After losing out on Mike Babcock, the Blues appear content to retain coach Ken Hitchcock.
Hitchcock and Blues general manager Doug Armstrong met Wednesday at a St. Louis coffee shop. The two departed cordially with Hitchcock heard saying "See you later" to Armstrong.
MORE: In Toronto, positive response to Babcock hiring | In Buffalo, Sabres fans are livid
Babcock, the former Red Wings coach, signed an eight-year, $50 million deal with the Maple Leafs and was introduced Thursday in Toronto.
Armstrong refused to indulge in speculation Thursday when asked during a conference call if he knew Hitchcock's future. “You’re trying to put words in my mouth,” Armstrong said, according to The Belleville (Ill.) News Democrat. “When I have something to communicate, I will.”
Media members tried but couldn't get more from Armstrong. The Blues' coaching situation, Armstrong said, is "something that we're working on every day. We're trying to do it behind closed doors and away from public scrutiny. I'm aware that people want answers, but fortunately for us we have a strong ownership group that understands the process. We're going to make use of our time and when the final decision is made we'll announce it."
Hitchcock, the fourth-winningest coach in NHL history, has had regular-season success with the Blues. He has a 175-79-27 in his four seasons on the St. Louis bench, but is 10-17 in the playoffs with one series win. Hitchcock, whose contract expires next month, said following St. Louis' first-round series loss to the Wild that he needed "time to reflect" and "evaluate what I've done, what I've accomplished and what's happened to us both positive, a lot of it, and the negative, which goes along with the territory."
"I feel like I've let people down right now and I need to think about that and what needs to improve," he said. "I want time and space to evaluate it. I'll sit down with Doug, and Doug's right, we've been together a long period of time. I know how good a coach I am. I know what I can do. But I want some time.
"This is a really emotional time for me because I feel a real connection to the community. I need to just step back and evaluate where this thing's at."
Armstrong said Thursday at a press conference to introduce former Devils goalie Martin Brodeur as the Blues' assistant GM that he and Hitchcock have had good communication about how to get better.
Meanwhile, the Blues disclosed Brodeur's duties, which will include work on player contracts.
"We haven't had an assistant GM in St. Louis since I've been here," Armstrong said. "It's important moving forward to have someone here."
After Armstrong's announcement, the Blues' website also listed Kevin McDonald as assistant general manager. His bio page said McDonald had held that position since 2009. It added that McDonald "works closely" with Armstrong "in coordinating the transfer of players and in acquiring professional hockey players."
Al MacInnis serves as the team's senior adviser to Armstrong. Brett Hull is an executive vice president, a title he shares with Bruce Affleck. All three are former Blues players.
The 21st century has not been kind to Hitchcock in playoffs.Hitchcock led the Stars to a Stanley Cup championship in 1999 and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final a year later. Following a second-round exit in 2001, Dallas fired him midway through the 2001-02 season. He made the playoffs in each of his three seasons with the Flyers, but was fired eight games into the 2006-07 season.
In three-plus seasons at the helm of the Blue Jackets, Hitchcock took the team to the playoffs once and lost in the first round of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs. His postseason struggles continued in St. Louis, despite holding home-ice advantage in each of the Blues' five playoff series under him.
There are several outside candidates for the Blues job — Randy Carlyle, Adam Oates, current Bruins coach Claude Julien and former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, who will speak with the Sabres and Sharks for their vacant coaching positions.
If the Blues do stay with Hitchcock, he'll likely receive just a one-year contract and one last chance to prove he can find the playoff success that has eluded him since the turn of the century.