The Glen Hanlon Watch Day 16/ The Interim George McPhee Watch Day 1

Shows how much I know...

Well, today was the day that the trigger was pulled and Glen Hanlon was relived of coaching duties. Hershey Head Coach Bruce Boudreau takes over on an interim basis and that begins the Interim George McPhee Watch. I originally missed this because I was busy peeling baked sweet potatoes for my Jack Daniels Sweet Potato Casserole.

I said earlier this week this would happen (the GMGM watch starting that is) if Boudreau took over for Hanlon. I do not think trading one minor league coach for another is a wise move. By all accounts Boudreau's strengths are also Hanlon's, so I fail to see how this is nothing more than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

However, I will reserve the right to end the Interim GMGM Watch if somebody else is named as head coach. However should the interim tag be removed from Boudreau, the interim tag will be removed from the GMGM Watch. We need a coach who knows not only how to make the playoffs in the NHL, but win in the NHL playoffs.

Yes, the playoffs aren't happening in D.C. this year however in the 1981-1982 season (which we've seen comparisons to this morning in terms of point totals after 21 games), Gary Green was fired in early November, then GM Roger Crozier took over on an interim basis and then hired Bryan Murray (who was in his first season as Head Coach of the Hershey Bears). Murray didn't get the team into the playoffs until the next season but the foundation had been laid. Whoever ends up taking over as head coach of this hockey team will go a long way to determining just how much longer GMGM stays in Washington. (It should also be noted that Roger Crozier stepped down as GM at the end of the 1981-1982 season, leading to the hiring of David "Bud" Poile as GM)

However, in the interim, Boudreau has his work cut out for him. We'll see exactly how the team reacts in about 24 hours.