Babcock hadn't had success since back in the wings days, was looking like the game had passed him by since then. McLellan didn't do much with some good sharks teams. There were questions marks around those guys.
But there's absolutely a crop of high profile coaches that have gone to different cities and consistently raised the level of play of the teams they've coached. Trotz, Torts and Vigneau are examples. If Gallant and Laviolette bring the same sort of potential then you have to look hard at that.
There are examples on both sides of it.
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