Hitchcock

[ColeJ]

I don’t know who all is available but I would target a coach with a good track record with offensively talented defensemen. We need someone who can speak Klingberg, Honka and Miro.

???

 

[Smelling Salt]

^

 

[WhatWhat]

I dont want hitch back but I also dont want AV. He has the same issue with trusting youth and will drive you up the wall if you are in the camp that thought Honka and Smith should have gotten much more TOI

 

[BrettHullsToe]

Yeah, I'm done with NHL coaching retreads - they were all fired for a reason and that reason is typically being unwilling or unable to adapt to the modern NHL. There's an entire next generation of NHL coaches in the minors/NCAA/foreign leagues - it's just a matter of finding one of the good ones and setting us up for the next 5 years.

 

[Agalloch]

 

[Morry83]

Bye bye

 

[Smelling Salt]

dancingontheceiling.gif

 

[Morry83]

Can’t wait for us to hire AV now and be no better than we were before this announcement.

 

[Troy McClure]

Hitch didn't do a very good job this season, and it also looked like he was miserable doing the job.

 

[Magic Mittens]

Well better now then later. Wonder who Nill will be looking at now. Maybe Trotz will get let go if the caps get an early bounce again

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Hitch retired by letter, no press conference. Wonder if that means anything.

Yeah, I would take Trotz over AV.

 

[JesusNPucks]

With this news, it seems more evident to me that Hitch was a TG hire instead of GMJN 2.0 hire. I find it unlikely that Nill would be allowed to have three different coaches in three years without a seriously hot seat. That, and the fact that it seemed like such an abrupt shift in philosophy.

To me, this could also mean Nill's inactivity at the TDL makes more sense. Why would he overpay to try and salvage something that he isn't fully on board with or just doesn't believe in? He could see that it was a hot mess. Just a guess, of course...

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

The hire always had TG's fingerprints on it, it seemed pretty obvious.

Yes, would explain no activity at the TDL if they were already looking forward to next year as well as reports of friction between Nill and Hitch, or at least not being on the same page.

Wasted year in that Nill spends five years drafting for possession play and then they bring in Hitch for dump and chase with little used Honka being the prime example of the disconnect, and perhaps Hanzel being a "Hitch type player" acquisition, despite declining production and injury history. Worse yet, between money invested in non productive centers MH and JS, we will be a bit strapped to actually fix the center position.

 

[jballa95]

I wonder if Nill respectfully asked him to retire and become an advisor. Not even a week ago Hitchcock in his exit interview, there was no indication of him retiring, in fact he spoke almost exclusively about how he was going to prepare for next season. It all just kinda came out of the blue. Nonetheless, it was the right move for both the team and for Hitch.

 

[northstars]

With this news, it seems more evident to me that Hitch was a TG hire instead of GMJN 2.0 hire. I find it unlikely that Nill would be allowed to have three different coaches in three years without a seriously hot seat. That, and the fact that it seemed like such an abrupt shift in philosophy.

To me, this could also mean Nill's inactivity at the TDL makes more sense. Why would he overpay to try and salvage something that he isn't fully on board with or just doesn't believe in? He could see that it was a hot mess. Just a guess, of course...

I agree

 

[northstars]

The hire always had TG's fingerprints on it, it seemed pretty obvious.

Yes, would explain no activity at the TDL if they were already looking forward to next year as well as reports of friction between Nill and Hitch, or at least not being on the same page.

Wasted year in that Nill spends five years drafting for possession play and then they bring in Hitch for dump and chase with little used Honka being the prime example of the disconnect, and perhaps Hanzel being a "Hitch type player" acquisition, despite declining production and injury history. Worse yet, between money invested in non productive centers MH and JS, we will be a bit strapped to actually fix the center position.

Hope Hanzel goes on LTIR and a buyout for Spezza. Would free over 10 million in cap sapce. That said Spezza might have a little more in the tank with the right coach who uses him properly. Also Spezza needs talent on his wings so he can dish them the puck.

 

[jballa95]

Everyone is saying that Honka is cheering and jumping because of Hitch gone. I think he's still sitting in a corner somewhere staring at a wall mumbling Hitch's name while twitching. But in all seriousness, I hope he shows off his abilities at the WC to gain his confidence back a little.

 

[ZeHockeyFan]

Also Spezza needs talent on his wings so he can dish them the puck.

I think that Spezza is likely done and any improvements you see next season- if he plays here- will be because the bar he set was way too low. However, I agree that management never really found a pair of players or even one player to stick with him consistently on the wing. Hemsky, Hudler, Ritchie, Nichushkin, Shore, Elie Hanzal...a whole bunch of non-compatible/can't shoot to save their lives kinda players or consistently injured players there. The year (2016) he had Sharp/Eaves with him off and on, he delivered in spades.