Chopping and Changing

The other day I was presented with a very interesting question from Mike regarding the coaching changes in the NHL,

“With all the coaching changes going on the league right now; instead of hiring and firing the same group of coaches, is it time to bring in some new blood?”

 The question here is an interesting one and with the latest groups of hiring and firing it does make us think whether newer and younger talents are required?

Let’s analyse this in more detail, Alain Vigneault has recently been fired by the Vancouver Canucks, but as of a couple of days go it appears that he has now taken the vacant post at the New York Rangers while John Tortorella was fired the same post and now seems odds on favourite to take charge at the Rogers Arena! Why didn’t they just swap jobs in the first instance? Both coaches are proven winners and they both possess fairly excellent records, but I can tell you for a fact that neither is really the right choice for those clubs and Vancouver in particular could do with a younger and more effective coach!

But these two were not the only coaches to meet the sword this season as Joe Sacco was chopped by Colorado Avalanche after 3 bottom finishing seasons, Guy Boucher was given his marching orders by Tampa Bay Lightning only two years after guiding them to an Eastern Conference Final and former Hall of Famer, Joe Nieuwendyk was fired by Dallas Stars. Today however it appears that Canadian National Team coach, Lindy Ruff will take the vacant post at the American Airlines Arena and he was previously mentioned for the Tampa Bay job.

Sometimes hiring and firing the same coaches can have a variety of mixed effects on team, take for example veteran coach Mike Keenan who went through no less than 6 NHL teams in a 25 year career! He went from such highs as winning the Stanley Cup in 1994 with the Rangers- to then missing the playoffs for 11 years with Vancouver and Calgary!

Keenan’s style didn’t always suit the teams he managed and despite his coaching record, he often failed to establish lasting working relationship with teams and he was continually dismissed or resigned early.  He was also responsible for failing to motivate his teams after 1994, for example despite managing a Canucks team with Mark Messier, Pavel Bure and Trevor Linden, he failed to motivate them and amazingly they failed to make the playoffs.

Although Lindy Ruff will bring a raft of experience to the role in Dallas, you can’t help feeling there are more talented coaches in the minor leagues who are being denied their shots, such as great offensive coach, Cam Russell of the Halifax Mooseheads (who have produced one of the most talent forward lines in the minors) or Bob Boughner of the Windsor Spitfires who has won two Memorial Cups in his time in charge and seen the rise of such players as Adam Henrique and Taylor Hall!

Edmonton Oilers have recently turned to more youthful experience with the recent appointment of Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins as the new Head Coach of the organisation- with their young 1^st line still getting to grips with life in the big leagues, Eakins will make a good fit for the team and his experience with young players should see a major change next season.

With the changes going on, it appears that teams are not looking for long term solutions and many of them seem to cut coaches without really giving them a fair shake and despite promising starts, they seem impatient to wait for success and will often to turn to older and more experienced coaches in the hope that they will turn things around. There are many talented coaches in the minors and some abroad such as Latvia coach Ted Nolan, but unless there is a sufficient opening, they will kept waiting while teams play the same old hits!