THE Fire Torts Thread

[Maylo]

Just watch this beauty of offence. And then watch ours. Kindegarten play vs Oscar winning movie.

 

[TaketheCannoli]

To me that’s a disastrous approach though. It’s pretty much a given that John Madden is let go as the monsters coach. So do we hire someone who coaches a style Similiar to Torts , only to let him go at the beginning of the season ? Management has to know that Torts system is the reason this team struggles so badly on offense . Nearly every forward on this team is having one of their worst seasons , that’s not coincidence , and with the puckmovers we have on defense , there’s no excuse for it . Today is another example , we recall Zac Dalpe instead of Milano. There is no reason that Jenner can’t slide to center . He was actually much more engaged as a center when playing there , earlier this season .

Who decides what players are called up from the Monsters?

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Who decides what players are called up from the Monsters?

Would think that the GM/asst GMs have full authority. I would hope that the coaching staffs (minor league and NHL) would have some input as well.

 

[KJ Dangler]

Would think that the GM/asst GMs have full authority. I would hope that the coaching staffs (minor league and NHL) would have some input as well.

Based on interviews with Torts , and our revolving 4th line center that was occurring earlier in the season , sounds like Torts has big input as to what player is called up

 

[blahblah]

Torts isn't getting fired in the season. That's just not going to happen.

I try to never say anything definitive, nor should you. It's unlikely, but if this team continues to collapse it becomes more and more likely.

Most teams in the league, where there is an expectation to win, get less and less patient with head coaches. Frankly, at this point, I'm seeing more reasons to move on than to keep him. Torts is starting to go down the same route Richards did, he's running out of ideas.

 

[Maylo]

This coach has cultivated a culture that 2 goals deficit with 50 min to play is "tough" and hard to overcome, he talks about this publically, and some players repeat after him - Boone, Jones: "we scored 3 goals it schould be enough to win". Oh bo-hoo, we re down by 2 and it's still 2 periods of hockey, might as well pack it up and go home.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

This coach has cultivated a culture that 2 goals deficit with 50 min to play is "tough" and hard to overcome, he talks about this publically, and some players repeat after him - Boone, Jones: "we scored 3 goals it schould be enough to win". Oh bo-hoo, we re down by 2 and it's still 2 periods of hockey, might as well pack it up and go home.

Torts has bowed down to media pressure (and perhaps management demands) and really is a shell of himself anymore. He's a cantankerous, confrontational personality by nature-at least as a hockey coach.

Trying to be Mr. Positive Energy and Mr. Patience isn't who he is. No wonder he's completely ineffective anymore.

 

[cslebn]

If you could fire Torts (and however much of the staff), who would you replace him with?

 

[cslebn]

We're currently one point out of a playoff position with a game in hand with the two teams ahead of us for the wild card. I don't think Torts gets fired when we're still so close. If we lose 2-3 more games and that gap widens, I think we should let Torts go and give Larson a "try-out."


I know a lot of people have quips about Larson, but I think the powerplay has struggled mostly because of Torts. If you look at the Springfield Falcons, the only time they made the playoffs since 02-03 were the two years that Larson was the head coach. If we lose the next few games and the playoffs are out of reach, I wouldn't mind seeing a change, but I don't think that change happens when we're a point out of a WC spot with a game in hand.

Respectfully, the championship team from Lake Erie in 15/16 was with Bednar (now the Av's HC). Also if you look at the roster of that team:
Sedlak, Bjorkstrand, Werenski, Anderson, Forsberg, Korpisalo, Craig, Broadhurst, Zaar, Hannikainen, etc.
You have a bunch of guys that are now on our (or other) NHL roster or have at least gotten a taste of the NHL.

Not sure that earns Larson a shot more than it makes me wish we had kept Bednar.

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

If you could fire Torts (and however much of the staff), who would you replace him with?

Internally for the remainder of the season with Brad Shaw (I would can Larsen along with Torts).

If Chicago fires Coach Q in the offseason, then I throw the kitchen sink at him and bring him here.

 

[Sore Loser]

Internally for the remainder of the season with Brad Shaw (I would can Larsen along with Torts).

If Chicago fires Coach Q in the offseason, then I throw the kitchen sink at him and bring him here.

Our luck:

"I was going to sign in Columbus until they hit me with a kitchen sink"

-Quenneville in three years with his Stanley Cup champion Rangers.

 

[TaketheCannoli]

If you could fire Torts (and however much of the staff), who would you replace him with?

This makes me wonder. The Jackets under Richards and Arniel had no structure thus were weak defensively. Tortorella brought structure and discipline to their game. The offense has been anywhere from decent to terrible.

What if they brought in an assistant to run the offense?

When Gallant was the coach here they had an offense that was just ok, and zero structure or discipline. Defensively they just seemed to chase opponents en masse around the D zone.
Now those teams had little talent but they made up for it by playing undisciplined hockey. Nash cherry picked, Z toe dragged, their best center was Malhotra and they had little on the blue line. When Hitch brought structure, at least they could compete every night.

 

[blahblah]

The offense has been anywhere from decent to terrible.

We had a top 6 or 7 offense last season. Hardly "decent".

 

[KJ Dangler]

We had a top 6 or 7 offense last season. Hardly "decent".

So do u think that it’s Torts going more to both defenseman going in deep and the forwards having to cover ? Makes no sense that nearly every one of our forwards are having brutal years

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I try to never say anything definitive, nor should you. It's unlikely, but if this team continues to collapse it becomes more and more likely.

Most teams in the league, where there is an expectation to win, get less and less patient with head coaches. Frankly, at this point, I'm seeing more reasons to move on than to keep him. Torts is starting to go down the same route Richards did, he's running out of ideas.

I'm not saying they won't fire him, but they won't fire him until the offseason (if they do, I'm still not convinced.)

 

[TaketheCannoli]

We had a top 6 or 7 offense last season. Hardly "decent".

What changed? I remember through New Years and probably through the winning streak they had an unsustainable high PDO. IIRC, it wasn't just save % which was ~ .940, they had a very high shooting % as well.


I thought some of this was due to the power play. Something changed either teams adapted or they just cooled off and the offense began to dry up in February through the end of the season.

Did the offense leave with Hartnell, Gagner,and Saad? It's the same coaches. FWIW beyond that, I think the defense doesn't look as good this year either.

Is it coaching? Is it the loss of the aforementioned players? Should they fire Tortorella? Should they retain him and get an offensive co-ordinator? Is it personnel?

 

[Hello Johnny]

Respectfully disagree about giving Larsen an opportunity. IF Torts does get canned, I’d give Shaw an opportunity. Shaw seems more fit for a HC role and IIRC there was talk about Shaw being a HC candidate for a few teams this past off season.

I could certainly be mistaken but I seem to recall Shaw saying that he sees himself as an assistant coach and not a head coach. And I feel the same way. The guy is great at coaching defensemen, has been since before he got here, and it should stay that way.

It also seemed somewhat apparent that Larsen was the heir-apparent when he got promoted. Again I seem to recall him having buzz around the league as that next "up-and-coming AHL coach" before he was named assistant coach.

Just a friendly reminder:

We had to give up our 2nd round pick in the past draft to Vancouver. That draft pick was Jonah Gadjovich. Name might sound familiar to a few. He was extremely impressive at the WJC for Canada. Has 30 points, 16 goals in 29 games in the OHL as a 19 year old. 6 foot 2, 210 pound LWer.

Jonah Gadjovich

These are rather pedestrian numbers for a guy in his 4th year in the OHL. Could obviously develop into a solid player, but I'm not sweating this in the slightest.

 

[SavesEmNot]

These are rather pedestrian numbers for a guy in his 4th year in the OHL. Could obviously develop into a solid player, but I'm not sweating this in the slightest.

That profile photo, though...

Jonah Gadjovich

 

[Hello Johnny]

That profile photo, though...

Jonah Gadjovich

10/10 for sure

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

10/10 for sure

Would bleed again.

 

[We Want Ten]

I think once the goaltender has gone on record commenting on the offensive scheme, it's time to do something. This team has been so lifeless since 3-4 weeks into the year, I don't see trading a player fixing it.

 

[Fairwhether]

I'm open minded and undecided on this. Can you explain why you think he should be fired?

For almost the entire year the team plays without a since of mental preparedness. Hesitation, lack of confidence on the PP, a lack of committal to anything other than an individual effort here and there. They even seem slow at times. When the entire team is having a bad year it is not the players. So, either fire the coach or replace a significant number of the players. Firing the coach is cheaper, faster, and easier to replace.

 

[EDM]

I agree with those who note that pretty much the entire team is having an "off year". And when it gets to that point, it is time to evaluate the head coach. This is essentially the same team as last year with the exception of adding a couple of young talented players like Dubois and Bjork. And I don't think anyone suggests they are the problem. Something has happened and whatever it is is BAD. This team looks horrible on the ice. They look like the old Chinese Fire Drill teams from the CBJ's past. Just individuals scrambling around as individuals. Not team concept. That is on the Head Coach.

 

[TaketheCannoli]

For almost the entire year the team plays without a since of mental preparedness. Hesitation, lack of confidence on the PP, a lack of committal to anything other than an individual effort here and there. They even seem slow at times. When the entire team is having a bad year it is not the players. So, either fire the coach or replace a significant number of the players. Firing the coach is cheaper, faster, and easier to replace.

What if the entire team isn't having an "off-year?" Could what we're seeing be the real normal for this roster? What if last season was the anomaly? I mean this team has a history of poor play for most of their 17 seasons. Beginning in 2012-13 we've seen two, maybe three competitive teams- two that got into the playoffs and were out in the first round.

Does that make the problem the roster? The scouting department? Player development? The Front Office? The coaching staff?

Gerrard Gallant was a terrible coach here, now he's seen as a great coach. Hitch "lost the team" yet he succeeded since then.

What if the real cause is just not coaching but like the Cleveland Browns the Jackets just fire coaches to shift the blame?

If so, then what should be done?

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Make peace with the ghosts of the old Ohio Penitentiary. And the ghost of Bluejacket himself. Stop trying to pass the team name off as some sort of Civil War thing. Then change the team name because it's culturally offensive.

That should do it.