While team executive Bob Nicholson would subsequently claim that the contract extension for Koskinen had been a group decision of management, many in the media speculated that its proximity to Chiarelli's firing were indicative of a causal connection.
wˌaɪl tˈiːm ɛɡzˈɛkjuːtˌɪv bˈɑːb nˈɪkəlsən wʊd sˈʌbsᵻkwəntli klˈeɪm ðætðə kˈɑːntɹækt ɛkstˈɛnʃən fɔːɹ kˈɑːskaɪnən hɐdbɪn ɐ ɡɹˈuːp dᵻsˈɪʒən ʌv mˈænɪdʒmənt, mˈɛni ɪnðə mˈiːdiːə spˈɛkjʊlˌeɪɾᵻd ðæt ɪts pɹɑːksˈɪmᵻɾi tə tʃaɪɚɹˈɛlɪz fˈaɪɚɹɪŋ wɜːɹ ɪndˈɪkətˌɪv əvə kˈɔːzəl kənˈɛkʃən.