Forever_Habs10 Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Kirk Muller Leaves Habs To Take Head Coaching Job With Milwaukee Kirk Muller was just like anyone in need of a job. After going through a number of interviews and failing to land a head coaching gig in the NHL, he picked up the phone and started making cold calls. One of the first people he dialed was David Poile and it led to him being named head coach of the American Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals. "I think you've got to be proactive," Muller said Monday on a conference call. "A lot of media up in Canada (knew) my whereabouts of doing interviews with Ottawa and Dallas and Minnesota and Jersey and that, (but) you can't just assume that people will think that you're going to be ready or your next step is going to the American Hockey League. ... "Obviously, I knew the reputation of Milwaukee so that's why I reached out to David." The Admirals have consistently been one of the top AHL teams and are coming off a season where they finished first in the West Division with a 44-22-14. Earlier this month, former coach Lane Lambert was promoted to an assistant role with the parent Nashville Predators. Muller spent the past five seasons working as an assistant with the Montreal Canadiens and believes this change will give him the best opportunity to one day take over his own NHL team. "(The AHL) is a great developing league for players and it's a great developing stage for coaches," said Muller. "For me, I think it's a great opportunity to put my stamp on a team -- to have your own team and get an identity on the type of team you'd like to have. "You can do a lot of work as an assistant coach, but at the end of the day you don't have the final say." In recent years, a number of AHL coaches have made the leap to the NHL. It's certainly been a trend this off-season as Dallas (Glen Gulutzan), Minnesota (Mike Yeo) and Winnipeg (Claude Noel) all filled their head coaching vacancies from within. Poile is the longtime general manager of the Predators and was immediately interested when Muller reached out to him. "Kirk Muller was everything we were looking for in our development coach," said Poile. "With his playing pedigree, experience as a captain and Stanley Cup winner, and his solid communication skills, we feel our young players and prospects are in great hands." During his time in Montreal, Muller primarily handled the special teams under Guy Carbonneau and Jacques Martin. He believes there will be a period of adjustment in Milwaukee. The 45-year-old will move his wife and two daughters to the city over the summer -- he's yet to even visit Milwaukee -- and knows the job will be pretty demanding. "I expect it will be a lot more work," said Muller. "Being a head coach, you've got more responsibilities and longer hours. But I'm prepared to do that. "I'm looking forward to rolling my sleeves up and getting to work." Muller played for six NHL teams during a 19-year playing career, putting up 959 points in 1,349 games. He spent one season in charge of his hometown Queen's University Gaels before accepting a job with the Canadiens in 2006. Now he's ready to take another step forward. "It's been five years and I guess like a player you always want the ball," said Muller. "When you're playing, you want to be out there in the last minute. "I guess now with the coaching I hit a stage where it was a great five years of experience of being there in Montreal, but it's time -- I want to just get out, get my own club and be a head coach." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forever_Habs10 Posted June 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Kirk Muller Interview On New Head Coach Position Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatethosebruins Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Best of luck Kirk, hope to see you back here as head coach some day. Now lets hope the boys can rally without you, you've done alot! Too many people leaving in one day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forever_Habs10 Posted June 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Too many people leaving in one day I'm staying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatethosebruins Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 I'm staying. Oh....great Kidding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clues Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Congratulations, Kirk. And good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstStar Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 This is good for him, but bad for the Habs... We have lost 2 potential replacements for JM in the last year. I wondered if they were going to send Muller to Hamilton to take over for Boucher and also gather some experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCH Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Good for Kirk. I really hope to see him back in the Habs office in some form in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerplay2009 Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 The (another)one that got away IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncivilengineer Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 This is good for him, but bad for the Habs... We have lost 2 potential replacements for JM in the last year. I wondered if they were going to send Muller to Hamilton to take over for Boucher and also gather some experience. I thought they offered Hamilton and he declined saying he didn't want to go to the AHL while he had an NHL job (but that's what's in my head and I'm too lazy to confirm). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCH Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I thought they offered Hamilton and he declined saying he didn't want to go to the AHL while he had an NHL job (but that's what's in my head and I'm too lazy to confirm). If this is the actual case, there must be something we aren't seeing here... Such as a quiet assurance from Nashville that they are grooming him for the big job with the Preds. Muller isn't stupid and knows the language politics here in Habville will most likely prevent him from getting the top job from JM eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANADIENS27 Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 If he gets the Nashville job, Sergei Kostistyn becomes his problem once again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manatee-X Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 I honestly doubt Kirk has any assurances whatsoever that he'll be moved up to Nashville, at least not as the head coach. Trotz has been around for a long, long time, and there's a very good reason for it. He's consistently able to get results which are significantly better than the quality of his roster would suggest. For my money he's one of the best if not the best coach in the league, and whenever it comes time to renew his contract Nashville management seems to agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatethosebruins Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 I honestly doubt Kirk has any assurances whatsoever that he'll be moved up to Nashville, at least not as the head coach. Trotz has been around for a long, long time, and there's a very good reason for it. He's consistently able to get results which are significantly better than the quality of his roster would suggest. For my money he's one of the best if not the best coach in the league, and whenever it comes time to renew his contract Nashville management seems to agree. I don't think Kirk thinks hes getting a head coaching position in Nashville. But when he realized he wasn't getting a head coaching job in the NHL, he decided his best option would be try being the head coach on an AHL team. We offered him that position when he still thought he would find an NHL job as a head coach, which is why he didn't take the Hamilton position last year (I'm assuming). So Kirk is doing what he feels is best for his career, gain experience head coaching in the minor leagues for a few years, and try to become a head coach in the NHL with his new experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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