Speculation: Offseason coaching thread: Should they stay or should they go?

[BusinessGoose]

I have 3?

Marc Andre Patrick?

 

[OnMyOwn]

I don’t know how much it matters. I’m pretty sure we won’t be happy with anything at this point, haha.

 

[Andy99]

I don’t know how much it matters. I’m pretty sure we won’t be happy with anything at this point, haha.

Right…because all the options come with Sullivan remaining head coach lol

I love how everyone is up in arms because the Leafs have only won one PO series in Keefe’s tenure…and meanwhile the Pens are going on for a longer period of time without winning a series, and even missed the POs altogether the last two years, and yet we should all be fine running it back with our head coach lol

 

[Jacob]

Since Keefe already has AHL success and a Calder Cup on his resume he’ll probably look for an NHL assistant job somewhere. If no head jobs are offered. Don’t see him in WB/S.

 

[Pens x]

You dont go from losing in 7 games to Boston while your star players were injured to coaching in the AHL.

I wonder if Reirden gets another gig in the NHL for next season, or if joins Hextall on outcast island.

 

[Gurglesons]

Sullivan, Keefe, Quinn. What a staff of f***ing losers we gonna have.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Queefe

 

[SEALBound]

No 100% to Quinn.

I would be okay with Keefe in WBS. I would be...okay-ish...with him as an assistant.

We just need Sullivan gone. That's the roadblock here. I have no idea how Keefe would do here. None. Could be a disaster for all we know. Thing is, we DO KNOW what it will be like with Sullivan. So Sullivan out for nearly any other coach is instantly more preferable because at least there's a "chance" of change.

 

[Malkinstheman]

I could see Keefe coming here as assistant and then being made the head coach after the team looks horrid in December.

 

[Turin]

Keefe has flaws but he’s still a good coach and way too proven to go to the AHL again.

 

[Gurglesons]

I’d take Keefe over Sullivan as a head coach in a second.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I’d take Keefe over Sullivan as a head coach in a second.

Like I said, I hate to defend Keefe, but at least he's seen the second round in the last 5 years.

I'd be fine with him, I just am wary of all coaches in this league overstaying their welcome.

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

I’d be okay with Keefe if it wasn’t for the fact that we’d probably be stuck with him for 10 years because he’s Dubas’s boy. It would be like being stuck with Sullivan for 10 years without either of the Cups to go along with it.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I’d be okay with Keefe if it wasn’t for the fact that we’d probably be stuck with him for 10 years because he’s Dubas’s boy. It would be like being stuck with Sullivan for 10 years without either of the Cups to go along with it.

Which rules because we're stuck with Dubas for 7 years.

FSG sucks.

 

[66-30-33]

Marc Andre Patrick?

That last name is my first name.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Keefe should be fired this summer by the Leafs. Once that happens, I’d expect Doobler to try to bring him on as an assistant. Sullsma will see that as the threat that it is, and will try to resist that.

I would absolutely take Keefe over Sullsma, because Sullsma has lost the room and is way past his expiry date in Pittsburgh. That said, Keefe is not a good coach and is just a lackey for Doobler, but anyone is an upgrade over Sullsma as far as this Penguins team goes.

So if Keefe is our biggest hope for change, then bring on Keefe.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Queefe

Came here to say this!!

 

[Freeptop]

I had a terrifying thought: the Pens technically had three assistant coaches this past season (sorry, one "associate" and two assistants ). With Rierden gone, they might just decide to run with Hennes and Velucci and not even bring in anyone from the outside to change up what the players are hearing from behind the bench.

Just to make things worse, I could see Quinn then brought in to coach WB/S, and thus, still not threaten Sullivan's position as the NHL head coach, while giving him a buddy down in the AHL.

 

[Jacob]

I feel like there will be a new assistant and Dubas will have heavy input, and it’ll be someone with some kind of background that’d make them qualified to run a decent powerplay. I mean that’s the whole point of firing Reirden. His management of the D pairings isn’t the issue.

 

[cygnus47]

I feel like there will be a new assistant and Dubas will have heavy input, and it’ll be someone with some kind of background that’d make them qualified to run a decent powerplay. I mean that’s the whole point of firing Reirden. His management of the D pairings isn’t the issue.

Our D were pretty bad also. We had a lot of horrific pinches, double checking one guy and leaving dudes alone in front of our net this year.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I feel like there will be a new assistant and Dubas will have heavy input, and it’ll be someone with some kind of background that’d make them qualified to run a decent powerplay. I mean that’s the whole point of firing Reirden. His management of the D pairings isn’t the issue.

It's going to be fascinating to see how this plays out, both to replace Reirden and at the AHL level.

Dubas inherited a coaching staff led by Mike Babcock that already included Andrew Brewer, Jim Hiller, and D.J. Smith. Hiller and Smith were replaced by Dave Hakstol (Hiller went to the Islanders, following Lou Lamouriello out of Toronto, while Smith became the Senators' head coach).

McFarland lasted a year, went to the OHL for a year, then went to Seattle with Hakstol.

Brewer wasn't retained and ended up in Florida as the video coach and then in the AHL.

Paul MacLean and Manny Malhotra were brought in during the 2020-21 season. MacLean was 66 and moved to the front office after a year. Malhotra isn't on the bench during games and doesn't run the power play or penalty kill.

In 2021-22, Dubas and Keefe brought in Spencer Carberry and Dean Chynoweth to replace Hakstol and MacLean. Carberry ran the power play and is now the head coach of the Capitals. Chynoweth still runs the Leafs penalty kill.

Dubas didn't make any other assistant coach hires prior to his departure.

When Keefe was promoted from the Marlies in the AHL, Dubas hired Greg Moore to be that team's head coach. Moore was not retained by Shanahan after Dubas departed, and honestly, Dubas might not have retained him either. The performance wasn't there. Moore is now with the US National Team Development Program.

However, John Snowden was one of Moore's assistants and was highly regarded. He's been with Lehigh Valley this year and could be a candidate for WBS. He has head coaching experience in the ECHL.

What I see is a mix of experienced coaches on the rebound, as well as some young coaches on the rise. I also see a willingness to move on. I think it'll be rare to see assistant coaches staying for 5-7 years under Dubas.

 

[66-30-33]

I feel like there will be a new assistant and Dubas will have heavy input, and it’ll be someone with some kind of background that’d make them qualified to run a decent powerplay. I mean that’s the whole point of firing Reirden. His management of the D pairings isn’t the issue.

You mentioned Todd Nelson before.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Thank Christ we got 3 Cups with this core.

I doubt we’ll see any kind of success again for a long long long time (especially if we have Dumbass and Queef at the helm soon) so having seen 3 Cups it’s way less easier to not give a shit.

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

I had a terrifying thought: the Pens technically had three assistant coaches this past season (sorry, one "associate" and two assistants ). With Rierden gone, they might just decide to run with Hennes and Velucci and not even bring in anyone from the outside to change up what the players are hearing from behind the bench.

Just to make things worse, I could see Quinn then brought in to coach WB/S, and thus, still not threaten Sullivan's position as the NHL head coach, while giving him a buddy down in the AHL.

As long as someone takes on PP/D responsibilities, that could work. However, usually they prefer having experts for each area.

Technically, the assistant/associate/etc coaching staff IS under Sully. This means hiring should be Sully's responsibility. Dubas just gets to final green light it.

However, I can see Sully purposely only considering Quinn (for example), and Dubas refusing to green light it, which ultimately means no-one comes in.

That just sets the stage for round 2 of "Sully vs Dubas"!

 

[Gurglesons]

It's going to be fascinating to see how this plays out, both to replace Reirden and at the AHL level.

Dubas inherited a coaching staff led by Mike Babcock that already included Andrew Brewer, Jim Hiller, and D.J. Smith. Hiller and Smith were replaced by Dave Hakstol (Hiller went to the Islanders, following Lou Lamouriello out of Toronto, while Smith became the Senators' head coach).

McFarland lasted a year, went to the OHL for a year, then went to Seattle with Hakstol.

Brewer wasn't retained and ended up in Florida as the video coach and then in the AHL.

Paul MacLean and Manny Malhotra were brought in during the 2020-21 season. MacLean was 66 and moved to the front office after a year. Malhotra isn't on the bench during games and doesn't run the power play or penalty kill.

In 2021-22, Dubas and Keefe brought in Spencer Carberry and Dean Chynoweth to replace Hakstol and MacLean. Carberry ran the power play and is now the head coach of the Capitals. Chynoweth still runs the Leafs penalty kill.

Dubas didn't make any other assistant coach hires prior to his departure.

When Keefe was promoted from the Marlies in the AHL, Dubas hired Greg Moore to be that team's head coach. Moore was not retained by Shanahan after Dubas departed, and honestly, Dubas might not have retained him either. The performance wasn't there. Moore is now with the US National Team Development Program.

However, John Snowden was one of Moore's assistants and was highly regarded. He's been with Lehigh Valley this year and could be a candidate for WBS. He has head coaching experience in the ECHL.

What I see is a mix of experienced coaches on the rebound, as well as some young coaches on the rise. I also see a willingness to move on. I think it'll be rare to see assistant coaches staying for 5-7 years under Dubas.

Probably not. Will probably just be a bunch of guys who either are connected with Toronto or the Soo.