This assumes that anyone here even knows what outcoaching looks like. I don't. I've been watching hockey for 25 years and I don't know the ins and outs of tactics and what coach is making good in-game adjustments over bad ones.I think he had the same coaching flaws then as he does now, but simply had far better top end players (especially on D), and benefitted when he had a GM go got him the players who fit his system instead of giving him parts and saying “use them” - he told Selanne to play a system that didn’t suit him but Selanne just ignored him. As soon as BM stopped doing that, he started struggling.
People have been saying since about 2008 that any of a half dozen coaches could easily have taken that ‘07 team to the Cup, that’s not even remotely a new sentiment. Outside of that year, what top coach has he ever actually outcoached? That should be part of considering him “top coach”, no?
If you do, then that's great, you're more qualified than I. But people saying, "any coach would have won" is disingenuous and lazy unless they really know what they are talking about.
Carlyle's system seemed to become stale once the speed of the game increased. That shouldn't matter for our team though because the team isn't fast. His problem seems to be getting players to actually play the system, because when they do it's effective. He should have been fired for the motivation issues, not tactical.
But really, what is the point of going back in time and taking credit away? Ammunition for not liking him now? What is the need for that when most, if not all don't think he should be the current coach?
Furthermore, the whole, "he only won with elite talent", yeah no shit. Show me a coach who doesn't.