Bring in a proven head coach
Drew Bannister hasn’t been ultra-successful with the Blues despite his 29-18-4 mark following Wednesday’s matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. Not a bad mark, but there are better options out there who would be more than good fits for the Blues.
Take Gerard Gallant, whose track record with the Vegas Golden Knights and the New York Rangers was nothing short of successful. We know how well Gallant performed behind the bench in Vegas when he was tasked with the role of leading an expansion franchise, and for a lineup going through more potential changes, his previous experience should make him a frontrunner.
Lindy Ruff is another one whom Doug Armstrong should reach out to despite his shortcomings with the New Jersey Devils. But you also can’t deny Ruff’s immense success and longevity, and he is still a well-respected figure who should still get plenty of interviews this summer.
Gallant and Ruff are just two examples of coaches who have fared well with either a lineup reshuffling or in the former’s case, taking on a seemingly insurmountable challenge. There will be other coaches out there, and just because we’re using the term ‘proven,’ it doesn’t mean former NHL head coaching experience is a prerequisite.
Instead, any coach who has proven to work well with a situation similar to what we are seeing in St. Louis would work. It shouldn’t matter if they are currently an assistant coach, or coaching in the AHL.