Confirmed with Link: MacTavish and Van Ryn gone

[Davimir Tarablad]

Paging Mike Yeo

 

[Blueston]

Bannister moving up to the big squad?

that was my first thought..

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Ott stays. I think he will keep being a candidate for head coaching jobs the next few years. No more tabbed coach in waiting please. If he some day coaches the Blues, fine, but not a predetermined hire.

The new assistants will be important hires.

 

[Xerloris]

Awesome! Let's get Barry Melrose and Mike Keenan!!!

Quinville?

 

[mk80]

Bannister moving up to the big squad?

He's definitely earned a promotion with what he's done in Springfield and San Antonio the last few years. Daniel Tkaczuk has been with him as Associate Head Coach with our affiliates since the Wolves in 2018 so moving him into the HC role in Springfield would likely be a good fit too.

A combination of moving Bannister up and hiring someone with some recent prior NHL experience would be good I think.

 

[Kylester]

Bannister moving up to the big squad?

If that's the plan, they will most likely wait until the T-Birds are done in the playoffs. But he got the T-Birds to the championship series last season, got them to the playoffs this season, and had great success with Sault St. Marie in junior hockey. It may not be NHL experience, but the track record is definitely there.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

If that's the plan, they will most likely wait until the T-Birds are done in the playoffs. But he got the T-Birds to the championship series last season, got them to the playoffs this season, and had great success with Sault St. Marie in junior hockey. It may not be NHL experience, but the track record is definitely there.

I'm definitely on board with Bannister getting called up as an assistant or associate coach with Berube and Ott.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I wonder if they look at any CHL head coaches for the next assistant role replacing MacTavish. Someone that might be young and confident but also emphasizes developing and bringing the best out of each player. Which is something this team desperately needs IMO.

That would probably be the two internal guys some have already mentioned - Bannister and Tkaczuk.

Tkaczuk was an Asst/skills coach for the Blues for 1 season. Pretty sure it was the year before they won the Cup. He was Wolves Asst before that and then after that season, was right back in that role (AHL assistant) and has been there ever since. I always wondered exactly why he wasn’t kept on the NHL staff and if they made some sort of determination he wasn’t ready for that or something.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Hitchcock back behind the bench???

 

[Blueston]

That would probably be the two internal guys some have already mentioned - Bannister and Tkaczuk.

Tkaczuk was an Asst/skills coach for the Blues for 1 season. Pretty sure it was the year before they won the Cup. He was Wolves Asst before that and then after that season, was right back in that role (AHL assistant) and has been there ever since. I always wondered exactly why he wasn’t kept on the NHL staff and if they made some sort of determination he wasn’t ready for that or something.

I think more likely he takes over Springfield and bannister replaces MVR. the other guy would then be outside voice, someone like Brad Shaw or similar.

 

[BlueDream]

Thank the lord. Now we actually have some hope for next season.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I think more likely he takes over Springfield and bannister replaces MVR. the other guy would then be outside voice, someone like Brad Shaw or similar.

I expect Bannister to get one of the NHL Asst jobs.

Not sure they’d be comfortable with Tkaczuk taking over as Springfield HC though. He’s never been a HC AFAIK. Asst at every level. Then again, maybe he’s shown he can be that guy. Takes a certain type of personality to be a successful HC IMO. Brad Shaw doesn’t have it. I don’t think Davis Payne had it. No idea if Tkaczuk does or doesn’t. Just thinking out loud.

 

[Blueston]

I expect Bannister to get one of the NHL Asst jobs.

Not sure they’d be comfortable with Tkaczuk taking over as Springfield HC though. He’s never been a HC AFAIK. Asst at every level. Then again, maybe he’s shown he can be that guy. Takes a certain type of personality to be a successful HC IMO. Brad Shaw doesn’t have it. I don’t think Davis Payne had it. No idea if Tkaczuk does or doesn’t. Just thinking out loud.

I don’t know if he has what it takes to win either, but he has paid his dues so if we think he does this would be time or he likely leaves (if bannister gets nhl job and he doesn’t either get assistant job here or replace bannister).

 

[Majorityof1]

That's a good start, but only a half-measure. Fire all the assistants. Get rid of Ott and Alexander too. Ott's just a dick. Don't care what kind of coach he is. So fire him for that. Alexander was Jake Allen's personal coach. We hired him to work with Jake Allen. Allen left. Why'd we keep Alexander? He is turning Binnington into a headcase too. Can him before he ruins Hofer.

 

[ScratchCatFever]

Bannister moving up to the big squad?

I had the same thought.. However, I wonder if the organization may feel it's best to let this next batch of prospects from this year's draft and the guys 2-3 years ahead of them come up through the pipeline with him since he's proven to be a steady hand.. I guess it would depend on his potential replacements. If I remember correctly, when he was initially hired there were thoughts that we had hired our potential head coach of the big club when that time presented itself. If this team looks overmatched and disinterested over the course of 82 games next season he may get his shot.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Schoenfeld and Milbury as replacements. Make it so, Army!.. I'll see myself out..

How about Payne and Yeo?

 

[BrokenFace]

Hitchcock back behind the bench???

Hitch, Yeo, and Payne all coming in. Ott becomes the goalie coach; teaches Binner how to agitate better.

 

[DoubleK81]

Hitch, Yeo, and Payne all coming in. Ott becomes the goalie coach; teaches Binner how to agitate better.

Dont forget Andy Murray

 

[ScratchCatFever]

How about Payne and Yeo?

I always thought they were the same person.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Dont forget Andy Murray

He never got as much credit as he deserved. That team was never going to be very good, but he got them playing hard, and taught young players how to compete it this league. Plenty of guys who came up with Murray became difference makers later, not least of which was Perron.

 

[BrokenFace]

Dont forget Andy Murray

Oh I'll never forget him. That 3 goal comeback he gave up to Vancouver on New Year's Eve made sure of that.

 

[mk80]

He never got as much credit as he deserved. That team was never going to be very good, but he got them playing hard, and taught young players how to compete it this league. Plenty of guys who came up with Murray became difference makers later, not least of which was Perron.

Hugh McGing also played for him at Western Michigan so he's had an impact on our prospects too

 

[Xerloris]

He never got as much credit as he deserved. That team was never going to be very good, but he got them playing hard, and taught young players how to compete it this league. Plenty of guys who came up with Murray became difference makers later, not least of which was Perron.

I mean Perron wasn't good until he played with Crosby and learned what real compete was.

 

[Reality Czech]

I get that sense. Doesn't hurt that Ott has been made very comfortable in St. Louis since he was acquired in 2013, what with getting (grossly) overpaid on that next contract and then being plopped behind the bench when he retired with zero coaching experience but guys on the locker room like him as his major selling point.

Does it help if the players like him? Depends, do you need coaches to be liked by the players? Scotty Bowman was legendary for being disliked by his players, and he still managed to win the Cup 9 times as a head coach. I can go find a list of coaches who were really liked by their players, who did a shit job. I'm just asking what's so special about Ott that every time people complain about the shit coaching on this team, he's always omitted from the discussion - and the players like him isn't it.

It's a worthwhile question to ask. It seems to me that the assistants are expected to be more friendly with the players and considered "one of the boys" whereas a head coach is not. From most accounts, Ott is a likeable guy and it's easy to see why. But is he put in this position simply because he is well-liked and Berube and Armstrong want him to succeed, or because he's the best guy for the job? Is he improving behind the scenes to the point where he deserves a bigger role?

Regarding him as a potential head coach, would he be able to separate himself from the boys and become more of an individual voice in the locker room, or is he simply more suited to be in a supporting role as kind of a liason between the players and coaching/management? I guess time will tell.

As for McTavish, he was probably always supposed to be a temporary option. I'm pretty sure Berube is not an Xs and Os head coach and leaves a lot of the on-ice specifics to his assistants, so who they bring in next year will say a lot about our approach for next season. I think it's a lock that at least one of the new hires will be a known name with a lot of experience, but I have no idea who that might be at this stage.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

I wouldn't be shocked in Bannister stays as the AHL HC and gets the NHL job IF Berube gets fired next season. This is something teams have done, promoting AHL head coaches to the NHL job midseason. Like Woodcroft in EDM or Keefe in TOR.