Observations XXIV

[NoNecksCurse]

another mistake of laviolette's was that he didn't break up JOFA a long time ago. they hadn't been very good going back to the regular season.

arvidsson had 0 points. he honestly isn't a very good top line winger against a team with dallas' structure. he's only good off the rush or when he cherry picks.

 

[Legionnaire11]

Figure we need a coaching change and a Dman needs to go. If it's not Ellis he needs his " A" ripped off his sweater. If that's your assistant captain its obvious the leadership blows.

Not even assistant captain, Ellis is the "Associate Captain". Which is totally made up and puts him somewhere between Josi and the other alternates and guarantees that he wears the C when Josi is out.

There's a good chance he would have been named captain if he hadn't been injured that summer, and a lot of us thought he was the right choice.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

Not even assistant captain, Ellis is the "Associate Captain". Which is totally made up and puts him somewhere between Josi and the other alternates and guarantees that he wears the C when Josi is out.

There's a good chance he would have been named captain if he hadn't been injured that summer, and a lot of us thought he was the right choice.

shit, I didn't! I've thought ellis was overrated at his peak. it was only a matter of time before being a midget logging top pairing minutes reared its ugly head.

 

[FossilFndr]

so long old friends. might be back around in september

Hope my friends here have a good summer.

Don't know if I'm glad they actually played an inspired game or mad we did not see more of this along the way. Bishop was really solid, Vezina worthy goalie.

I'll check in along the way but it's time for me to get away, and the negativity that's going to be here for a while at least isn't good for my well-being. I want nothing to do with that rabbit hole.

 

[Scoresberg]

wholeheartedly disagree. we were outright whipped in 4 of 6 games. we were the better team in 1 of the 6 games. if rinne doesn't steal game 3 AND bishop doesn't let in 2 absolute softies, then this is over in 5.

this series reminded me of the early playoff days. no real shot at the cup, just a matter of when it's over.

Would be fascinating to see you as a fan of a team like Arizona or Buffalo.

If you have this much problems with a team that has had as much success than just about any team in the league the past 5 years, I can't even imagine the above.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

Would be fascinating to see you as a fan of a team like Arizona or Buffalo.

If you have this much problems with a team that has had as much success than just about any team in the league the past 5 years, I can't even imagine the above.

ahh there it is...

the same ol same ol. not a true fan. spoiled fan. whatever buddy.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I know life sucks right now but can we please not do this arguing/attacking posters thing?

Please?

 

[NoNecksCurse]

I know life sucks right now but can we please not do this arguing/attacking posters thing?

Please?

yeah that would be nice. ive gotten use to the semi-personal attacks because by nature i am negative. so whether that comes off wrong, i apologize. but critquing someone's fan card, just not a fan of.. i know it's not like a real life personal attack. i know i come off the wrong way. all good!

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Can we instead focus on attacking our coaching staff? You know, the people who are actually responsible for this mess?

 

[NoNecksCurse]

@NNCbama i forgot about our bet. you are a good man!

 

[NoNecksCurse]

Can we instead focus on attacking our coaching staff? You know, the people who are actually responsible for this mess?

i believe a lot of people are going to be disappointed if they want to fire laviolette.

i really do not see it happening and furthermore, the possible replacements for him just seem like coaches that have went way past their life span of coaching in the NHL.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I'm impressed by Fabbro, he played pretty well with what he was given. One of the top 4 has to be traded and he could probably even slot into a top 4 role next year. There will be hiccups but we've gotta get rid of Ellis or Subban.

I will maintain it ought to be Ellis. Our D is just too soft and dysfunctional, but the most physical and abrasive player out there is Subban. Ellis is the one who makes the least sense for us to keep. He's a bad fit on a pairing with Josi, and he's just too small/slow to help this team. His skillset is offense, but he's redundant in that area for us.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

@NNCbama i forgot about our bet. you are a good man!

I'm not sure it was a very fair bet, tbh... if you had to wear that avatar it would have been uglier than a username that hopefully nobody pays much attention to anyway.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

I will maintain it ought to be Ellis. Our D is just too soft and dysfunctional, but the most physical and abrasive player out there is Subban. Ellis is the one who makes the least sense for us to keep. He's a bad fit on a pairing with Josi, and he's just too small/slow to help this team. His skillset is offense, but he's redundant in that area for us.

absolutely agree. ellis should be shopped first over subban.

if someone offers a package too good to turn down for subban, then you pivot to him.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

i believe a lot of people are going to be disappointed if they want to fire laviolette.

i really do not see it happening and furthermore, the possible replacements for him just seem like coaches that have went way past their life span of coaching in the NHL.

Well then our ire ought to shift upstairs. Laviolette admitted he had no answers. He sure as shoot had A LOT of time to come up with those answers, it was the same problems ALL YEAR. If the GM can't see that's a big problem, then the blame shifts to him.

There are tons of coaches out there. Finding The Right One I agree is not going to be easy. And I'm worried that they'll pick a generic re-tread who actually isn't as good as Laviolette was. They need a fresh look either way. But if they pick one the many uninspiring re-treads, it won't help in the big picture. My prescription would be:

Head Coach: somebody young, fresh, up-and-comer - like Keefe or Gronborg
Assistant/Associate #1: that can be a more experienced, veteran re-tread with past head coaching experience
Assistant#2: Housley

Git 'er done, DP.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

absolutely agree. ellis should be shopped first over subban.

if someone offers a package too good to turn down for subban, then you pivot to him.

Yeah, that'd be my stance exactly. It's not that we CAN'T trade Subban... it depends on the packages on the table... but Subban brings more on the ice for us than Ellis does, bottom line. And I'm not ready to close the window yet.

 

[bdub24]

This series has made me come around to the idea of getting rid of all the coaches including Lavi. That is obviously mostly emotional based on the loss though. Definitely want both the assistants gone beyond the emotion though. They had proven their ineptitude during the regular season.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Can we come up with a definitive list of potential head coaching candidates? With Quenneville and Vigneault already hired away, a couple of the most prominent names are off the list already. Who else is there?

Guy Boucher - it's hard to know what you get here. He seems like a real thinker but he's had as many disasters as successes relating to players and teams? He has the experience and credentials, but probably would be considered "risky".

Mke Yeo - record wasn't bad, but not distinguished
Dallas Eakins - not exactly a distinguished NHL track record
Darryl Sutter - a little too old school for our team?
Lindy Ruff - one of the best for a while but is he also too old school now?
Dan Bylsma - finally got back in the league as an assistant with Wings, but don't see him as an option
Glen Gulutzan - didn't seem to work out his first two tries with Dallas and Calgary?
Willie Desjardins - not a lot of success there
Dave Hakstol - ditto

Sheldon Keefe - this is the kind of guy I'd like to see them get. A young "up and comer" in the ranks. But rumor has it that Toronto won't let him go.
DJ Smith - the other Leafs protege on their bench

Brad Shaw - longtime assistant now in Columbus has interviewed for head jobs before, but I'm thinking we need to go for either a more established guy or the younger hotshot type?

Lane Lambert - has followed Trotz around long enough - is he ready for his own gig?

Randy Carlyle - no thanks
Paul Maurice - coming soon - also no thanks
Michel Therrien - no thanks (Subban would love this!)

Phil Housley - well I'd take him back as an assistant anyway

Bob Hartley - in KHL now?

Scott Sandelin - gets a lot of mention in NCAA and USA Hockey circles - does he only work well with youngsters or could he translate that to the pros?

Rikard Gronborg - getting some attention Why Rikard Grönborg could be NHL's first European head coach since 2001 - Sportsnet.ca

Bob Bougher
Mike Velluci

... others to add?

I like the idea of maybe going ultra-progressive trying to snag a Keefe or with our roster be the ones to run the Gronberg experiment. But I'm open to being convinced. Not really a fan of going for one of the re-treads, especially from the multitude of less-accomplished ones. But if we do take more of a gamble with the Head Coach, it might make sense to hire one of these types as an experienced associate/assistant?

I'm going to quote my past life because our off-season is on and I think this is the first order of business.

Who you got for coaches?

HC: Keefe/Gronborg
A#1: Yeo/Boucher if they'd take it
A#2: Housley

... a rising star HC with some serious experience to back him up... that's my prescription for what ails... getting this right is going to be more important than any trade or UFA signing the team makes IMO...

 

[triggrman]

I will maintain it ought to be Ellis. Our D is just too soft and dysfunctional, but the most physical and abrasive player out there is Subban. Ellis is the one who makes the least sense for us to keep. He's a bad fit on a pairing with Josi, and he's just too small/slow to help this team. His skillset is offense, but he's redundant in that area for us.

Ekholm is far more physcial than Subban, he's more steady defensively too.

 

[triggrman]

Can we instead focus on attacking our coaching staff? You know, the people who are actually responsible for this mess?

You mean Poile?

 

[Scoresberg]

Poile did a great job assembling and making this team a lot better. The fact that every player who has arrived here in the last couple of years has underperformed is on the coaching staff.

 

[King Weber]

a few coaching candidates and what they're currently up to if Laviolette and co. get let go;

Rikard Grönborg - leaving the Swedish national team after this years World Championships
Paul MacLean - no idea
Sheldon Keefe - head coach of the Marlies
Lindy Ruff - assistant coach for the Rangers
Mike Yeo - let go by the Blues earlier this season
Marc Crawford - Senators interim head coach
Michel Therrien - works for RDS
Darryl Sutter - willing to sign with a contender or a rebuilding team
Randy Carlyle - let go by the Ducks earlier this season
Doug Weight - senior advisor for the Islanders
Glen Gulutzan - assistant coach in Edmonton
Willie Desjardins - hired and then let go by the Kings earlier this season
Phil Housley - let go by the Sabres earlier this season
Dean Evason - former Admirals head coach, now in Minnesota as an assistant coach
Lane Lambert - associate coach for the Islanders
Guy Boucher - let go by the Senators earlier this season
Scott Sandelin - coaches the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA
Dave Tippett - senior advisor to Seattle's NHL expansion group, not planning to coach them
DJ Smith - assistant coach in Toronto
Jack Capuano - assistant coach in Florida
Bob Hartley - coaching the Avangard Omsk in the KHL
Todd Nelson - assistant coach in Dallas
Dallas Eakins - likely signing with the Ducks, coaches their AHL affiliate
Dale Hunter - head coach of the London Knights
Dan Bylsma - assistant coach in Detroit
Ralph Krueger - left his position in Southampton and has interest in returning to the NHL.
John Stevens - let go by the Kings earlier this season
Tony Granato - head coach of for the University of Wisconsin
Kevin Dineen - former assistant coach for the Blackhawks, fired earlier this season

bolded the one's I'd be most interested in.

 

[LCPreds]

arvidsson had 0 points. he honestly isn't a very good top line winger against a team with dallas' structure. he's only good off the rush or when he cherry picks.

Hypothetically speaking, I wonder what the return might be for Arvy?

 

[drwpreds]

I said this multiple times all year. it was obvious this team was poorly constructed and did not have it. i was consistently mocked by the residential snobs of the board for the opinion and for being negative.

I'm the captain of "this team doesn't have what it takes to win a cup" bandwagon.

You also said two years ago that this team had no shot at winning anything (heck, beating Chicago much less winning a Cup)

The problem people have is when someone is negative pretty much about everything all the time you are guaranteed to be right some of the time. But your negativity has been dead wrong a whole heck of a lot. (And you don't get credit for jumping on the bandwagon AFTER the Hawks sweep).

And then when that person comes on here and says "see, told you so you sunshine pumpers!!"--------- it is not going to be received well.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

You also said two years ago that this team had no shot at winning anything (heck, beating Chicago much less winning a Cup)

The problem people have is when someone is negative pretty much about everything all the time you are guaranteed to be right some of the time. But your negativity has been dead wrong a whole heck of a lot. (And you don't get credit for jumping on the bandwagon AFTER the Hawks sweep).

And then when that person comes on here and says "see, told you so you sunshine pumpers!!"--------- it is not going to be received well.

16-17 we choked our way into chicago in the first round. and again, yes I picked us to lose I believe in 6 games. once we swept them, I realized the team had "it"... again, i call it like it is. this core with this coaching staff will never win a cup.

i get it. only 1 team wins the cup a year but it doesn't make me wrong or right. I'm just stating what's plainly obvious and been saying. now the whole damn board is ready to blow it up. it's ironic.

and i would be willing to bet i am right way more than I am wrong.