The St. Louis Blues have officially named Drew Bannister as their full-time head coach, removing the interim tag from his title. This decision was announced by the team's President of hockey operations and general manager on Tuesday. Bannister, aged 50, has signed a two-year contract to continue in the role after taking over from Craig Berube in December. Berube, the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning coach, was relieved of his duties, leading to Bannister's interim appointment.
Since Bannister assumed the coaching responsibilities, the Blues posted a record of 30 wins, 19 losses, and 5 ties. Despite a commendable performance under his leadership, the team finished six points shy of securing a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference.
This marks Bannister's first head-coaching position in the NHL. Prior to this role, he served as the head coach of the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues' top affiliate team in the American Hockey League, for over two seasons.
The decision to retain Bannister as the head coach addresses one of the potential coaching vacancies in the league this offseason. Over the past year, there have been a total of 16 coaching changes in the NHL, representing half of the teams. Additionally, the Winnipeg Jets are now in search of a new head coach following the retirement announcement of Rick Bowness.
Another notable coaching situation may arise after the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons under Sheldon Keefe. A victory in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins could have potentially impacted the job security of Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, who previously served as an assistant coach for the Blues after his departure from the Dallas Stars in 2019.
For more NHL news and updates, visit the AP NHL hub: AP NHL.
