Interesting selection of words to ask for a source on a subject already discussed in length here.
Head Coaching Thread | Friedman: "[other suitor] hearing that a deal was done"
- Thread starter Bryanbryoil
- Start date
- Status
Interesting selection of words to ask for a source on a subject already discussed in length here.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
- Mar 3, 2004
- 33,049
- 12,691
I cant wait for this to happen
Has Speedyturtle commented in this thread yet?
I think McLellan will be a great fit. He is the HC I wanted all along. His lack of playoff success has more to do with the roster IMO.
I really respect Babcock and his accomplishments but I didnt want to see him coach this team at this time.
GMofOilers
Registered User
Well the feeling was mutual lol
Babcock didnt want to coach this team anyways
Todd M did, so lets just announce it!
Aerchon
Registered User
- Jul 20, 2011
- 10,517
- 3,707
Exactly opposite of what I've seen/read and that's been speculated by the reporters on tsn. Seems more likely, as strange as it seems, that the Oilers were not interested in Babcock. Versus the other way around.
No way to know for sure of course.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
- Mar 3, 2004
- 33,049
- 12,691
The thing is no one knows for sure what Babcocks preferences are and to what extent the Oilers reached out to him.
Nicholson has had plenty of interactions with Babcock in the last couple of years to know exactly what he is about. Same with McLellan.
I have no idea why anybody would have an issue with Nicholson (with his past exposure to virtually all of the high level hockey people) targeting the man they think is the right fit and closing the deal as quickly as possible.
Thats the prudent thing to do IMO.
PBandJ
If it didn't happen in the 80's, it didn't happen
I'll wait before getting excited. McLellan's teams tended to collapse far too many times for my liking.
They collapse after incredible seasons usually that end up in the playoffs. This is the first year he didn't make it in his career in the NHL as a coach.
AVE MAN
Registered User
Cant we say the same for Babcock? Hell, didn't he lose to MacTavish in 2006 when Detroit clearly had the better team. Say what you want about MacT but he out coached Babcock in that series. Under a microscope, we can poke holes in a lot of coaching resumes.
Frank the Tank
The Godfather
As I mentioned previously, the same criticisms were leveled at Quenneville and Sutter a decade ago, and they proved their doubters wrong. Now you see Boudreau and Vigneault shaking off similar criticism. Good coaches cannot single-handedly win the Stanley Cup.
Uchiha
Registered User
- Jun 14, 2014
- 2,612
- 289
I don't know about you but all I care about right now is watching a playoff series again.
A coach can only do so much. You need good leadership on the ice too.
The coach isn't there for you right before the faceoffs or after an icing call, you need someone rallying the boys on the ice too.
EDIT: this is me saying SJ didn't have those on ice leaders. Jumbo Joe is damn good and a tough mother effer, but how often did you see him calming the bench or pumping them up when the going got tough? He just disappeared like his teammates, lost in himself.
I think Hendricks is one of those guys, Gordon is a calming presence too, and a little bit of Lander. Would like to see how the leadership dynamic changes for this team during the playoffs!
The coach isn't there for you right before the faceoffs or after an icing call, you need someone rallying the boys on the ice too.
EDIT: this is me saying SJ didn't have those on ice leaders. Jumbo Joe is damn good and a tough mother effer, but how often did you see him calming the bench or pumping them up when the going got tough? He just disappeared like his teammates, lost in himself.
I think Hendricks is one of those guys, Gordon is a calming presence too, and a little bit of Lander. Would like to see how the leadership dynamic changes for this team during the playoffs!
Last edited:
rboomercat90
Registered User
Why would Chiarelli be intested in Holland's opinion on whether or not Babcock wants to coach the Oilers? We already know Holland wants to keep him. Why would he trust him if Holland told him he wasn't? That's what doesn't make any sense to me. You've got to figure if Chiarelli was truly interested in Babcock he'd want to talk to him HIMSELF to try and convince him to come. From what we've been led to believe, that hasn't happened and isn't going to.
lakai17
Registered User
- Aug 10, 2006
- 20,922
- 1,329
That's the Sharks team as a whole. It did not take much to add to that team when Thornton and Marleau were in their prime.
NewBoysClub97*
All-Star
I still don't understand how people talk about collapses when the rosters are going to be completely different. What is a coach supposed to do? Go out on the ice and help the guys that should finish a series off?
It makes no sense to me when I read comments like that. Is the coach supposed to wave his fingers and give everybody more "compete"? A guy like Thornton never looked like he had that "fire" inside him to me.
Sometimes I think too much emphasis is put on coaching.
It makes no sense to me when I read comments like that. Is the coach supposed to wave his fingers and give everybody more "compete"? A guy like Thornton never looked like he had that "fire" inside him to me.
Sometimes I think too much emphasis is put on coaching.
NewBoysClub97*
All-Star
This is where coaching comes in a lot. How you handle your players. Besides X's and O's, etc, you have to be good at handling players.
It's like what Sather said. You are basically a psychologist and different players require different treatment.
One guy might run out on the ice and step it up after a tongue lashing. The other guy might just sulk if you treat him that way.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
- Mar 3, 2004
- 33,049
- 12,691
I think you have touched on the main underlying reason why the Sharks couldn't get over the hump. When the defacto team leader cant dig down deep enough to become a reliable playoff contributor then it speaks volumes about the roster put together by the GM.
Big Joes offensive playoff contributions (compared to the regular season) drop by almost 25% overall.
Not good enough.
In addition (by all reports) the Sharks dressing room has its fair share of dysfunction. For example...apparently the owner has made it clear publically that big Joe isnt going anywhere...ever.
Nice of the owner to remove any and all accountability from Joes performance.
If Joe is untouchable then what is this team doing? Is it rebuilding or not? Who knows.
It was definitely time for TM to vacate San Jose. Whoever gets hired there has a mess to clean up and little to no say in how it gets done.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
- Mar 3, 2004
- 33,049
- 12,691
Disagree.
I watched that series pretty closely and MacT completely out coached Babcock in terms of systems and line matchups.
The Oilers simply shut down Detroits offensive chances in that series.
Roloson was leaned on more heavily in the following rounds.
NewBoysClub97*
All-Star
Yup, Mac T out coached Detroit. He changed the system for that series. He had guys keeing the opposition to the outside and a bigger emphasis on blocking shots.
I remember reading player quotes. They said once they had some success with it against a team like Detroit they all started believing and buying in.
I remember reading player quotes. They said once they had some success with it against a team like Detroit they all started believing and buying in.
Nah, popular narrative at the time was MacT was utilizing his bench better.
Though, the gap between the Oilers and Red Wings that year wasn't as big as the standings suggested. The Oilers had the leagues worst goaltending for 60+ games, but were able to survive it because they were elite in other respects (allowed the leagues fewest shots, leagues best blockers, top-10 PK, lots of two way depth, top-2 defenseman in the game).
McGlassbangers
Registered User
PositiveCashFlow
Snowmen fall to earth unassembled
- Jul 10, 2007
- 5,776
- 2,613
Bum
Ontario Oiler fan
- Status
