Drew Bannister is returning as coach of the St. Louis Blues after getting the interim tag removed from his title and being named Tuesday to the full-time role.
He signed a two-year contract that gives him the chance to oversee a bit of organizational retooling but also show he can get the most out of a roster stocked with veteran talent. The expectation is still for the Blues to contend for a playoff spot in the Western Conference with Bannister in charge.
Bannister, 50, when the 2019 was fired in December. The Blues went 30-19-5 after Bannister took over and finished six points out of a playoff spot.
Three weeks after the regular season ended, and after discussing just two other potential candidates with his inner circle, president of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong opted against making another change and decided to keep Bannister in the job.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e just looking, like: 'Is there any better out there? Is there something different that we鈥檙e missing?鈥� Armstrong said on a video call with reporters. "We just came back to our group that Drew had done what we鈥檇 asked him to do. We see progression. We see someone that鈥檚 earned the right to take the reins and we move forward.鈥�
This is Bannister鈥檚 first head-coaching gig in the NHL. He previously coached the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League, St. Louis' top affiliate, for two-plus seasons.
鈥�(This is) something I鈥檝e been working towards and something that I wanted for myself, my family moving forward,鈥� said Bannister, who played 178 NHL games in the 1990s and early 2000s and was at peace with his status in recent weeks. 鈥淚t can be a stressful time, but I felt by the end of the year that I鈥檇 done a lot of positive things with the players, with the team. Certainly was disappointing the way it ended up for us, but overall I was happy with the strides we made.鈥�
Keeping Bannister fills one of the many potential vacancies this offseason, another of which closed when of former New Jersey interim coach 90 minutes after the Blues' news. There have been 16 coaching changes (half the league) over the past year, not counting the need for Winnipeg to find a successor for Rick Bowness, who Monday.
Others could be coming after for the fourth time in five seasons under Sheldon Keefe. Had his Maple Leafs come back from a 3-1 series deficit to beat Boston in Game 7 on Saturday night, it could have put in jeopardy the job security of Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, who on Berube's staff after his 2019 dismissal in Dallas.
Armstrong said all assistants would return under Bannister, who will be tasked with building lasting relationships with the leadership group of captain Brayden Schenn, All-Star Robert Thomas and defensemen Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk, among others. He likes what he has seen so far in that and other departments enough to trust Bannister with the direction of the franchise.
鈥淗e did a very good job in a difficult situation last year,鈥� Armstrong said. "Now having a full training camp and two-year term to put his stamp on this team, we鈥檙e looking forward to that.鈥�
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AP NHL:
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
