The Barry Trotz Decision: The Detroit Red Wings vs. Winnipeg Jets

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The Detroit Red Wings are still searching for a head coach after deciding to not re-sign Jeff Blashill this offseason. General manager, Steve Yzerman has kept his search for a head coach out of the headlines, but he has shown interest in bringing in former New York Islanders head coach, Barry Trotz.

Trotz has reportedly had interviews with the Vegas Golden Knights, Detroit Red Wings, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Winnipeg Jets over the past couple weeks. The Knights filled their coaching position with former Bruins head coach, Bruce Cassidy. The Flyers, on the other hand, just signed former Columbus Blue Jackets head coach, John Tortorella.

With the Red Wings and the Jets being the two teams that have really pursued Trotz now no longer having a coaching vacancy, it leaves the Red Wings and Jets as Trotz’s two main options.

Trotz’s resume speaks for itself. He made the playoffs all four years of his Washington Capitals tenure finishing first in the Metropolitan Division in three of the four years and capping it off by winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. In his four years with the Islanders, he made the playoffs three times and lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions twice.

The former Stanley Cup-winning head coach is scheduled to have another interview with the Jets this week, while news of an interview with the Red Wings has yet to come out. While they have not officially approached him, it seems as though Trotz is in control of his destiny when it comes to where he wants to coach next season.

In this piece, I’ll dive into the strengths and weaknesses of each team, and what Trotz is looking at when making his next coaching decision.

Red Wings vs the Winnipeg Jets. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Detroit Red Wings

The young, up-and-coming Red Wings might be the best remaining on-ice fit for Trotz. With young, exciting players such as Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider, Trotz might be able to coach this inexperienced team to the playoffs.

He’s known for his trap and defensive heavy style, which may not be the best fit stylistically for the Wings, but it would lead to results. The biggest winner if the Wings landed him would be goaltenders Alex Nedeljkovic and 2021 first-round pick Sebastian Cossa. Goalies such as Braden Holtby and Semyon Varlamov, who posted a .929 save percentage in the 2020-21 season with the Islanders, have both had career seasons in the past, therefore Nedeljkovic would surely bounce back from the .901 save percentage he posted last season. If Cossa is given the chance to be a backup or starter next season, there’s no better system to acquaint him with the NHL and ensure success in his rookie season.

Their advantages lie in their future upside. While they may not have the superior roster right now, the Wings could be one of the best teams in the NHL in the next three years, and that should be incredibly enticing for any head coach.

Any success the Wings enjoyed last season was due to their high-flying offence, and Moritz Seider being able to shoulder and excel in top-line minutes. While Trotz’s style may lead to results, it may stunt the growth that is essential for these young players to succeed.

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets have offered a more extensive package for Trotz by reportedly having offered him a front-office job after his coaching in Winnipeg is done. This kind of long-term stability is something only the Jets can and are willing to offer. He was born in Dauphin, Manitoba, making the Winnipeg Jets the closest possible job to his hometown. If Trotz is looking for stability closer to home, the Jets are a no-brainer.

While the Wings possess the brighter future, the Winnipeg Jets are built to win now. With an elite goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck, a revamped defence core, and an extremely talented forward core, their biggest issues last season stemmed from coaching and the locker room culture. These are fixable problems under an established coaching staff starting as early as next season.

The Jets need buy-in defensively from their top forwards. Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler need to be better in their defensive end if they are going to return to the playoffs, and there’s no better coach on the market than Trotz to fix that issue.

Combining Connor Hellebuyck with Trotz’s defensive system would be a dream come true for the 29-year-old goaltender, and the defence core in front of him that struggled.

Red Wings vs. Jets (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Conclusion

Ultimately, it’s Trotz’s decision to make.

The Red Wings have a lot to offer on the ice, including a brighter future and exciting young players like Sebastian Cossa, a goaltender who’s expected to take over the crease shortly. If Trotz wants the best chance to win a Stanley Cup in the next three years, banking on the young talent in Detroit would be his best option.

The Jets have more to offer off the ice, with the possibility of a front-office job and being closer to Trotz’s hometown. While they may have the better roster right now, they may not have the prospect talent to keep up with what the Red Wings are building.

Winnipeg may have the advantage due to Trotz’s desire to be in the front office after his next coaching gig. The Jets also seem to be all-in on Trotz, with a second interview reportedly happening this week, possibly to iron out the details of his very complex situation. If the Jets can get in two interviews before the Red Wings have one, it would seem as though they’d have the upper hand in negotiations.

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