Will Habscheid Be Back ?

[eecliff]

Bruins Relieve Dave Lewis and Marc Habscheid of Coaching Duties Boston Bruins Jun 15, 2007, 5:43 PM EDT
Dave Lewis

BOSTON, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has relieved Head Coach Dave Lewis and Associate Coach Marc Habscheid of their coaching duties, and will reassign them to other positions within the club.

“Since the season has ended I have completed a thorough review of the team and the coaching staff, and I have determined that Dave Lewis and Marc Habscheid are not the proper fit for the Bruins at this time,” said Chiarelli. “I have a short list of candidates in mind, and I hope to have a new Head Coach in place in the near future.

“I want to thank Dave and Marc for their hard work and dedication this past year, and I am certain that they will have success in their future endeavors.”

Lewis, who became the 27th head coach in Bruins history on June 29, 2006, finished the 2006-2007 season with a record of 35-41-6. Prior to joining the Bruins, Lewis served as the Head Coach of the Detroit Red Wings from 2002-2004, where he amassed a record of 96-41-21-6.

Habscheid was named to Dave Lewis’ staff on July 13, 2006 following two years as the Head Coach of Canada’s National Men’s team.

Doug Houda, the third member of the Bruins 2006-2007 coaching staff, will remain in his position.

[eecliff]

Posted on Regan's Rant
Friday, June 15, 2007

Do I feel for Marc Habscheid.
Just a year into his first taste of coaching at the NHL level, and he's gassed Friday by the Boston Bruins.
Oh sure he remains in the Bruins organization in a different capacity, but he isn't where he wants to be...an assistant with a goal of someday being a National League head coach.
What Habscheid's new role will be, is any ones guess, but would he ever return to Kelowna and again assume the head coaching duties of the Rockets?
It has to be going through his head, and that of General Manager Bruce Hamilton.
The timing couldn't be better!!
While Hamilton says he isn't pursuing coaches to fill the vacancy, he'll definitely touch base with Habby to find out if he's interested.
Been there done that may be his response, when he accesses the possibility of coming back to K-Town, or is it, I've done it before, I can do it again?
If Hamilton is looking for a motivator, who get's the most out of his players, Habscheid is the man. He won't make friends with his players, but he'll make them successful. It's for that one reason - success - that Habscheid is held so highly by the organization and it's fans.
Habscheid left the organization on a high in 2004 after winning the Memorial Cup. Now with the team coming off a year where they missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, Habscheid has another challenge staring him right in the face. No challenge is greater in junior hockey, than again leading a franchise back atop as a Western Hockey League powerhouse!

[Scout]

Not sure if Habber will return to Kelowna or not but i'm sure Bruce will offer him the world and i'm sure it's in the back of Marc's head. He liked Bruce and he and his family loved Kelowna. Marc has two dreams. To be a head coach in the N.H.L. or to coach his home team the Swift Current Bronco's. Coaching in Swift Current is out now that Dean has resigned for two years plus an option. The N.H.L. dream is not over yet. He is on the short list to coach New Jersey and could end up there. He is also best friends with Coyotes owner Wayne Gretzky so could also surface there. He is back in SWIFT Current and what ever arises for him i wish Marc the best of luck.

Scout

[old_time_hockey]

Heard that on the radio yesterday. Sucks to be Marc. And the real shame is it probably isn't about his performance, the Bruins just want to clear house and start again.

Who ever gets to post with the Rockets is walking into a good position. Some good young talent and a team that is just about to go on the uphill swing of it's rebuild.

[eecliff]

Posted Today:

While we are talking about rumored coaches, the latest name to be thrown around in Kelowna is Trent Yawney.
Yawney was most recently the Canadian Under 18 coach, with his assistant being...wait for it, Jeff Truitt.
Yawney is still reaping the rewards of an NHL contract despite being gassed with the Chicago BlackHawks, but finds himself in the unemployment line.
After the Under 18's, I am sure his interest in coaching was rekindled, and the junior age group may be another starting point for the Hudson Bay, Saskatoon resident.
He is connected with Rockets General Manager Bruce Hamilton in one small way.
Both are alumni of the Saskatoon Blades.
If Yawney was named the head coach in Kelowna, he has something in common with assistant Ryan Huska as well.
The two were drafted by the same NHL team. The Chicago Black Hawks. Both were drafted in the 3rd round. Yawney in 1984, Huska in 1993.

[SimonTemplar]

From Loosepucks.com/ Terry Doyle Blog

Doyle: Spirit get a GM, Spitfires get an associate coach

There have been a pair of fairly major signings around the Ontario Hockey League to start off July.

[More:]

As expected, Sheldon Ferguson is the new General Manager of the Saginaw Spirit. He has been with the Carolina Hurricanes for more than a decade as Director of amateur scouting. Before working in the NHL he worked in junior hockey as an Assistant coach and GM in the WHL and headed OHL Central Scouting. He was also the head scout for Hockey Canada.

“Sheldon is regarded as one of the top hockey people in the game,” said Spirit Owner Dick Garber in a team release. "We are excited about him bringing his championship experience to our program and our community.”

Ferguson was at or near the top of Saginaw's list of GM candidates right from the start. They had offered the job to Peterborough Petes GM Jeff Twohey, but he re-signed with the Petes for another three years.

One of Ferguson's first tasks will be to hire a new coach. Among the candidates are expected to be former Chicago Blackhawks bench boss Trent Yawney, and current Saginaw assistant coach Shawn Camp.

[Scout]

Courtesy Gregg Drinnan:

Thursday, July 5, 2007
The Rockets' next head coach is . . .
Bruce Hamilton is in no hurry to hire a head coach for his Kelowna Rockets.
“I’ve been on the phone but . . .,” offered the WHL team’s president and general manager Wednesday, shortly after rolling into Saskatoon for a visit with family.
“As long as I have Ryan Huska, I’m in no hurry,” Hamilton said.
In other words, if Hamilton isn’t able to find someone better than Huska, the Rockets’ veteran assistant coach will become the head coach.
Huska is the only person in history with four Memorial Cup rings, three as a player with the Kamloops Blazers and one as an assistant coach with the Rockets.
He has worked under the Rockets’ two previous head coaches, Marc Habscheid and Jeff Truitt. Truitt resigned last month and has since signed as an assistant coach with the Springfield Falcons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.
Habscheid, meanwhile, is unemployed, having been fired by the Boston Bruins as an associate coach, along with head coach Dave Lewis.
Hamilton said Wednesday that he has chatted with Habscheid, who left Kelowna after guiding the Rockets to the 2004 Memorial Cup title, and will speak with him again in the near future. Habscheid also spent two seasons as head coach of the Kamloops Blazers, and took them to the 1999 WHL final.
“He needed to go through the process with other NHL teams as far as other assistant coaching positions,” Hamilton said.
The Rockets are believed to be the only WHL team actively looking for a head coach, although the Portland Winter Hawks technically are without one as Mike Williamson’s contract has expired. He and the Winter Hawks’ new ownership group have held talks but a contract has yet to be done.
Hamilton said he hasn’t heard from Williamson.
As for Huska, Hamilton said: “I have no problem with him. I am totally comfortable with him.”
Hamilton just wants to go through the process of seeing just what are his options.
Huska recently told Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Rockets, that he “totally understands” the process.
“I think when you sit back and you put yourself in his shoes, as president and GM and owner of the team, he has to do what is best for his hockey club,” Huska said. “By him not going and seeing who might be interested or who might be able to apply, I think it would be a mistake on his part.
“It's his responsibility to this hockey club to search for the guy who is best for this job. If it turns out to be me that's fantastic; if it turns out not to be me it's going to be a choice that Bruce has done his homework on, and he's going to be a guy that is going to help this organization get back to where we need to be."

So what does all of this mean? I'm thinking it means that if Habscheid wants to come back, meaning he doesn't catch on with another NHL team and Boston buys him out, he's the Rockets' next head coach. If that doesn't come to pass, the position goes to Huska. . . . But could Williamson be something of a wild card? He is highly thought of and, at the age of 34, has 10 years of coaching experience (4-plus as an assistant, 5-plus as head coach).

[grainbear]

What about Habscheid showing up as an assistant gm in Lethbridge ? This one should raise a few eyebrows , nothing definite but I think it would be a great idea !

[J23]

I'm not sure who will end up as the head coach, but I think that Kelowna would do well to hire on Ryan Cuthbert as an assistant coach.

[Brazz]

I'm not sure who will end up as the head coach, but I think that Kelowna would do well to hire on Ryan Cuthbert as an assistant coach.

I totally agree and I have wanted to see this for a long time.