The Nashville Predators hired Peter Laviolette as their new head coach on Tuesday. The Predators also hired Kevin McCarthy as an assistant.
Laviolette signed a multi-year contract with the Predators. He is the second Predators coach in team history. He replaces Barry Trotz. Laviolette will begin his coaching duties in Nashville after he’s done coaching the U.S. team at this year’s World Championship, according to the Associated Press.
"I love the nucleus of this team, starting on the back end with two of the best players at their positions in defenseman Shea Weber and goaltender Pekka Rinne, in addition to a solid group of dependable veterans and talented, rising young talent," Laviolette said in a team release. "My challenge will be to impart a system that enables our young forwards to thrive and reach their offensive potential. Being a perennial Stanley Cup contender requires buy-in, passion and commitment from every player on the roster. I can't wait to get to Nashville and get started on our journey."
Laviolette has been a coach for 12 seasons. He started as the coach for the New York Islanders, then was the coach for the Carolina Hurricanes. For the last five years he was the coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers fired him just three games into this season. In 12 seasons as a coach Laviolette has a 389-282-63 record, according to ESPN. He has made the playoffs six times, leading the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals in 2010.
This season the Predators went 38-32-12 and missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. Trotz could end up as the coach in Florida, Vancouver, Washington, or Carolina.