KHL team confirms talks with two former NHL coaches before deciding on current bench boss

Just over two seasons removed from winning the KHL's Gagarin Cup, and being one of the top teams in the league in 2021-22, and things appear to be spiraling out of control for Avangard Omsk following the departure of Bob Hartley. The Stanley Cup and Jack Adams winning Hartley left the team after four years at the end of last season saying it was time to move on. So far this season, Omsk is 0-5 under new head coach Dmitri Ryabykin, who was an associate coach under Hartley. Questions are being raised over that choice given the team's current record. Alexander Krylov, chair of Avangard's Board of Director's, told reporters that two former NHL coaches had been contacted before deciding on Ryabykin.

"Why was Ryabykin appointed head coach of Avangard? Ryabykin went through the Bob Hartley school, all four years. Personally, he proved to me that he wants to be a great coach for a great team," said Krylov. "Of course I wanted to maintain Hartley's level and I don't hide the fact that we negotiated with the top specialists. For example, Joel Quenneville and Mike Babcock."

Krylov went on to say that negotiations with Quenneville really didn't get into the serious stage. However, video conferences were held with Babcock before the beginning of the season.

"We had several video conferences with him and talked at length about strategy and development of the club. But the recent events that took place didn't allow us to finish those talks. When it became clear that we could not invite specialists of that level to continue to position the club as we did with Hartley, we chose Dimitry. Because I just had no right not to give him an opportunity to prove himself," said Krylov.

While he did not expand on his statement, it's a safe assumption that the invasion of Ukraine is the "recent events" that Krylov referenced in his answer.

Both Quenneville and Babcock left the NHL under not-so-great circumstances. After being fired as the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, several stories came out in the media of Babcock being manipulative and downright nasty with current and former players. Quenneville was the head coach of the Florida Panthers when he resigned due to the findings of an investigation into allegations made by former Chicago Blackhawk Kyle Beach when Quenneville was coaching there. While Quenneville was not directly involved in the sexual assault allegations, he was accused of doing nothing when Beach came forward.

As for Hartley, despite leaving Omsk at the end of last season, he is currently back in the Russian city, telling reporters that he's there for two weeks to advise the coaching staff. It's hard not to think that efforts are being made by the team to have him return on a full-time basis. Hartley is highly respected in the KHL and was credited as a huge factor in Avangard's Gagarin Cup win.

Source: Sport-express.ru

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