Rikard Grönborg's name continues to trend worldwide.
Thanks to Buffalo Sabres fans clamoring to learn more about the man who is linked to their team's vacant head coaching position.
Grönborg is the head coach of Sweden's national men's hockey machine which has won back-to-back gold medals at the IIHF World Championships. Grönborg wishes to leave Sweden's national team with a three-peat gold medal legacy.
Grönborg's contract with the Swedish ice hockey association ends at the conclusion of the 2019 World Championships which will be held in Slovakia from May 10-26.
Grönborg is already a red hot commodity on the unrestricted free agent hockey coach market.
At present, three NHL teamas are looking for head coaches.
The Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks need to hire a head coach who is capable of leading their struggling franchises back to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
In the coming days, there may be more NHL teams with head coaching vacancies.
Keep and eye on the Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks. The Ottawa Senators may want to get in the Grönborg action as well.
The Jets were knocked out of the first round by the St. Louis Blues. Is Paul Maurice going to be the head coach of future for Winnipeg next season? The Preds trail Dallas 3-2 in their first round playoff series. A first round exit might cost Preds heach coach Peter Laviolette his job. The San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights will play Game 7 on Tuesday night. Is Peter DeBoer's job safe if his team gets punted in the first round? Marc Crawford replaced Guy Boucher when he was fired by Sens management during the season.
Grönborg has paid his dues and has earned the respect NHL team oweners, presidents, VPs, GMs, scouts and other dignitaries. His stock value is soaring as we speak.
All signs point to the paradigm finally shifting to allow a European-born hockey mind become an NHL head coach. On Easter Sunday, Scott Burnside from The Athletic confirmed what I have been hearing which is Grönborg and the Buffalo Sabres are right for one another. Last week, the Sabres lost Todd McLellan when the Los Angeles Kings hired the veteran NHl head coach to be their next head coach.
Grönborg, a native of Huddinge, Sweden, is equal parts American and Swedish. Grönborg is a U.S. citizen. His wife is American. He played two seasons at St. Cloud State University in the State of Hockey. Grönborg was a defensive defenseman who patrolled the blue line for St. Cloud State for two seasons (1990-1991, 1991-1992). Grönborg also played two years of roller hockey for the Phoenix Cobras.
Grönborg achieved his goal of getting his degree from St. Cloud State.
After his NCAA playing days ended, Grönborg went home to Sweden where he finished up his career as a player for Tyringe and Hammarby in the Sweden first division. Once he hung up his skates and tucked away his hockey bag for good, Grönborg went back to St. Cloud State to finish work on his Bachelor’s degree. While there, the hockey team asked him to become a graduate assistant.
Since then, Grönborg has been coaching at every level of hockey, all over the globe.
Along the way, Grönborg has dipped his beak in the coaching pools at the University of Wisconsin-Stout (NCAA, associate coach), the Great Falls Americans (AWHL, head coach), Texas Blackhawks (AWHL, head coach) and Spokane Chiefs (WHL, assistant)
For the last ten years, he has been coaching with the Swedish national team.
Grönborg has coached U18, U20, and now he is the head coach for the national men’s team.
In a couple of weeks, Grönborg will do everything in his power to execute the three-peat at the IIHF World Championships in Slovakia. Grönborg has won back-to-back gold medal for Sweden at the Worlds and is looking to end his national team coaching career with an auspicious hat trick.
Upon the conclusion of the World Championships on May 26, Grönborg will become the hottest free agent head coach in the world.
Last summer, Grönborg spoke with a few NHL teams. I was told last summer Buffalo was one of the teams that Grönborg chatted with about an assistant coaching position. At the time, Grönborg was under contract with Team Sweden for one last season and the Sabres had a head coach in Phil Housley. Today, the situation has become more intriguing with Grönborg about to hit the UFA market and the Sabres in dire need of a mentor and teacher.
" I do not want to say anything specific about Buffalo, but it is no secret that I am looking for jobs for the next season and they are looking for a new coach", Grönborg told Expressen.se.
Grönborg, 50, speaks fluent North American and European hockey. Grönborg has both a Swedish and an American passport and started his coaching career in the NCAA.
Grönborg wants to be the first Swedish-born head coach tostand behind an NHL bench as a head coach. Grönborg checks all the prerequisite boxes to be an NHl head coach. It's just a matter of time.
The Sabres haven't qualified for a Stanley Cup playoff berth since 2011.
However, the cupboards are stocked floor to celing with great young players and prospects for Grönborg to assist in their development into NHL superstars. Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin are already superstars, however, the Sabres also have a strong core group that consists of Jeff Skinner, Samson Reinhart, Casey Mittelstadt, Rasmus Ristolainen, Lawrence Pilut, and Jake McCabe. Add in extra special youngsters Linus Ullmark, Alex Nylander, Victor Olofsson, Rasmus Asplund, Will Borgen, Casey Fitzgerald and others and it is easy to see why the Sabres' head coaching gig is in such high demand today. Oh, by the way. The Sabres also own two first round draft choices in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, including pick number seven. More talent is on its way to Buffalo.
Sabres GM Jason Botterill has to find the right man to guide his talented group of young stars to the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2019-2020.
There have only been two European head coaches in NHL history. Grönborg wants to be the third man in this unique fraternity. The other European-borrn coaches to be head coaches in the NHL:
Ivan Hlinka (Czechoslovakia, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2000-2002)
Alpo Suhonen (Finland, Chicago Blackhawks, 2000-2001)
"Everything is at an early stage, so all I can say today is that there is interest from some NHL clubs. But it's my agent in North America who manages the contacts. I do not want to say anything specific about Buffalo, but it is no secret that I am looking for jobs for the next season and they are looking for a new coach", Grönborg sayid.
Grönborg said that he is excited for the opportunity to speak with NHL clubs. When will that be? Before and after the World Championships in Slovakia works well for him and his extremely busy schedule.
Will Grönborg fly to the United States and Canada interview with NHL clubs before the World Championships? He will not. He has too much work on his plate right now with the finalization of his Team Sweden roster. However, NHL execs will be at the World Championships in Slovakia beginning May 1. There will be plenty of time to discuss NHL head coaching opoortunities while at the World Championships.
"No, I have a hard time seeing that happening. It is full speed with the World Cup work now and national matches against Finland and the Carlson Hockey Games here at home waiting for departure to the Czech Republic for matches there and on to Bratislava and the World Cup. But then all NHL clubs are in place in Bratislava, so we'll see if anything develops into pure conversations there. I don't know that today. But I am fully focused on the World Cup right now.
Grönborg cannot predict what will happen between he and the NHL clubs interested in hiring him to be their next head coach.
"Everything is in a very early stage, so I have no more detailed answer to the question of what will happen", Grönborg said.
Stay tuned, Sabres fans.
Join the Discussion:
»