Speculation: Head Coach Hunt 2021

[SniperHF]

We need a separate thread for this one now

Here are the current rumors:

Friedman on the 31 thoughts podcast doubles down in the younger names that have been rumored so far as in Rocky Thompson, Leaman, Lambert, Van Ryn.

Says he’s not sure Van Ryn would be interested, sounds like speculation. Was asked about Stillman, says he’s hearing he’ll get a coaching gig, just “not yet.”

bummed we don’t seem to be considering Gallant or BB.

Click to read more...

 

[Summer Rose]

I vote for @RABBIT as head coach so we can throw sandwiches on the ice when we give up a goal at home.

 

[rt]

I think BA made it pretty clear we’re looking at candidates in their 40s so I’m thinking a good list of names would be (no particular order):

-Mike Van Ryn
-Rocky Thompson
-Nate Leaman
-Brad Larsen
-Kris Knoblauch
-Andre Tourigny

^ My Top3 from that list would be Thompson, Knoblauch and MVR.

If I had to make a wager, I’d probably bet my money on Leaman, MVR, or Thompson.

If it were up to me and I absolutely positively had to hire someone right this second and I couldn’t research or ask around, it’d be Rocky Thompson.

 

[Jakey53]

I think BA made it pretty clear we’re looking at candidates in their 40s so I’m thinking a good list of names would be (no particular order):

-Mike Van Ryn
-Rocky Thompson
-Nate Leaman
-Brad Larsen
-Kris Knoblauch
-Andre Tourigny

^ My Top3 from that list would be Thompson, Knoblauch and MVR.

If I had to make a wager, I’d probably bet my money on Leaman, MVR, or Thompson.

If it were up to me and I absolutely positively had to hire someone right this second and I couldn’t research or ask around, it’d be Rocky Thompson.

Has there ever been a NHL coach in their 40's take their team to the SC finals? I haven't looked it up, but I have my doubts. The chance of success with any of these coaches is going to be so small, and I fear we will be in the same position in two or three years. I know all you young bucks like all these young coaches, but the reality is you need experience, and lots of it, and even then it's tough to win. RT is gone so I will keep an open mind and cheer for the Yotes and the new coach and hope they have success, but I expect most of the posters here will be bitching and moaning again this time next year.

 

[Jamieh]

Has there ever been a NHL coach in their 40's take their team to the SC finals? I haven't looked it up, but I have my doubts. The chance of success with any of these coaches is going to be so small, and I fear we will be in the same position in two or three years. I know all you young bucks like all these young coaches, but the reality is you need experience, and lots of it, and even then it's tough to win. RT is gone so I will keep an open mind and cheer for the Yotes and the new coach and hope they have success, but I expect most of the posters here will be bitching and moaning again this time next year.

Laviolette, Bylsma, Doug Maclean, and so on

 

[rt]

Has there ever been a NHL coach in their 40's take their team to the SC finals? I haven't looked it up, but I have my doubts. The chance of success with any of these coaches is going to be so small, and I fear we will be in the same position in two or three years. I know all you young bucks like all these young coaches, but the reality is you need experience, and lots of it, and even then it's tough to win. I RT is gone so I will keep an open mind and cheer for the Yotes and the new coach and hope they have success, but I expect most of the posters here will be bitching and moaning again this time next year.

Talk to Bill Armstrong. "YOUNG" was literally the very first word out of his mouth when he started talking about what he was looking for. Rick Toccet is 57 years old. Did you think BA meant he wanted a 55 year old? I sure don't think that's what he meant, Jake.

-Mike Van Ryn: 41yrs old
-Rocky Thompson: 43yrs old
-Nate Leaman: 48yrs old
-Brad Larsen: 44yrs old
-Kris Knoblauch: 42 yrs old
-Andre Tourigny: 46yrs old

 

[rt]

Laviolette

More recently than that was Dan Bylsma in Pittsburgh and Mike Sullivan also in Pittsburgh (twice). There might be more. How old is Cooper?

 

[Jamieh]

More recently than that was Dan Bylsma in Pittsburgh and Mike Sullivan also in Pittsburgh (twice). There might be more. How old is Cooper?

Yeah I added a couple more, tgere have been many.

 

[Jakey53]

Talk to Bill Armstrong. "YOUNG" was literally the very first word out of his mouth when he started talking about what he was looking for. Rick Toccet is 57 years old. Did you think BA meant he wanted a 55 year old? I sure don't think that's what he meant, Jake.

-Mike Van Ryn: 41yrs old
-Rocky Thompson: 43yrs old
-Nate Leaman: 48yrs old
-Brad Larsen: 44yrs old
-Kris Knoblauch: 42 yrs old
-Andre Tourigny: 46yrs old

Read my post again. I know he said young, what I'm saying the chances of success with a coach in their 40's is small small small..

 

[rt]

Yeah I added a couple more, tgere have been many.

Yeah. Mike Babcock was like 45. Bob Hartley was in his very early 40s.

So I guess @Jakey53 - the answer to your question is that in the last 20 years, a coach in their 40s wins the Cup about half the time. LOL

 

[Jakey53]

Laviolette, Bylsma, Doug Maclean, and so on

Are you saying they were in their 40's when they took their team to the SC finals? You guys are right, but there are so few, and like I said our chances in winning aren't good. I guess time will tell. Can't be no worse than RT, I hope.

 

[rt]

Read my post again. I know he said young, what I'm saying the chances of success with a coach in their 40's is small small small..

Google. No it's not. It seems more likely to win a Cup with a coach in their 40s than one in their 60s, at least over the last couple of decades. Not sure what is was like when players smoked cigarettes on the bench and the coaches were drunk.

 

[rt]

Are you saying they were in their 40's when they took their team to the SC finals?

When they WON the Cup.

 

[Jamieh]

Read my post again. I know he said young, what I'm saying the chances of success with a coach in their 40's is small small small..

We have now given you probably 10 coaches that made the finals in their 40's, you asked if there were any??? Barry Melrose is another.

 

[rt]

1. 2001 Hartley *40s*
2. 2002 Bowman
3. 2003 Burns
4. 2004 Tortorella *40s*
5. 2005 CANCELLED
6. 2006 Laviolette *40s*
7. 2007 Carlyle
8. 2008 Babcock *40s*
9. 2009 Bylsma *40s*
10. 2010 Quenneville
11. 2011 Julien
12. 2012 Sutter
13. 2013 Quenneville
14. 2014 Sutter
15. 2015 Quenneville
16. 2016 Sullivan *40s*
17. 2017 Sullivan *40s*
18. 2018 Trotz
19. 2019 Berube
20. 2020 Cooper
For those 20 years, the count is SEVEN guys in their 40s and TWELVE guys not in their 40s and ONE cancelled season.

 

[Jamieh]

Marc Crawford, Lindy Ruff, Paul Marice, Torts, Mactavish, Therrien, heck it's pretty much every other year.

 

[rt]

Read my post again. I know he said young, what I'm saying the chances of success with a coach in their 40's is small small small..

And you should read my post again. You said that WE YOUNG BUCKS want a young coach. I'm telling you that is was the GENERAL MANAGER who said that. Not us. Most of us want Gallant or Torts or Boudreau. I would even rank Laxdal and Nelson hire than most of my 40s list. It's the team that wants a young coach.

My personal top three choices feature no coaches in their 40s.

1. Gallant
2. Boudreau
3. Nelson

After that I have some in their 40s and others in their 50s (Thompson, Laxdal, MVR, and Knoblauch)

I came up with the list I did based on media speculation and BA's own words. So I left out my own top choices. They're older than Tocchet. So it ain't gonna happen.

 

[rt]

Marc Crawford, Lindy Ruff, Paul Marice, Torts, Mactavish, Therrien, heck it's pretty much every other year.

I guess if we took the time to do a list of 40s or younger, 50s, and then 60s or over, it would be pretty even over the last 30 years. 40s and younger along with 50s would each definitely be higher than 60s or older.

 

[lanky]

Paul Maurice was head coach of the Eastern Conference champs at age 35.

 

[Jakey53]

1. 2001 Hartley *40s*
2. 2002 Bowman
3. 2003 Burns
4. 2004 Tortorella *40s*
5. 2005 CANCELLED
6. 2006 Laviolette *40s*
7. 2007 Carlyle
8. 2008 Babcock *40s*
9. 2009 Bylsma *40s*
10. 2010 Quenneville
11. 2011 Julien
12. 2012 Sutter
13. 2013 Quenneville
14. 2014 Sutter
15. 2015 Quenneville
16. 2016 Sullivan *40s*
17. 2017 Sullivan *40s*
18. 2018 Trotz
19. 2019 Berube
20. 2020 Cooper
For those 20 years, the count is SEVEN guys in their 40s and TWELVE guys not in their 40s and ONE cancelled season.

Good you looked it up. 35% chance of winning with a 40s coach and 60% chance winning with an older coach. Better than I thought. Still not good.

 

[rt]

Paul Maurice was head coach of the Eastern Conference champs at age 35.

In terms of winning Championships, 40s isn't notable better or worse than 50s or 60s, I'm guessing.

 

[rt]

Good you looked it up. 35% chance of winning with a 40s coach and 60% chance winning with an older coach. Better than I thought. Still not good.

That's not how it works, man. It's 40s versus the field. That's not apples to apples.

 

[Jamieh]

I guess if we took the time to do a list of 40s or younger, 50s, and then 60s or over, it would be pretty even over the last 30 years. 40s and younger along with 50s would each definitely be higher than 60s or older.

That was an interesting project. I would not have thought that many young coaches had success had it not been discussed.

 

[Jamieh]

Good you looked it up. 35% chance of winning with a 40s coach and 60% chance winning with an older coach. Better than I thought. Still not good.

You also didn't say winning, you said made the finals. That number goes up.

 

[Jakey53]

Marc Crawford, Lindy Ruff, Paul Marice, Torts, Mactavish, Therrien, heck it's pretty much every other year.

Man was I off base or what. I thought most were in their 50s.