Coaching change??

[Moosetache]

I'm not sure yet, but wanted to get others thoughts.

Someone with more knowledge than I have right now, what would be some good candidates if they did go that way?

Just can't continue to get limited wins with what they have. I also think its an issue with "finishing talent" and just a lack of guys who can put the puck in the net. So maybe this is more on Francis than Peters.

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[Elsker]

Dave Tippett is available and still collecting a few years of Arizona money from his last extension.

Francis should know him well from the Whaler years when he captained him.

Defense emphasized but sure got results out of both Dallas (until the Avery/injuries/GM-change season) and Arizona.

 

[geehaad]

I, too, am ready for our inevitable climb back into drafting in the teens.

 

[Moosetache]

Anyone else see that Tripps Breakdown last night between periods on the shorthanded goals against SJ? Faulk just stop skating with his guy and Williams kept trying to catch him....that just infuriated me. What could be had for Faulk/Rask? I know Rask scored last night, but man he just looks slow/terrible. He hasn't won a board battle in 2 years.

 

[geehaad]

Anyone else see that Tripps Breakdown last night between periods on the shorthanded goals against SJ? Faulk just stop skating with his guy and Williams kept trying to catch him....that just infuriated me.

That infuriated me in real-time.

Well, as much as I'm allowing this team to infuriate me these days, that is...sorta like Ron White's bit:

Everybody [else] was nervous, but I'd been drinking since lunch, so I was like, "Take it down, I don't give a shit." You ever have one of those days? "Hit somethin' hard, I don't wanna limp away from this piece of shit."

 

[Moosetache]

I wish we could get Draisatl for Faulk/Rask. what else would that cost I wonder if Edm even considered letting go of Drai

 

[Hulkacaniac]

I wish we could get Draisatl for Faulk/Rask. what else would that cost I wonder if Edm even considered letting go of Drai

06 cup?

 

[Hulkacaniac]

Dudes cmon this team is fine. I mean last night they dominated and fought and showed character to get that 1 point. Clearly they're due for a breakout and everything up to now has just been consistency or bad luck. A shake up would be a gross knee jerk reaction to a bit of a rough week.
(RF probably)

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

I have not been on the fire BP bandwagon yet, but once he tossed the Slavin/Pesce/Staal OT trio onto the ice (who immediately lost possession) when we had a full 2 1/2 minutes of puck control in the LA end thorougly gassing the opponent, I started thinking maybe he's just an idiot. Even I, sitting on my couch with a beer, knew that he'd f*** that up somehow. Keep throwing the skill guys out there when we have possession you idiot!!

And his inability to send a message when one is so desperately needed is also maddening. So his response to a horrific 2 period effort in SJ is to scratch PDG and Dahlbeck? Gimme a f***ing break.

 

[Canes]

The general consensus is that Francis and Peters have a plan. It's a great plan. Possibly the greatest plan!

Changing coaches messes up that plan.

 

[Svechhammer]

I want to see what Francis can do with an open checkbook. It appears that Rutherford may have been hamstrung too much by the budget here based on what he's done in Pittsburgh, so I'm willing to slow play it with Francis to see what he's got.

But I'm done with Peters. Seemingly every move he's making lately is the wrong one. The team has no drive and consistently collapses at the worst time. We're hemorrhaging points in a make or break year. I think it's time for him to go.

I'm also on board with moving Faulk. He's a lazy out of position player this year, which is made worse by the fact he wears the C on the road. Move him for a piece to first, make the team better, and second send a message about the acceptable level of play going forward.

 

[MinJaBen]

If I were making changes, and I want to, my first move as Francis, assuming it is Francis making the first move and not ownership moving Francis first (and I could argue that, too), is I would fire both assistant/special teams coaches and trade Faulk(+) for the best scoring forward I can find. I’d do this to send a message to Peters that the coaches have to be better and to give him a legitimate scorer for his system. If that fails to make a difference, then Peters is gone at the end of the season. I think his system clearly generates lots of chances, so I’d try to see if an additional real scorer makes it work, or if it is smoke and mirrors and we need to blow it up.

 

[A Star is Burns]

If you think a coaching change is necessary, then it might not be a bad idea to hold onto a guy like Faulk who has a history of being a much better player than he is this year. He might just be one of those guys that ends up benefitting from a change. Also right now might be selling low on him and not get us the player we truly desire and need in return.

 

[MinJaBen]

Yes, selling Faulk now is selling while he is down, but it’s been a short enough down that I think we’d still get value like the Avs got for Duchene. Plus, if we think most of our problems are due to lack of offense, then it is a D that needs to move for a forward, and Faulk is the natural choice due to contract remaining.

 

[A Star is Burns]

And I'm very much open to a coaching change. I didn't love the way he handled the Lack situation last year, I've said since early in his tenure that his "accountability" is very limited to certain players and very selective, and a bunch of small things like OT management and challenges (very minor, but things add up).

I think Peters has put a lot of good things in place, but perhaps another coach needs to come in to finish the vision off. I know I see all the time on here about how a coaching change won't make any difference in scoring, but if you get the right guy, it's been proven that some coaches can get more offense out of the same players with just a difference in system.

Now, if the new owner communicates with Karmanos that he wants to keep things in place for now and evaluate when he is truly in control, so be it. I do think Peters is capable of some success, and maybe he'll turn it around during that time. It's just looking less and less likely.

 

[Canes]

If we really want to move Faulk, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with Francis doing it, or before Faulk gets another look with a new coach and GM.

Francis trading Faulk right after naming him a co-captain would probably be the result of Francis panicking. Plus trading him now while his value is lower than it should be could end up being a disaster, especially if it only brings in another forward like the ones we already have now.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

Faulk just kills this team repeatedly. Poor effort. Unwilling to play physically leaving guys unmolested in front. Doesn't seem to grasp the "possession" aspect of OT. I could go on.

With that said, D-men usually command a premium on the trade market. But Jesus, we have to do something to shake things up.

Buffalo is desperate for defense, and has some solid F prospects and vets. Just tossing it out there.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

I have an idea. And yes, JR would absolutely do this deal.

Ward & Faulk - for - Sprong & Jarry

Ward gets 1 final chance for a Cup as a backup to Murray. JR loves Faulk and is in win now mode as Crosby/Malkin age.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Not really sure I see the point of that move. We have plenty of young forwards producing similarly to Sprong that have proven about as much, i.e. nothing. Jarry seems like a promising young goalie, and has played decently during his NHL stint this year. So while a guy like him is intriguing as a cheap option to platoon with Darling going forward, I think I'd pursue a much different trade unless this is the best available.

 

[Ole Gil]

Why not dump Peters first? Maybe it's not all Peters fault, but we're 4 years in, and the evidence points towards him not being anything special as a coach.

I'd like to give someone else a whirl with this batch of players before we ship out any under-performing all-stars.

 

[AD Skinner]

On the one hand I don't know that anyone could get better results from a team that is pretty low on talent at forward and in goal. But then when Paul Maurice came on board halfway through the 09 season that team rode a hot streak clear to the ECF.

 

[Johniac]

Tippett is 553-413-120 with several good seasons with Dallas and some abysmal seasons with Arizona in that good record. I think a shakeup now might help the team do something with the rest of this season, though it may be true that new ownership doesn't want to rock the boat for now.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I'm not sure I'd find Tippett to be the right fit. From a very quick look, it looks like he had teams that ranked higher than 18th in offense 4 times in 14 seasons coaching.

I have similar worries for Sutter who has been mentioned and has a similar track record.

Of course if we make the playoffs, who cares. But most seem to think an improved offense is at least part of the equation, and I'm not sure those are the coaches to get it.

 

[HisIceness]

If Peters wants to keep his job, now is the time to right the ship.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

Perhaps better insulating the defense and goaltending by playing a more conservative, counterattacking style maximizes the talent on the roster. They just don’t have the horses to win in an attacking, speed-based system. The skill isn’t there and I’m not sure it can realistically be acquired in the short-term. You can win with a bottom 10 offense, if you have a top 5 defense to match. It wouldn't be pleasant to watch and the players would get sick of it after a while, but we have seen what the alternative is.