The Blues are reportedly planning to give Ken Hitchcock a new one-year contract. The team elected that Hitchcock proved enough in the team’s third-round playoff exit to warrant one more year behind the bench.
As you might imagine, the decision is a pretty polarizing one in St. Louis. Some fans will be pleased to see Hitchcock given another shot after leading the team to within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final. Other fans will point to the fact that Hitchcock showed some extremely alarming qualities in the playoffs – specifically an inability to adapt and evolve – and will be upset the team didn’t look in a new direction.
Former Blues forward Andy McDonald had a pretty critical reaction.
Boom. Roasted.
McDonald skated with the Blues between 2007-08 and 2012-13. He spent two years under Hitchcock before concussion symptoms forced him to hang up his skates. He knows Hitchcock’s style and his criticism might be the most valid.
Hitchcock has been with the Blues since 2011-12 and though he was able to make it to the third round in 2015-16, it seems a bit far-fetched to expect he’ll be able to get more out of the St. Louis roster. There have even been reports that Blues skaters started tuning Hitchcock out as his repeated message grew tired and stale.
It seems pretty likely that the Blues didn’t find any attractive long-term options on the market and don’t have an internal option they’re comfortable with stepping into the role. Hitchcock will be behind the bench in 2016-17 and he’ll be bringing his same ol’ style with him.
