Kris Knoblauch, D.J. Smith and Sheldon Keefe

[Mathletic]

I'd like to read what you have to say about these 3 coaches. Even though Erie has some top notch forwards, what do you think of the job Knoblauch has done? Especially on the defensive side.

Looks like Smith is doing well with was supposed to be a re-building team.

Click to read more...

 

[EON]

I'd like to read what you have to say about these 3 coaches. Even though Erie has some top notch forwards, what do you think of the job Knoblauch has done? Especially on the defensive side.

Looks like Smith is doing well with was supposed to be a re-building team.

I can't speak for DJ Smith and Sheldon Keefe, but it looks like they are both doing fantastic jobs with teams that most people didn't expect to be this good.

As for Knoblauch, he's done a fantastic job so far this season. Erie's first line supplies most of the offense yes, and we have some solid secondary scoring from Burakovsky, Harper, Curtis, and Strome. But this is a changed team defensively. Despite the fact that we have been putting up huge numbers offensively I haven't seen the team cheating offensively. The backcheck this season is so much better than last season, the defense is getting the puck off the stick of the other team and out of the zone much quicker. There have been far less bad turnovers as well. His assistants deserve some credit too. All three of those coaches are done a tremendous job implementing a much more positive attitude and the team goes into games expecting to win'not lose. So while its only 1/4 of the way through the season, and we haven't faced that difficult of a schedule yet, Knoblauch has still done a great job turning this team around.

 

[saska sault]

As for Keefe, he has brought in an entire new attitude and culture change to the Hounds... I think we are 25-30 games over .500 since he took over about a year ago? This team is now all about hard work, team effort, and being accountable... The playing/coaching style reminds me of the Craig Hartsburg days, everyone contributes and the team is always working hard. Great to see a team that plays the way we are use to here in the Soo.

 

[EON]

As for Keefe, he has brought in an entire new attitude and culture change to the Hounds... I think we are 25-30 games over .500 since he took over about a year ago? This team is now all about hard work, team effort, and being accountable... The playing/coaching style reminds me of the Craig Hartsburg days, everyone contributes and the team is always working hard. Great to see a team that plays the way we are use to here in the Soo.

Speaking of a Hartsburg, Chris Hartsburg is one of the new assistants on the Otters this season who has helped to turn it around.

 

[saska sault]

Speaking of a Hartsburg, Chris Hartsburg is one of the new assistants on the Otters this season who has helped to turn it around.

Paul Maclean (Senators coach), son AJ is one of our assistants... seem to be a lot of young coaches/assistant coaches with NHL bloodlines in the league, a new trend?

 

[sniper81]

DJ is a very vocal and demanding coach, his players play his certain style or they don't play and everyone buys in. Hunt and macfarlane are very good assistant coaches as well. Obviously he got a bit lucky getting Laughton back because this team is 6,7,8th in the east without him

 

[Mathletic]

thanks for the comments

looks like there's an interesting crop of young coaches in the OHL

 

[SimonKnightsman]

thanks for the comments

looks like there's an interesting crop of young coaches in the OHL

I would still wait on the Soo before planning parade routes. They kind of remind me of Windsor right now also playing soft schedules. Once the Soo gets 2 spins through the MidWest and see how they hold up.

 

[EON]

I would still wait on the Soo before planning parade routes. They kind of remind me of Windsor right now also playing soft schedules. Once the Soo gets 2 spins through the MidWest and see how they hold up.

I just saw the Soo the other night, and I'll say this about them: they are very good defensively, and Matt Murray is a beast in net. But I'm not so sure about them offensively, I think their numbers are quite boosted right now because of a soft schedule. Their possession time was very poor and they barely got any quality scoring chances against the Otters. I think if they add a few pieces offensively with the pile of draft picks they have they could be a very dangerous team, but right now I'd say Erie, Guelph, and London are better teams.

 

[SimonKnightsman]

I just saw the Soo the other night, and I'll say this about them: they are very good defensively, and Matt Murray is a beast in net. But I'm not so sure about them offensively, I think their numbers are quite boosted right now because of a soft schedule. Their possession time was very poor and they barely got any quality scoring chances against the Otters. I think if they add a few pieces offensively with the pile of draft picks they have they could be a very dangerous team right, but right now I'd say Erie, Guelph, and London are better teams.

That's my thinking also, you have read a team on a 7 game series. Neither Windsor or Hounds are beating any of the big three in Midwest over any 7 game series.

 

[EON]

That's my thinking also, you have read a team on a 7 game series. Neither Windsor or Hounds are beating any of the big three in Midwest over any 7 game series.

I don't think so either, but I would sure like to see the standings finish like this so we could have London-Windsor in the first round, that'd be entertaining.

 

[saska sault]

Hounds still dont get any credit? I said 10 games ago I dont expect them to keep it up at this pace, but this team isn't over achieving... they have good systems, good goaltending and some really solid players. You can talk about schedule strength, or whatever you want.. bottom line is you don't go 17-3, have the second best goals against, be the least penalized team just by luck... London, Guelph and Erie I agree have more fire power, but the Hounds are well coached and have very underestimated depth and I can see us finishing anywhere from 1-4 in the West if we have no major injuries.

 

[EON]

Hounds still dont get any credit? I said 10 games ago I dont expect them to keep it up at this pace, but this team isn't over achieving... they have good systems, good goaltending and some really solid players. You can talk about schedule strength, or whatever you want.. bottom line is you don't go 17-3, have the second best goals against, be the least penalized team just by luck... London, Guelph and Erie I agree have more fire power, but the Hounds are well coached and have very underestimated depth and I can see us finishing anywhere from 1-4 in the West if we have no major injuries.

I agree, I think they're going to win their division and finish second in the western conference. I just said right now I don't think they have the firepower to compete with London/Guelph/Erie in a 7 game series. I clearly gave them credit in my post, just pointed out the deficiencies I think they have.

 

[saska sault]

I agree, I think they're going to win their division and finish second in the western conference. I just said right now I don't think they have the firepower to compete with London/Guelph/Erie in a 7 game series. I clearly gave them credit in my post, just pointed out the deficiencies I think they have.

The top end talent on those three teams definitely has the advantage over the Hounds. I think the only real edge we have on those listed 3 would be goaltending, and defense as a whole/system.. Nurse is obviously our best d-man, but we have some really good under rated guys and the team as a whole plays a good defensive game. Should be really interesting to see come trade deadline, if we use some of our picks to pick up a piece or two so we can make a run or if we stand pat. I would think if we pick up a top 6 center to go along with McCann and Gaudet and a top 4 offensive d-man to help Nurse out we would have a good shot against any of the big 3 in the West. We do have picks stock piled from the years of rebuilding so hopefully Dubas uses them... in a smarter way then the Jack Campbell trade.

 

[hfp]

I agree, I think they're going to win their division and finish second in the western conference. I just said right now I don't think they have the firepower to compete with London/Guelph/Erie in a 7 game series. I clearly gave them credit in my post, just pointed out the deficiencies I think they have.

Soft schedule start, two loses to northern rivals due to sloppy play... this isnt a relationship its a business , gotta start moving some players......

Mallette, Pastorious...hell move Nurse even....

Some people are too close to the team , or they feel they are anyways, things gotta happen big time, that big trade that makes fans cry , but REAL hockey people happy - yes that needs to happen

 

[hockeylegend11]

Soft schedule start, two loses to northern rivals due to sloppy play... this isnt a relationship its a business , gotta start moving some players......

Mallette, Pastorious...hell move Nurse even....

Some people are too close to the team , or they feel they are anyways, things gotta happen big time, that big trade that makes fans cry , but REAL hockey people happy - yes that needs to happen

Have to agree about the soft sched,19 out of their 1st 32 games were against east conf opponents,Windsor in comparison has played 6 games of their 31 games against the east
In fact combined Windsor has played Guelph and London 7 times combined to date,the Sault once and that was last week at Ldn in their 28th game
I think the sched more then anything explains the 6 pt gap between Windsor and the Sault,and the Spits have 2 games in hand,14 games left with East compared to 7 for the Sault
Most of the west conf teams play the east 2o times,with the Sault because of geography its 26 nice break
Things might bet interesting,Spits and Hounds have 5 games left between each other with 3 of them in Windsor

 

[Mathletic]

didn't take long for Smith to get a job. Apparently the new Marlies coach with Spott getting the promotion to the big club.

 

[London*]

didn't take long for Smith to get a job. Apparently the new Marlies coach with Spott getting the promotion to the big club.

Just posted this in the other thread a few days ago when someone questioned DJ Smith :p


Originally Posted by Colin Mcdavis View Post
Oshawa's Smith???????? How Knoubloch wasn't a lock for this is a damn shame. Take the second worst team in the league and turn them into the second best....that doesn't win coach of the year? We will see who is coaching in the AHL/NHL within 3 years....It ain't going to be Smith.

My vote would've been for Knoubloch as well, just based off pure results.

My post -- DJ is an amazing coach though, a lot of Windsor's success was attributed to him, and I heard great things this year from Oshawa.

Don't be surprised if he does have some kind of AHL/NHL gig within the next 3 years. Maybe not as a head coach, but I wouldn't be surprised if he gig somewhere what so ever.