Predators' coaches get new deals

4/22/2008 3:13 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Predators coach Barry Trotz and his staff received contract extensions after an unexpected fourth straight trip to the playoffs in what began as a shaky season.

The extensions for Trotz, associate coach Brent Peterson, assistant coach Peter Horachek and goaltending coach Mitch Korn were announced Tuesday by David Poile, Nashville's president of hockey operations and general manager.

The previous contract for Trotz, the expansion franchise's only coach, expired at the end of the season. Terms of the deal were not announced.

Trotz guided the Predators to the playoffs this season despite a chaotic year in which the franchise survived the threat of relocation, a botched sale, new owners, a long negotiation on their arena lease and the shedding of top players. He has coached all 738 regular-season games in the Predators' 10 years, going 324-308-106.

Nashville has yet to get past the first round of the postseason or win any road playoff games, falling in six games to the Detroit Red Wings in this year's Western Conference quarterfinals.

``Despite much adversity of the past year, the team never used that adversity as an excuse - a tribute to the efforts of the coaching staff,'' Poile said in a statement. ``I am pleased that this group will remain together in our pursuit of a Stanley Cup for Nashville.''

Just making the playoffs this season was considered a success.

Last year, the team let top scorer Paul Kariya leave for St. Louis as a free agent, traded away goalie Tomas Vokoun along with captain Kimmo Timonen and forward Scott Hartnell. They managed to make up for the lost production, becoming only one of seven teams to make the playoffs in each of the last four seasons.

The contract extension also keeps Trotz as the second most-tenured coach in the NHL with his current team. The only coach with a longer active tenure with one team is Buffalo's Lindy Ruff, who has been with the Sabres since 1997.