There’s an old Arabic proverb that says, “To understand a people, you must live among them for 40 days.” For Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, the task of finding a new head coach involves compiling a list of 40 candidates, combing the NHL, AHL, U.S. collegiate and Canadian major-junior ranks in search of the perfect fit. Whoever it is I’m sure he’ll do a great job, bringing a new attitude to a franchise that needs a little fire.
However, summer is a time of speculation, and while we’re sitting around waiting for Patrick Marleau to be traded I thought it would be fun to compile my own top 40 list of coaches. They’re not ranked on coaching ability, but simply who I would select if I were the one making the hire.
I split it into four sections and I’ll be updating it throughout the day, so check back for the latest. I’m confident at least four of my 40 match up with Doug Wilson’s, so crank up the UB40, pour some of that forty on the curb in memory of Ron Wilson, and check out the list of coaching candidates.
Given a Thought
40. Marty McSorley
He’d give Barry Trotz a run for the NHL coaching heavyweight title. Spent a couple years coaching the Springfield Falcons and limped to a .375 winning percentage over 160 games, but a staff made up of Toe Blake, Scotty Bowman and Batman couldn’t have coached that group to a decent record.
39. Patrick Roy
Remarkably, Roy would probably be a more controversial coach than McSorley and his tirades would be legendary. However, there’s always the risk that if the defense falters and the starting goaltender allows nine goals Roy could take off mid-game, demanding a trade to a contender.
38. Tim Hunter
Hunter spent the majority of his time working with the San Jose forwards last season, and aside from Roenick, Mitchell and Pavelski they underachieved across the board in both the regular season and playoffs. They’ve spent the last 10 seasons together, so he’ll probably join Ron Wilson when he finds a new gig.
37. Drew Remenda
He’s got some mental toughness, resisting the peer pressure to grow a playoff beard each spring. Still, it would be a crime to break up one of the top four TV broadcasting duos in the league – Jeanneret-Neale in Buffalo, Weber-Crisp in Nashville and Beninati-Laughlin in Washington being the other three.
36. Rob Zettler
Zettler did a nice job with the San Jose defense this season, instructing a group that limited shot totals and found a way to excel on the penalty kill. But then the playoffs arrived. The Sharks are going to need a new voice, taking both Zettler and Hunter out of the running.
35. Robbie Ftorek
Always had success at the NHL level, although he was the one who first placed the C on Thornton in Boston. We all know how that turned out, especially in the Beantown pressure cooker where Ginger Joe drew comparisons to Phil Esposito and Cam Neely. Ftorek gets bonus points because I kinda look like a mix between him and Chief Wahoo.
34. Dean Evason
The first of three original Sharks to make the list, Evason has coached for three different Western Hockey League teams before working as an assistant coach with the Capitals. Not the sexiest pick, but that’s why he’s sitting at #34.
33. Ron Low
You want a little fire, some passion, and a coach who could curse enough to leave a trail of blue air wafting behind him like a FoxTrax streak? Low’s available, and his two Stanley Cups are two more than the Sharks have on their entire roster and coaching staff now that Tim Hunter and Sandis Ozolinsh are in limbo.
32. Bryan Trottier
Trottier didn’t get a fair shake as head coach of the New York Rangers. He’s one of the most underrated players of all time, winning the Calder, Art Ross, Hart and Conn Smythe trophies. Not only does he have a dynamite nickname, but “Trots” has seven Cup victories as a player and assistant coach.
31. Kevin Constantine
His stint with the Sharks came to a disastrous end, winning three of 25 games before getting the axe in 1995-96. I’m sure he’d be much more successful the second time around, and since it’s the big leagues nobody would complain in if he forced the players to wear their gear on the plane ride home after a disappointing loss.
Given a Second Thought
30. Roy Sommer
Sommer is the only candidate who was born in the Bay Area. He’s put together some nice seasons with three different AHL teams over the last 10 years, and he’s played a role in San Jose’s strong player development since he arrived in Worcester. I’m sure he’s getting a look from the Sharks brass.
29. Jacques Demers
It’s been nearly 10 years since Demers last worked an NHL bench, but he’s been close to the game up there in Montreal. He had a rough go of it during his two seasons with Tampa Bay from 1997-99, but those rosters had no shot at making the playoffs. Honestly, you’d have better luck trying to squeeze Dr. Pepper from a rock.
28. Mike Kitchen
There’s talk that Kitchen lost the room in St. Louis before he was let go last season – making way for the genius of Andy Murray – and I’m not a big fan of an assistant coach making the step up to the head job. Kitchen spent nine seasons in St. Louis and took the fall for a team that was in rebuilding mode during his tenure.
27. George Burnett
Burnett has peddled his trade in the Ontario Hockey League since 2000, giving scribes plenty of quote-worthy material. He led the Belleville Bulls to a dynamite season and Memorial Cup appearance, and he might provide the right mix to get the most out of the San Jose forwards.
26. Gerard Gallant
It amazes me how coaches are expected to win with rosters that couldn’t pass for a playoff team if they were wearing Red Wings jerseys. When he was fired in 2007, Gallant’s top six forwards were David Vyborny, Rick Nash, Freddy Modin, Sergei Fedorov, Jason Chimera and Nikolai Zherdev. Come on.
25. Brian Sutter
Sutter had a rough season returning to the coaching ranks for Red Deer (18-47) of the Western Hockey League. Has loads of NHL experience, but it’s hard to imagine Wilson selecting a Sutter – especially considering the philosophical differences between Darryl’s Flames and Doug’s Sharks.
24. Barry Melrose
Sporting the refined, sophisticated mullet, Melrose could be cleaning out his ESPN desk as I type this, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the job in Tampa Bay. It’s been a long time since he worked an NHL bench and I think it’s a major karma risk hiring anybody who appeared on-screen in Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice.
23. Craig Berube
The last guy to come to San Jose from the Philadelphia Phantoms – Brian Boucher – did a pretty nice job. Why not Berube? Worth a close look, because he offers all the toughness and intimidation of Marty McSorley (both have over 3000 penalty minutes) without the stigma of remorseless stick-swinging incidents.
22. Kelly Kisio
How could any fan of the teal not love Kisio? Maybe he could even recruit former teammates Link Gaetz and Pat Falloon as assistants. Plus, with well over 38,000 San Jose fans claiming to be original season ticket holders from the Cow Palace days they’ll appreciate seeing an original Shark behind the bench.
21. Scott Gordon
Putting together a few solid seasons with Providence of the AHL, Gordon is getting some buzz for an NHL coaching gig and recently took home AHL coach of the year honors. I’d be reluctant to hire a former netminder, but he’s shown he could build a winner with a roster that’s constantly rotating and shuffling.
The Contenders
20. Dave Lewis
His appeal comes from close ties to the Detroit Red Wings machine. Wilson could save Lewis from the NHL purgatory of working as an assistant coach for the Kings, who have a preseason game scheduled in Kansas City at another Anschutz-owned rink. Why does Bettman keep letting owners have their cake, eat it, and lick the beaters?
19. Mike Haviland
Haviland’s teams have been outstanding during the regular season during his three years coaching in the AHL, but they haven’t done anything once the postseason rolls around. He hasn’t played or coached in the NHL and he’s not the guy to select if you’re looking for a coach making his debut in the world’s best league.
18. Peter DeBoer
DeBoer has only one losing season in his last 13 years coaching in the Ontario Hockey League, so you know he has some chops to take over the reins in San Jose. But I’m not sold on the idea of San Jose’s next bench boss making his professional coaching debut since the Sharks are going to have high expectations again next season.
17. Randy Cunneyworth
Not a big guy, Cunneyworth was a tough, gritty player during his lengthy NHL career and I think it would help the team to have a coach who knows what it’s like to battle in the trenches. He’s done a decent job in Rochester, and he’s still looking to get the Americans over the hump in the AHL playoffs.
16. Pat Burns
You don’t coach half the NHL’s original six teams without knowing your way around the bench and Burns has an impressive coaching resume, winning the Jack Adams three times. I’m curious to see if he could motivate some of San Jose’s big guns, but I’m not a fan of his trapping, shutdown style.
15. Rick Bowness
You want a guy who’s going to mix it up? Working as an assistant coach for the Winnipeg Jets in the 1980s, Bowness was once suspended three games for clocking Tim Hunter during a brawl. His record is hurt because he’s coached a bunch of losers, but he’s an experienced coach who knows how to get across to young players.
14. Craig Ramsay
I’ve always wondered why Ramsay hasn’t received more of a shot at an NHL head coaching job, and I’d give him some consideration. He’s been behind the scenes for a long time, helping getting the most out of players and crafting some solid teams who have been better than the sum of their parts.
13. Joel Quenneville
Gets some bonus marks for the moustache, and he did a nice job in Colorado despite injuries and shaky goaltending. However, here’s the book on Quenneville: A master during the regular season, coaching teams that enter the playoffs as Cup hopefuls only to crash and burn once the heat gets turned up. Didn’t San Jose just fire a guy like that?
12. Doug MacLean
Everybody loves a Maritimer. MacLean is an interesting possibility, the only concern is that he’s used to serving as the general manager and calling the shots. I’m not sure Doug Wilson needs that kind of pressure to collaborate with his coaching staff on personnel moves. Actually, given the Sharks’ recent playoff woes maybe he does.
11. Trent Yawney
It’s no surprise former NHL defensemen make the best coaches. They’re forced to learn the game better than any other position on the ice, and while defense is often overlooked it’s probably the most vital element to any championship team. Yawney has those Chicago connections with Wilson and he has to be considered.
The Elite
10. Kevin Dineen
Coaching for the Portland Pirates – Anaheim’s AHL affiliate – Dineen is a little short on experience but has generated some buzz. After reading some media reports, calling him an intriguing option is a little like calling Santa a generous fellow. Plus, the Sharks would jump on any chance they can get to steal talent away from the Ducks.
9. Bob Hartley
I like Hartley. He’s not going to shy away from sending his enforcers out there to send a strong message, and you know he would have dealt with the Torres, Sarich or Kunitz hits effectively. He was placed in a really difficult position in Atlanta, and I’m sure he’s going to be hired on somewhere if San Jose doesn’t call his number.
8. Mike Sullivan
Shark fans should start taking some cues from Boston fans, because they seem to know their stuff. Every year they pop up to warn the teal faithful about Thornton’s playoff woes, and every year the big center validates their gloomy predictions. They hated the move when Sullivan was fired in 2006 after a 29-win season, so he must have some coaching ability.
7. Dave King
King has been coaching abroad, training European players in rinks far from the bright lights and chartered flights of the NHL. A fantastic hockey mind who could surely take a different approach in a return to North America, I’d give him a jingle and see what his thoughts were about an NHL comeback.
6. Colin Campbell
There was some talk earlier in the season that “The Sheriff” had gotten a little soft, becoming desensitized after spending nearly 10 seasons as the NHL chief disciplinarian. Rumor is that if he left his post it would be to accept a management position, but I think he’d have a lot of value coaching a Cup contender.
5. Pat Quinn
Possessing a wealth of coaching experience, Quinn deserves a long look and would definitely be an interesting choice for the Sharks. Holding both the GM and head coaching roles makes about as much sense as a band employing a one-armed drummer, but relinquishing his GM duties to John Ferguson Jr. was the beginning of the end for Quinn in Toronto.
4. Marc Habscheid
Where’s the love for Habscheid? This guy has won at every level of coaching from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League to the World Championships, building an exceptional resume that makes him worthy of an NHL head coaching gig. Habscheid is so good he has a municipality named after him in western Germany.
3. Craig Hartsburg
Everyone seems to be enamored with Mike Babcock these days, and Hartsburg is a coach who operates in the same mold. He has experience coaching Team Canada at the World Junior Championships, has a great touch working with young players, and might have the right elements to coax the best performance out of the Sharks.
2. Paul Maurice
Remember Martin Short’s character in the movie “Pure Luck” – the one who was struck by lightning twice, once while inside a movie theatre? Well, that’s Maurice. He coached Carolina for a long time but just missed out on that Cup victory, and then he was saddled with a horrible Toronto squad, facing the scrutiny of the NHL’s most demanding market. Through it all, he demonstrated the stoicism and sure-handed ability of Danny Glover while maintaining the sense of humor of Martin Short. Actually he’s probably funnier. That Jiminy Glick character makes me want to Jiminy vomit.
1. John Tortorella
John Tortorella is great. His methods might be unconventional, but he demands accountability and holds his players’ feet to the fire when they don’t deliver. He played the game at 5-foot-8 and a shade over 170 pounds, barreling up and down the wing with an acid tongue and reckless abandon. He coaches the same way, making him the antithesis of San Jose Sharks hockey in stature, demeanor and philosophy. I could see players tuning him out over time, but he'd be great at kickstarting a team in need of some motivation.
Nobody gave Tortorella anything as a player or coach, but he went out there and earned it. He didn’t have the advantage of coasting through on imposing size and natural talent, and he doesn’t let his players get away with anything less than an honest effort. Sometimes even that isn’t enough, and if the results aren’t there he’s not afraid to knock a player down to size, regardless of their standing on the team or the size of their contract. Much of San Jose’s future success depends on Thornton’s ability to take his game to the next level, and Tortorella might be the perfect candidate to handle the cattle prod.
Tortorella once said, “Remember good is the enemy of great? This year, we need to say that great is the enemy of excellent.” That’s the Sharks in a nutshell. Finally, and in closing, this is probably the funniest thing I’ve seen on YouTube since that Star Wars kid.
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