With Calgary in town to face the Blackhawks Sunday night, the Flames former Head Coach and General Manager is reportedly dotting Is and crossing Ts to take over behind the Los Angeles Kings bench for the fired Terry Murray and Interim Head Coach John Stevens. Darryl Sutters wrapping up the business of getting back to the NHL after being fired as Flames GM about a year ago. That means the crosstown southern California rivals will be coached by former Blackhawks teammates, thanks to an earlier coaching call by a third member of the 1985-86 Hawks.
A few weeks back, Anaheim GM Bob Murray pulled the plug on coach Randy Carlyle about as reluctantly as Kings GM Dean Lombardi was forced to with Terry Murray last week. Bob Murraya co-captain on that Hawks squad with Sutter 26 years agobrought in Bruce Boudreau just two days after he was fired by Washington. Boudreaus seven-game Blackhawks career took place that same season. Those two are reunited in the difficult task of trying to resuscitate the Ducks to the level they played in the second half of last season.
Sutter, meanwhile, is a curious move. If theres anyone whos not L.A., its Darryl. Or any of the Sutter brothers, for that matter. Yes, he has long and strong relationship with Lombardi, but his reputation as a task-master, the fact he hasnt coached in five years, and his defense first philosophy make me wonder if this will be a good fit. Defense hasnt been the Kings problem (with the NHLs 5th-best goals-against average entering Saturday night), its their league-worst offense.
Meanwhile, another former Blackhawk was involved in the leagues sixth head coaching change this season on Saturday. Randy Cunneyworthwho played briefly for the Hawks 18 years agotakes over for the rest of the season in Montreal after the firing of Jacques Martin. Cunneyworth was an assistant under Martin, but only speaks English. The last Canadiens head coach who didnt speak French as well was Al McNeil back in 1970, before Scotty Bowman took over and won the Stanley Cup the next season. Good luck with the media and fans there, Randy. The Habs visit the United Center to face the Blackhawks Wednesday.
One other note: During a casual get-together with reporters Friday morning before his teams game with the Hawks, Boudreau was asked about his memories of that brief stint here as a player. He said the organization treated him well, but he wished it lasted longer than seven games. Pully (Coach Bob Pulford) never put me in, he laughed.