Scott Stevens steps down as Assistant Coach

[The 29th Pick]

Lou said Scott's decision to leave won't be long term, and he'll probably be back coaching one day hopefully with the Devils
maybe Scott said "I'll come back when Pete is gone"

 

[Emperoreddy]

I'm thinking similarly. I see a lot less controversy in these statements, because of what you mentioned above.

Over the duration of PDBs tenure here, it's definitely seemed like he has an open dialogue with his assistants. More than you hear from most teams. Could be different behind the scenes, of course. Hard to tell with access to assistance coaches shut down.

You think about Stevens, though, and he went through the majority of his hockey life being THE guy. It could all boil down to him just not being comfortable taking on a more subdued role.

And as someone mentioned, who knows for sure if his ideas were for better or worse. We'll find out if he decides to take on a HC position elsewhere in the hockey world.

Ya but weren't those comments made when his assistants were Oates and Robinson? Pete might of had a lot more respect and trust for Big Bird over Stevens (and he might be right to do so...we don't know what Scott wanted to do that wasn't implemented). Could be a lot of things Stevens wanted that could of been for better or worse (maybe he thought Lars deserved more playing time...or that Gely deserved less. Maybe he didn't like that Volch and Fayne were let go so the kids could have the keys to the kingdom so to speak).

Just want to cut things off at the pass in that we don't know what Stevens wanted to do before the "Big Bad Pete" is at it again narrative starts up.

 

[MadDevil]

I'm glad this happened now, rather than during the season. We'll see what Albelin can do with the kids. Maybe having a fellow Swede coaching him will make Larsson feel a little more comfortable.

 

[tycobb]

People on the board were complaining about Stevens as a coach. My guess he wants to take a break before going for a HC job. Whoever comes aboard isn't going to be much of a difference. Assistant coaches aren't really worth what most people believe.

 

[jkrdevil]

I'm glad this happened now, rather than during the season. We'll see what Albelin can do with the kids. Maybe having a fellow Swede coaching him will make Larsson feel a little more comfortable.

Forget about nationality, having someone who worked with him in Albanynwhere he had a bit of success will help.

Honestly, I think this is for the better. The defense has been a bit unstable situation as far as who is in and out since Robinson left. I think a lot of that was due to Stevens. That he apparently felt he wasn't listened to has me scared for what he really wanted to do. Albelin has already run the defense for three years at the NHL level and did reasonably well. All all the kids produced in Albany while they were there hnder him as well.

It is a good move.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

Lou said Scott's decision to leave won't be long term, and he'll probably be back coaching one day hopefully with the Devils
maybe Scott said "I'll come back when Pete is gone"

God I hope not. I hate Pete but I would never fire him and hire Stevens as his replacement, even if it is years down the line. I just don't get many good vibes thinking about Stevens as a head coach. Not after what I saw over these last 2 years.

 

[MadDevil]

I think it's still a bit early to judge how good of a coach Stevens is. We were incredibly lucky to have a very experienced and proven coach like Robinson to work with the defense. Stevens is still relatively new to coaching. Maybe he needs to take a step back and re-evaluate before moving forward.

 

[The 29th Pick]

God I hope not. I hate Pete but I would never fire him and hire Stevens as his replacement, even if it is years down the line. I just don't get many good vibes thinking about Stevens as a head coach. Not after what I saw over these last 2 years.

no not as a head coach, just as an asst when Pete's gone, I just think they dont mesh.

 

[NJDevs26]

Ya but weren't those comments made when his assistants were Oates and Robinson? Pete might of had a lot more respect and trust for Big Bird over Stevens (and he might be right to do so...we don't know what Scott wanted to do that wasn't implemented). Could be a lot of things Stevens wanted that could of been for better or worse (maybe he thought Lars deserved more playing time...or that Gely deserved less. Maybe he didn't like that Volch and Fayne were let go so the kids could have the keys to the kingdom so to speak).

Just want to cut things off at the pass in that we don't know what Stevens wanted to do before the "Big Bad Pete" is at it again narrative starts up.

Yeah I can't exactly blame Pete for Scott wanting more autonomy. Especially when it might not even be Pete that's the main heavy here, for all we know Lou could have been the one nixing Stevens' suggestions. Besides having Albelin here at this time may work out for the best since he's put in a lot of time with the young D anyway, so who flipping cares who said what to whom behind the scenes?

 

[Bleedred]

Do you think maybe now, Salvador won't get 20+ minutes per night? Dear god I hope not.

 

[Missionhockey]

God I hope not. I hate Pete but I would never fire him and hire Stevens as his replacement, even if it is years down the line. I just don't get many good vibes thinking about Stevens as a head coach. Not after what I saw over these last 2 years.

What did you see that was so damning? The Devils were the 6th best team in terms of goals against and 1st in shots against. That's with all the pinching and risk taking the Devils took to help create offense. Whatever it was, it wasn't the results.

 

[Wingman77]

Right because we all know which coach was influencing player minutes, shifts, benching and which coach or authoritative figure was and wasn't willing to listen to their peers or wanted to have a say that was or wasn't backed by solid ideas

Because we were there!

Can't make this **** up

 

[Devilsfanatic0421]

Strategy and tactics need to fit the personnel, not vice versa.

Gelinas regressed when he was instructed to be a more physical defender.

 

[Missionhockey]

Strategy and tactics need to fit the personnel, not vice versa.

Gelinas regressed when he was instructed to be a more physical defender.

So a guy with a 6'4" frame shouldn't be physical? Not being a smart defender and being aggressive are not the same thing.

 

[manilaNJ]

Gelinas regressed period - I'm not entirely sure how physicality affected him, but the same mistakes he was getting caught on were problems to start the season, too.

They were also problems for him in Albany, both pre and post NHL.

This season will be sink or swim to see if he can overcome some of his defensive zone woes... but his drop off was coming last year regardless.

I'm always willing to be proven wrong, so maybe I'll go back and take a look at some games surrounding the comments about being physical.

 

[NJDevs26]

Strategy and tactics need to fit the personnel, not vice versa.

Gelinas regressed when he was instructed to be a more physical defender.

It's funny how we assume Stevens was THE reason Gelinas tried to play physical and yet Stevens was supposedly complaining about not having enough autonomy. One of the two things doesn't compute.

 

[Wingman77]

Moral of the story, we have no idea who was in control of pulling the different strings and it's silly to jump to conclusions

Stevens is no longer the assistant and Tommy A now is

New season, physicals next week, everything else is irrelevant

 

[MadDevil]

Gelinas regressed period - I'm not entirely sure how physicality affected him, but the same mistakes he was getting caught on were problems to start the season, too.

They were also problems for him in Albany, both pre and post NHL.

This season will be sink or swim to see if he can overcome some of his defensive zone woes... but his drop off was coming last year regardless.

I'm always willing to be proven wrong, so maybe I'll go back and take a look at some games surrounding the comments about being physical.

Ultimately it's up to Gelinas whether he learns from those mistakes or not. He didn't last year, and eventually had his playing time limited because of it. Meanwhile you've got a kid like Merrill who made similar rookie mistakes, but seemed to learn from them quicker, and earned the trust of the coaching staff in the process. Hopefully Gelinas can do the same this year.

 

[schoenfeld]

stevens had the johnny mac look of complete confusion behind the bench. he "stepped down" because even lou knows it wouldn't have been a good look for him to fire another top 5 player in franchise history from a coaching spot.

tommy A is 10x the coach stevens is, anyone who isn't okay with this move is just being silly.

 

[Devilsfan992]

stevens had the johnny mac look of complete confusion behind the bench. he "stepped down" because even lou knows it wouldn't have been a good look for him to fire another top 5 player in franchise history from a coaching spot.

tommy A is 10x the coach stevens is, anyone who isn't okay with this move is just being silly.

Lou was not firing Steven's regardless. This is absolutely ridiculous to claim he had no idea what he was doing, when the defense was a top 10 defense in the league.

 

[Devils Dominion]

If Albelin was a coach in Albany last season, they need to add a coach there.

 

[PercivalGraves]

I respect his decision i just hope all is well with his family .

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

If Albelin was a coach in Albany last season, they need to add a coach there.

Yeah, TG confirmed there's an open coaching spot in Albany. Brylin maybe?

 

[Bleedred]

Yeah, TG confirmed there's an open coaching spot in Albany. Brylin maybe?

Brylin is already an assistant up there.

 

[manilaNJ]

Yeah, TG confirmed there's an open coaching spot in Albany. Brylin maybe?

Brylin is already behind the bench. He was there for the end of the season/playoff games, at least.