It's not his system because he's never had players to play that system. Let's not assume the guy isn't smart enough to coach a different style. This organization has never had a lineup with him that was suited to play anything but the way they have. Slow, steady defenders with great goaltending and average speed/talent up front. That's not a recipe for anything other than what they've played and played well.
Let's see what he does with the new mandate before we claim to know his coaching limitation. He's earned a little respect. More than a little.
You don't think he was given his kind of players? Really? They have systematically dumped any offensive minded player in favor for grinders over his time here. I find it hard to believe that they would have moved guys like Kessel, Seguin, Wheeler, Versteeg, and Hamilton without some form of agreement on his part. This is the same guy who sat Kessel in the playoffs in favor of Jeremy Reich, ffs. He has a predisposition to grinders and muckers and this roster over his time here has been littered with those kind of players. Gagne over any of their younger guys last year? Ring any bells on that one?
To me, coaching is a year to year kind of gig, it may be a cold reality, but it's true. There's no such thing as earning respect, IMO, because of the very nature of the job. In his cup year, he did some good, some bad, and it worked out. Last year he did some good, some bad, and it didn't. You can argue the percentages if you want, but the fact remains he was too unwilling to vary from his system last year, and too unwilling to incorporate younger guys with more upside, and it ultimately cost the team a playoff birth. I don't think he's incapable of change in general, I just think that any changes he makes will be short term, because at the end of the day, a leopard doesn't change his spots. He is what he is.
