Predators hiring Andrew Brunette as next coach, per sources: What former player brings to Nashville

The Predators are hiring Andrew Brunette to be their next head coach, league sources confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:

Brunette will replace John Hynes, who Nashville hired in January 2020.
Hynes has one year remaining on his contract, but Predators general manager Barry Trotz said in April that the team would evaluate the coach’s performance before making a decision on his future with the franchise.
Brunette has 75 games under his belt as a head coach, serving as the Panthers’ interim coach after Joel Quenneville resigned on Oct. 28, 2021.
While leading the Panthers, he amassed a 51-18-6 record and led Florida to the playoffs before they were swept in the second round by the Lightning.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Brunette’s path back to Nashville

The first coach in Predators history in his first managerial role in his career has handed the coaching reins to the player who scored the first goal in Predators history way back in 1998.

Brunette, who ended Patrick Roy’s career in 2003 with a series-clinching overtime goal in Game 7 to lift Minnesota past Colorado, coached Florida to the President’s Trophy last season on an interim basis before being replaced by Paul Maurice last June. He landed in New Jersey as an associate coach, where he spent one season.

Brunette wasn’t the fleetest of foot as a player, but he was a solid goal scorer, power-play guy and one of the best teammates going. With a loud, hearty laugh, he should lighten the mood in Nashville at the very least. He got his post-career started in Minnesota, where he did every job with the Wild — player development, assistant coach and assistant GM — before being let go by Paul Fenton and landing in Florida with Quenneville. — Russo

What will Brunette inherit?

Hynes did a solid job after taking over for the fired Laviolette in early 2020. But David Poile’s decision to step down as GM after this season imperiled him, as did Hynes’ failure to get the Preds to the postseason — though they did make a late-season run after a deadline selloff and despite injuries to several key players.

The Preds ultimately hit too many ruts under Hynes. His failure to get the most out of Eeli Tolvanen looked worse after Tolvanen was claimed on waivers by Seattle and looked like a brand-new player with the Kraken. Brunette takes over a team in transition, with young forwards on the way and aging, expensive players trying to hold them off. With Juuse Saros in net, he should have a chance to end his debut season in the postseason. — Rexrode

What’s next for Hynes?

For Trotz’s first move, this probably wasn’t handled well. Ironically, this is exactly what happened to Brunette last year in Florida. He waited in the wings as rumors circulated that Bill Zito was talking to potential candidates about the head coaching job. But at least he was the interim.

This time, Hynes had one year left on his deal and there started to be reports circulating around the league that Trotz was talking to potential candidates even as Hynes was gainfully employed. But, if he’s not your guy, you may as well pull the plug.

Throughout pro sports, we often see new GMs come in, inherit the previous coach and waste a year before doing the inevitable and bringing in his own guy. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Hynes. Does he take the year off or does he quickly throw in his hat late in the process as teams like the Rangers, Calgary and Anaheim search for coaches? If he’s willing to become an associate coach, he is very close with Wild GM Bill Guerin, who is in the market for another assistant with Brett McLean being named Iowa’s coach Tuesday. — Russo

Backstory

Brunette played 16 seasons in the NHL before joining the Wild’s staff as an assistant. As a player, he had stints with the Capitals, Predators, Thrashers, Wild, Avalanche and Blackhawks.

He finished his playing career with 268 goals and 465 assists over 1,110 total NHL games.