GM Lou Lamoriello gave a familiar answer pertaining to the hiring of a new coach, there is no timetable, but with Lou there never is one. However, I do not expect the Devils to have a coach before the Cup Final is over and possibly the draft or beginning of free agency. Lamoriello continues to say that free agency and the draft will not affect his search for a new coach. But, even if there is a coach before the draft and free agency, this search will be a lengthy and careful one as Lou might have rushed too quickly to hire MacLean in June 2010. My belief is that Lou will hire an experienced coach, but if it is a first time coach, it has to be the right guy. Here are the top 5 candidates in no particular order.
Ken Hitchcock
-In terms of teaching and experience, he might be the favorite, however he does have tendencies of breaking up his relationships with the players. He did lead Columbus into the playoffs for the first time in their history, but was fired in the middle of last season after about two years on the job. Hitch also lead the Stars to the 1999 Stanley Cup. He might not be the long-term stability the Devils could be looking for in a coach, but his defensive philosophy might give him a good inside track on the job. Plus, he is good friends with Lamoriello and Martin Brodeur and his international experience might suit his resume well.
Andy Murray
-He could be a coach which is similar to Jacques Lemaire in his defensive approach. However, he has not had much playoff success in his tours with Los Angeles and St. Louis, but he does preach an aggressive fore-check and speed something the Devils have lacked this year. There have been many calls for him to be the coach of the Devils, but he is definitely a top candidate.
Michel Therrien
-There were many rumors last May and June that Therrien was offered the Devils coaching job before it went to MacLean, but that never happened. He might have been the runner-up to the job. But, he currently works with the Wild organization and with today's firing of Todd Richards, he could be the leading candidate for that job. However, the Devils have a track record of luring former Habs coaches and he is one of them, so I expect him to be at the top of the list as well. He might not be the most popular choice, but the coaching profession is not a popularity contest.
Kirk Muller
-He is likely to be one of the top two candidates for the position with no head coaching experience in the NHL, however he is also a former Devil and current Habs assistant, who might do a better job than MacLean. However, it is a huge risk with Kirk, but he certainly deserves serious consideration for any coaching position in the NHL. I expect that if Marc Crawford is let go in Dallas, Muller would be the leading candidate there and maybe even the Wild vacancy.
Mike Haviland
-If there is another first time coach in Jersey, he is the favorite. He has spent many years as the Blackhawks assistant and has coached the Hawks for a few games while head coach Joel Quenneville recovered from Ulcers. I believe he will receive serious consideration from Lou and he is a Jersey resident, so he would certainly like to be the coach. Plus, he was hoping to be the Devils coach before the job went to John MacLean. I also think he will be a top candidate for the Panthers coaching vacancy due to the relationship with former Hawks GM Dale Tallon. Mike Kitchen and John Torchetti will also be favorites for Devils and Panthers jobs.
Others:
Guy Carbonneau
Mike Kitchen
John Torchetti
Paul MacLean
Brad McCrimmon
Marc Habscheid
Mike Eaves
Trent Yawney
Jay Woodcroft
Matt Shaw
Bob Boughner
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