Keys to the Anaheim Ducks offseason
Greg Wyshynski and Chris Peters of ESPN: Looking at the keys of the Anaheim Ducks offseason.
Find their next head coach: Dallas Eakins is likely their next head coach after coaching their AHL team for the past four seasons.
Find room for the kids: Need to find regular room for Sam Steel, Max Jones, Max Comtois, Troy Terry, Daniel Sprong, Brendan Guhle and Isac Lundestrom.
Figure out the future of Ryan Kesler: Had hip surgery after the 2016-17 season and only played in 104 games the past two years. He carries a $6.875 million cap hit through 2022 and has a full no-movement clause.
Corey Perry has a no-movement clause and carries an $8.625 million cap hit through 2021. He’s likely not going anywhere.
Coaching vacancies and hot seats
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: Todd McLellan appears to the front-runner for the Los Angeles Kings head coaching position. Can expect Kings GM Rob Blake to ask the Edmonton Oilers for permission to speak with McLellan when the season ends.
TSN: Bob McKenzie on the six coaching vacancies.
Anaheim Ducks – Dallas Eakins is the leading candidate but they will go through a search after the season.
Edmonton Oilers – Maybe more focused on hiring a GM first.
Los Angeles Kings – Speculation that Todd McLellan is the leading candidate.
Ottawa Senators – Current focus may be on hiring a president first but the coaching search will pick up when the season ends.
Philadelphia Flyers – Interim coach Scott Gorton has seen his stock increase but they will look at all their options, including possibly Joel Quenneville.
St. Louis Blues – Interim head coach Craig Berube could lose the ‘interim’ tag.
Bob McKenzie on coaching hot seats.
Buffalo Sabres – GM Jason Botterill said at the beginning of the month that Phil Housley isn’t going anywhere but will need to wait until after the season for a full vote of confidence.
Florida Panthers – GM Dale Tallon is keeping all his options open until after the season which may not be good news for Bob Boughner. Speculation that change could be coming. The Tallon-Quenneville link is coming up.
Minnesota Wild – There are some that wonder about Bruce Boudreau‘s status. GM Paul Fenton didn’t hire Boudreau. Boudreau has a year left on his coaching contract and two years as an advisor.