Rumor: Dan Girardi back to Rangers

[GAGLine]

Not true

I don’t get why Rangers fans on here seem to have distain toward him. How much coaching experience did Girardi have? He was just playing in the NHL 2 years ago. Messier is regarded as one of the greatest leaders in the history of professional sports. The damn leadership award for the NHL is named after him. He is the kind of person you’d think would excel at coaching

Where has Messier coached? The only thing I could find was this:

Mark Messier - Wikipedia

In late 2010, Messier coached Canada during two European tournaments—the Deutschland Cup and the Spengler Cup.

2 meaningless tournaments 11 years ago.

A year after his number was retired by the Rangers, there's this:

In February 2007, Messier publicly expressed interest in returning to the NHL as general manager for the Rangers

So there is a history with him of wanting to be given a position without doing anything whatsoever to earn it. And not even assistant GM or assistant coach, he wants to be GM or coach.

If Messier wants to be a coach, then why isn't he coaching? Why isn't he involved in team management at any level, in any league?

It might be premature to hire Girardi as an assistant, but at least he's willing to work his way up. Buffalo hired him as a player development coach in December and it was only because of the firing of Krueger and his staff that Girardi got the opportunity behind the bench.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Not true

I don’t get why Rangers fans on here seem to have distain toward him. How much coaching experience did Girardi have? He was just playing in the NHL 2 years ago. Messier is regarded as one of the greatest leaders in the history of professional sports. The damn leadership award for the NHL is named after him. He is the kind of person you’d think would excel at coaching

Had Messier coached for years i could consider it yet you can't expect him to show up after decades and suddenly have control of a team. One may have nothing to do with the other yet Gretzky wasn't a coaching difference maker.

Not 100% sold Gallant is the answer but he has a coaching resume.

 

[will1066]

Dunno anything about his coaching, but it's always nice to keep a happy NYR family, even among players we bought out or traded.

Did you also not know that he went undrafted as a player? Little known fact.

 

[will1066]

Between Fox's chin and Girardi's jaw, we just need a stiff upper lip and we'll be complete.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Was going to post this.

I know nothing about Girardi’s coaching experience but I find it funny that everyone loves this decision. But other former players would be a disaster somehow.

Reminds me of when we would trade an AHL fourth liner for a 7th round pick and the “Good asset management by Gorton” posts come out.

Girardi is younger than some guys still playing in the league right now and didn't retire that long ago. From a stand point of being someone players can relate to, he has that in spades over someone like Messier. That and just from a presence stand point, he wouldn't be overbearing.

I actually don't want Girardi for several reasons, one being that he has like 20 games of experience coaching at this level (20 more than Messier, but still not that many) and the other being that it would be throwing a coach at Gallant who he probably wouldn't think to add to his staff on his own (maybe I'm wrong about this, but I don't believe there is a connection of any sort between the 2.)

 

[cwede]

Did you also not know that he went undrafted as a player? Little known fact.

also mid-season pickup Girardi, with Methot, for London, denied Sidney Crosby a Memorial Cup, beating Rimouski twice in the 2005 event (briefly Pack Bryan Rodney and Danny Syvret also among London's D)

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Other former player with a God complex, who doesn't have a minute of coaching experience, and thinks it's still 1994.

You left that part out.

Not saying Messier is a good choice.

But this doesn’t warrant the complete chasm in opinion between Messier and Girardi. Both of them basically have no coaching experience.

 

[will1066]

Girardi would be there to draw X's and O's for Gallant, whom I read is actually illiterate. Not so much a coach but a drawing board tactician while Gallant does the coaching/talking to players/mindgames stuff.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Regional assistant scout for Eastern Siberia, Uzbekistan & Kazaksthan, logging the heavy flyer miles.

Kazakhstan is a great region to scout to be honest.

 

[will1066]

also mid-season pickup Girardi, with Methot, for London, denied Sidney Crosby a Memorial Cup, beating Rimouski twice in the 2005 event (briefly Pack Bryan Rodney and Danny Syvret also among London's D)

I knew this

 

[JT Kreider]

Next up Richards and Lundqvist will sign as assistant coaches and we'll have all the buy out boys reunited

No joke but I'd feel a lot better if Lundqvist joined the staff in some capacity. He is one of the only people in the world who could be a buffer for Dolan and it is clear his presence in the locker room was dearly missed. I mean he was able to keep Sean freaking Avery in line, it is zero surprise that the locker room fell apart as soon as Lundqvist was gone. The DeAngelo incident never would have happened under the previous leadership groups.

 

[Fitzy]

Between Fox's chin and Girardi's jaw, we just need a stiff upper lip and we'll be complete.

Can't help myself. Fox-Girardi offspring

 

[thethirdhockeyman91]

next up Sean Avery as an assistant coach!

 

[SML2]

Where has Messier coached? The only thing I could find was this:

Mark Messier - Wikipedia



2 meaningless tournaments 11 years ago.

A year after his number was retired by the Rangers, there's this:



So there is a history with him of wanting to be given a position without doing anything whatsoever to earn it. And not even assistant GM or assistant coach, he wants to be GM or coach.

If Messier wants to be a coach, then why isn't he coaching? Why isn't he involved in team management at any level, in any league?

It might be premature to hire Girardi as an assistant, but at least he's willing to work his way up. Buffalo hired him as a player development coach in December and it was only because of the firing of Krueger and his staff that Girardi got the opportunity behind the bench.

Came here to point out all the things you covered.
Messier is 60 years old. 60 years old and never once tried to work his way up.
That tells me not only does he think he's entitled to more than he is, but he thinks he's going to live forever.

 

[SML2]

Girardi would be there to draw X's and O's for Gallant, whom I read is actually illiterate. Not so much a coach but a drawing board tactician while Gallant does the coaching/talking to players/mindgames stuff.

Are you sure you're not thinking of Jaques Demers? I have never heard this about Gallant.

 

[Fansince1992]

Would rather have Gallant hire his own Assistants, minus Benoit Allaire. I never liked the idea of assistants being forced on a head coach in any sport.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

What an example. Little things like that may be something or maybe they are nothing at all. But I do agree with sense you have of him.

Even my wife, who really isnt into sports at all said last night "You know I dont watch any hockey but there was just something off about that coach. Like he was an imposter or something."

I think that sums up DQs tenure here. He was fantastic with the media, was a good face for the club. We have been told he was a great communicator and I'm sure did a lot of great things with the players personally and within an individual space but when it was time to get behind the bench to lead a group of men, things were just off.

I dont think the players completely trusted him on the bench and he always seemed like he was trying to do way too much - micromanaging each player instead of focusing on the pulse of the team as a whole and making the necessary in game adjustments.

I wish him well too and I think thats part of developing as a coach. I think he will get better at it and be successful somewhere if he can grow past that.

Quinn always seemed like a really great guy who really cared. However, I think a massive problem with him, rightly or wrongly - is that the players didn't fully respect him or at least that was the impression at times. The kids did I think, but the more experienced players I always felt there was kind of an eye rolling towards Quinn from them - which is basically what came out in the end. That the veterans were kind of ignoring him and just doing what they wanted. That type of thing wouldn't fly in a room with a coach whom commanded more respect.

I do think DQ can be a head coach in this league but he needs to not hire buddies as his assistants and get some true tacticians. Although his best place on a bench is probably as an associate coach who can work on a personal level relationship wise with the squad.

 

[nyr2k2]

Girardi would be there to draw X's and O's for Gallant, whom I read is actually illiterate. Not so much a coach but a drawing board tactician while Gallant does the coaching/talking to players/mindgames stuff.

You sure that's not Demers?

 

[nyr2k2]

Also, I always thought Quinn sounded like a big dumb idiot, but that was mainly due to his stupid Boston accent.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Honestly if we’re going to bring on a former player with little to no experience as an assistant I’d want Stepan over everyone if he decides to retire.

 

[Levitate]

Not saying Messier is a good choice.

But this doesn’t warrant the complete chasm in opinion between Messier and Girardi. Both of them basically have no coaching experience.

It always has felt like Messier, or at least the proponents of Messier, have wanted to hand him things without him actually earning them the way other people do in the coaching world. No coaching experience? Make him head coach! No front office experience? Put him in charge!
Other people like Drury and in this case Girardi have made the effort to put in the time learning how to do these jobs before trying to jump to the front of the line.

If Messier truly wanted to coach or GM a team then he should have started the process a long time ago, but he hasn't so he either has no interest in it or just wants to skip the whole process of actually learning how to be a NHL coach/GM

e: as for Girardi, not like I have any real idea how it goes but it could certainly be possible that Drury is reaching out to potential assistant coaching candidates but will allow Gallant final say

 

[NYSPORTS]

Would rather have Gallant hire his own Assistants, minus Benoit Allaire. I never liked the idea of assistants being forced on a head coach in any sport.

shame Drury didn't hire Messier and Nedved as his assistant.

 

[Crease]

Also, I always thought Quinn sounded like a big dumb idiot, but that was mainly due to his stupid Boston accent.

This is such a juvenile thing but it bothered me that Quinn always looked like he was about to cry.

 

[n8]

Gallant should be able to hire his own assistants. I imagine it would be a team effort in regards of their search and decision making. That's always been how the Rangers run.
If Messier wants to coach though, he should throw his name in the hat. I know he wants to stay in New York so a AC position is something he should try for. Same with Girardi. I'll trust Drury/Gallant and co. end up picking the right people for the job.

 

[Crease]

Is the Messier discussion based on any recent rumors, or is it because it's Mark Messier?