Ah, mid-July. The time of year when its very easy to get away from all things hockey related. Free agency has died down to a trickle, and most players and executives are on vacation. It’s the time of year when a mid-scrimmage fight at prospects camp becomes the top headline on a team’s website. Except of course, if you’re the New Jersey Devils, who still did not have a head coach to replace the grandest of all liars, Brent Sutter. And suddenly, the floodgates opened. Jacques Lemaire, back in the fold, bringing Mario Tremblay with him. MacLean accepting head coaching job in Lowell. Scott Stevens becoming an active tutor, Chris Terreri slowly but surely succeeding Jacques Caron as goaltending coach. Sure, no players were involved, but it was nonetheless a rather busy day by Devils standards. And while those of us here in Jersey (read: reality) love the signing, even if it comes with a tiny bit of skepticism, the hockey media is having a field day with it.
Okay, The Hockey News, we get it, it’s cool to hate Lemaire and it’s cool to hate the Devils. In fact I’m pretty sure you’re the ones who started that trend. You must be so proud. To be honest, THN, I don’t much care what you have to say. I’ve learned over the years that your writers are very much the hockey equivalents of Rush Limbaugh. You say things for shock value, not because you actually believe them. So fine, have your fun…preach like a darn prophet that 2010 will be 1995 all over again. Hey, if it means we win the Cup, you won’t find me complaining as we trap and clutch and grab our way to a parade down Mulberry Street.
But enough about those hacks. I’m here to talk about why Jacques Lemaire will be a great coach. Now, as usual, I’ve broken my argument down into easy-to-digest numbered points…nice and easy to read for all you THN writers out there. Keep practicing friends, you’ll get there.
1. Jacques works well with the young players.
Jacques Lemaire was terrific with a young Martin Brodeur, among other Devils youngsters, back in the mid 1990s, and considering the era of Devils history we are about to undergo this is the guy you want around. He knows how to get the most out of young talent, which means—oh dear god, Nicklas Bergfors might actually be played where he belongs and NOT on the fourth line? I must be dreaming.
2. Jacques can deal with Lou.
It takes a special breed to be able to play to the demands of master micromanager Lou Lamoriello and also manage to keep one’s sanity intact. Lemaire is such a coach. Not that Sutter wasn’t, but he quit on us and left, so…not really a relevant point anymore.
3. Jacques is probably just a placeholder.
John MacLean was just named the head coach of the Lowell Devils. Since I seem to see these things coming quite frequently, my early guess is that MacLean will get some head coaching experience in Lowell and be groomed to succeed Lemaire in a few years. It makes too much sense not to happen. Think about it…Bruce Boudreau and Dan Bylsma are now coaching a substantial crop of young players they had already coached in the AHL. With the new youth movement in full swing here in Jersey, MacLean may be about to meet the very same players he will be coaching in the NHL when his time comes. The players grow with the coach and vice versa, everybody wins.
Now this is not to say Lemaire hasn’t lost his touch, and might somehow believe that 1990s hockey can still succeed when we all know it really can’t. But early comments from both Lemaire and Lamoriello suggest the perfect scenario where success is almost guaranteed. Lemaire will come in and solidify the defensive side of our game, which clearly needs intensive rehab after last year’s playoffs. At the same time, he maintains the offense and the forechecking, and plays to the strengths of players like Parise and Elias, something he is also infamous for.
The players all want him, Lou wanted him, and most Devils fans wanted him. All he has to do is show up, leave the offense alone while solidifying the back end, and we can kill two birds with one stone; the one how Lemaire is bad for hockey, and the one that he won’t get his name on the Cup for the 12th time.
Showing posts with label head. Show all posts
Showing posts with label head. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
An Open Letter to the Future Coach of the New Jersey Devils
An open letter to the future coach of the New Jersey Devils
Dear Future Coach,
First of all, welcome! You have just signed on for a job that requires seemingly no good reason to be fired. In fact, no Devils coach has lasted more than three years since Jacques Lemaire stepped down in 1998. Incidentally, if you happen to be Jacques Lemaire, welcome back—and please know that if you try to implement the trap again, I will be calling for your head on a platter shortly.
Now, one thing you’ll need to learn rather quickly is that in many ways you are more a figurehead than anything else; Lou Lamoriello will coach the team vicariously through you. In fact, the only thing stopping the Devils’ President/CEO/General Manager/Head Ticket Salesman/Janitor/Popcorn Vendor/Backup Goaltender/Usher/Zamboni Driver from doing your job anyway is that it just seems like so much more work!
But there’s no going back now, you’re the guy! (Unless you miss your “family,” and by “family” you mean your brother who happens to be the GM of another team.) So before you begin your tenure behind the Devils bench, allow me to offer a few suggestions to help you make the most of your stay:
1. The system. Is down.
See, here at the New Jersey Devils, we feel like Brent was this guy we were seeing for a few years, and even though he had a lot of potential, he was afraid of commitment. But as far as what he did with the way the Devils play, we couldn’t have asked for more. It doesn’t matter what you think about defense winning championships, look at who we have on defense now compared to 2003…we don’t have the horses required to play defense-first anymore. Besides, look at what we accomplished under our shiny new forechecking system. One of the highlights of this past season was beating the two best teams in the league—Boston and San Jose—on back-to-back nights. We have arguably the best group of forwards that we’ve had in years, and if we don’t continue playing to our strengths, you’ll quickly find yourself the new head coach of the unemployment line.
2. Who’s Line Is It Anyway?
Congratulations, as the new head coach of the Devils, you’ve inherited the biggest waste of $3.5 million a year in NHL history. Any coach worth his salt can see Dainius Zubrus as a third liner at best. Zubrus may have been a second liner in Sutter’s bizarro universe where Brian Rolston is a fourth liner, but here on Earth you and I both know Rolston belongs with Elias. Otherwise, don’t be shocked when he doesn’t put up the numbers you expect of him.
3. The Kids Are Alright
We’ve got some great young prospects here, and a few of them might be ready to hit the NHL for good. Should you find yourself with Nicklas Bergfors on your lineup card, the appropriate thing to do is either put him on the top two lines, or scratch him. Bergfors is an offensive player whose role is to produce on a team’s top two lines. The last guy who had your job decided to play him on the fourth line, for around three minutes a night, and then scratched him because he “wasn’t producing.” How could he be expected to do anything when he barely played, and had to rely on linemates like Mike Rupp and Bobby Holik to help him get on the scoresheet? … Exactly.
Well, that about wraps it up. I hope that this helps you become adjusted to what you’re about to undertake. So, to summarize, understand your position under Lou, keep the offensive system, put together realistic lines, and play the kids properly when you have them, and you should be just fine. Unless of course Lou wakes up one day on the wrong side of the bed.
Best of luck,
The Jersey Devil
Dear Future Coach,
First of all, welcome! You have just signed on for a job that requires seemingly no good reason to be fired. In fact, no Devils coach has lasted more than three years since Jacques Lemaire stepped down in 1998. Incidentally, if you happen to be Jacques Lemaire, welcome back—and please know that if you try to implement the trap again, I will be calling for your head on a platter shortly.
Now, one thing you’ll need to learn rather quickly is that in many ways you are more a figurehead than anything else; Lou Lamoriello will coach the team vicariously through you. In fact, the only thing stopping the Devils’ President/CEO/General Manager/Head Ticket Salesman/Janitor/Popcorn Vendor/Backup Goaltender/Usher/Zamboni Driver from doing your job anyway is that it just seems like so much more work!
But there’s no going back now, you’re the guy! (Unless you miss your “family,” and by “family” you mean your brother who happens to be the GM of another team.) So before you begin your tenure behind the Devils bench, allow me to offer a few suggestions to help you make the most of your stay:
1. The system. Is down.
See, here at the New Jersey Devils, we feel like Brent was this guy we were seeing for a few years, and even though he had a lot of potential, he was afraid of commitment. But as far as what he did with the way the Devils play, we couldn’t have asked for more. It doesn’t matter what you think about defense winning championships, look at who we have on defense now compared to 2003…we don’t have the horses required to play defense-first anymore. Besides, look at what we accomplished under our shiny new forechecking system. One of the highlights of this past season was beating the two best teams in the league—Boston and San Jose—on back-to-back nights. We have arguably the best group of forwards that we’ve had in years, and if we don’t continue playing to our strengths, you’ll quickly find yourself the new head coach of the unemployment line.
2. Who’s Line Is It Anyway?
Congratulations, as the new head coach of the Devils, you’ve inherited the biggest waste of $3.5 million a year in NHL history. Any coach worth his salt can see Dainius Zubrus as a third liner at best. Zubrus may have been a second liner in Sutter’s bizarro universe where Brian Rolston is a fourth liner, but here on Earth you and I both know Rolston belongs with Elias. Otherwise, don’t be shocked when he doesn’t put up the numbers you expect of him.
3. The Kids Are Alright
We’ve got some great young prospects here, and a few of them might be ready to hit the NHL for good. Should you find yourself with Nicklas Bergfors on your lineup card, the appropriate thing to do is either put him on the top two lines, or scratch him. Bergfors is an offensive player whose role is to produce on a team’s top two lines. The last guy who had your job decided to play him on the fourth line, for around three minutes a night, and then scratched him because he “wasn’t producing.” How could he be expected to do anything when he barely played, and had to rely on linemates like Mike Rupp and Bobby Holik to help him get on the scoresheet? … Exactly.
Well, that about wraps it up. I hope that this helps you become adjusted to what you’re about to undertake. So, to summarize, understand your position under Lou, keep the offensive system, put together realistic lines, and play the kids properly when you have them, and you should be just fine. Unless of course Lou wakes up one day on the wrong side of the bed.
Best of luck,
The Jersey Devil
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Remember This Name
Since the resignation of Brent Sutter, many names have been tossed about as far as prospective replacements, from the expected (John MacLean), to the qualified (Peter Laviolette), to the downright strange (Ted Nolan). But if the Lamoriello-run Devils are notorious for anything, it’s going off the board. When everyone at the 1990 draft loved Trevor Kidd, the Devils loved Martin Brodeur. When players like Brian Rafalski and John Madden went undrafted, the Devils decided to give them a chance. And while most people are convinced the next head coach of the Devils will be off the expected list of candidates, NorthJersey.com believes otherwise, and have certainly converted me in the process.
LINK: Haviland the Best Choice for Devils
The above article pegs current Chicago assistant coach Mike Haviland as the man for the job, and despite his name’s resemblance to Niclas Havelid, you don’t need to look very far into his bio to find out why.
Sure, as the article says, “he won ECHL titles as a head coach with Atlantic City and Trenton and then coached the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate (in Norfolk, Va,. and Rockford, Ill.) to three consecutive playoff appearances and was named the league’s coach of the year in 2006-07,” so he’s got plenty of winning experience, even before the recent success of the Blackhawks. And sure, “he has been a winner at every level with a winning percentage of at least .600 in six of his seven seasons as a minor league head coach with playoff berths in all seven seasons.”
But here’s the kicker: he’s from Middletown, New Jersey. His family has resided in Sea Girt, NJ for the duration of his coaching career. It’s ironic, but it also eliminates any possibility of pulling a Sutter.
Successful, experienced, a winner at heart, and he resides just a 45 minute shot down the Turnpike. Sounds like the perfect choice to me.
LINK: Haviland the Best Choice for Devils
The above article pegs current Chicago assistant coach Mike Haviland as the man for the job, and despite his name’s resemblance to Niclas Havelid, you don’t need to look very far into his bio to find out why.
Sure, as the article says, “he won ECHL titles as a head coach with Atlantic City and Trenton and then coached the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate (in Norfolk, Va,. and Rockford, Ill.) to three consecutive playoff appearances and was named the league’s coach of the year in 2006-07,” so he’s got plenty of winning experience, even before the recent success of the Blackhawks. And sure, “he has been a winner at every level with a winning percentage of at least .600 in six of his seven seasons as a minor league head coach with playoff berths in all seven seasons.”
But here’s the kicker: he’s from Middletown, New Jersey. His family has resided in Sea Girt, NJ for the duration of his coaching career. It’s ironic, but it also eliminates any possibility of pulling a Sutter.
Successful, experienced, a winner at heart, and he resides just a 45 minute shot down the Turnpike. Sounds like the perfect choice to me.
Good Riddance
I did not expect to have to write about this, though my foreshadowing blog would tell you otherwise, but the powers that be have forced my hand. Today, Brent Sutter has announced that he has resigned from the head coaching position for the Devils, deciding that he’d rather hang around Alberta and save his dying junior hockey team. Now as a statement on its own, that’s perfectly reasonable, but its the way in which this entire sequence of events transpired that has already left myself and many other Devils fans angry as hell.
Sutter has said all along that it was in his plans to re-evaluate his situation after every season. He did it in the summer of 2008, and decided to return. We knew this was coming sooner or later, so why all the anger? Well, from the moment a report came out from Canada during the season that Sutter might be considering leaving after the year, something was different about him. He continually wrote off the report, but the damage had been done. Watching the team the rest of the way, you couldn’t help but think that Sutter’s heart wasn’t really into it. I don’t claim to have experienced this personally, but I have heard numerous reports from fans who have met and talked to players that for as long as this report has existed, the players got uneasy when asked about Sutter. It would seem that he really lost the team at some point. The Devils were able to overcome a late March slump in time for the playoffs, but were outplayed and outmatched by Carolina. As a sidenote, I would suggest any new coach works the players to the brink of oblivion for two minutes every day, reminding them each time that it is makeup for the two minutes they decided not to try in game 7, but this is another story for another time.
So it is not the fact that Brent Sutter chose to be with his family and business, its the fact that if he even had to think about making the choice, he should not have been coaching or even thinking about coaching. Coaching in the NHL requires top priority in your life if that’s what you are going to undertake. Those coaches who are not fired first step down when they realize their heart is not 100% in their current coaching situation. They don’t say “oh I’ll think about it,” they just do it.
It’s also what a good coach he was for the Devils. He was the first to truly throw the defensive system out the window, and to only have a small dose of Lou’s kool-aid, not enough to govern the way he ran the team, as in…oh…every other coach that ever worked for Lou. It really appeared as if the era of Lou the dictator was over, that we’d finally have a coach who did what he really wanted to. And, at least until we hit the playoffs, we did as good if not better than in previous years under the regime.
But I’d rather have another puppet coach that truly wants to be there rather than an individual thinker whose heart was never really in it from the start. (Although if the Devils end up re-hiring Jacques Lemaire, prepare for another blog filled with both anger and statements which contradict what I’ve already said here, because that is NOT cool.) Sutter had the potential to do great things in New Jersey, and had he stayed a few more years may have gone down as one of the best coaches in Devils history. But alas, he’s had other priorities all along, and perhaps that would have caught up with him eventually.
So good riddance, Brent Sutter. Way to finish the job.
Sutter has said all along that it was in his plans to re-evaluate his situation after every season. He did it in the summer of 2008, and decided to return. We knew this was coming sooner or later, so why all the anger? Well, from the moment a report came out from Canada during the season that Sutter might be considering leaving after the year, something was different about him. He continually wrote off the report, but the damage had been done. Watching the team the rest of the way, you couldn’t help but think that Sutter’s heart wasn’t really into it. I don’t claim to have experienced this personally, but I have heard numerous reports from fans who have met and talked to players that for as long as this report has existed, the players got uneasy when asked about Sutter. It would seem that he really lost the team at some point. The Devils were able to overcome a late March slump in time for the playoffs, but were outplayed and outmatched by Carolina. As a sidenote, I would suggest any new coach works the players to the brink of oblivion for two minutes every day, reminding them each time that it is makeup for the two minutes they decided not to try in game 7, but this is another story for another time.
So it is not the fact that Brent Sutter chose to be with his family and business, its the fact that if he even had to think about making the choice, he should not have been coaching or even thinking about coaching. Coaching in the NHL requires top priority in your life if that’s what you are going to undertake. Those coaches who are not fired first step down when they realize their heart is not 100% in their current coaching situation. They don’t say “oh I’ll think about it,” they just do it.
It’s also what a good coach he was for the Devils. He was the first to truly throw the defensive system out the window, and to only have a small dose of Lou’s kool-aid, not enough to govern the way he ran the team, as in…oh…every other coach that ever worked for Lou. It really appeared as if the era of Lou the dictator was over, that we’d finally have a coach who did what he really wanted to. And, at least until we hit the playoffs, we did as good if not better than in previous years under the regime.
But I’d rather have another puppet coach that truly wants to be there rather than an individual thinker whose heart was never really in it from the start. (Although if the Devils end up re-hiring Jacques Lemaire, prepare for another blog filled with both anger and statements which contradict what I’ve already said here, because that is NOT cool.) Sutter had the potential to do great things in New Jersey, and had he stayed a few more years may have gone down as one of the best coaches in Devils history. But alas, he’s had other priorities all along, and perhaps that would have caught up with him eventually.
So good riddance, Brent Sutter. Way to finish the job.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
