Mike Johnston was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday. Could the 58-year-old bench boss look West to past success for his next coaching gig?
In this week’s “Headlines” segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet analyst Damien Cox identified the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League as a potential landing spot for the fallen coach.
Johnston served as head coach of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks from 2008-2014, helping guide the team to three appearances in the Ed Chynoweth Cup final. Although the Winterhawks failed to win a WHL title under Johnston, the club won 231 games during his tenure.
Scott Bonner stepped down from his post as Giants GM earlier this week after a 9-18-2-2 start to the 2015-16 campaign. Cox noted Johnston’s success in the WHL and the fact that he owns a home in Vancouver as reasons why there’s potential for a marriage here.
Johnston was dismissed from Pittsburgh following a 58-37-15 run in 18 months with the club. The Penguins went 15-10-3 under Johnston this season, falling short of expectations for a club loaded with high-end offensive talent like Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel, and Evgeni Malkin.
