Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
I accidentally raised an old thread from the dead, but meant to post in here.
I think the fact Ward was hired as and associate coach (not an assistant) shows that Treliving had him on his radar before the Peters thing happened.
I could be wrong, but I think associate coaches get paid close to the same as head coaches and part of the reason teams hire them is to keep them in the fold to take over as head coach.
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Ward interviewed for the HC job in 2016 after the Hartley firing, but Treliving picked Gulutzan over him. Reirden also interviewed for that job and based on that quote from him about his coaching style, he sounds like a similar coach as Ward and Gulutzan - very diplomatic, player-friendly.
Treliving fired Gulutzan in favour of a tougher, hard-ass coach. If he chooses sticks with Ward, wouldn't it be a backwards move when it comes to the coach he wants?
I think Treliving offered the Associate title to lure him away from New Jersey and for his Power Play work, not necessarily to have him as a successor for the HC job.