The Devils went to the Penguins in hiring Ray Shero as the team's new GM, and it appears they may go back to the well for their next head coach.
While easy money was on the team hiring Dan Bylsma, who is still under contract with the Penguins, it sounds as if Shero has another Penguin in mind.
That would be Wilkes Barre/Scranton head coach John Hynes.
Via the New York Post: For we’re told by an aware source Shero has extremely high regard for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach John Hynes, completing his fifth year behind the Penguins’ AHL team’s bench.
Hynes may not a big name coach, but his track record has been extremely impressive.
In four of the five season Hynes has coached the Baby Penguins, they have allowed the fewest amount of goals in the AHL. The only year they did not, they were third best.
He's also coached the team to five consecutive playoff appearances despite the Penguins, who have a long history of dealing with injury problems, regularly recalling key players off his team.
Over the last five years the Baby Penguins have an incredible 231-126-27 record, and have a plus-181 goal differential over that span.
That's truly incredible work from Hynes, which is why he'll be coaching in the NHL soon - perhaps with the Devils.
Should the Devils want to bring him on board there could be a couple of road blocks.
Via the New York Post: It is unclear whether the Penguins would grant Shero permission to speak with Hynes at the conclusion of the Calder Cup playoffs should the GM request it, and even if permission is granted, it is unknown whether there would be compensation involved.This, too: Though Mike Johnston is returning for a second season behind the Pittsburgh bench, he is going to be high on everyone’s “first to be fired list… starting next year. So if Pens GM Jim Rutherford, who only has one year to go on his deal, envisions Hynes as a potential replacement, he may not be available.
So, in essence, the Penguins may not let him go, and they'll probably ask for compensation if they do.
The Penguins didn't ask for anything in return for Shero because he was already under contract, and with the Devils hiring him his contract in Pittsburgh is off their books.
Hynes would be a whole different story because, a) the Pens still have use for him and; b) they wouldn't be better off financially if he left.
Should the Devils hire Hynes, it seems probable that compensation would be required.
That would likely come in the form of a 3rd round pick, which they'd have to give to the Penguins some point over the next three years.
One way or another it seems inevitable the Devils will hire someone being paid by the Penguins as their next head coach. It just (probably) won't be the guy we all expected.
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