Speculation: Hockey Ops Roulette (The Chayka Syndrome)

rt

The Kinder, Gentler Version
May 13, 2004
96,890
45,265
A Rockwellian Pleasantville
In the podcast, he says he likes the way RT coaches.


f*** me
He likes the way Tocchet talks about how he coaches. He likes the way Tocchet explains his approach and agrees with the opinions he’s expressing. It will be a VERY different situation altogether when the rubber finally meets the road and he can see this talk in action.

It seems to me Tocchet’s best professional qualities are selling himself, and having a keen eye for strategically advantageous opportunities. He’s got good interpersonal skills for the very specific niche profession he’s in and he’s got a good politics sense in that world, too. It always takes time to recognize and be rid of people like this. These are the most dangerous kinds of bad-hires organizations can make.
 

Neighborhood Coyote

Registered User
Sep 14, 2017
3,124
2,711
He likes the way Tocchet talks about how he coaches. He likes the way Tocchet explains his approach and agrees with the opinions he’s expressing. It will be a VERY different situation altogether when the rubber finally meets the road and he can see this talk in action.

It seems to me Tocchet’s best professional qualities are selling himself, and having a keen eye for strategically advantageous opportunities. He’s got good interpersonal skills for the very specific niche profession he’s in and he’s got a good politics sense in that world, too. It always takes time to recognize and be rid of people like this. These are the most dangerous kinds of bad-hires organizations can make.

He's like the scorpion and the frog... smooth talks and says the right things but he will continue to poison this team until it can't hold him up anymore.

Doesn't help that this Mfer has had the best excuses fall into his lap year after year, even if they are his fault. Really bad start year one... year 2 had tons of injuries, year 3 Kuemper got injured (Thanks for that Tocchet) and the season ended early because of Covid so the Yotes got an undeserved shot at the playoffs.

It's funny how the Yotes trade away player after player and bring in so many different guys that Tocchet likes but somehow he isn't the one at fault when it doesn't work out. It's Allen, injuries, Covid, the young players, etc etc. He just gets to shrug, say "I don't know what's wrong" and collect another paycheck.
 
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_Del_

Registered User
Jul 4, 2003
15,425
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I don't think a shrug and "I don't want to talk about it" is going to work anymore. All the talk isn't going to save him when Bill Armstrong starts watching games and coaching every night. They can agree on philosophy and still recognize that one of them isn't good at his job. You still have to execute your plan effectively.
 

RemoAZ

Let it burn
Mar 30, 2010
11,090
7,301
Glendale, Arizona
I don't think a shrug and "I don't want to talk about it" is going to work anymore. All the talk isn't going to save him when Bill Armstrong starts watching games and coaching every night. They can agree on philosophy and still recognize that one of them isn't good at his job. You still have to execute your plan effectively.

You mean we won't continually hear "I don't know" in pressers anymore? Does that mean he'll start making shit up? At least that will potentially be more entertaining.
 
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CLW

Registered User
Nov 11, 2018
6,817
6,412
He likes the way Tocchet talks about how he coaches. He likes the way Tocchet explains his approach and agrees with the opinions he’s expressing. It will be a VERY different situation altogether when the rubber finally meets the road and he can see this talk in action.

It seems to me Tocchet’s best professional qualities are selling himself, and having a keen eye for strategically advantageous opportunities. He’s got good interpersonal skills for the very specific niche profession he’s in and he’s got a good politics sense in that world, too. It always takes time to recognize and be rid of people like this. These are the most dangerous kinds of bad-hires organizations can make.

That's exactly what I meant when I said I don't want an Old Boy Culture (hockey insiders' buddy buddy backscratching club) to replace the Country Club of overly relaxed players in a slack organization that lacks the drive and competence to compete for real.
 

Mosby

<3 Uncle Gary
Feb 16, 2012
23,378
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Toronto
Sounds like we're not done adding to the front office and that Les Jackson as senior advisor could be among the appointments.
 
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CLW

Registered User
Nov 11, 2018
6,817
6,412
Sounds like we're not done adding to the front office and that Les Jackson as senior advisor could be among the appointments.

Jackson certainly sounds experienced, but I'm not convinced by GMBA looking at those ex-Buffalo scouts laid off in the Buffalo overhaul.
 

Jakey53

Registered User
Aug 27, 2011
29,982
9,040
Sounds like we're not done adding to the front office and that Les Jackson as senior advisor could be among the appointments.
That is the type of experienced and successful person I wanted in that position a couple of years ago so they could control Chayka. I really like what BA is doing in the front office. Chayka wanted to be the one and only Big Kahuna. BA knows that is impossible to do and that you need great people around you to succeed.
 
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Jakey53

Registered User
Aug 27, 2011
29,982
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Jackson certainly sounds experienced, but I'm not convinced by GMBA looking at those ex-Buffalo scouts laid off in the Buffalo overhaul.
New GM's bring in "their" people, all the way from coaches, scouts, assistants etc. and that is what probably happened in Buffalo, same as here. I don't know much about the people BA hired, but for now he deserves our trust.
 
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RemoAZ

Let it burn
Mar 30, 2010
11,090
7,301
Glendale, Arizona
Scouts only contribute if you trust and use the information on prospects they provide. We don't know what kind of impact they had at their previous jobs. Bill obviously trusts them and it will ultimately be his responsibility to build the roster. If he likes them, that's good enough for me. Not going to change the fact that he's expected to build a winner and will get canned if he doesn't.
 
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AZviaNJ

Setbacks, no Defeats
Mar 31, 2011
6,620
4,199
AZ
That is the type of experienced and successful person I wanted in that position a couple of years ago so they could control Chayka. I really like what BA is doing in the front office. Chayka wanted to be the one and only Big Kahuna. BA knows that is impossible to do and that you need great people around you to succeed.
Smartest guy in the room, didn't want to be challenged in his thinking.

Such a different and refreshing leadership style BA brings.
 
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TheLegend

Megathread Gadfly
Aug 30, 2009
35,968
27,445
Buzzing BoH


Wtf? Wasn't this guy just promoted when we were interviewing him for the GM job?


Weird.... Penguins had made him GM of their AHL franchise just a month ago. He was a VP in their Hockey Ops department before that.

Certainly looks like he pee’d in someone’s corn flakes.
 
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The Feckless Puck

Registered Loser
Sponsor
Oct 26, 2006
18,236
10,488
Weird.... Penguins had made him GM of their AHL franchise just a month ago. He was a VP in their Hockey Ops department before that.

Certainly looks like he pee’d in someone’s corn flakes.

Considering that he was in the mix for AZ, I think we might have dodged a bullet.
 
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