Anaheim Ducks Bring Randy Carlyle for a Second Stint Behind the Bench

The Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday announced that hired Randy Carlyle will reunite with the organization behind the bench for the 2016-2017 National Hockey League season. 

Carlyle was the Ducks coach during the team’s 2007 Stanley Cup run, in his first term of service behind the Anaheim bench, which lasted from 2005 to 2011. His record over that time was 273-182-61 in the regular season, with a 36-26 during the playoffs. 

The Ducks entered the coaching search on April 29, after they relieved Bruce Boudreau of his duties behind the bench following a game seven loss to the Nashville Predators, in the opening round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Boudreau coincidently replaced Carlyle behind the Ducks bench in 2011. 

Carlyle said, “I am thrilled to the opportunity to come back to Anaheim and rejoin the organization that gave me my first opportunity as an NHL head coach. I have followed this team closely for the last couple of years and am familiar with the core group. I believe this team can win immediately and I can’t wait to get started.”

Carlyle most recently was the bench boss for the Toronto Maple Leafs, before he was relieved of his duties January 6, 2015, after the team went 91-78-19 in the four seasons he stood behind the bench. Under Carlyle, the Maple Leafs were unable to win a playoff series, falling in their lone appearance to the Boston Bruins in seven games. 

Ducks general manager, Bob Murray said, “A proven winner and motivator, Randy has expertly managed the bench throughout his coaching career. Our expectations are extremely high, and I believe Randy is the coach who can lead us to playoff success and our ultimate goal, the Stanley Cup.”

With the Ducks completing their coaching search, that leave the Calgary Flames as the only team in search of a new bench boss for the upcoming NHL season. 

Mike Yeo to Succeed Ken Hitchcock Behind the Blues Bench in 2017-2018

The St. Louis Blues announced on Monday that associate coach Mike Yeo will succeed head coach Ken Hitchcock following the 2016-2017 National Hockey League Season. 

Hitchcock announced that the upcoming season will indeed be his final one behind the bench in the NHL. The Blues signed Yeo as an associate coach, along with Rick Wilson as an assistant coach to work behind the bench in with Hitchcock at the beginning of June.

Yeo’s four-year deal, which includes the final three seasons serving as the head coach, runs through the 2019-2020 NHL season. When the Blues brought Yeo into town, he was met at the airport by Hitchcock, where the two of them spent about two hours conversing with each other. 

The pair then went on to meet with Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, assistant general manager Martin Brodeur and senior advisor to Armstrong, Al MacInnis. Prior to meeting with the Blues, Yeo was linked to the coaching positions within the Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames, but Armstong followed up with about three or four calls after an initial meeting with him. 

Armstrong said, “There is a comfort level with him working with Ken for the year. I am excited about his age as far as the growth pattern with our team. We are transferring into an area where younger players are going to take a bigger role and I think he fits with his experience and his young age. I think he is a good fit for us moving forward.”

 

Armstrong first reached out to Yeo, back in 2010, when the Blues were looking for a coach for their American Hockey League affiliate in Peoria, Illinois, but he turned it down for the position in Houston with the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate. 

The 42-year-old Yeo, spent the past five seasons behind the Wild’s bench, before being replaced by John Torchetti on February 14. During his time with the Wild he led Minnesota to a 173-132-44 record and three Stanley Cup playoffs appearances. In 2015, Yeo’s Wild eliminated the Blues in the opening round of the playoffs.

Yeo said, “I thought all of the situations that were available were great, but when Doug and I started talking, this quickly jumped to the top of my list and my family’s list as far as places to live, the markets to be in. But I want to win, and I feel this is a place with the ownership, the management, with the coaches, with the players, I really believe it is a place I can come and be successful."  

He added, “On top of that, I am 42 years old, I have got a good amount of experience behind me. I have had a decent run in Minnesota. But I am not looking to be a decent coach. I am looking to be a great coach and I think the opportunity to work with a guy like Hitchcock, to have that opportunity to learn in the group before you jump into that coaching position, I just felt like this was a perfect fit and that is why I was so excited about it.”

 

Before he became the bench boss for the Wild, he led the Houston Aeros to the 2011 Calder Cup Final. He also spent 10 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, six of them in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL and another four on Dan Bylsma’s staff in the NHL. Including serving as Bylma’s assistant coach on the 2009 Stanley Cup Championship team. 

Yeo who was 11-17 in 28 postseason games, will now get to work with the young players like Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz, Robby Fabbri and Colton Parayko. Yeo said “I take great into putting in the work and doing what we can to develop the young players. I just think when you look at where the game is at, you look at a team like St. Louis, and obviously, it is a team that is ready to win right now, but the window is not closing. This team is built for success for a number of years. A lot of these young players, they will get better and the team will get better.”  

He added, “I am incredibly excited to get the chance to work with such great people, to get the chance to work with a team as strong as this one and to do it in a market with fans as passionate and supportive as I have witnessed from the St. Louis market. My family and I are incredibly excited and I am looking forward to joining the community and being a part of this great organization.”

Hitchcock, Yeo and Wilson will be joined on the staff by returning coaches, Ray Bennett, goalie coach, Jim Corsi and video coordinator, Sean Ferrell. 

Pittsburgh Penguins Capture Fourth Stanley Cup in Team History

The Pittsburgh Penguins were captured their fourth Stanley Cup in team history as they defeated the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center on Sunday night. 

On the seventh anniversary of the last time the Penguins hoisted the Stanley Cup, they were able to defeat the Sharks by a score of 3-1. The victory gave them a 4-2 series win for their fourth Stanley Cup Championship in team history.  

Brian Dumoulin opened the scoring for the Penguins, just over eight minutes into the game, on the power play as he fired a shot past Sharks netminder, Martin Jones. 

In the second period the Sharks were able to answer as Logan Couture was able to slip one past Penguins rookie goalie, Matt Murray at the 6:27 mark. The Penguins would retake the lead just over a minute later when Kris Letang would be able to put a Sidney Crosby rebound behind Jones for the eventual game winner. 

Murray who became the unexpected starter for the Penguins this spring, matched a rookie record for wins in the postseason, with 15. He also improved to a perfect 6-0 in games following a loss. Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes, 2006) and Patrick Roy (Montreal Candiens, 1986) each won the Cup with 15 victories, while Ron Hextall (Philadelphia Flyers, 1987) had 15 wins but fell to the Edmonton Oilers. 

Just like the last time the Penguins hoisted that famous silver chalice above their heads, they had replaced their bench boss midseason. In 2009, the Dan Bylsma replaced Michael Therrien behind the bench and then went on to defeat the Detroit Red Wings in seven games. This past season Mike Sullivan got the call to replace Mike Johnston, in hopes of turning the club around. 

Since 1918, only six Stanley Cup coaches have come on midseason, and guided their squad to the Stanley Cup. Those coaches include; Dick Irvin (Toronto Maple Leafs, 1931-1932), Al MacNeil (Canadiens, 1970-1971), Larry Robinson (New Jersey Devils,1999-2000), Bylsma, Darryl Sutter (Los Angeles Kings, (2011-2012) and Sullivan.   

After Sullivan took over behind the bench the Penguins went 33-16-5, while staying near the top of the league in puck possession. Their speed was one of the key factors that helped lead them to their fourth Stanley Cup in five tries. 

Even though Crosby did not score much in the Stanley Cup Final, his presence was felt during the series, even accounting for two assists on the Penguins goals in game six, helping win him the Conn Smythe, as the Most Valuable Player during the postseason. 

The Sharks in a last ditch effort to try and tie up the game, pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. For most of the third period, though the Sharks were only able to get one shot on Murray up until that point. They finished the period with two. 

Jones was able to turn away 24 of the 26 Penguins shots thrown his direction, but unfortunately for him it was in a losing effort, as Murray denied all but one of the Sharks shots.  

In all four of the Penguins Stanley Cup victories, they have had to skate around with it in front of the other team’s fans. They have never clinched hockey’s holy grail on home ice. The Sharks were appearing in the first Stanley Cup Final in their 25-year history.