NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Nashville Predators' third-straight exit in the first round of the playoffs hasn't shaken general manager David Poile's confidence in the only coach his franchise has known.
Poile picked up the option on Barry Trotz and his staff for next season Friday as a reward for the best regular season in club history. Poile hired Trotz when the general manager started building the expansion Predators in 1997.
"Teams and ownership change coaches, and managers, for that matter way, way too much, and really for not a lot of supporting reasons to do it. I chose Barry Trotz," Poile said. "He was a young coach who had never coached in the National Hockey League. Now he's second in seniority. ..."
Also retained were assistants Brent Peterson and Peter Horachek, goaltending coach Mitch Korn and video coach Robert Bouchard.
"I'm happy and proud we get to come back and hopefully take care of some unfinished business," said Trotz, who is 283-276-97 with the only NHL team he has ever coached. "We have to take the next step."
Nashville Predators pick up options for entire coaching staff