Nashville's Next Coach: Phil Housley?

[worstfaceoffmanever]

There seems to be a consensus - which has been extant and growing for some time - that it's time for Trotz to be relieved, and his dismissal is more a matter of when than if with the state of affairs on the ice. The next matter, then, is tabbing his replacement. This thread is an effort to start that discussion (or present merits on why Trotz should be retained), beginning with the junior coach on the staff, Phil Housley.

Housley's track record as a coach is an admittedly short one; however, he has had success with the US National Team as the head coach of the U-20 team that won gold in Russia and an assistant on the USMNT that took bronze at last year's World Championships. This season, he as made an immediate difference in the look and style of our defense, guiding Shea Weber and Roman Josi toward the best seasons of their respective careers in the process. His work with the power play has seen it go from 17.1% in 2013 to 20.6% in 13-14.

As far-fetched as it might seem, I think Housley might have been brought in as insulation against this sort of situation (and, IIRC, others have expressed this opinion at varying points of the year as well). While his inexperience could hamper him, I would point to the example of Dan Bylsma, who was in the middle of his first year as a professional head coach with WBS when he got promoted to Pittsburgh. Housley has not been here long enough to have been "tainted" by the organizational philosophy, and could bring a newer, more offense-minded team to the ice in Nashville (or, at the very least, a less rigid system that can adapt to the varying styles of its players).

Is Phantom Phil the man to succeed Trotz, or is there someone else you have in mind? Discuss.

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[dulzhok]

No one can give an educated guess. At this point he's had success with a glorified high school team. That's not to say he won't succeed as a NHL coach, but that's no indication that he will succeed either. Nor does his NHL career matter, which is one reason why everyone likes the "idea" of Housely. Babcock= 0 NHL games. Gretzky = [pick your record].

You'd have to be in the locker room for extended periods.. see how relates to players, evaluate leadership skills, see how he teaches the game to others, interview him and understand his vision as a coach etc, etc, etc. Essentially everything we don't know.

 

[Armourboy]

I think probably thats how they would go, but that may also be dependent on who else is sitting out there coaching wise at the time. If they could pick up a bigger named coach it may help in the fan base department more so than Housley would.

 

[Preds Partisan]

Although light on coaching experience why not? It would be a different voice and approach.

There is only one reason I would not want Trotz fired and that is a situation were Lambert gets elevated to head coach. I'm pretty convinced that this would be 90-95% of the same tired approach we have now. If the way he runs the forwards is any indicator over the last 7 or so years in the organization, then I have no interest even on an interim basis. If somebody thinks I'm wrong on this, please feel free to make your point against my sentiment on Lambert.

Back to Housley. Although I hate to draw comparisons between different sports, I'm going to do so anyway. I recently heard an interview with the new Reds manager, Bryan Price promoted from pitching coach after Dusty Baker got fired. Ownership and the GM felt that there had to be a new approach and new voice in place to try and get the Reds to the next level....just being competitive in the regular season and flaming out early in the playoffs is unacceptable (apparently with the Reds, not the Preds). Reds management got rid of old school Dusty Baker who plays vets over young players, goes by what his gut tells him, go by what the "baseball book" says to Price who is a cerebral guy, highly analytic, embraces putting players in their best position to succeed, build around players strengths instead of trying to mold them insome old school model of a overall lesser player. (Trotz = Dusty Baker).

Price was asked since the Reds roster is essentially the same as before, and since he was a part of the coaching staff that wasn't getting it done, what could he do differently to get the team to take that next step. Paraphrasing, he said that after players are around the same manager/staff coaching the same system, using the same methodology year after year, that players naturally come to know exactly what is expected of them in preparation, approach and execution on the field. At that point, particularly older players who have been around the same system for so long, only perform to that expected level. In essence, the same approach and voice means the players stops learning and growing because the staff only coaches/teaches to whatever the established levels have been ingrained to. He said not to oversimplify the situation, but by a change of voice and approach, and letting the players know they are being taught to different/more relevant levels of expectations as individuals and thus as a team, it should be possible to achieve higher levels of success. After so many years, it is evident that the same approach/voice will only take a team so far (except in Nashville apparently).

Sorry for the long winded comparison, but as a Preds and Reds fan I see so many similarities between fortunes of these teams. I strongly believe in what Price is saying and I suppose Housley would be worth a shot if he can bring this different mindset to the team.

 

[cleangene63]

It's hard to judge from this alone, but there doesn't seem to be a huge difference on the team's play since he stepped in as assistant, so I would vote NO. There needs to be totally fresh viewpoints and ideas when this decision does come (which hopefully IS during or after THIS season). My vote still goes to Lavs as GM and head coach.

 

[thecloser]

many of you could dismiss the guy that i would say look into. I'm not saying go right in and hire him but atleast give it thought and see how it would go.

Peter Laviolette. I know, i know. he was fired from Philly but that was after 3 games! 3!

Fact is he won a cup with Carolina, yes 10-11 years ago, he's been to the finals with Philly, yes he lost but still. He's more offensive minded than Trotz annddddd he's the asst. coach for the US olympic team and has been in Nashville on a couple occasions this year to see Poile. I know, he was here to scout guys for the olympics and guys on other teams, but they have some chemistry and I think he'd work or atleast be worth looking into.

 

[worstfaceoffmanever]

Although light on coaching experience why not? It would be a different voice and approach.

There is only one reason I would not want Trotz fired and that is a situation were Lambert gets elevated to head coach. I'm pretty convinced that this would be 90-95% of the same tired approach we have now. If the way he runs the forwards is any indicator over the last 7 or so years in the organization, then I have no interest even on an interim basis. If somebody thinks I'm wrong on this, please feel free to make your point against my sentiment on Lambert.

Back to Housley. Although I hate to draw comparisons between different sports, I'm going to do so anyway. I recently heard an interview with the new Reds manager, Bryan Price promoted from pitching coach after Dusty Baker got fired. Ownership and the GM felt that there had to be a new approach and new voice in place to try and get the Reds to the next level....just being competitive in the regular season and flaming out early in the playoffs is unacceptable (apparently with the Reds, not the Preds). Reds management got rid of old school Dusty Baker who plays vets over young players, goes by what his gut tells him, go by what the "baseball book" says to Price who is a cerebral guy, highly analytic, embraces putting players in their best position to succeed, build around players strengths instead of trying to mold them insome old school model of a overall lesser player. (Trotz = Dusty Baker).

Price was asked since the Reds roster is essentially the same as before, and since he was a part of the coaching staff that wasn't getting it done, what could he do differently to get the team to take that next step. Paraphrasing, he said that after players are around the same manager/staff coaching the same system, using the same methodology year after year, that players naturally come to know exactly what is expected of them in preparation, approach and execution on the field. At that point, particularly older players who have been around the same system for so long, only perform to that expected level. In essence, the same approach and voice means the players stops learning and growing because the staff only coaches/teaches to whatever the established levels have been ingrained to. He said not to oversimplify the situation, but by a change of voice and approach, and letting the players know they are being taught to different/more relevant levels of expectations as individuals and thus as a team, it should be possible to achieve higher levels of success. After so many years, it is evident that the same approach/voice will only take a team so far (except in Nashville apparently).

Sorry for the long winded comparison, but as a Preds and Reds fan I see so many similarities between fortunes of these teams. I strongly believe in what Price is saying and I suppose Housley would be worth a shot if he can bring this different mindset to the team.

I had forgotten about the Price/Baker situation. That's a really good comparison, I think, and Price makes some good points. Part of the problem with Trotz is he brings an "old world" mentality to a sport that has changed significantly since he started coaching.

many of you could dismiss the guy that i would say look into. I'm not saying go right in and hire him but atleast give it thought and see how it would go.

Peter Laviolette. I know, i know. he was fired from Philly but that was after 3 games! 3!

Fact is he won a cup with Carolina, yes 10-11 years ago, he's been to the finals with Philly, yes he lost but still. He's more offensive minded than Trotz annddddd he's the asst. coach for the US olympic team and has been in Nashville on a couple occasions this year to see Poile. I know, he was here to scout guys for the olympics and guys on other teams, but they have some chemistry and I think he'd work or atleast be worth looking into.

Laviolette is definitely worth considering; however, he has a very short time frame in which he is successful. After the lockout, he coached 271 games with Carolina before being fired, then coached exactly 271 games with Philadelphia. That's a little under three and a half years each, but he went to a Stanley Cup Final in each of those spans.

 

[predfan98]

Although light on coaching experience why not? It would be a different voice and approach.

There is only one reason I would not want Trotz fired and that is a situation were Lambert gets elevated to head coach. I'm pretty convinced that this would be 90-95% of the same tired approach we have now. If the way he runs the forwards is any indicator over the last 7 or so years in the organization, then I have no interest even on an interim basis. If somebody thinks I'm wrong on this, please feel free to make your point against my sentiment on Lambert.

Back to Housley. Although I hate to draw comparisons between different sports, I'm going to do so anyway. I recently heard an interview with the new Reds manager, Bryan Price promoted from pitching coach after Dusty Baker got fired. Ownership and the GM felt that there had to be a new approach and new voice in place to try and get the Reds to the next level....just being competitive in the regular season and flaming out early in the playoffs is unacceptable (apparently with the Reds, not the Preds). Reds management got rid of old school Dusty Baker who plays vets over young players, goes by what his gut tells him, go by what the "baseball book" says to Price who is a cerebral guy, highly analytic, embraces putting players in their best position to succeed, build around players strengths instead of trying to mold them insome old school model of a overall lesser player. (Trotz = Dusty Baker).

Price was asked since the Reds roster is essentially the same as before, and since he was a part of the coaching staff that wasn't getting it done, what could he do differently to get the team to take that next step. Paraphrasing, he said that after players are around the same manager/staff coaching the same system, using the same methodology year after year, that players naturally come to know exactly what is expected of them in preparation, approach and execution on the field. At that point, particularly older players who have been around the same system for so long, only perform to that expected level. In essence, the same approach and voice means the players stops learning and growing because the staff only coaches/teaches to whatever the established levels have been ingrained to. He said not to oversimplify the situation, but by a change of voice and approach, and letting the players know they are being taught to different/more relevant levels of expectations as individuals and thus as a team, it should be possible to achieve higher levels of success. After so many years, it is evident that the same approach/voice will only take a team so far (except in Nashville apparently).

Sorry for the long winded comparison, but as a Preds and Reds fan I see so many similarities between fortunes of these teams. I strongly believe in what Price is saying and I suppose Housley would be worth a shot if he can bring this different mindset to the team.

Unless Housley is extraordinay, and I haven't seen any evidence with this years team.........if you're going to have a new coach, bring in a whole new crew.

 

[LOUISVILLE ICE CARDS]

Honestly if we were to fire Trotz id rather bring Lane Lambert in as a Interim Head Coach over Housley. Yes Housley is a Hall of Famer and was the coach of the Gold medal winning USA WJC coach a year back but I still feel Lane might be a better fit at this point. Look at how Horachek has done for the Panthers out of no where maybe Lane has some magic up his sleeves

 

[cleangene63]

many of you could dismiss the guy that i would say look into. I'm not saying go right in and hire him but atleast give it thought and see how it would go.

Peter Laviolette. I know, i know. he was fired from Philly but that was after 3 games! 3!

Fact is he won a cup with Carolina, yes 10-11 years ago, he's been to the finals with Philly, yes he lost but still. He's more offensive minded than Trotz annddddd he's the asst. coach for the US olympic team and has been in Nashville on a couple occasions this year to see Poile. I know, he was here to scout guys for the olympics and guys on other teams, but they have some chemistry and I think he'd work or atleast be worth looking into.

1,000,000 percent agree