Will Todd Richards get fired before the end of the season?

[JohnnyJacket13]

Beat me to it. You get a cookie.

For the record, that's a 97-98 point pace over a full season. Pretty darn good. But not enough to pull out of the November tailspin.

You have to take into account the team's crazy/unlikely run that they put together in December, which skews this projection. Since the turn of the calendar year, the team has been 9-11-0. Not too great, eh? There's no way this team with the way it's put together can play at a 98 point pace for plenty of reasons even when healthy

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

This team has been depleted since the start of the season due to injuries. You can't loose that many top liners and expect to win. That would be unfair for any GM or President of Operations to expect. The Jackets have been competitive for the most part and in many of the games.

What I don't like is our spacing and passing and that is on the coach. Yes you want guys to dig it out of the corner but positioning, even when not on the power play is vital to consistently winning and success. I think the using the last game is a great example.

The spacing the Isles created was very nice as was their positioning on the ice. It gave passing lanes that created shots, that led to goals. Just throwing it back to the point and hoping for either a screen or rebound doesn't work in today's hockey but that is a staple for Richards.

Am I calling for his resignation, no but bring in a better offensive coach to help out would be nice.

I agree with everything about this, good post. It doesn't seem like HCTR is much of a players' coach either, and he doesn't conform his system to the types of players he has on the roster (i.e. see what happened with Gaborik, how he's handled Atkinson and Wennberg, etc). we should be moving towards a system/style of play that the Islanders and Preds play, not the hard nose nitty gritty style of play the Blues play (there's a reason they can't make it past the first round )

I've said all of the above before, I just don't necessarily have faith that the front office sees the reality of what it means to have HCTR behind the bench. He's a very middle of the pack coach in terms of ranking in the NHL.

 

[DarkandStormy]

Pretty much puts to rest (or should) the "fire Richards" crowd.

The issue is one level higher on the CBJ managerial food chain.

I am starting to trend that way, yes.

For all the love JD/JK get for their work in St. Louis, have they made a conference finals since the '05 lockout? No. The Blues basically had one outstanding season ('11-'12) during their tenure and that was it. Since then? A couple of 2nd place division finishes and 1st round exits in the playoffs. I don't think the FO should be untouchable when it comes to criticism.

 

[Xoggz22]

Many of you may not want to count Horton as part of the injured who impact this team but consider team planning and structure. The FO appears to have thought he would be part of the top 6 heading into camp which, to me, throws a wrench into plans from day 1. Now you have to shift everyone up a spot. Then throw in the other injuries and how can a team realistically expect to replace that. The Jackets would have been dealing from a significant position of weakness. We may not have realized the impact of Horton on the ice but certainly the FO expected him to be a major piece.

This changes the full view of this teams expected structure and truly is a loss of a top 6 player. There was certainly a profound impact on Atkinson in my opinion.

 

[niflheim]

This year our HCTR becomes world - leading expert on tanking, without doubts. After last Christmas I have blindsight that he is gift given by God and We must be nicer, kinder, cleaner, we must draft good player.

 

[EDM]

I was kind of neutral about TR. But there is a real problem with this team that points to coaching. We simply can't maintain any puck possession. In year's past, our inability to make 2 passes in a row could be traced to the poor quality of the players on the ice. But that is not it anymore. We have quality players. Yet we still can't do anything to maintain an offense. We do not seem to have any spacing, plan of attack, or anything other than dump it in and try to get a shot off before it comes back into our zone. This seems to be on the coaching staff. So yes, I think it is time for TR to be replaced.

 

[EspenK]

I was kind of neutral about TR. But there is a real problem with this team that points to coaching. We simply can't maintain any puck possession. In year's past, our inability to make 2 passes in a row could be traced to the poor quality of the players on the ice. But that is not it anymore. We have quality players. Yet we still can't do anything to maintain an offense. We do not seem to have any spacing, plan of attack, or anything other than dump it in and try to get a shot off before it comes back into our zone. This seems to be on the coaching staff. So yes, I think it is time for TR to be replaced.

I agree 100% with this point. And before everyone says wait till Dubi, Jenner, et al return, it will be the same just the occasional better puck luck goal.

 

[Fro]

i'm much like you EDM...i've been very neutral...and starting to waiver

 

[BluejacketNut]

Yeah, im pretty much done with TR, even when healthy this can be the most frustrating team to actually watch. Terrible fundamentals

 

[Viqsi]

I was kind of neutral about TR. But there is a real problem with this team that points to coaching. We simply can't maintain any puck possession. In year's past, our inability to make 2 passes in a row could be traced to the poor quality of the players on the ice. But that is not it anymore. We have quality players. Yet we still can't do anything to maintain an offense. We do not seem to have any spacing, plan of attack, or anything other than dump it in and try to get a shot off before it comes back into our zone. This seems to be on the coaching staff. So yes, I think it is time for TR to be replaced.

I admit, the way the team's play seems to be decaying independent of the injury rate is starting to really worry me. I'm not about to say "get a new guy in the offseason" quite yet, tho. I get that under these circumstances morale is going to go straight to hell and there's only so much one can do to motivate beyond that, but... ...damnit, I just want to see them doing better with what they have, even if that's an unreasonable expectation.

Then again, that may just be the "we've lost HOW many in a row now?!?!?!!!!!!11one" frustration talking.

 

[OldGoaltender]

Yeah, im pretty much done with TR, even when healthy this can be the most frustrating team to actually watch. Terrible fundamentals

Therein lies the problem. The focus of Richards is more in tune with grinding and scrapping than playmaking. It's about opportunities created through hard work instead of design. I think he and Hitch are those type of coaches. Not that is a bad thing but it can stunt creative and gifted players.

 

[db2011]

That's the kind of roster he has. I still don't really have a problem with the coach. Once the roster is composed of Milano, Bjorkstrand, Karlsson etc, I'd be surprised if our game looks like this. But it will still be run by guys like Foligno and Dubinsky, and I've no reason to think Richards can't adjust and tweak some. At the moment, though, the system fits the players.

The results, unfortunately, seem to fit the players too in the sense that a lot if minutes are being played by guys who shouldn't get so many. 7 game losing streak notwithstanding, we are still getting a fair amount of fight from our guys amidst some roster instability.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I admit, the way the team's play seems to be decaying independent of the injury rate is starting to really worry me. I'm not about to say "get a new guy in the offseason" quite yet, tho. I get that under these circumstances morale is going to go straight to hell and there's only so much one can do to motivate beyond that, but... ...damnit, I just want to see them doing better with what they have, even if that's an unreasonable expectation.

Then again, that may just be the "we've lost HOW many in a row now?!?!?!!!!!!11one" frustration talking.

I just think the players are losing focus. The reply to that is to say it's the coach's job, but he managed to keep them focused until about two weeks ago.

That said, the team hasn't, as a rule, played well much of the season. I'm no TR apologist. Honestly, I'm pretty meh on his future here - stays, goes, either way.

 

[BluejacketNut]

Therein lies the problem. The focus of Richards is more in tune with grinding and scrapping than playmaking. It's about opportunities created through hard work instead of design. I think he and Hitch are those type of coaches. Not that is a bad thing but it can stunt creative and gifted players.

This type of system doesnt really go with with guys like Johansen, Atkinso, Arty, i'm ready for a new style. We've pretty much played this style of hockey for 15 years, or tried at least, and its netted us 2 playoff wins. If we want to play this way, we need to be built like the Kings and Blues, who are monsters compared to us.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Therein lies the problem. The focus of Richards is more in tune with grinding and scrapping than playmaking. It's about opportunities created through hard work instead of design. I think he and Hitch are those type of coaches. Not that is a bad thing but it can stunt creative and gifted players.

Maybe it was Larsen's doing, but that power play sequence that resulted in Hartnell's goal was sweet. Joey sends it to Nick at the side of the net, he holds it a bit and sends it back to Joey at the half. I turn and say to my buddy "I like the pass down there to Nick, but there's no one..." Interrupted by the goal, happening in just the way I was complaining it wasn't. My buddy puts his finger to his mouth to shush me...

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

This type of system doesnt really go with with guys like Johansen, Atkinso, Arty, i'm ready for a new style.

I'm pretty sure that's the plan. The one people have been *****ing about the last couple days.

 

[DarkandStormy]

JD now on record saying HCTR and staff will be back next season.

 

[Samkow]

Link?

 

[BluejacketNut]

I envision next year being much the same....hoping we can maybe be a wildcard team

 

[DarkandStormy]

 

[Samkow]

Cool, thanks.

I suspect he'll get relieved if we get off to a bad start. Like, maybe after 5 games.

 

[DarkandStormy]

^Knowing the tough starts the last 3 years, I would expect he'll have a very short leash. Can't start 5-12-2 again.

 

[Mayor Bee]

I don't think the chemistry has been there, which is less a function of coaching and more one of injuries shuffling everyone around.

For example, last year had two very clearly defined lines that got a ton of time together: Atkinson/Calvert/Dubinsky and Foligno/Johansen/Umberger. Of all even strength minutes played last year, the former line had 9.32% of all ice time and the latter 9.2%. This year has had Foligno/Johansen/Hartnell and Atkinson/Calvert/Dubinsky, but the ice time there has been 7.27% and 6.52%, respectively. The third and fourth combinations last year each had more time together than the third one this year, and so on.

It's been the same way with the defensive pairings. Wisniewski played a good chunk of last year with Ryan Murray (19.5% of all even strength time), this year it's mostly been Kevin Connauton. Connauton and Murray aren't remotely similar players. Tyutin played most of last year with Johnson, this year with Prout, and the amount of ice time together isn't close to last year. Johnson/Savard is the only holdover pairing.

Therein lies the problem. The focus of Richards is more in tune with grinding and scrapping than playmaking. It's about opportunities created through hard work instead of design. I think he and Hitch are those type of coaches. Not that is a bad thing but it can stunt creative and gifted players.

The current conditions of the game favor a more grinding style. As long as we're back to the rugby style being allowed like it's 1999, pushing toward a more open and free-flowing style doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[Fro]

I think Red and Sam are onto something...I just hope there's someone like Lavs available to hire when we do let him go...

 

[ndd17]

The dark side and light will not. I think we never win under Richards more. Only lose. 19 lose this season yet. Next season, fire after 5 games-5 loses, fire after 10 games-10 loses and so on...
I sad it early, I say it again. This coach is pathetic.
Fire Richards. Me want coaching change.