Peter Laviolette a Predator
– The Nashville Predators hired today a coach which they hope will continue the success that fired coach Barry Trotz brought them over the years he was at the helm of the Nashville Predators. Today the Nashville Predators announced they hired Peter Laviolette recently fired from the Philadelphia Flyers. GM David Poile acted quickly in the hiring of his head coach due to the many vacancies in the NHL not risking to lose him to another team. With vacancies in in Florida, Carolina, Washington and Vancouver, Poile had to act quickly. David Poile added he was very comfortable hiring the experienced coach. “Basically in some form, I was interviewing him all year long,” Poile said. Poile was looking for a head coach who has a winning background, experience and can teach younger players. The priority for Poile is to get back in the playoffs. Peter Laviolette became only the second coach in the Predator’s history. Barry Trotz who was fired earlier last month was the original coach. Laviolette has won nine of the 14 post-season series he has coached with the Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. He also won the Stanley Cup in 2006 with Carolina and coached the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals in 2010. The Predators announced Tuesday they signed him to a multi-year contract.
Laviolette is considered to be an offensive-minded coach and his teams finished in the Top 10 in six of his eight full seasons and not lower than 13th in goals scored. The Predators reached the Western Conference semifinals in 2011 and 2012 but missed the playoffs the past two seasons. the Predators under Trotz regime were known to play a defensive style of game. The Preds scored only 216 goals this season when they finished three points out of the final Western Conference playoff berth. When interviewed about his hiring, Laviolette declared: “My challenge will be to impart a system that enables our young forwards to thrive and reach their offensive potential. Being a perennial Stanley Cup contender requires buy-in, passion and commitment from every player on the roster. I can’t wait to get to Nashville and get started on our journey.” ;laviolette is also looking forward to coach players such as defenseman Shea Weber and goaltender, Pekka Rinne. The Predators also hired Kevin McCarthy as an assistant coach. He joins assistant coaches Phil Housley and Lane Lambert. They worked with Barry Trotz, the only other coach for this franchise who the Predators announced April 14 that he would not return.
