from Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,

The Blues confirmed Tuesday that they were keeping their head coach, Ken Hitchcock, who agreed to another one-year contract extension. But as a result of the short-term contract offers made to the staff, associate head coach Brad Shaw is moving on and assistant Kirk Muller could be as well.

Both, particularly Muller, had been seen as potential successors to Hitchcock when he retired.

But that won’t be 2016-17, after the Blues and Hitchcock announced that he will be back for a sixth season with the team. It will be his 21st in the NHL and last in the league behind the bench, he insisted.

“I’m telling you right now, this is my last one-year deal,” said Hitchcock, who will turn 65 in December. “I’m not coaching after this year. This is it. So I’m done. I don’t know if I’m going to retire ... but I’m not coaching after this year.”...

In regard to Hitchcock’s successor in 2017-18, Armstrong said that he would consider promoting from within. The two possible replacements were believed to be Shaw and Muller.

But the Blues have decided not to offer any of their assistants a longer term than what they’re giving Hitchcock, and so after 10 years with the franchise, Shaw has decided to move on.

“It was a one-year (offer) and I just made the decision with my family that now is a good time to maybe take the next step in my career,” Shaw said. “It’s been a great 10 years here. I’ve had so much growth as a person and as a coach and met so many great people. It wasn’t an easy decision, I can tell you that.”

more