Can Maple Leafs Assistant Coach be an Option for the Winnipeg Jets?
The Winnipeg Jets are in a search to find a head coach for the upcoming season to turn the Jets’ woes around from the 2021-2022 season and turn them into Stanley Cup contenders next year.
Now that Barry Trotz was fired from the New York Islanders, he is the frontrunner for the vacant position considering he was born just outside of Winnipeg, got his coaching start in Manitoba, and seems to be a perfect fit for the Jets.
There is no telling what Kevin Cheveldayoff will do and if the Jets will pursue Trotz to be their next head coach. There are plenty of options for the position and if the Jets are looking to give a shot to an inexperienced (in terms of NHL experience) candidate, Toronto Maple Leafs’ assistant coach, Spencer Carbery could be an exciting option.
Spencer Carbery has been named coach of the year in two different leagues and could be an option for the Winnipeg Jets
After playing three years in the ECHL, Carbery made his coaching debut with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL after finishing his career with the team. After one season as an assistant coach, he was promoted to head coach in 2011-2012.
Carbery spent five seasons behind the bench in South Carolina as their head coach and director of hockey operations. He turned the Stingrays into a consistent playoff team and was rewarded by being named the ECHL Coach of the Year in 2014 en route to leading his team to the finals.
After finishing with the Stingrays in 2015-2016, Carbery coached in the OHL for a season with the Saginaw Spirit in 2016-2017 and then was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins AHL-affiliate, the Providence Bruins in 2017-2018.
Carbery then got his next head coaching gig with the struggling Hershey Bears in the AHL who finished the season last place in their division before Carbery arrived. The Victoria, British Columbia native led the charge that turned the team around.
During his first year behind the bench in Hershey, Carbery turned the team from last place in the Division to a top-ten team in the league and was named the 2018-2019 AHL Coach of the Year.
Hershey was off to a great start during the 2019-2020 season as they were in a battle for the top spot in the division, but unfortunately, the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then during the shortened 2021 season, Hershey finished the regular season in first place in the AHL but lost in the playoffs.
Prior to this 2021-2022 season, Carbery was named an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his first season in charge of the Leafs’ powerplay, Toronto went from having the worst powerplay in the league during the 2021 season to having the top powerplay percentage in the NHL during the 2021-2022 regular season at 27.3%.
In all levels of professional hockey, Carbery has found a way to turn a team around from struggling to a contender. He did it in South Carolina and did it again in Hershey. Carbery can be an interesting candidate to be the Winnipeg Jets’ next head coach.
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Carbery can be a similar story as Jon Cooper. Although Cooper was never an assistant coach at the NHL level before being named the Lightning’s head coach, he worked his way up the hockey ranks and was a proven winner at the Junior level in the NAHL and USHL and won again in the AHL.
Regardless if the Jets pursue Carbery, I would not be surprised if he becomes an NHL head coach in the very near future.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: Do you think the Winnipeg Jets should include Spencer Carbery in their search for their next head coach? Leave your comments below!
