Vachon23
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I know a lot where not sure with him when he was hired, but props to him he did an amazing job in his 1st year here.
Laval Rocket: Jean-François Houle Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Adam Michaels
- Start date
He had stretches where he was band aiding this team and they still won.
I was impressed with how he was able to always ice a team that was competitive.
Injuries, call ups...he still got it done
Vachon23
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I'm curious to see if Woodcroft will try to bring him in his staff with EDM
Pompeius Magnus
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Redux91
I do Three bullets.
Intangir
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JF Houle has been very good for us this year, and I hope he coaches Laval for a long while yet.
Our AHL affiliate has seen a lot of bad coaches (genuinely terrible ones also, like Lefevbre) over the last few decades, and having someone of Houle's competence holding the reins for the next couple years could be key to us reversing our prospect development woes.
Our AHL affiliate has seen a lot of bad coaches (genuinely terrible ones also, like Lefevbre) over the last few decades, and having someone of Houle's competence holding the reins for the next couple years could be key to us reversing our prospect development woes.
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Scintillating10
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Most players he sends up seem to do well. Xhekaj, Roy, Struble. Even Armia
Adam Michaels
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You're not wrong. Not just this year, but last year, as well.
- Belzile
- Richard
- RHP
- Ylonen (last year he was better in MTL than he is this year)
These guys were called up at different points and fit into the team. They weren't just filler, but would contribute. On that end, I think JF Houle deserves praise.
Another thing he needed to do was adapt to what Marty wanted to implement when he came on board. JF Houle was hired by MB and was under the Ducharme tenure. And when Marty came on board, JF Houle had to adapt to the way MSL wanted the team to play.
I feel like because his contract is up, they might look elsewhere to bring in a new coaching staff. But it wouldn't surprise me if they extend him, as well. MSL has praised Houle. Gorton has, as well, on a podcast (I believe with Marinaro).
So the organization seems to value his work with getting players ready for the NHL. And not just the prospects, but even vets like Belzile and Richard, and this year Armia and Gignac.
I do know Buchberger will leave after this year. Rumors had him leaving last year to head back to western Canada, but he decided to stay another year since he was still under contract. So we know at least he will be gone.
Scintillating10
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Adam Michaels
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Very likely.
But one thing that needs to be considered is Laval is one of the youngest teams in the AHL. A lot of first and second year pros who have to learn the ropes of professional hockey. JF Houle said at the start of the year that it will take time before the team can get going because of that.
1st year pros: Roy, Kidney, Mailloux, Struble, Farrell, Dobes, Davidson & now joining them is Reinbacher, who has played pro hockey, but never in NA. Also Heineman, who joined late last year, but this is his first full season in NA.
2nd year pros: Simoneau, Trudeau, Xhekaj, Mysak (now gone) & Norlinder (also played pro hockey in Europe, but second year in NA).
Barron and Perreault are third year pros.
All of the guys I listed are 23 and younger.
So when assessing his performance as a coach at the end of the year, the fact he had a very young and inexperienced team might earn him the "benefit of the doubt" in the organization's mind.
Adam Michaels
Registered User
No one's a Sylvain Lefebvre. To lose and not develop anyone? That's a rare breed of coach charged with developing your prospects.
The organization as a whole was terrible in that department. Granted, they didn't have much quality to work with, but that shouldn't have stopped them from developing the few good ones they had. The worst part is that when those players would get called up, they had MT as the coach punishing them for making mistakes (benching or scratching).
A veritable petri dish that could foster no growth.
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Adam Michaels
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Egresch
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They had 15 points from 22 games, terrible start. Since then, they run at .646 which would be 5th in the league.
This was management fault as they let the team with two rookie goalies who were struggling heavily. You cannot blame Houle.
Even Stephens and Gignac looked good, especially comparing to White.
I'll take a coach like Houle who is willing to be a part of the development process, and follow instructions and get the players ready for the NHL club at the expense of a few wins over Sly who couldn't develop or win, or the Bouche brothers who were only in it for themselves looking for a quick promotion instead of developing the players.
Goalie stats were a lot more on the defensive performance than the actual goalies. Mann has been dissapointing, but unless you think Dobes went from trash to treasure within the year, there's a much simpler explanation.
This also fit with both Norlinder and Mailloux being the worst in the AHL in +/- for a good part of the year.
Egresch
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Agree, I watched few games at season start and Laval D zone defending looked pathetic. I liked vets Bisson, Galipeau, but as you stated Mailloux, Norlinder and even Trudeau were really struggling. Goalies did not help them at all and made it even worse.
Houle even had a huge roster at the beginning of season, so he was in really tough situation. Even Mešár was kept with the team for few weeks. You cannot prepare the team when you have 40 players on ice.
I mean, he is not perfect, but he basically ticks all of the boxes of realistic expectations.
Vachon23
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And Houle and Hughes knows each other since a longtime
Gabriel Sagala
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- Sep 8, 2019
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This
I mean, Dobes was absolute trash for 2 months, letting 3..4..5 goals in each start.
He then bouce back in December but if he would have goaled that way from the beginning of the season, or just "in the average " than a .86 efficiency 4.06 GAA .. we would not be in a battle spot for playoff, we would be in, by 4-6 pts.
Vachon23
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