In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Ottawa Senators continue to interview coaches. Who is the latest name they’ve spoken to? The Pittsburgh Penguins have fired associate coach Todd Reirden. What does this mean for head coach Mike Sullivan? Will the Los Angeles Kings consider buying out Pierre-Luc Dubois? Finally, was the report of players in Seattle working to remove Dave Hakstol as coach true?
Senators Interview Travis Green
According to Frank Seravalli, the Ottawa Senators have interviewed Travis Green for their vacant head coaching position. He is also a candidate for the New Jersey Devils position. Because the Devils are interviewing other candidates, they felt it was only fair to allow Green to interview elsewhere. In the event Green is not hired by New Jersey as a full-time coach, he needs to have other feelers out there.
Penguins Fire Associate Coach, What About Sullivan?
The Pittsburgh Penguins have fired associate coach Todd Reirden. There have been reports of a power struggle going on in Pittsburgh where GM Kyle Dubas wants to make changes and head coach Mike Sullivan is loyal. Some wondered if it could lead to Sullivan getting an out from his contract and potentially going to New Jersey.
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So far, (or so it appears) Dubas is winning the chest-bumping match and one of Sullivan’s assistants was let go. This is somewhat surprising considering how tight Sullivan is with Penguins ownership. Does this mean he’s backing down from his stance to keep everyone? Or, does this signal that he might be on the move and headed somewhere else?
Could the Kings Buy Out Dubois?
There’s an interesting situation in Los Angeles brewing where Pierre-Luc Dubois had a less-than-stellar season and was a non-factor in the team’s playoff series versus Edmonton. Talk about the Kings’ potential buying out Dubois has surfaced, and Puck Pedia points out something fascinating when it comes to Dubois’ specific contract.
They write, “If Dubois is bought out this year, is it 1/3 or 2/3 buyout? He turns 26 on June 24. The buyout is 1/3 if the player is under 26 at time of buyout. Buyouts can start LATER of: -June 15 -48 hours after Cup Final. Cup final could be up to June 24 this year.” In other words, if the Kings want to buy out Dubois, they need to do so after the Stanley Cup is awarded and before Dubois turns 26. That’s a potentially very small window that might not even open. If it does, the Kings will have to decide if they want to buy him out when they can do so at 1/3 of his salary and not 1/2.
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Dubois signed an eight-year contract with an $8.5 million cap hit. He was meant to be a top-six center and give the team great depth at the position. It arguably hasn’t worked out and a Dubois buyout would leave behind a cap hit in Los Angeles for the next 14 years.
Kraken Shoot Down Hakstol Dismissal Rumors
On Wednesday, GM Francis refuted claims that any player had expressed dissatisfaction with Coach Dave Hakstol leading to his termination. Francis noted, “not a single player” had made such statements. He clarified that the decision to part ways with Hakstol was unrelated to player feedback gathered during exit interviews, something reported earlier in the week.
Forwards Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann echoed this sentiment, with Eberle expressing he was “extremely disappointed” in the report and McCann stating it “left a bad taste in my mouth.” Francis said:
“Zero players issued any ultimatums of any kind regarding the coach — that I can assure you. That’s not what those meetings are really about. Usually, it’s us telling players what they have to do to prepare for next season, or how we thought they did this season. No one sits there asking them ‘What did you think of the coach?’ That’s not what these meetings are there for.”
source – ‘Kraken Extremely Disappointed in Report That Players Demanded Hakstol’s Firing’ – Geoff Baker – Seattle Times – 05/01/2024