OT: Around the NHL: We Talkin' 'Bout Coaching?

[Dying Alive]

Whoopsie.

 

[End of Line]

He literally played 17 games for Mike Babcock. That hate, there's something to it and as weird as Mike is, he doesn't just randomly hate a dude he's played with or for without reason, that much I can say about reading about the guy and the stuff he says.

There also aren't a ton of players that Mike has coached that have glowing things to say about him, outside of the super nice dudes like Crosby who seems to never bad mouth any coach.

Doesn't Filppula have an issue with Babcock as well?

Or am I just making that up lol

 

[Shockmaster]

Yikes. Who are those guys playing defense behind Keith and Seabrook for the Blackhawks?

And people want to **** on the Penguins defense....

 

[BHD]

Doesn't Filppula have an issue with Babcock as well?

Or am I just making that up lol

I had to look that up, and it's hard to say. The reports, which were ambiguous, made it sound he wasn't a big fan of Babcock.

Yikes. Who are those guys playing defense behind Keith and Seabrook for the Blackhawks?

And people want to **** on the Penguins defense....

Hjalmarsson was the wrong guy moved. One can safely assume, though, that GMs dismissed Brent Seabrook and his contract. And yes, that defense looks pretty bad.

 

[The Gobfather*]

Yikes. Who are those guys playing defense behind Keith and Seabrook for the Blackhawks?

And people want to **** on the Penguins defense....

Nope intangibles is all that matters

 

[WayneSid9987]

I believe thats why coach Q was so livid at the draft and went missing on day 1. He hated that Hjarlmasson deal and needed to walk it off.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

Who needs defensemen when you have Toews?

 

[mpp9]

So by my math, Panarin, Hossa, Hammer, Darling out. Saad, Sharp, Murphy, Forsberg in.

Get help for Toews at the expense of Kane. Hossa > Sharp. Hammer >>>> Murphy. Darling is a possible starter. Forsberg has proven nothing.

They get minimal cap relief and aren't better.

 

[66-30-33]

How are they not getting a penalty for that Hossa fiasco? it's clear they did this because he only makes 1M and they get rid of the cap hit. Something should happen to them like losing the 1st round draft pick.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Andrew Ference officially retired yesterday:

https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/andrew-ference-announces-retirement/c-290386094

Good and long career for an 8th round pick.

He retired on 3rd place in regular season games played by a defenseman drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins:

1. Doug Bodger 1071 GP
2. Michal Rozsival 963 GP
3. Andrew Ference 907 GP
4. Brooks Orpik 901 GP
5. Rob Scuderi 783 GP
6. Chris Tamer 644 GP
7. Alex Goligoski 644 GP
8. Zarley Zalapski 637 GP
9. Colin Campbell 636 GP
10. Kris Letang 603 GP

Good ole Ference. I always like that guy. Had some good games for us in the pre-firesale years. I think he was on that last decent playoff team wasn't he? With Kasparaitis, "Weight Pile Straka" and the gang?

 

[Vujtek]

Good ole Ference. I always like that guy. Had some good games for us in the pre-firesale years. I think he was on that last decent playoff team wasn't he? With Kasparaitis, "Weight Pile Straka" and the gang?

Yeah, 10 points in 18 games during '01 playoffs. Leading point scorer amongst Pens' D-men.

Ference got the secondary assist to Jagr's final goal as a Pittsburgh Penguin. Mario had the primary assist.

Ference also got the secondary assist to Lemieux's final playoff point. Mario had the primary assist to Straka's goal in game 5 against the Devils, the game that ended Penguins' season.

 

[ColePens]

So by my math, Panarin, Hossa, Hammer, Darling out. Saad, Sharp, Murphy, Forsberg in.

Get help for Toews at the expense of Kane. Hossa > Sharp. Hammer >>>> Murphy. Darling is a possible starter. Forsberg has proven nothing.

They get minimal cap relief and aren't better.

I hate what Chicago did equally to what LV did this summer. Blown chances, IMO. But Chicago at least has talent and can make a run even with their mistakes.

But just to say, Hossa is >>>>>>>> Sharp. Not just one. Hossa is definitely better.

 

[clefty]

Ference used to post on the forums on the old site boards about 17 years ago, he started when he was still in Wilkes-Barre. Happy trails, HogTracks.

 

[ColePens]

Ference was a small defender when it wasn't status quo to have a small defender in your line up. The guy went on to have a long career and earn about 26-27m. Major props to that man.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I don't get how the Hawks are allowed to put Hossa on LTIR. Everything about that whole situation just screams under the table pay offs to doctors to make it all ok to do. I hope some GM's make enough of a stink about it to get it investigated and turned over so the Hawks are penalized heavily for first attempting to circumvent the cap, then also the shady crap to make it all happen.

I wouldn't just take their 1st away. I would give them a cap penalty of Hossa's cap hit for the rest of his contract as dead cap space, not use-able like the LTIR crap, just dead cap space for another 4yrs at 5.25m. And have them forfeit their next 1st round pick and a max penalty from the league.

Ference was a small defender when it wasn't status quo to have a small defender in your line up. The guy went on to have a long career and earn about 26-27m. Major props to that man.

Ference wasn't that small though, I think people just thought he was. He's 5'11"...when you look at the average height of defensemen all-time, I feel like he's probably at par or an inch shorter than the average. Ference seemed pretty bitter with the Penguins though.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Didn't the Pens FO make a big deal about Ferance's diabetes too? I forget the specifics, but I thought that was part of the reason they got rid of him.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

They got tired of seeing that Wilford Brimley picture above Ference's locker every day.

 

[clefty]

Ference wasn't that small though, I think people just thought he was. He's 5'11"...when you look at the average height of defensemen all-time, I feel like he's probably at par or an inch shorter than the average. Ference seemed pretty bitter with the Penguins though.

Yes, he really was. At the time he broke into the league, he was absolutely tiny for defensemen.

From about the mid-90s, and right up until the 05 lockout, defensemen that weren't around 6'2 were considered undersized. And they were undervalued. There's a reason freaking Derian Hatcher got a Norris nomination while Brian Rafalski never got close. It's also why despite being a strong junior performer, Ference only went in the 8th round, was unranked by Central Scouting and received no invites for workouts or interviews. He actually drafted a letter to send to every team in the league pre-draft asking for a chance.

In the late 90s especially, with Chris Pronger winning the Hart, all anyone wanted was big men on defense.

A lack of size on the blueline was a common complaint about CP's Penguins. Which is why he was always trying to add hulking giants back there, most infamously with the Zubov for Hatcher trade and his "we need a warrior" remarks that accompanied it. Then there was Peter Popovic, Mike Wilson, Jamie Pushor, Rick Berry and Dan Focht. The day we got rid of Ference we acquired Shawn Heins. Nuff said.

It's only been fairly recently the lumbering defenseman has started becoming obsolete.

Didn't the Pens FO make a big deal about Ferance's diabetes too? I forget the specifics, but I thought that was part of the reason they got rid of him.

I don't remember that. But there was definitely some kind of falling out with the coaching staff and management that predicated his trade. I do remember the rumblings.

He was never nearly as good for us as he was the year we went to the Conference Finals, the Mario comeback season. He was on the top powerplay during he playoffs, on the point opposite Kovalev. He was pretty terrible the following season, despite some excellent games where he was matched up against Jagr and owned him. I remember thinking at the time, "What the hell is this guy's problem? Why can't he do this every game?" But looking back at it now at the career he had since we dumped him, it's pretty clear he wasn't being coached well. Over that span of four or five years, none of our guys were, frankly.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Bouillon, Rafalski, Boyle, Robidas and countless others are 5'11" and under.

I think this size queen stat about 6'2" being undersized is more to the extent what Gm's wanted and were drafting. But the league was filled with guys that height.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Brian Campbell retires

 

[Extra Texture]

Just want to take a moment to savor this. And because I dont think it can be bumped enough times. Love this team.

Love how it's a 25 year patch in the first photo and a 50 year patch in the second.

I know, I love that symmetry too. Geno's patch too. I love the idea that in the NHL's 75th year/franchises 25th year, we were back to back champions, and now in the team's 50th/NHL's centenary, we're back to back again. Its just too perfect.

My only wish is that they had done a goofy version in which they both had medium/long mullets

 

[Clare2904]

As posted on the hunt for the 3c thread, Pageau settles with OTT

 

[Burgs]

Brian Campbell retires

That's a guy who just seemed to fade away but had a real good career. Over 500 points in nearly 1,100 games. Funny how Campbell, an undersized offensive defenseman who topped 60 points once and 50 points twice and won a Lady Byng, will primarily be remembered for throwing one of the hardest open ice hits of all time:

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

That's a guy who just seemed to fade away but had a real good career. Over 500 points in nearly 1,100 games. Funny how Campbell, an undersized offensive defenseman who topped 60 points once and 50 points twice and won a Lady Byng, will primarily be remembered for throwing one of the hardest open ice hits of all time:

NHL Hockey presented by Outdoor Life Network

What a time that was to be alive

 

[Randy Butternubs]

That's a guy who just seemed to fade away but had a real good career. Over 500 points in nearly 1,100 games. Funny how Campbell, an undersized offensive defenseman who topped 60 points once and 50 points twice and won a Lady Byng, will primarily be remembered for throwing one of the hardest open ice hits of all time:

I remember watching that live. Ridiculously hard hit.