Devils coach Brent Sutter told The Post last night that the firing of Mike Keenan by elder brother Darryl Sutter in Calgary “has zero impact” on whether he will return behind the New Jersey bench next season.
Flames general manager Darryl Sutter yesterday fired Keenan after a second straight first-round playoff exit, immediately prompting speculation that Brent Sutter could slip right into that spot and be as close to his family as he could get in the NHL.
“Absolutely not. It has nothing to do with my thinking,” Sutter told The Post. “I’m employed by the New Jersey Devils, and that’s the way I look at it.”
In a story first broken by The Post in February, Sutter is considering whether to return to New Jersey next season, having gone through the same decision last summer. Sutter dearly misses his family, which remains in Alberta, where he is also the owner of the junior Red Deer Rebels.
“I’m still status quo right now,” Sutter said. “I have no timetable. Am I closer to a decision? No. It’s a process I’m going through.
“This whole Flames situation has zero impact on my decision. I’ve seen Darryl once since I’ve been back [family business].”
There have been rumbles that GM Lou Lamoriello would not be heartbroken if Sutter decides not to return for the third year of his lucrative contract. One wise man suggested that if Sutter isn’t coming back after next season, Lamoriello might want to cut the cord now.
But Lamoriello surely would want compensation from a team that might sign Sutter, a first-rounder is the going rate, especially if the coach was to go to Calgary.
Sutter, a former 100-point two-Cup center with the Islanders, stands 97-56-11 in his first NHL coaching job, but only 4-8 in the playoffs, losing in the first round both years he’s been with New Jersey.