Hurricanes coach Bill Peters resigned his position Friday, the team announced, activating a clause in his contract to leave the organization and pursue other head-coaching opportunities. There are now four vacancies in the NHL, including in Calgary, where Peters, an Alberta native, is considered the favorite to replace the fired Glen Gulutzan.
It's the latest in a string of personnel changes since majority owner Tom Dundon finalized his purchase of the franchise in January.
Dundon effectively fired general manager Ron Francis with a month left in the regular season, redefining his title as president of hockey operations. At the time of Francis' reassignment, Dundon waxed poetic about Peters as a coach and expressed a desire to keep him around. That tone changed as the Hurricanes finished the season 9-12-1 and missed the playoffs by 14 points. Peters went 137-138-53 in four seasons in Carolina and never reached the postseason.
TSN's Bob McKenzie reported a mutual desire between Peters and Dundon to go in separate directions, and the coach left $1.9 million on the table to do so.
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Dundon has proven one of the NHL's more vexing owners in his short tenure while overhauling the organization to his liking. The Hurricanes have yet to hire a replacement GM, whose role is said to include an ability to circumvent Francis and report directly to Dundon, but on Thursday named former sports agent Paul Krepelka as a vice president of hockey operations. Krepelka, best known for negotiating Rick DiPietro's infamous 15-year deal with the Islanders, will be responsible for player contracts and "other hockey operations matters," the team said.
The unconventional organizational structure, as well as reported below-market salary offers, has turned off potential top candidates, delaying Dundon's search to fill the GM position and possibly affecting the desirability of the bench job. Presumably, the Hurricanes will name their next general manager before hiring a head coach. The process is taking longer than expected, so the Hurricanes and their fans will remain in limbo for the foreseeable future.
Dundon has a clear vision about what he wants. What, exactly, that is remains to be seen.
Let's take a look at three candidates who could be a fit as head coach, listed in no particular order.
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Rod Brind'Amour
Current job: Hurricanes assistant coach
Age: 47
NHL record: 0-0-0
The longtime Hurricane and captain of the 2006 team that won a Stanley Cup retired as a player in June 2010. He's been on the Canes' coaching staff the past seven seasons as an assistant and development coach, spanning two changes on the bench.
Brind'Amour has never been a head coach at any level, but his longevity and standing within the organization will make him the early favorite, though Dundon is expected to vet external candidates as well. Brind'Amour oversaw the Hurricanes' forward group and power-play unit, which ranked 22nd in the NHL this season.
Dave Tippett
Current job: Free agent
Age: 56
NHL record: 553-413-120 (.563)
Tippett was viewed as a suitor for the Flames' opening until Peters became available. He's one of the most respected names on the market, winning the Jack Adams in 2008-09 after guiding the Coyotes to a 28-point improvement and a berth in the Western Conference finals. After his firing last year, Tippett laid low, waiting for the right situation and is "rejuvenated" to return to the bench. His departure from Arizona was said to involve a difference in philosophy with Brad Chayka, the young, analytics-driven general manager. Tippett preferred a veteran roster; Chayka wanted to move on from players such as Shane Doan who didn't factor into the team's long-term future.
How does that apply to Carolina's opening? Perhaps an offer to Tippett could include a say in personnel matters, an unusual arrangement for NHL coaches. Dundon, though, has talked at length about expanding the team's analytics department, so the fit may not be perfect.
Two front-runners for Canes job; Dave Tippett and Rod Brind'Amour. Others will be considered as well.
— Luke DeCock (@LukeDeCock) April 20, 2018
Mike Vellucci
Current job: Charlotte Checkers (AHL) head coach/GM
Age: 51
NHL record: 0-0-0
A wild card to keep an eye on is Vellucci's possible promotion from the AHL, where he led the Checkers to 46 wins and a playoff berth this season — his first in Charlotte. Vellucci also served as an assistant GM under Francis. Before that, he spent 12 years as coach and general manager of the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League.
McKenzie reported Vellucci's desire to shed his front office role and focus solely on coaching, which makes him an interesting case.
