Feb 3, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean (top) reacts on the bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
This has been a very touchy subject for me all season long, and if you go back over my writing this season I have been very critical at times about the decisions made by Ottawa Senators’ coach Paul MacLean.
After looking at what the Senators might do with Ales Hemsky and Milan Michalek, I turn my attention to behind the bench for this version of “What Would You Do?”.
At times I thought I might have over-reacted, and maybe I did. But I still stand by my points, and it seems like the trend is heading that way, and more people are questioning whether or not he should return behind the bench next season.
I have said all season long that the notoriety he gained last season between the Coach of the Year award and the positive press he gained in the famous showdown between himself and Habs coach Michel Therrien in the playoffs seemed to have gone to his head and he looked and sounded like a different person this year, and not in a good way.
MacLean hasn’t yet commenced his 3 year contract extension, which kicks in for next season, and the Senators have a long history of paying coaches not to coach in Ottawa.
From GM Byran Murray’s perspctive, MacLean is the 4th coach he has hired (John Paddock, Craig Hartsburg and Cory Clouston) and having to let go of another coach, and pay him for 3 years might not be an option given the financial state of the team.
There seems to be a coach-in-waiting in Binghamton, as Luke Richardson is sure to get an NHL job sooner rather than later and if the Senators want to keep him in the organization it might be now or never to advance him to Ottawa.
There are 2 options, and there will be a vast array of opinions regarding what should be done behind the bench in Ottawa over the summer. The first one will be whether Paul MacLean is back or not.
What would you do?