Nashville Predators Reportedly Hiring Andrew Brunette, Who Got A DUI While Driving A Golf Cart In February, As Head Coach
The Nashville Predators are reportedly hiring former Florida Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette as their new head coach. The team moved quickly, firing head coach John Hynes on Tuesday and immediately hiring Brunette.
Hynes coached the team for three seasons, failing to win a single playoff series. The team lost in the first round in each of the past two postseasons. They failed to make the playoffs this year.
Brunette spent this season as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. In Brunette, the Nashville Predators get an up-and-coming assistant who appeared destined to land a head coaching job this offseason.
However, Brunette complicating matters by getting arrested on DUI charges in Florida in February. The video of Brunette's arrest made the rounds as he tried to tell police he formerly coached the Florida Panthers, but also then said "you don't care, I know you don't care."
To which the officer replied, "No."
Andrew Brunette tried to use his time as Florida Panthers head coach to get out of a DUI in February. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The other interesting piece of the video is that Brunette was driving a golf cart at the time of his arrest. To be perfectly honest, I didn't realize driving a golf cart while drinking is against the law.
For the sake of not incriminating myself, I won't write about my Saturday morning round of golf with the boys.
Nashville Predators hire former Florida Panthers head coach, New Jersey Devils assistant Andrew Brunette despite recent DUI arrest
Brunette did coach the Panthers under the interim tag in 2021-22. Joel Quenneville resigned just three games into the season amid an investigation into the handling of a sexual assault allegation during his stint with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Brunette led the team to its first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history. However, the Tampa Bay Lightning swept the Panthers in the second round of the playoffs.
Despite the record regular season and one playoff series victory, the team elected to hire Paul Maurice instead of making Brunette the full-time head coach. So far, that move has worked out well for Florida, who are set to face the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.
Brunette declined an opportunity to remain with the team and instead left to become an assistant in New Jersey.
The Nashville Predators reportedly hire Andrew Brunette as head coach. Brunette served as an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils this season. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
It's an interesting hire for Nashville. Brunette clearly has the chops to be an NHL head coach, but the city saw first-hand what can happen to coaches with DUI issues.
Former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing was arrested and charged with DUI in November.
The Titans kept Downing on the staff for the rest of the season. However, the team fired him after they missed the playoffs. The New York Jets hired him as their passing game coordinator.
Predators are no stranger to controversy
The Predators aren't without their own controversies, either. They went full-steam ahead with a Pride Night celebration in April -- just one week after a transgender shooter murdered six people at a Nashville Christian school.
Former head coach, John Hynes, explained that he and the team were completely on board for Pride Night. The New Jersey Devils, Brunette's former team, also held their own Pride Night.
Several NHL teams opted to skip their Pride Night due to players' religious beliefs, including the Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers.
The team is hoping Brunette learned his lesson and can get the Predators back into the mix for Stanley Cup contention.
The team reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, but has just one playoff series victory since.