Karl Taylor has coached the Nashville Predators before — for one game.
He came close to being hired to coach them a lot more.
Incoming general manager Barry Trotz told The Tennessean on Tuesday that Taylor was among the three finalists to replace John Hynes, who was fired earlier Tuesday. Trotz ultimately is expected to hire former Predator Andrew Burnette for the job but had nothing but praise for Taylor, whose team is playing in the Western Conference final in the AHL playoffs.
“(He) has done an excellent job for us,” Trotz told The Tennessean. “Two of my three (finalists) were my hire and Karl Taylor.”
Taylor and his staff from the AHL-affiliate Milwaukee Admirals filled in on the Predators bench for a victory on Dec. 17, 2021, when the team’s coaching staff was out because of COVID-19 protocol.
Taylor’s teams have gone 157-90 during his four seasons in Milwaukee.
“The Milwaukee Admirals are still playing,” Trotz said. “There’s no better development tool. We’re hitting June here.”
Trotz said he had an initial list of six names in his head to be the next Predators head coach. He whittled that list to three, all of whom were interviewed both in person and on Zoom. Trotz said he made a decision on making the coaching change on Monday and notified Hynes on Tuesday.
While he brought up Brunette and Taylor’s names unprompted, he said he’d rather not divulge all the names of the people he talked to before deciding to hire Burnette, who is expected to be introduced Wednesday.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported Tuesday after the Predators fired Hynes and assistant coach Dan Lambert that Spencer Carbery was the other finalist. Carbery was hired by the Washington Capitals earlier Tuesday.
“When I decided I was going to make the change, I was sort of at that three, these were the three guys if we’re going to make a change,” Trotz said.
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Predators also interviewed Karl Taylor to replace John Hynes
