Carl Taylor has coached the Nashville Predators before – for one game.
He was close to being hired to coach them a lot more.
New general manager Barry Trotz told The Tennessean on Tuesday that Taylor is among three finalists to replace John Hines, who was fired earlier Tuesday. Trotz is expected to eventually hire former Predator Andrew Burnett for the job, but had nothing but praise for Taylor, whose team is playing in the Western Conference finals in the AHL playoffs.
“(He) did an excellent job for us,” Trotz told The Tennessean. “Two of my three (finalists) were my employees and Carl Taylor.”
Taylor and his AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals replaced the Predators bench for a win on December 17, 2021 when the team’s coaching staff was absent due to the COVID-19 protocol.
Taylor’s teams went 157-90 during his four seasons in Milwaukee.
“The Milwaukee Admirals are still playing,” Trotz said. “There is no better development tool. We’re hitting June here.”
Trotz said he has an initial list of six names in his head to be the Predators’ next head coach. He whittled that list down to three, all of whom were interviewed both in person and on Zoom. Trotz said he made the decision to change coaches on Monday and notified Hines on Tuesday.
Although he named Brunet and Taylor unprompted, he said he preferred not to reveal all the names of the people he spoke with before deciding to hire Burnett, who is expected to be introduced Wednesday.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported Tuesday, after the Predators fired Hines and assistant coach Dan Lambert, that Spencer Carberry was the other finalist. Carberry was hired by the Washington Capitals earlier Tuesday.
“When I decided I was going to make the change, I was kind of like these three, these are the three guys if we’re going to make a change,” Trotz said.
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