Black Monday in the NHL

The day after the NHL regular season ended, a few coaches and General Managers found themselves out of a job, making the term "Black Monday" an appropriate one. Let's look at where the axe fell, where some coaches and front office people managed a short reprieve, and which teams may be in trouble down the line.

First, the casualties:

• The Dallas Stars announced that Lindy Ruff would not return next season as head coach. In four seasons, Ruff led the team to the playoffs, but it was clear that in the just completed season, he could never solve their defensive woes and his message wasn't getting through. Gerard Gallant is rumored to be a name on the Stars' list for the next head coach.
• Tom Rowe was relieved of both head coaching and General Manager duties, and Dale Tallon was reinstated as General Manager, effectively meaning that owner Vincent Viola admitted the error of his ways after the previous season. Bad trades, an ill-timed firing of coach Gerard Gallant mid-season, and Rowe being in over his head in both roles now have the Panthers back at square one.
• Vancouver ended the Willie Desjardins experiment after three seasons, and in the process, canned assistants Doug Lidster and Perry Pearn. Desjardins led the team to the playoffs in his first season, but manipulating lines with little success and the second-worst record this season led to his ouster.
• The big bomb of the day belongs to the Los Angeles Kings, who fired head coach Daryl Sutter and General Manager Dean Lombardi. Luc Robitaiile and Rob Blake were moved up in the front office, with Blake assuming the General Manager role. Three years after the Kings won their last Stanley Cup, poor trades, salary cap mismanagement, and the inability to adapt to play in the NHL the last three seasons mean that the Kings' opportunity to win is now closed.

Now, let's look at who avoided the axe for now:

• Colorado was dead last in many categories, yet as of this writing, they have not announced whether coach Jared Bednar or VP of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic will be let go. Given that the Avs were in a bind about two months before the season, thanks to Patrick Roy leaving the head coaching job prior to this season, it would not be surprising if both were given one more year.
• Arizona still employs Dave Tippett as head coach despite a fifth straight season of playoff-free hockey. The Coyotes took a major step back this season, and one would think that it's time to look into a new head coach.
• The Buffalo Sabres were another team that took a step back. However, one could point to injuries as a reason for their decline, though one does have to wonder if Dan Bylsma should look over his shoulder soon. 
• The Winnipeg Jets were a streaky team this season, often on the wrong kind, though a strong finish to the season should render Paul Maurice safe for now.

Teams that will possibly look for permanent replacements:

• The Boston Bruins made the playoffs, and depending on how far they go could determine if Bruce Cassidy gets the interim label taken off.
• The New York Islanders missed out, but under Doug Weight's watch, they played markedly better than under Jack Capuano. Whether or not Garth Snow remains as General Manager is most likely going to determine the coaching job's fate.