Confirmed with Link: Bill Armstrong is the new GM of the Coyotes

[XX]

We’ll just have to accept a full year of tocchet this season. I really don’t think he’ll get an extension unless by some miracle they have an amazing season which I just don’t see happening.

I think this is very unlikely based on what BA has said to date. He wants coaches to coach for the long term. A coach on an expiring contract isn't going to do that. He's going to coach in a way that gives him the best possible win percentage. It's the Tippett flaw.

Tocchet will be extended or get fired/part ways.

The Tocchet from last year has no future here regardless. He'll have to grow and evolve to stay.

 

[Mosby]

On Hockey Central, Armstrong said, "(Tocchet) coaches the same way (as he played) and that's what I like about it ... I think we're going to have a great relationship."

 

[awfulwaffle]

Guys, let's step back from the ledge. Maybe this new gm will indeed change the culture and in ice things will change.

 

[_Del_]

At this point if Bill Armstrong told me a rooster could pull a train, I'd say "hook'im up".

I don't know how long the honeymoon will last, but I'm in.

If he actually wants to keep Tocchet after their chat, I'll watch and see. I will say that having an impersonable savant give Tocchet instruction, probably doesn't have the same weight as Bill Armstrong sitting you down for a come to Jesus meeting.

I still see Tocc as either part of the problem or at the least not the solution, but giving Armstrong a chance to actually watch and evaluate him and even try to work with him won't kill me. I don't think he gets an extension based on "He's a great guy and was a great player, and we have mutual friends".

 

[rt]

I just don’t want Tocchet extended before BA sees him in action. I can handle a failure to terminate but an extension basically mitigates all the positivity of a rebuild.

 

[cobra427]

I like the hire and like the interviews. Changing the culture is great, but I highly doubt Chayka was a bad influence on the culture in the room. I also get that the roster is misconstructed and Chayka left us without draft picks. I just don't see how RT is going to get more out of his players because there is a new GM? Way too many players had poor years under RT.BA knows Berube, he and RT are best buds so BA is coming in here thinking how great RT is as a coach. I don't see how BA is going to manage Rt and tell him, do these things and we will win more, players will play better.

Anybody that has been around this team and watched every game the last 3 years can see the under performance across the board except for our stellar goal tending which hid flaws. I hope I am wrong and RT all of a sudden becomes a great coach that gets more out of less. I am sure RT is a great guy, he means well, I am sure he tries hard, but this is stop number 2 as an unsuccessful head coach. He hasn't had one good year as a head coach out of 5 years? Because BA is GM will it change? Our roster will be worse with cost cutting and getting rid of vets for picks. My only hope is that this is really a money issue with our owner not wanting to pay 2 head coaches. Maybe BA said, ok, I'll work with him for a year and then we will change if he doesn't prove to be a better coach. I hope that is the case because straight up evaluation, RT is gone, its a no brainer.

 

[Jakey53]

I just don’t want Tocchet extended before BA sees him in action. I can handle a failure to terminate but an extension basically mitigates all the positivity of a rebuild.

So, you already know more than GMBA? He's our GM and he has earned the right to do what he wants. If he thinks keeping RT is the right way to go, who are we to say he is wrong. I myself personally thinks it's wrong, but maybe just maybe, but probably not, is that RT is a good coach but had the wrong players. I have said a few weeks ago that this hire is much more important to the Coyotes than RT, and I would be willing to keep RT as a coach and give him a rope to hang himself.

 

[RemoAZ]

So, you already know more than GMBA? He's our GM and he has earned the right to do what he wants. If he thinks keeping RT is the right way to go, who are we to say he is wrong. I myself personally thinks it's wrong, but maybe just maybe, but probably not, is that RT is a good coach but had the wrong players. I have said a few weeks ago that this hire is much more important to the Coyotes than RT, and I would be willing to keep RT as a coach and give him a rope to hang himself.

As much as he's talked about having good players, guys that bleed for you, 2nd and 3rd effort, 3rd and 4th lines that bring physicality, etc; I think he believes this roster is built very poorly. If Tocc believes that too, maybe they will be on the same page where Chayka and Tocc weren't. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I really want to know if Tocc likes the roster or not because they definitely don't play like Tocc played the game. I've always found it hard to believe Tocc the player would want to coach this soft ass roster.

 

[rt]

Armstrong wasn’t a pro scout or a GM last season. He was mostly concerned with getting a draft list ready. The idea that he would have the opinion of Tocchet that took most of us 150 games to develop isn’t realistic. Casual observers think he’s great and the team is losing despite him. It’s a popular holdover from the Tippett era. Tocchet is a well-liked guy. Armstrong has a lot to deal with and it’s easier to trust rave reviews of his dog shit coach.

Literally the only thing we can hope for is extension caution. Armstrong’s reputation for being a cheapskate who doesn’t want to pick up the tab for coffee is basically our best hope. If he can be frugal and demand results before extension on Tocchet, that’s all we can hope for.

 

[Mosby]

Where's the cheapskate thing come from?

 

[rt]

Where's the cheapskate thing come from?

Morgan’s article today stated that sources close to BA mentioned alligator arms.

 

[RemoAZ]

I hadn't heard that either. Guess he won't be firing anyone in Starbucks.

 

[moosemeister]

I hadn't heard that either. Guess he won't be firing anyone in Starbucks.

he’s gonna have to do the deed in a Dunkin.

 

[rt]

About the only thing that Armstrong’s former colleagues razz him about his frugality.

“When you sit down with him, ask him to buy the coffee,” Blues senior amateur scouting advisor and former GM Larry Pleau said, laughing. “You’ll see what happens.”

 

[rt]

SUBSCRIBE

 

[moosemeister]

Shit. He might have to fire RT over a cup of coffee and a Sausage McMuffin

 

[Mosby]

The near trade of Hornqvist/Matheson and the apparent handling of it is kind of an embarrassing early fumble by Zito.

 

[_Del_]

The near trade of Hornqvist/Matheson and the apparent handling of it is kind of an embarrassing early fumble by Zito.

Because a trade rumour got out before a deal was done? Trade was/is great for Florida, and he's wasting no time. I don't see how it looks bad for him.

 

[Mosby]

Saw something about a disconnect in not having the cash to take on Hornqvist’s deal. Maybe there’s not enough clarity on budget.

 

[_Del_]

Saw something about a disconnect in not having the cash to take on Hornqvist’s deal. Maybe there’s not enough clarity on budget.

From what I read earlier, the insurer refused to cover Horny when asked. That's not something he could have known ahead of time, is it? I guess he could have asked before submitting it, but that's a pretty minor detail to overlook on your first deal. Not something that usually factors.

 

[Jakey53]

About the only thing that Armstrong’s former colleagues razz him about his frugality.

“When you sit down with him, ask him to buy the coffee,” Blues senior amateur scouting advisor and former GM Larry Pleau said, laughing. “You’ll see what happens.”

That's funny.

 

[Jakey53]

I like the hire and like the interviews. Changing the culture is great, but I highly doubt Chayka was a bad influence on the culture in the room. I also get that the roster is misconstructed and Chayka left us without draft picks. I just don't see how RT is going to get more out of his players because there is a new GM? Way too many players had poor years under RT.BA knows Berube, he and RT are best buds so BA is coming in here thinking how great RT is as a coach. I don't see how BA is going to manage Rt and tell him, do these things and we will win more, players will play better.

Anybody that has been around this team and watched every game the last 3 years can see the under performance across the board except for our stellar goal tending which hid flaws. I hope I am wrong and RT all of a sudden becomes a great coach that gets more out of less. I am sure RT is a great guy, he means well, I am sure he tries hard, but this is stop number 2 as an unsuccessful head coach. He hasn't had one good year as a head coach out of 5 years? Because BA is GM will it change? Our roster will be worse with cost cutting and getting rid of vets for picks. My only hope is that this is really a money issue with our owner not wanting to pay 2 head coaches. Maybe BA said, ok, I'll work with him for a year and then we will change if he doesn't prove to be a better coach. I hope that is the case because straight up evaluation, RT is gone, its a no brainer.

Like BA said, there is the team on the ice, and one off the ice. The culture change includes both is how I took his remarks. We have an experienced hockey guy as a GM now, which was our biggest fear of not getting. I was ok with another year of RT if we got that good GM. I would love to see RT gone, but another year won't kill us as we are nowhere near a SC contender. The one thing I don't want to see is a RT extension.

 

[Jakey53]

Armstrong wasn’t a pro scout or a GM last season. He was mostly concerned with getting a draft list ready. The idea that he would have the opinion of Tocchet that took most of us 150 games to develop isn’t realistic. Casual observers think he’s great and the team is losing despite him. It’s a popular holdover from the Tippett era. Tocchet is a well-liked guy. Armstrong has a lot to deal with and it’s easier to trust rave reviews of his dog shit coach.

Literally the only thing we can hope for is extension caution. Armstrong’s reputation for being a cheapskate who doesn’t want to pick up the tab for coffee is basically our best hope. If he can be frugal and demand results before extension on Tocchet, that’s all we can hope for.

Don't kid yourself, BA knows RT very well when it comes to coaching. All teams do as far as that is concerned.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Midseason hires are very limiting. Very likely Housley would take over for the rest of the year.

If you believe Tocchet stumbling out of the gates is likely then it's best to dismiss him now and get a.) the coach you want and b.) a full camp with the new coach.

Colorado hired Bednar late in the game and he was basically unable to implement much until the following season.

Aaaand then there are the teams that went on to win the cup after mid season new hires.

 

[Mosby]

Morgan’s article today stated that sources close to BA mentioned alligator arms.

Just reading it now. I like how real he is, like in his post-playing career realization of, "f***, I gotta sell cars now." Gave me a good chuckle.