Sabres' Trottier excited to return to coaching after 11-year break
Bryan Trottier wasn't sure what to make of Ted Nolan's job offer earlier this summer.
The Buffalo Sabres head coach was offering Trottier a chance to get behind the bench after 11 years away from coaching and help Nolan rebuild the franchise. Trottier needed time to make up his mind.
"I didn't know. I hadn't been behind the bench for a while," Trottier told NHL.com. "He kept calling every other day. Once I made that decision and talked to my wife, I thought this could be fun to get back on the bench and be involved on a day-to-day basis, working with 23-25 guys and getting in their kitchen and building their confidence. It has just kind of been building."
Trottier accepted the assistant coaching position and joined a host of new Sabres assistants, including Danny Flynn, Arturs Irbe and Tom Coolen.
Trottier's last NHL coaching gig was with the New York Rangers in 2003. He was fired after 54 games and relocated to Pittsburgh, where he ended his 18-season playing career.
Buffalo's focus on developing young players is a perfect fit for Trottier, who has been spending time working with youth hockey programs in Pittsburgh to satisfy his passion for the game. He also worked as director of player development with the New York Islanders for four years.
"We just developed a little bit of a routine around Pittsburgh with some of the local kids. Touching base with them, just kind of staying the course and watching their progress," Trottier said. "I really enjoyed that. The fun thing is nobody said, 'Here's a paycheck.' It was really just to keep sharp. They're young kids who were just good students and wanted to soak up as much as they could."
Trottier will have his share of kids to work with on the Sabres, who could start the season with one of the youngest rosters in the league. Recent first-round picks such as Sam Reinhart, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov are all expected to challenge for roster spots, and their development will be vital to Buffalo's rebuilding efforts.
Trottier knew he didn't want to be a head coach after his stint with the Rangers because "you have to have a different demeanor and I just don't have that demeanor." He realized his real passion was in player development, the reason he's excited for his new position in Buffalo.
"The groove of being behind a bench is going to be interesting at first, but thank God we have a few exhibition games to get rid of those cobwebs," he said. "Overall the excitement of it all and the freshness and coming back refreshed, all those things are going to be assets. If they come ready to give their best effort in practice and games, good things are going to happen. I'm always looking for results. It's not always on the scoreboard. It's winning and building something."
[h/t: Pro Hockey Talk]