Some Front Office Changes Per Avs Website

[flyfysher]

Assistants or no, at some point it still should rest on the HC. Roy needs to be held just as accountable. Changing the assistant didn't work on D, so perhaps he'll be given one more change to make this work, but eventually, if it is a dog, then Sakic or whomever will need to acknowledge that it is a dog and move on. Be a shame to wast the years of this core because too much leeway is given to a legend

What did you think of Quenneville when he was the Avs head coach? I don't think Roy falls into Sacco HC territory. But the reason why I bring up Quenneville is that sometimes it isn't a good fit. When Quenneville coached in Colorado, it was dump and chase. Ugh! Now look at what he has done in Chicago.

I listened to the players and they talked about how they would go through a wall for Roy. And despite their failings, I also watched if Roy could continue to motivate them. Overall, I think Roy still does. At the point that Roy doesn't then I'll agree with replacing him.

I have the sense that Sakic will stick by Roy for up to a five year term, regardless of how they finish. He is gradually molding the organization into his own vision for better or worse. So I don't see Roy being tossed out anytime soon.

But I think Roy can do a better job of selecting assistants. There were innumerable times last year when the PP stunk, even with 5 on 3. That falls on Army. Replace him for God's sake.

 

[Foppa2118]

The problem under Q was similar to now. Only instead of it being young and porous defensively, it was old and slow and porous defensively with sub par goaltending. Both instances of coaching not being able to make up for a poorly constructed roster.

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

Hedja was just as good in that first year as Beauch was this year as well. Hedja and EJ were damn near perfect for the first ~20 games. Big reason for our early success.

 

[Larry Hoover]

So does the analytics stuff mean Roy may be on board, or does it maybe mean there is some tension with management and coaching?

 

[Foppa2118]

So does the analytics stuff mean Roy may be on board, or does it maybe mean there is some tension with management and coaching?

There's no tension. It doesn't mean they have some new found appreciation for analytics either. They're looking to make changes and improve however they can, so they brought in a new voice, perhaps with a different approach. Doesn't mean their philosophy will change, there's just a new guy offering his opinion, and advising now.

 

[RockLobster]

So does the analytics stuff mean Roy may be on board, or does it maybe mean there is some tension with management and coaching?

Despite the narrative from some on this board (and insufferable people like Yost/Lambert), Roy hasn't been against analytics or Advanced Stats.

And yeah, I expect pushback from this, and that's fine, but they track A LOT of things in every game. They DO need to go about applying those stats a bit better (and by that I mean taking them and figuring out a better way to address the weak links).

 

[Avs_19]

Avs arent my #1 team, they're one of my fav in the West tho...Don't you think that Roy deserves 1 more year with some good D or depth forwards at least?

No, I don't. I think coaching is just as much of an issue as player personnel. It doesn't really matter what I think though, he'll have another year and maybe even more after that.

 

[Foppa2118]

Despite the narrative from some on this board (and insufferable people like Yost/Lambert), Roy hasn't been against analytics or Advanced Stats.

And yeah, I expect pushback from this, and that's fine, but they track A LOT of things in every game. They DO need to go about applying those stats a bit better (and by that I mean taking them and figuring out a better way to address the weak links).

They absolutely use analytics, everyone does. They just don't make a big deal out of it.

The other issue is that a lot of frustration with Roy stems from him trying to protect the team. The team and the defense isn't that good, so Roy tries to shield it from blame from the media, saying they didn't play that bad, or compliments Holden to pump his tires, and what happens? He takes all the arrows.

Same with analytics. The team isn't very good so the analytics aren't very good, so he again tries to shield it from blame making comments about analytics not always being the answer, and he again takes the brunt of the blame.

Of course they know the team isn't good, and Holden is not a good defenseman, and analytics can be helpful. If fans can see it, of course they can see it.

Problem is Roy and Sakic were also clearly tasked with bringing back the fans by ownership. They also made some moves that set the clock back a bit and required more patience than originally planned. These two things don't go well together, and to make it worse, the overachievement in the first season set the bar unrealistically high. Causing patience to wear even more thin.

So what happens? The team stays a bubble team because of it's problems, and fans keep hearing Roy deflecting blame from the players, and the analytics, and he basically gets what he wants. Fans and media focus on something/someone else other than the roster, and start to think he hates analytics, and doesn't know anything about systems.

If the Avs would have finished on the bubble his first season instead of 2nd in the West, then finished 12th in 14/15, then 9th this season like they did, and instead of shielding them from all the blame, he acted like he did in the second half of this year talking about how they need to be better, I guarantee the way they view the coaching staff and the systems would be drastically different.

There'd rightfully be some concern setting in because they missed the playoffs again, but there wouldn't be so many people with pitchforks thinking Roy is a systems/analytics neophyte.

 

[Larry Hoover]

could the hire be David Johnson from hockeyanalysis? Hasn't tweeted in about 10 days

https://twitter.com/hockeyanalysis

 

[tigervixxxen]

I don't see them hiring someone with a website, that's a bit too new wave.

 

[Larry Hoover]

Why not a guy with a site?

 

[tigervixxxen]

Why not a guy with a site?

This is the old school Avalanche, they aren't bringing in someone from the Internet. Just the way they are. Very rigid, stick to their own way of doing things.

 

[Larry Hoover]

It seems like pretty much anyone with a hockey analytics rep is online

 

[bohlmeister]

I'd say Rycroft has a better chance then someone with a hockey analytic website.

 

[tigervixxxen]

It seems like pretty much anyone with a hockey analytics rep is online

Then they probably aren't going that direction. "Analytics hire" can mean almost anything, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be a trendy name.

 

[Sea Eagles]

You reckon when the Avs advertise a role, on the advert, one of the requirements are:-

+ Must have played or coached in the 95-96 and/or 00/01 Stanley Cup winning teams.

 

[Larry Hoover]

Then they probably aren't going that direction. "Analytics hire" can mean almost anything, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be a trendy name.

Ah, interesting.

 

[Hasbro]

So does the analytics stuff mean Roy may be on board, or does it maybe mean there is some tension with management and coaching?

It means it's a minor hire in an overrated field, any improvement will get met with confirmation bias the Avs underachieving will get blamed on Roy ignoring the Stat Whackers.