The San Jose Sharks have fired head coach Bob Bauner and his staff, an NHL source confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
Bogner, 51, coached San Jose for three seasons, setting a record of 67–85–23 and failing in the Stanley Cup playoffs each time. Pete Deborah was sacked after 33 games in the 2019-20 season, when he had previously coached the Florida Panthers for two seasons.
Another bride on Bogner’s contract was 1.5 million a year. Assistant coaches John Madden and John McLean were also not retained.
The decision comes as Shark has narrowed the field for his vacant general manager position. Several reports suggest that former shark players Ray Whitney and Mike Greer are in the finals. Both will be general managers for the first time.
Bonner’s firing comes late in the off-season for a change in coaching. Eight NHL head coaching jobs have been filled. Since the Winnipeg Jets have not yet filled their vacancies, there is currently only one head coach job available. Bogner’s call after the calendar flipped in July hampered his and his staff’s ability to find NHL jobs for the next season.
The Sharks, once a dominant force in the Western Conference, lost the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, the biggest drought in franchise history. Their contracts include experienced players with different levels of trade protection. Eric Carlson, Brent Burns and Mark-Edward Vlasic – over 32 – are paying San Jose defense personnel a combined 26.5 million salaries by 2025, far below the salary cap.
Sportsnet first reported on Buffoner’s shooting.