Confirmed with Link: Coaching staff: Steve Thomas out | Todd Richards hired | Rick Bowness extended

[RegularSznAllStars]

Steve Thomas not coming back.

https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/739905202103439361

Click to read more...

 

[Todd1a]

Steve Thomas not coming back.

https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/739905202103439361

A little bit surprised thought yzerman really liked him a lot. Now please yzerman hire Adam Oates to run our power play!

 

[LightningStrikes]

 

[Hoek]

He was good at what he did I thought but please let this lead to power play help.

 

[MrClutch86]

Hopefully this replacement is better than last years. (Lauer)

 

[2MinutesforGiraffing]

Can we not renew Lauer, too?

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Maybe he goes to Arizona to coach his son

 

[Coopers Gum]

For the love of Christ, Yzerman, get someone who can run a PP...


Oates, Oates, Oates... pay him WHATEVER is necessary.

 

[ultra63]

For the love of Christ, Yzerman, get someone who can run a PP...


Oates, Oates, Oates... pay him WHATEVER is necessary.

But can Oates can along with the 2 smartest men in the room?



"For the Lightning, though, this is certainly bad news. The club lost assistant coach George Gwozdecky last off-season, as well – ,,,,,, seeing a second well-thought-of assistant heading out is likely a disappointment."

http://www.todaysslapshot.com/from-the-ice/steve-thomas-reportedly-talking-teams/

 

[More 2004]

Oates is the obvious target. He did a great job here the first time around.

 

[Glide5]

Sad to see thomas go. I loved the work he did, but at the same time he is far more replaceable that someone like Bones. Not a big loss, especially if he's replaced with Oates of someone of similar powerplay stature.

Really thought we were dropping Lauer. That was a weird hire.

Good luck to Thomas. He will get a job quick. Hopefully he will be a head coach in the AHL or get a good spot on someones staff. He's earned it.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Good coach. Sad to see him go.

 

[These Are The Days]

Hmmm paging Rob Zettler

 

[Bolt32]

Hmmm paging Rob Zettler

was thinking the same thing. I can see him getting hired there though I'm not really a fan of that move.

 

[These Are The Days]

was thinking the same thing. I can see him getting hired there though I'm not really a fan of that move.

Neither am I. People are calling for Adam Oates (rightfully so) but I'm doubtful he's going to want to play second fiddle to Jon Cooper like that because he's only just had his day as coach. This isn't a case like Rick Bowness or even Jacques Martin in Pittsburgh. They have coached so damn long they don't care if they're head honcho or not. My guess is Zettler and I'll be in favor of it only if it makes the team better. We can ill afford a lateral move when we are on the cusp of a championship.

I know it's only an assistant job but we need to get this one right for the sake of the entire team. Stumpy did an outstanding job for the most part. We need someone who will continue that. My only criticism is how the forwards played in the defensive zone during Pittsburgh series. No attack, no pressure, just standing there like it's a PK and pray the puck was turned over.

My only hope is that Steve Yzerman and Jon Cooper aren't doubling down on a "defense first" approach that will only exacerbate the consistency issues of our top scoring players.

 

[Hoek]

That was fast.

 

[Hoek]

 

[LightningStrikes]

Richards, 49, brings more than 400 career games of NHL head coaching experience with him to Tampa Bay. He’s compiled a career record of 204-183-37 during seven seasons as a bench boss, including parts of five seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and two with the Minnesota Wild. Richards most recently served as head coach of the Blue Jackets, registering a record of 127-112-21 over five seasons, including back-to-back 40-win seasons in 2013-14 and 2014-15. He has more wins than any coach in Columbus team history and was the franchise’s first coach to record three consecutive winning seasons.

Prior to joining the Blue Jackets, Richards was the Wild’s second head coach in franchise history and guided Minnesota to two consecutive winning seasons. His coaching career in the NHL started as an assistant with the San Jose Sharks during the 2008-09 season, helping the Sharks capture the President’s Trophy with a NHL-best record of 53-18-11.

Full team statement: http://lightning.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=885298

 

[Hoek]

 

[These Are The Days]

On paper that's one hell of a hire. No complaints or judgement til we see the finished product. I didn't want a lateral move and this certainly doesn't seem like one when you get a coach with over 400 NHL games at the helm.

 

[JFleegs]

On paper that's one hell of a hire. No complaints or judgement til we see the finished product. I didn't want a lateral move and this certainly doesn't seem like one when you get a coach with over 400 NHL games at the helm.

interesting move..I dont know much about Richards, but 400 games as a head coach with a winning record in Columbus is interesting. I wonder how much this is Cooper or Yzermans decision?

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Good

 

[DFC]

interesting move..I dont know much about Richards, but 400 games as a head coach with a winning record in Columbus is interesting. I wonder how much this is Cooper or Yzermans decision?

I'm pretty sure Yzerman put Cooper's staff in place originally, with Coop obviously having some say. I remember when they hired Bowness, Yzerman talked a lot about giving Coop some experience to lean on.

It kind of feels like, now that Coop is extended, maybe he has a bigger say in his staff.

It's interesting that the Wings were looking at Richards for PP help, so I'm guessing he's known for that? Hopefully that's the case, because the Jon Cooper powerplay was obviously a failure. Richards + Drouin could maybe be the answer.

 

[Stammertime91]

Good move, good work ethic. Should gel well with us.

 

[Pointerspoint]

Not that it has any bearing on current events, but Todd Richards was a member of the original Orlando Solar Bears IHL team back in the 90s. I have always been a season ticket holder of the Solar Bears both back then and now (ECHL version). It's kind of neat for him to be with the Bolts now.