Confirmed with Link: Brad Larsen Named Head Coach (Pascal Vincent, Steve McCarthy Hired as Assistants)

[NotWendell]

Plus a bald GM and balding POHO.

I'm sensing a new meaning for the B in CBJ.

That must explain why I've lost so much hair!

 

[TaketheCannoli]

Are we looking to fill the Nordiques role with all French Canadian coaches?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

But something’s missing with this group, too. None of the three coaches has ever been an NHL head coach. In fact, nobody in the entire organization has been an NHL head coach, including the hockey operations staff, scouts, etc.

“I’m not concerned about that,” Kekalainen said. “(The coaches) all have head coaching experience (at other levels). Pascal has been a coach for 24 years. Larsen has been a coach for many, many years. Sylvain, too.”

We did some math for Kekalainen: Larsen, Vincent and Lefebvre combined have 15 seasons as NHL assistants, 13 seasons as AHL head coaches and six seasons as AHL assistants. Vincent also spent 11 seasons as a head coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

But while Kekalainen said he’s not concerned about it — “Hey, Scotty Bowman started as a head coach at some point,” he noted — he also showed that he’s not oblivious to it, either.
The Blue Jackets, Kekalainen acknowledged, have considered adding an adviser to the coaching staff, a veteran coach who can mentor Larsen and the others.

One name that surfaces quickly is veteran coach Jacques Martin, 68, who is said to be seeking such a role after a long and successful career in coaching.

Martin has been a head coach in St. Louis (two seasons), Ottawa (nine), Florida (two), and Montreal (three), with stops in Quebec/Colorado, Pittsburgh and with the New York Rangers as an assistant.

“It’d be somebody like that, somebody who has experienced all of the roles in coaching and could work closely with our head coach,” Kekalainen said. “As closely as Lars worked with Torts the last five years, he’s got that experience of exactly what a coach goes through, and so I think he has plenty of experience to make the tough decisions.
“But I think everybody can use a mentor. I’ve always tried to have a mentor, and now that John Davidson’s back (as president of hockey operations), he’s great at that. Everybody in their jobs can use a mentor.”

Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering: Brad Larsen may get a coaching mentor, and analytic flexibility

 

[Fro]

Smart move

 

[CoopersFalls]

Lefebvre stunted the development of all prospects during his AHL tenure. Almost no one progressed. Hopefully he's better as an assistant and with older pros.

 

[majormajor]

Lefebvre stunted the development of all prospects during his AHL tenure. Almost no one progressed. Hopefully he's better as an assistant and with older pros.

That seems kind of an over the top accusation. I'd find it easier to believe that Bergevin just sent him a lot of overrated crap for that stretch of time. Were Scherbak, Hudon, De La Rose, and McCarron actually going to be good NHLers and Lefebvre ruined it?

 

[VT]

That seems kind of an over the top accusation. I'd find it easier to believe that Bergevin just sent him a lot of overrated crap for that stretch of time. Were Scherbak, Hudon, De La Rose, and McCarron actually going to be good NHLers and Lefebvre ruined it?

Schcherbak played not ideal in KHL too. He had problems with play under forchecking, his hockey IQ is only average. I doubt Lefebvre ruined him.

 

[ThisIsMyAlibi]

It’s early…but he may know what he’s doing.

 

[Viqsi]

It’s early…but he may know what he’s doing.

I dunno. He keeps giving Korpisalo starts.


(yes, @thebus88, I did in fact post this exclusively just to mess with you )

 

[I3LI3]

edit: made a specific thread to take a poll on brad’s coaching grade thus far.

 

[Byrral]

Moved post

 

[majormajor]

edit: made a specific thread to take a poll on brad’s coaching grade thus far.

I don't know enough about what the coaches are doing to give them a letter grade, but I will comment on Sillinger, Chinakhov, and Bemstrom in particular.

The angst about them not playing is a bit misplaced. Sillinger has been playing every game and he maybe shouldn't be. I actually would have sent him down by now. A kid that age will learn more in practice and with trainers anyways. Games for young forwards are overrated, they're not making him faster or stronger, not helping his puck skills. Same with Chinakhov. He is just growing into his body now and needs to work on refining his skills. Going a month without games would alarm me, but not 5 games. I would put him in next game but I'm not losing my gourd about it.

Bemstrom is 22 and is looking at a situation where if he doesn't get to play this year he is likely done in the CBJ organization. He will need some games to get back up to game speed and if he doesn't get that opportunity this year it will only be more difficult next year. He should be in the lineup ASAP.

 

[NotTooWideArena]

Same with Chinakhov. He is just growing into his body now and needs to work on refining his skills. Going a month without games would alarm me, but not 5 games. I would put him in next game but I'm not losing my gourd about it.

I definitely agree about not freaking out over the short-term situation.

But I wonder if the importance of game experience is amplified for a guy like Chinakhov, who is spending his first season playing on NHL-sized ice. Would you agree?

 

[majormajor]

I definitely agree about not freaking out over the short-term situation.

But I wonder if the importance of game experience is amplified for a guy like Chinakhov, who is spending his first season playing on NHL-sized ice. Would you agree?

It's a funny comment from someone by the name of Not-Too-Wide-Arena.

The Russians have been transitioning towards smaller ice for a while now. It's nothing new for Chinakhov. His home rink in the KHL was only 2 meters wider than the NHL rinks, and many KHL buildings he played in were NHL size.

 

[VT]

I definitely agree about not freaking out over the short-term situation.

But I wonder if the importance of game experience is amplified for a guy like Chinakhov, who is spending his first season playing on NHL-sized ice. Would you agree?

European (30x60): Kunlun, Traktor, Torpedo, Riga, Lokomotiv, Jokerit
Finnish (28x60): Avangard, Avtomobilist, Ak Bars, Mettalurg, Neftekhimik, Sibir, Vityaz, Severstal, CSKA, Spartak, Minsk
Canadian (26x60): Amur, Admiral, Barys, SKA, Dinamo, Sochi

so Yegor played all his home game on Finnish, and most game out on Finnish or Canadian. I don`t count Admiral because when Yegor played in KHL this team couldn`t play one season in league.

Also Yegor`s coach was Bob Hartley who prefer NA style of play.

 

[majormajor]

European (30x60): Kunlun, Traktor, Torpedo, Riga, Lokomotiv, Jokerit
Finnish (28x60): Avangard, Avtomobilist, Ak Bars, Mettalurg, Neftekhimik, Sibir, Vityaz, Severstal, CSKA, Spartak, Minsk
Canadian (26x60): Amur, Admiral, Barys, SKA, Dinamo, Sochi

so Yegor played all his home game on Finnish, and most game out on Finnish or Canadian. I don`t count Admiral because when Yegor played in KHL this team couldn`t play one season in league.

Also Yegor`s coach was Bob Hartley who prefer NA style of play.

Correct me if I'm wrong but are there still 30x60 rinks this year? I thought I read that last year was the last season they were allowed in the KHL.

 

[VT]

Correct me if I'm wrong but are there still 30x60 rinks this year? I thought I read that last year was the last season they were allowed in the KHL.

I wrote the situation from 2019 year (only corrected Salavat Yulayev) when Yegor played in KHL and I thought not all teams could do it. But I must correct myself. Jokerit, Lokomotiv, Traktor have Finnish from 2020/21 season too, similar like Minsk and Riga. Torpedo probably not like Kunlun because it plays in Mytishchi. But I`m not sure. So Yegor couldn`t have big problems with new sizes.

 

[NotTooWideArena]

I wrote the situation from 2019 year (only corrected Salavat Yulayev) when Yegor played in KHL and I thought not all teams could do it. But I must correct myself. Jokerit, Lokomotiv, Traktor have Finnish from 2020/21 season too, similar like Minsk and Riga. Torpedo probably not like Kunlun because it plays in Mytishchi. But I`m not sure. So Yegor couldn`t have big problems with new sizes.

This is all good information. Thanks!

That's one less thing to worry about.

It's been a couple of years since I paid close attention to international hockey. I'm getting back into it now and appreciate the help getting back up to speed.

(And I never even thought about the irony of my User Name in this context - if I had, I surely would have made some weak joke of it.)

 

[DarkandStormy]

I believe Porty brought this up...would Pascal Vincent have agreed to come here (a lateral move from Winnipeg) if he knew the head job for the Jets was opening up so soon? From what I remember, he seemed to indicate he felt stuck in Winnipeg and he's interviewed for a few HC jobs.

 

[majormajor]

I believe Porty brought this up...would Pascal Vincent have agreed to come here (a lateral move from Winnipeg) if he knew the head job for the Jets was opening up so soon? From what I remember, he seemed to indicate he felt stuck in Winnipeg and he's interviewed for a few HC jobs.

I'm curious if he has a clause/agreement to let him interview for HC jobs.

 

[DEF]

If they take him, do we get a draft pick?