5 NHL head coaches on the hot seat
As the NHL regular season comes to an end Sunday, there will be some personnel changes in the next few days. Rumors swirl about every general manager, player, pending free agent, and of course, head coaches.
There are a few that have seen their luck run out with their respective teams and are likely to be on the move shortly. Here are five coaches that are on the hot seat.
Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators
He is the only head coach to ever stand behind the bench in Nashville and is highly regarded by those around the game for his knowledge. Unfortunately for Trotz, when things start to go awry, most look at the coach.
In his 15th season with the Predators, they have missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons after going to the Conference semifinals in 2011-12 and 2010-11. In 2009-10 they lost in the Conference quarter-finals.
The Predators had promise, they had improved through three playoff appearances and then in the last two years regressed. Trotz certainly won't be without an NHL job for long if he doesn't continue with the Predators.
Randy Carlyle, Toronto Maple Leafs
What else is there to say about the Maple Leafs? After sliding into the 2012-13 playoffs and forcing overtime in game seven in the first round against the Boston Bruins, they have missed the playoffs.
After two and a half seasons with the organization, Carlyle has coached the Leafs to a record of 70-62-38. Fans have become frustrated with his reluctance to dress younger skilled players over older, tough players who skate on the bottom two lines.
Of course, in Toronto everyone is under a microscope but he may be on the outs with new Team President Brendan Shanahan coming in.
John Tortorella, Vancouver Canucks
He may have just landed the job in Vancouver, but the abysmal season and devastating collapse that saw Roberto Luongo finally traded, won't fall solely on the shoulders of former general manager Mike Gillis.
Owner Francesco Aquilini doesn't want his name on a losing business. Reports surfaced Gillis was in trouble earlier in the season with management, and a campaign where the Canucks won just 35 games won't go over well.
The Canucks have missed the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. They appeared in the Stanley Cup Final in 2011 and have been on a steady regression since. The biggest question going forward would be if Tortorella is the right coach to introduce young players to the NHL.
Paul MacLean, Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators have missed the playoffs for the first time under head coach Paul MacLean, finishing fifth in their division.
With a loss in the conference quarter-finals in 2011-12, and a loss in the conference semi-final last year, the Senators were projected to improve, especially with the addition of Bobby Ryan.
MacLean has coached the Senators over three seasons to a record of 101-79-30.
Kirk Muller, Carolina Hurricanes
The longtime Montreal Canadiens assistant coach may be on his way out of Raleigh at the end of the season as many reports have suggested.
Through two and a half seasons with the Hurricanes, they have failed to make the playoffs. Muller coached the Hurricanes to a record of 79-80-27. They continued to struggle after the addition of Jordan Staal and the Hurricanes have now not made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons.