Speculation: Laviolette/Mike Babcock

[Porter Stoutheart]

We have a limited timeframe to compete for the Cup. I'd much rather roll the dice with a coach that has demonstrated an ability to take an underperforming team and turn it into a Cup winner over hoping a fresh face is going to figure it out in his first real gig on the NHL level.

That's where I'm leaning right now too. And if Poile could finagle another contract with $$$ or term below the latest market trends, it might be an easier sell to his bosses. Somebody like Sutter or Babcock on a 2-3 year deal for $3Mish to try to give us that short-term shove through the open window... that'd be ideal. But if you have to pony up 8x$6.25M like Babcock's deal, or even 5x$5M like the recent Julien/Vigneault/Quenneville/McLellan benchmarks... I can imagine that being a harder sell.

Seems funny to be talking about the contract details for coaches. That was never a thing before. But the landscape has changed and it could be a factor now?

 

[Predsanddead24]

I get the appeal of getting a fresh face and trying something new, but that hasn't really been a recipe for success. In the salary cap only three coaches have won the Cup in their first coaching gig (Sullivan x2, Bylsma, and Carlyle) with an additional two losing in the Cup finals (Cooper and MacTavish). I'm not sure the total number of new versus retread coaches over that time interval so its tough to say if it's meaningful versus just an artefact of having more retread coaches in general. However, it at least to a first order seems like NHL coaching experience (or being the Penguins coach) is key to being successful.

 

[101st_fan]

I'm waiting to see how Keefe does in the NHL. Bednar came from the AHL and is doing well ... Dejardins, Gulutzan, Peters haven't had that type of success.

 

[101st_fan]

Fresh faces are hard to come by this time of year. Lambert is the closest thing in the organization with his couple of months on the staff and some success as a juniors coach although his one year in the AHL wasn't the most successful. Outside of the organization gets into requiring permission from other teams to talk to their assistants ... not impossible but a potential hurdle.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Fresh faces are hard to come by this time of year. Lambert is the closest thing in the organization with his couple of months on the staff and some success as a juniors coach although his one year in the AHL wasn't the most successful. Outside of the organization gets into requiring permission from other teams to talk to their assistants ... not impossible but a potential hurdle.

Lambert as an interim is probably our best bet if we do fire Lavi midseason. Think that gives the chance to audition a fresh face on the job and if he doesn't look like a fit decide what to do long term. I like what I've seen out of Lambert from an X's and O's standpoint, but who knows how he'd handle running the team as a whole.

 

[101st_fan]

Bordeleau and Scuderi are buried in the staff as position developmental coaches, Taylor and Nichol at Milwaukee. Wiping the current coaches and sticking with what is in the organization for interim staff is very high risk ... but there are people.

Or we could try to ruin Canada's self image and put Cherry and Crisp behind the bench together ... curmudgeon coaching. We would need to bring back McCleod for requisite toughness in that situation.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Bordeleau and Scuderi are buried in the staff as position developmental coaches, Taylor and Nichol at Milwaukee. Wiping the current coaches and sticking with what is in the organization for interim staff is very high risk ... but there are people.

Or we could try to ruin Canada's self image and put Cherry and Crisp behind the bench together ... curmudgeon coaching. We would need to bring back McCleod for requisite toughness in that situation.

I like the idea of an all commentator coaching staff. Crispy as head coach, Lyndsay Rowley on offense, Hal Gill on defense, and Chris Mason goalie coach.

 

[101st_fan]

Another high risk move would be to reach down to the Everblades and give Brad Ralph a chance. He does have a pretty good record as an ECHL coach ... but it's a good record as an ECHL coach.

 

[Legionnaire11]

Lambert is interesting, he has seemingly improved the PP this season, so he has some credibility with the players as far as implementing new ideas and getting results.

However, he's a huge unknown in any aspect outside of that, at least to us the fans. Poile would have a better grasp of Lambert's potential as an NHL head coach, even if just on an interim basis.

 

[FossilFndr]

Was bored and house bound so played with Photoshop

 

[Armourboy]

Another high risk move would be to reach down to the Everblades and give Brad Ralph a chance. He does have a pretty good record as an ECHL coach ... but it's a good record as an ECHL coach.

To me that's more of something you try with a rebuild.

Part of me wonders though, I wonder if the issue isn't Lavi and more so McCarthy. McCarthy just comes off as high strung that would get old and tuned out pretty quick.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Or we could try to ruin Canada's self image and put Cherry and Crisp behind the bench together ... curmudgeon coaching. We would need to bring back McCleod for requisite toughness in that situation.

only if there is a tank and that would be fun!

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

only if there is a tank and that would be fun!

Um, no, a tank right now would NOT be "fun".

 

[BigFatCat999]

Um, no, a tank right now would NOT be "fun".

If you tank beat the hell out of everyone.

 

[Huge Legwand]

We have a new assistant coach this year.

I'm clearly not talking about Lambert. McCarthey and Muse have been lackluster at best.

 

[Legionnaire11]

I'm clearly not talking about Lambert. McCarthey and Muse have been lackluster at best.

I'm still unconvinced that Muse is a human.

 

[maplepred]

No on Babcock. Just no. He's the PK Subban of head coaches.

So he is one of the best and a great ambassador for the game?

 

[Gnashville]

Lavy > Babcock
Babcock is very overrated IMO, Anyone could coach that Red Wings team to a cup and that Canadian Olympic team to gold. Outside of the one season with the Ducks (FYI the “F” is right beside the “D” on the keyboard so be careful when typing “Ducks”) When has he ever gotten more out of a team than expected?

 

[Osprey]

Much rather take a look at Sutter, who has more recent relevance than Babcock, and who checks off more than a few boxes for what we're currently lacking. I also don't think he'd be looking for a long-term set-up, so it would be easy to switch directions with another coach one we're looking to rebuild.

Sutter's post-game interviews are also one of a kind and highly entertaining. If that's not a box available for checking, it should be.

 

[Pr0fet]

Is he fired yet? Should have been gone in the offseason since the decline has been pretty obvious for a while. Lavi is never a long term solution for any team (MAX 3 years). Sure, we overperformed in the beginning of the season (didnt we do the same last year?), but thats cause the rest of the teams hadnt starten to heat up yet.

No to Babcock please, coaching Team Canada to an olympic Gold should probably be ranked as one of the easiest jobs in the world . Ill be fine if he comes and proves me wrong though.

Cant we just trade everything for picks right now instead? Im so tired of hoping before every season that this will be the year 1 or 2 of our top forwards break 80 points just to watch them struggle for 60. Trade all our players above 23 Years of age for every first round pick in 2020 out there and get in to next season with Lafreniere, Holtz, Byfield and whatever they are called.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

...
Cant we just trade everything for picks right now instead? Im so tired of hoping before every season that this will be the year 1 or 2 of our top forwards break 80 points just to watch them struggle for 60. Trade all our players above 23 Years of age for every first round pick in 2020 out there and get in to next season with Lafreniere, Holtz, Byfield and whatever they are called.

I still don't think this will continue... surely it can't... but... thing is at this rate we won't even need to trade anything for picks. We're tied for 25th with Ottawa, right? And 1 pt out of 29th place. At this rate, we are already in a pretty good lottery slot for getting one of those players, without trading a single thing.

 

[Pr0fet]

I still don't think this will continue... surely it can't... but... thing is at this rate we won't even need to trade anything for picks. We're tied for 25th with Ottawa, right? And 1 pt out of 29th place. At this rate, we are already in a pretty good lottery slot for getting one of those players, without trading a single thing.

But since we're going for bottom 6, couldnt we atleast trade off one or 2 of them for another top 6 pick?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

But since we're going for bottom 6, couldnt we atleast trade off one or 2 of them for another top 6 pick?

Well, we could dump off like Granlund/Smith for picks. But they won't be that high. The way they are playing if we get a couple extra 2nds, that's about the extent of what we could probably hope for. Still worth doing if for some reason this team can't figure things out by February. But of course I still can't quite believe it'll come to that.

 

[Byrddog]

But since we're going for bottom 6, couldnt we atleast trade off one or 2 of them for another top 6 pick?

While you could be right this is not a bottom 6 team. There are many players on the roster that are just in hibernation. They will turn around enough to flirt with a wild card spot. The main issue is stale coaching right now and goaltending. Pekka and Josi are my favorite players on the team but im afraid Pekka is done. And Saros is not the answer. I was never in favor of Lavi coming here because he did not fit the players on the roster at the time, Well now the roster is filled for Lavi's system. I am not saying he needs to stay but what coach out there can slide right in to this roster and get more out of it than Lavi is? Iy is sure not Babcock. Tampa is getting ready to fire Cooper too but he is not a fit for this team either. But then again he may be he prefers the high octane offence and defense is secondary just outscore the other team. Seems that is Lavi's MO as well. SO the only advantage is a new face. Is that enough?

It is kinda odd that some are wanting to go scortched earth. When LAvi came in that's what I was wanting and in Poiles way he did do it, it just took a number of years. The roster now has issues however. They can put one NHL dominate line together but the second and third lines are just Mehhhh they can get it done some nights but they need to every night. One big issue is Duchene and Johansen. Duchene is a career - 88 and Johansen +12. Don't flame think about it for a couple minutes the top two centers should create many more points than their line gives up.

 

[bdub24]

So he is one of the best and a great ambassador for the game?

Nope.