Laval Rocket: Jean-François Houle Discussion Thread

[WeThreeKings]

FWIW the title of Marinaros podcast today is that he expects big changes in Laval

 

[Steve Shutt]

I have 4 names I would highly consider as for now:

Stephane Julien
Stephane Robidas
Jason Pominville

And I’m curious about Serge Aubin who I know less well then the 3 others.

I would like to add Carl Malette to the coaching staff too who would be a great add for the PP and the forward group

Stephane Julien looks like a strong candidate
Pominville's coaching experience looks a bit limited

What about Jim Hulton - not sure if he's bilingual but he'd be on my list

 

[Vachon23]

Stephane Julien looks like a strong candidate
Pominville's coaching experience looks a bit limited

What about Jim Hulton - not sure if he's bilingual but he'd be on my list

Sadly not because he would have been on top of my list even in 2021 before we hired JF Houle. I have a lot of respect for him who is in my mind the best coach in the Q for the past 10 years and should have been promote somewhere.

For Pominville, he’s in the same route then MSL. He’s doing a great job in minor hockey for La région de la Lanaudière and he have a major role in the development of Alexis Joseph, one of the best prospect from Quebec in the past 20 years

 

[salbutera]

I have 4 names I would highly consider as for now:

Stephane Julien
Stephane Robidas
Jason Pominville

And I’m curious about Serge Aubin who I know less well then the 3 others.

I would like to add Carl Malette to the coaching staff too who would be a great add for the PP and the forward group

Last I heard Pominville was playing beer league & coaching his kids in Buffalo area where he seems happy living. I recall Shawinigan retired his number but not sure he wants to move the family to Mtl..

He would be an interesting candidate though

Sadly not because he would have been on top of my list even in 2021 before we hired JF Houle. I have a lot of respect for him who is in my mind the best coach in the Q for the past 10 years and should have been promote somewhere.

For Pominville, he’s in the same route then MSL. He’s doing a great job in minor hockey for La région de la Lanaudière and he have a major role in the development of Alexis Joseph, one of the best prospect from Quebec in the past 20 years

I stand corrected I did not know he was coaching Pionniers de Lanaudière

 

[Adam Michaels]

FWIW the title of Marinaros podcast today is that he expects big changes in Laval

Listened to the episode, Marcotte was the guest and they did recap of the Rocket. Marcotte mentioned that under the circumstances, JF Houle did a good job and that every player backed him in the exit interviews.

However, Marcotte mentioned that as of last night, there have been zero discussions between JF Houle and the organization regarding an extension. He also says there will be changes in Laval. And if JF Houle is back, Marcotte could see someone like Byron join the coaching staff. He also said that during the COVID season, Bouillon helped behind the bench for a few games and he hated the experience and prefers his current role in player development.

I know Kelly Buchberger will leave. There were rumors he would be leaving last off-season to return home in Western Canada, but he ended up staying. And his contract is up so he will surely be gone.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Listened to the episode, Marcotte was the guest and they did recap of the Rocket. Marcotte mentioned that under the circumstances, JF Houle did a good job and that every player backed him in the exit interviews.

However, Marcotte mentioned that as of last night, there have been zero discussions between JF Houle and the organization regarding an extension. He also says there will be changes in Laval. And if JF Houle is back, Marcotte could see someone like Byron join the coaching staff. He also said that during the COVID season, Bouillon helped behind the bench for a few games and he hated the experience and prefers his current role in player development.

I know Kelly Buchberger will leave. There were rumors he would be leaving last off-season to return home in Western Canada, but he ended up staying. And his contract is up so he will surely be gone.

Yeah Houle is gone, no contact on an extension isn't promising for him. Hughes and Gorton are going to identify their staff that they trust to develop and implement their vision.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

FWIW the title of Marinaros podcast today is that he expects big changes in Laval

Listened to it.

Marcotte didn't seem to think Houle will be back, but didn't full back it.

At the end he dropped a bit of a bomb thinking Paul Byron could be a coach there.

He mentioned Bouillon was offered thar spot a few years ago and turned it down as he doesn't like coaching.

Byron has spent a lot of time around the team this year - Marcotte

 

[Adam Michaels]

Yeah Houle is gone, no contact on an extension isn't promising for him. Hughes and Gorton are going to identify their staff that they trust to develop and implement their vision.

You never know. But it does seem like there will be a complete change in coaching staff.

Marcotte also mentioned that a lot of times this year, Adam Nicholas and Scott Pelerin were running practices and JF Houle was there but not in charge of it.

He said that sometimes, they needed to pass the Zamboni because they really used the ice doing the drills.

 

[Sorinth]

You never know. But it does seem like there will be a complete change in coaching staff.

Marcotte also mentioned that a lot of times this year, Adam Nicholas and Scott Pelerin were running practices and JF Houle was there but not in charge of it.

He said that sometimes, they needed to pass the Zamboni because they really used the ice doing the drills.

That sounds like something that will happen no matter who the coach is. The goal of the AHL team is player development so it makes sense that the player development team is heavily involved in the AHL practices.They should be a collaboration between the AHL coaches and the player development staff, and when they are more focused on development then having Nicholas run it makes sense.

Honestly in an organization hierarchy chart I'd even have the AHL coaches be under that player development umbrella.

 

[Goldthorpe]

Marcotte also mentioned that a lot of times this year, Adam Nicholas and Scott Pelerin were running practices and JF Houle was there but not in charge of it.

He said that sometimes, they needed to pass the Zamboni because they really used the ice doing the drills.

Godin made the exact same observations (about Nicholas running drills, about the Zamboni) in his podcast, to the point where I wonder if that Marcotte guy isn't just repeating what Godin said.

 

[Vachon23]

Godin made the exact same observations (about Nicholas running drills, about the Zamboni) in his podcast, to the point where I wonder if that Marcotte guy isn't just repeating what Godin said.

Anthony Marcotte is the voice of the Rocket and he was at every practice so no he don’t just repeat what someone said on a podcast

 

[Goldthorpe]

Anthony Marcotte is the voice of the Rocket and he was at every practice so no he don’t just repeat what someone said on a podcast

Ok, make sense. Sorry, didn't know who that was.

 

[montreal]

To be honest, I would make the change too and I already have a list of candidates in mind

But I don’t think Houle is a bad coach the blame can’t be only on him

well said!

Listened to the episode, Marcotte was the guest and they did recap of the Rocket. Marcotte mentioned that under the circumstances, JF Houle did a good job and that every player backed him in the exit interviews.

However, Marcotte mentioned that as of last night, there have been zero discussions between JF Houle and the organization regarding an extension. He also says there will be changes in Laval. And if JF Houle is back, Marcotte could see someone like Byron join the coaching staff. He also said that during the COVID season, Bouillon helped behind the bench for a few games and he hated the experience and prefers his current role in player development.

I know Kelly Buchberger will leave. There were rumors he would be leaving last off-season to return home in Western Canada, but he ended up staying. And his contract is up so he will surely be gone.

I really like the Byron idea, he might do wonders for the PK, the special teams must get better. Hutson feeding Mailloux could be epic for PP1.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I really like the Byron idea, he might do wonders for the PK, the special teams must get better. Hutson feeding Mailloux could be epic for PP1.

Hutson to Mailloux on the PP.

And a preview of a Hutson/Reinbacher pairing.

 

[HABitual Fan]

Hutson to Mailloux on the PP.

And a preview of a Hutson/Reinbacher pairing.

What is the over-under on shorthanded goals allowed if that is the PP1 pairing?

 

[Vachon23]

David Quinn was the Habs 1st choice when they hired Stephane Robidas.

Could they put Robidas as HC of the Rocket since he knows MSL philosophy and system and he work with both Nicholas and Pellerin in the development staff in Toronto.

Quinn would bring experience in the coaching staff

 

[Le Barron de HF]

David Quinn was the Habs 1st choice when they hired Stephane Robidas.

Could they put Robidas as HC of the Rocket since he knows MSL philosophy and system and he work with both Nicholas and Pellerin in the development staff in Toronto.

Quinn would bring experience in the coaching staff

I'm not impressed by what Quinn has done personally.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

David Quinn was the Habs 1st choice when they hired Stephane Robidas.

Could they put Robidas as HC of the Rocket since he knows MSL philosophy and system and he work with both Nicholas and Pellerin in the development staff in Toronto.

Quinn would bring experience in the coaching staff

That's not a bad idea, they can have Byron be one of the assistants in Laval with him. I'd be happy with a bit more experience with the big team as well, it's a win-win.

 

[Intangir]

Lots of good candidates in this thread, but I'd personally really like if Jay Pandolfo would leave his cushy BU head-coaching gig (vey unlikely unless an NHL head-coach job came along) to be head coach in Laval.

He does not speak french, and that might annoy/anger some in our fanbase (or outside voices with political agendas that make themselves heard whenever it suits their purposes) but he's a very good coach and I think would be incredible for Laval.

 

[Vachon23]

Lots of good candidates in this thread, but I'd personally really like if Jay Pandolfo would leave his cushy BU head-coaching gig (vey unlikely unless an NHL head-coach job came along) to be head coach in Laval.

He does not speak french, and that might annoy/anger some in our fanbase (or outside voices with political agendas that make themselves heard whenever it suits their purposes) but he's a very good coach and I think would be incredible for Laval.

Don’t think he will quit BU for an AHL job but I would offer him Letowski or Burrows job

 

[1909]

Louis Robitaille could be an option.

 

[Egresch]

Just a different point of view from other part of the world, I voted yes. JFH ticks all the tasks you would set for your AHL head coach.

• Using the same system as NHL team
• Developing prospects- Struble, Roy, Xhekaj & Armia stints in AHL, RHP & Ylonen previous season
• Dobeš, Mailloux had very good AHL season, Farrell, Kidney, Davidson were OK in pro debut
• Depth players ready to step up to NHL if neccessary- both Gignac and Stephens served better on 4th line than Colin White
• Missing playoffs is only missing spot, but that was missed by bad management decisions at the start of the season. Having some AHL vet goalie would probably prevent a lot of losses at the begining. Trades at TDL did not help as well.

You cannot really expect more, so change in this position does not really make sense. Changing assistent coaches might be an option.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Just a different point of view from other part of the world, I voted yes. JFH ticks all the tasks you would set for your AHL head coach.

• Using the same system as NHL team
• Developing prospects- Struble, Roy, Xhekaj & Armia stints in AHL, RHP & Ylonen previous season
• Dobeš, Mailloux had very good AHL season, Farrell, Kidney, Davidson were OK in pro debut
• Depth players ready to step up to NHL if neccessary- both Gignac and Stephens served better on 4th line than Colin White
• Missing playoffs is only missing spot, but that was missed by bad management decisions at the start of the season. Having some AHL vet goalie would probably prevent a lot of losses at the begining. Trades at TDL did not help as well.

You cannot really expect more, so change in this position does not really make sense. Changing assistent coaches might be an option.

JF Houle deserves credit. He's done a good job with Laval and in particular the players the organization wants to be the focus of the team. I'm okay if they bring him back. But I think it's time to move on from him mainly because I think it's a chance for this management to put their stamp on the AHL staff.

If they do put Byron on the coaching staff like Marcotte can see happening, it's a little more of that out-of-the-box thinking we know HuGo has the tendency to do. And with Byron already on the player development staff, he can be a good coach to have for that particular reason, the development of the players.

If they do a complete overhaul, it's exciting to see who they bring in.

 

[Egresch]

JF Houle deserves credit. He's done a good job with Laval and in particular the players the organization wants to be the focus of the team. I'm okay if they bring him back. But I think it's time to move on from him mainly because I think it's a chance for this management to put their stamp on the AHL staff.

If they do put Byron on the coaching staff like Marcotte can see happening, it's a little more of that out-of-the-box thinking we know HuGo has the tendency to do. And with Byron already on the player development staff, he can be a good coach to have for that particular reason, the development of the players.

If they do a complete overhaul, it's exciting to see who they bring in.

This just looks like classic "Grass is always greener on the othe side" scenario.

 

[WeThreeKings]

This just looks like classic "Grass is always greener on the othe side" scenario.

Or, I don't want to change something because it was functionally okay. But this needs to be way better than okay.