It's not a sin to change your mind.
What if Jon Cooper decides that he's done all he can do in Tampa Bay and would like to exit the last year of his pact?
Nothing is impossible.
Successful NHL Coaches The Rangers Should StudyThe most successful coaches in the NHL right now are do not belong to the RangersAnd what if Coop – arguably the best NHL coach of the past decade – decides that he'd love the Rangers challenge.
Well, that tells The Maven that two and two make Cooper.
That, however, is pure conjecture. But – as of this minute – the Rangers still have not announced that Mike Sullivan or any other Sullivan has replaced Pistol Pete Laviolette.
A guy can change his mind, right?
That especially goes for Rangers owner Jim Dolan and his second in Blueshirt command, Chris Drury.
Sure, it's possible. that they've decided that – perhaps – Sullivan ISN'T the best choice to coach their hockey club. Could happen. Right?
Maybe – just maybe – Sully looked at all the coach-job openings and decided to
chuck the crazy Rangers scene and go somewhere more sane. Boston maybe?
And, let's say for the sake of argument that it does happen -- or even happened already. That Sully decided to avoid Manhattan mania.Then what?
The Maven will tell you what: That would mean that there are several non-Sullivan possibilities.
Try these NHL assistants on for size: Dean Chynoweth in Winnipeg or Dominique Duchare in Vegas.
My "Special Advisor On Coach Hirings," Jess Rubenste adds these worthies:
Marco Sturm, Head Coach of the AHL Ontario Reign; David Carle at Denver U; Jay Pandolfo at Boston U and Pat Ferschweller who directed the Western Michigan sextet to the NCAA title.
All have excellent credentials, but none can beat Jon Cooper.
Can you just imagine his name on the Blueshirts directory: JON COOPER, HEAD COACH, RANGERS.
As we used to say in Al & Shirley's candy store in Brooklyn, "They should be so lucky!"
With their 5-4 double overtime win over the New Jersey Devils on April 29, the Carolina Hurricanes have officially moved on to the second round. The Hurricanes are now set to face off against the Washington Capitals in the next round, which should be a great series between the two Metropolitan Division rivals.
With the Hurricanes advancing to the second round, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour has made some NHL history. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, Brind'Amour became the first coach in the history of the league to win at least one playoff round in each of his first seven seasons as a bench boss.
This is certainly an impressive accomplishment for Brind'Amour, but his goal from here will be to lead the Hurricanes on a long playoff run. The Hurricanes have the talent to make a push for the Stanley Cup, and it will be interesting to see if they can get past the Capitals in the second round from here.
In 534 games as the Hurricanes' bench boss over seven seasons, Brind'Amour has put together a 325-160-49 record. He also memorably won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach during the 2020-21 season.
Recent Hurricanes News
Carolina Hurricanes Recall 3 Players From AHLThe Carolina Hurricanes officially advanced to the second round with their 5-4 double overtime win over the New Jersey Devils in Game 5. Now, they have made some roster moves in preparation for the second round.
Hurricanes Hit Home Run With Taylor Hall ExtensionThe Carolina Hurricanes made a major move on April 30, signing forward Taylor Hall to a three-year, $9.5 million contract extension. This news was announced shortly after the Hurricanes knocked out the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the post-season.
Exciting Hurricanes Rookie Is Thriving In PlayoffsIt has been a strong start to the post-season for the Carolina Hurricanes. They currently have a commanding 3-1 series lead over the New Jersey Devils and need to win only one more game to advance to the second round.