Almost exactly one year after joining the Minnesota Wild coaching staff as an assistant, Scott Stevens resigned from his post on Tuesday, citing an urge to be closer to his family in the New York/New Jersey area.
“I just want to be close to them,” Stevens said, via the Wild website. “That’s the toughest part of the job, moving away from your house and being away from your family. I need them, and that’s what it comes down to.”
If public comments are to be trusted, it was an amicable split, even if Bruce Boudreau told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Michael Russo that the Hall of Famer will be missed.
“He’ll be very hard to replace because A), the credibility rating off the bat and B) his work ethic. You can see why he’s a Hall of Famer and Stanley Cup champion,” Boudreau said. “I learned so much about what it takes to be a champion just by watching him work. All of those little things, it’s going to be hard to replace. And loyal. He was loyal as the day is long.”
Boudreau wonders if “second assistant” John Anderson will get elevated to Stevens’ role. Russo points to “longtime Boudreau confidant” Bob Woods as another potential replacement, though he’d need to leave his post with the Buffalo Sabres.
The Wild lose a legendary defenseman to help develop their deep group of blueliners. Meanwhile, it seems unclear what is next for Stevens.
Read more about that situation at the Wild’s website and the Star-Tribune.