NHL Update
The position for the head coach of the new National Hockey League (NHL) franchise in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is still open as general manager, Kevin Cheveldayoff, has further shortlisted the previous potential candidates and told two of the earlier considerations
that they would not be in the selection process.
Namely, former Atlanta Thrashers’ coach, Craig Ramsay, and former Edmonton Oilers’ head coach, Craig MacTavish, have been relieved of being potential candidates for the fresh position and have been informed that this was done on the basis of brining new
faces into the management altogether.
“The way this whole thing played out was certainly awkward enough to have second thoughts”, said Ramsay, who remained behind Atlanta Thrasher benched for only a single season, in an interview with a local Winnipeg newspaper. “It was very unfortunate it lasted
as long as it did”.
John Torchetti and Mike Stothers, the former assistant coaches to Ramsay were also informed on Monday that their positions would not be retained, for apparently the same reason.
Now in the race for the head coaching position of the relocated Atlanta Thrashers’ franchise to Winnipeg, only two names remain in the list.
Chicago Blackhawks’ assistant coach, Mike Haviland, and former Manitoba Moose’s head coach, Claude Noel.
“The process is continuing”, said Cheveldayoff when asked about when one could expect the news in a call conference. “There’s lots of internal discussions and lots of external discussions. At some point, we’ll move our process forward but as of right now,
there’s really nothing else to report”.
Letting Ramsay go could have been because of the record he had with Atlanta Thrashers now.
Atlanta went 34-36-12 in the previous 2010-2011 season and finished in the lower ranks of the Eastern Conference at 12th place. With 80 points, it was nowhere close to making it to the playoffs’ elite eight which had New York Rangers at the eighth
spot with 93 points.
Giving Winnipeg a fresh start is something the newly appointed general manager, Kevin Cheveldayoff, plans on doing. Retaining the same players is one thing, but having a new management is the real factor in improving team performance.
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