Confirmed with Link: CAR Hires Mike Bales: Buckley Named G Coach

[Honour Over Glory]

Can someone explain this to me as a Canes fan? Seems like a lateral move at best for him unless he wanted a challenge. He was liked in Pittsburgh right?

Buckley did the work, Bales got the glory.

Now Bales is gone, Buckley has the title he deserves and some how we aren't owed **** for losing that guy.

 

[ColePens]

It's only rough because we won back to back Cups. I understand why a guy would think his job was safe, but he also should have known his time was up when MAF leaves. So a little bit of both here.

The timing sucks. I'm glad Bales already got a job. I like that the Pens are now ruthless. If it was Shero/DB's Penguins, Murray would be out and Bales/MAF would be forever.

 

[Riptide]

Wasn't expecting that. Explains the horizontal move by Bales. I guess if Murray did so well with Buckley it speaks to reason he'll continue to do so.

I wounder though if there was any risk of Pittsburgh losing Buckley if they didn't promote him? Otherwise I still question Pittsburgh going against the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" theory.

 

[Riptide]

It's only rough because we won back to back Cups. I understand why a guy would think his job was safe, but he also should have known his time was up when MAF leaves. So a little bit of both here.

The timing sucks. I'm glad Bales already got a job. I like that the Pens are now ruthless. If it was Shero/DB's Penguins, Murray would be out and Bales/MAF would be forever.

Why? From all accounts he worked well with Murray as well. Buckley did a lot of the work, but it's not like he didn't work with Murray.

Agreed. Sucks for Bales, but I'm happy to see that Rutherford is willing to make a move like this, even after the success Bales, the team and the goalies have had here. Him doing this with someone like Bales is promising in the sense that he might also do this when it comes to the players.

 

[66-30-33]

Let's go get Mitch Korn!

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Why? From all accounts he worked well with Murray as well. Buckley did a lot of the work, but it's not like he didn't work with Murray.

Agreed. Sucks for Bales, but I'm happy to see that Rutherford is willing to make a move like this, even after the success Bales, the team and the goalies have had here. Him doing this with someone like Bales is promising in the sense that he might also do this when it comes to the players.

JR definitely sat down with Murray and asked him which is his guy for who he trusts with his game, he said Buckley. Now why bother keeping Bales around if your guy trusts Buckley who he's had in WBS and while he was up.

 

[Burgs]

It's not a big deal. We had two very good goalie coaches, and we keep the one who is closer with our franchise goalie. Bales did great work with Fleury, and I wish him all the best in Carolina.

The only problem is that we need a new goalie development coach for Jarry and eventually Gustavsson. There should be no shortage of applicants given how both Bales and Buckley took this route to get an NHL job. And both weren't household names when the Pens hired them. Bales had had a couple of NHL games (with awful stats) in the mid-90s and had spent the second half of his playing career in Germany. Buckley had never played above the ECHL level and last worked as goalie coach for New Hampshire before coming to WBS.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

From the moment he came to Pittsburgh, Murray has looked like a well-coached goalie. He may have been the most technically sound rookie I've ever seen (he's at least the most technically sound rookie I remember) and he is already close to being the most technically sound goalie I've ever seen play for the Pens. Vokoun was better, but Vokoun was 40, so he had to be. I can't imagine a guy playing like Matt Murray if he was developed under a lousy coach. It doesn't make sense. So I have confidence in Buckley.

On the other hand, I can't really point to any period in his career in which Fleury looked like a well-coached goalie. I can point to times when he produced, but not any prolonged periods of looking like a technical goalie with a competent coach. Now, it's clearly not fair to put the brunt of that on Bales. It's not his fault that breaking ten years of terrible habits is a hard thing to do. I'm just not seeing anything to outweigh what Buckley did with Murray.

 

[WayneSid9987]

It's not a big deal. We had two very good goalie coaches, and we keep the one who is closer with our franchise goalie. Bales did great work with Fleury, and I wish him all the best in Carolina.

The only problem is that we need a new goalie development coach for Jarry and eventually Gustavsson. There should be no shortage of applicants given how both Bales and Buckley took this route to get an NHL job. And both weren't household names when the Pens hired them. Bales had had a couple of NHL games (with awful stats) in the mid-90s and had spent the second half of his playing career in Germany. Buckley had never played above the ECHL level and last worked as goalie coach for New Hampshire before coming to WBS.

Buckley has pretty extensive experience.
UMass-Amherst before UNH. Consultant with CBJ. Worked with some KHL clubs. Worked with USA hockey development. Runs a school for pros that Rask and Quick and others have attended.

I assume Buckley told JR that he feels his job here as a developer is done and hes looking for a promotion, even if that means going elsewhere. So JR said no, no. We ll make room for you bud. And thats what happened. Judging from Bales comments. Not just sticking with Murz s guy but simply valuing possibly losing him vs sticking with Bales.

I also assume JR will work with Buckley to bring in a new G development coach.

 

[Coach Travis]

Murr and Buckley are close. He was originally going to come to Thunder Bay for Matt's day with the Cup last year but couldn't end up making it because of a schedule conflict.

 

[Vujtek]

I also assume JR will work with Buckley to bring in a new G development coach.

Indeed.

To fill Buckley's spot, Rutherford said, Buckley has already recommended a goaltending coach. That man appears to have the inside track, although Rutherford did not want to divulge his name.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...gh-Penguins-for-Carolina/stories/201706170097

 

[froods]

It's a business. It's not always fair. It is the job of JR to make the best decisions to win. He did that. End of story.

 

[sf expat71]

That's how you repeat as champs. Never rest on your laurels. JR is already starting work on a three-peat.

 

[SEALBound]

TIOPS said the team informed Bales on last Thursday he was being let go.

 

[Vujtek]

TIOPS said the team informed Bales on last Thursday he was being let go.

Bales himself has said as much:

“It's kind of a tough situation,” Bales said Saturday. “The day after the Cup parade I was called in the office and told they planned to move past me.”

Mike Buckley, the Pens' goaltending development coach, was named goaltending coach. Bales, 45, was offered a developmental positiion with the team but didn’t take long to find a new job with a new team.

“News travels fast,” he said. “Carolina called me and said they were interested.”

http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/article156813534.html

 

[ncm7772]

Bummed about this. Big loss. Carolina must D thrown a ton of $ at him.

EDIT: Just saw Pens let him go. Surprising.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Bales being let go is a surprise, but I had no idea about Buckley's role with Murray. Makes sense from that perspective.

Interesting that he apparently had big input on Gustavsson being selected too.

 

[davemess]

“News travels fast,†he said. “Carolina called me and said they were interested.â€

Anybody else think JR might have done Bales a solid and made a call to Carolina to recommend him to his old team?

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Anybody else think JR might have done Bales a solid and made a call to Carolina to recommend him to his old team?

Considering JR is a loving and merciful god, yes.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

That's how you repeat as champs. Never rest on your laurels. JR is already starting work on a three-peat.

It's cold and it's calculated...but I have to agree, and that's nothing against Bales or anyone who is on the other side of the decision. Being too smitten with what you have in place is how you end up like the Red Wings or Kings.

I feel bad for Bales, the timing is rough, but at least he didn't have to wait long at all to get another opportunity.

Even the supposedly best goaltending coach of all-time (Allaire is past his prime, obviously, but still) has worked for 3 different teams over the past decade.

 

[Dying Alive]

People have been complaining about the country club atmosphere in the front office/staff for years and saying that the Pens needed to be more ruthless. Looks like they're getting their wish.

If anything I think JR may have done a favor to Ronnie here after the complete and utter disaster that was Marcoux for the Canes. A drunken chimp literally couldn't have ****ed up Lack and Ward more then he did.

It's a possibility. Looks like it worked out well for everyone involved, at least currently.

 

[shureshot66]

 

[Darth Vitale]

A little strange the way it panned out (at least as it's been described by the media) but in terms of the Fleury connection and the new coach's Murray connection it makes sense on that level. Lateral move for Bales but a promotion for Buckley... and yeah I think it's not a coincidence he went to Carolina. Very likely JR put in a good word right away so Carolina would be the first to offer.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Shrimp is a gateway drug.