The 2006 off-season began with a trade for Alex Tanguay, formerly of the Colorado Avalanche, and with Sutter relinquishing his head coaching position to assistant Jim Playfair so he could focus on his duties as general manager.
A tempada de 2006 comezou cun intercambio por Alex Tanguay, anteriormente Colorado Avalanche, e con Sutter renunciando ao seu posto de adestrador xefe en favor de Jim Playfair para centrarse nas súas funcións como manager xeral.