Report: Florida Panthers fire two assistants, Brunette’s status unclear

Per ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, the Florida Panthers let go of assistant coaches Ulf Samuelsson and Derek MacKenzie.

Tuomo Ruutu will remain on staff.

Additionally, Florida has yet to make a decision on longtime goalie coach Robb Tallas, whose contract is up.

The Panthers have also not decided whether or not Andrew Brunette will be returning as head coach.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on the Jeff Marek Show that the Panthers will likely bring Brunette back with a coaching staff of his own.

“It sounds like it’s trending in that direction, but I don’t want to say it’s a guarantee,” Friedman said of Brunette’s return.

The two assistants let go of were of Joel Quenneville’s staff before he resigned due to his involvement in Kyle Beach’s sexual assault scandal coming to light.

MacKenzie officially joined Quenneville’s staff in 2019 after working in an unofficial coaching role following a career-ending shoulder injury on Opening Night in Tampa to start the 2018-19 season.

MacKenzie, former captain of the Panthers, spent parts of five seasons with Florida.

Ruutu was hired this offseason, while Samuelsson was hired in 2020 after serving as an assistant under Quenneville with the Blackhawks from 2017-18.

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Brunette took over with Quenneville’s assistants intact on Oct. 28 following his resignation and led the Panthers to a 51-18-6 record and a Presidents’ Trophy under his tutilege.

In the playoffs, he led Florida to its first playoff series win since 1996 before getting swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round.

After the playoffs were over, Brunette was candid in saying that his decision to return behind the Panthers’ bench next season is in question.

“I mean, I love this team. Of course, I would love to,” Brunette said. “But those aren’t really my decisions. I have family I have to talk to and see … we were kind of thrown into this a little bit. I have to talk to my wife and see if, after playing for 20 years, if she’s on board for this.”

Zito also mentioned that the team needed time to mull over the decision on whether or not Brunette will return and nothing seems imminent at the moment.