Enough
with “interim”
Interim
is defined as “a provisional or
temporary intervening period of time.” That’s what the New Jersey Devils defined
Coach Alain Nasreddine as; “Interim Head Coach”. This “interim” phase
has been happening for too long in prime season building time and permanent decisions
have to be made.
Other
teams like the Vegas Golden Knights and Nashville Predators have surpassed the
Devils in coaching reassignments. These teams were in the same situation as the
Devils, they wanted to fire the head coaching staff. Both those teams knew
changes needed to be made, so they made changes. Fire one coach, hire another
that can fulfill the position. Coaching transitions in the NHL can be as simple
as that.
The Predators named Peter Laviolette head coach in 2014. They made the playoffs in his first five seasons with
the team and even made a run at the Stanley Cup that ended in the final round
against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s safe to say that Laviolette
gave a lot to the organization. It was time for change and the Predators made
it happen. They fired coach Laviolette and right after ironically hired ex Devils
head Coach, John Hynes.
Gerard
Gallant was abruptly fired by the Vegas Golden Knights in the middle of
January, after less than two years of coaching. He gave a lot to the new
franchise after leading the team to the Stanley Cup Final in their first season
of existence, and Coach Gallant also won NHL
coach of the year along the way.
Peter DeBoer, fired December by
the San Jose Sharks, took over Vegas immediately and holds the position of head
coach for the rest of the season. The franchise knew changes needed to happen so they made choices on who
needed to go and who needed to come take over coaching.
You think if Vegas can do this so seamlessly,
why can’t a team that is in last place in the conference and hasn’t made it
past the first round of playoffs in years, make head coaching changes more urgently.
The New Jersey Devils fired coach Hynes the first week of December. There is no
excuse to not have a defined new head Coach by now.
Remove “interim” out of interim head coach and make Nasreddine head coach or move Alain Nasreddine back to assistant coach and hire a head coach. It is too deep and urgent in the season to keep a non defined position. Things need to be done and finalized or the Devils have yet another season without growth.