NHL Rumors: Could Dan Bylsma take Flordia Panthers job?
By Josh Hill
The Florida Panthers are one of the worst teams in hockey but they’re trying to make strides to change that. They have a high draft pick to grab a player of the future and they’ll be looking for a head coach to try and take them to an elite level.
More from Florida Panthers
- NHL Draft winners and losers 2023: Blackhawks hit jackpot, Maple Leafs flop
- NHL Mock Draft: Connor Bedard No. 1, but who’s next?
- NHL rumors: Calgary in Flames, Kings, Flyers set for big deals, Hall to Chicago
- Florida Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk isn’t sure when he’ll be back on the ice
- Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023 revealed: Welcome to immortality!
One head coach floating around in the coaching abyss is former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma, who was fired after he failed to get the best team in hockey anywhere near the Stanley Cup.
With Bylsma out of work and the Panthers in need of a head coach, Pro Hockey Talk’s Jason Brough predicts the two will make a natural fit.
Bylsma to Florida, Ulf to Carolina, Desjardins to Vancouver. That's my coaching prediction right now. No idea about Pens. Stevens? Hynes?
— Jason Brough 🙁 (@SadClubCommish) June 7, 2014
Of course, this is all speculation but it’s the type that not only generates actual and legitimate dialog but it also happens to make a lot of sense as well. While we could see Bylsma take a year off to just relax and recoup, taking an opportunity to prove his worth by building up a terrible franchise is not a bad plan.
MORE: Brad Richards to be bought out? | Matt Moulson done with Wild? | Jason Spezza wants to leave Canada
There will come a day when Bylsma coaches again in the NHL, and Florida may be the destination for him, but for now he’s largely off the grid and not on a whole lot of radars given his failure with one of the best rosters in hockey.