Lord Flashheart
Squadron Commander
He helped cover it up, he lied about knowing about it, total POS. Should never come close to this organization.
Speculation: 2024-25 Coaching/Management/Ownership
- Thread starter MMC
- Start date
-
HF Sportsbook has been reset for the new season - Click here to play.
70sSanO
Registered User
The irony of all this is the difference between Greg Cronin and Jon Cooper.
Pat Verbeek knows first hand the qualities that Cooper brought to the Lightning.
It doesn’t take much effort to see that Cooper has won at every level.
I don’t know if PV was just shooting for the stars with Cronin or what. But I do know that Cronin wasn’t winning cups/championships at those lower levels.
If you can’t figure out how to win throughout a minor and college career, why would anyone think he can in the NHL.
John
Pat Verbeek knows first hand the qualities that Cooper brought to the Lightning.
It doesn’t take much effort to see that Cooper has won at every level.
I don’t know if PV was just shooting for the stars with Cronin or what. But I do know that Cronin wasn’t winning cups/championships at those lower levels.
If you can’t figure out how to win throughout a minor and college career, why would anyone think he can in the NHL.
John
Hockey Duckie
Registered User
Odd saying the Ducks talent pool was empty when Verbeek took over since the Ducks have been in the top-10/top-5 for what feels like forever. A lot of execs like collection of potential drafted talented that Verbeek has accrued. I totally agree with that assessment, but the product on ice with some of those talents hasn't blossomed at the pro level. Therein lies the problem.
I think this was a development hire. Verbeek could be reasonably certain this roster wasn't going to win anything any time soon. Cronin was strictly a "I want these guys to develop good habits and play the game the right way" sort of coach. A hard-ass who would instill discipline, teach individual defensive responsibility and skills, and set the franchise up for another coach to come along and take them to the next level. If Cronin caught lightning in a bottle and started winning, great! But that wasn't the idea behind the hire. Maybe McIlvane is (or was) supposed to be that next guy.
And I think it's reasonable to say that possibly some of those things are true. Whether or not he'll ever be good at it (I contend he won't), based on what he's said and what we're seeing in games, Zegras is a more complete player. The team's defense has improved DRAMATICALLY from where it was under Eakins. We can't see behind the scenes, so it's possible workout habits and practice habits are better.
But very little of what Cronin preaches seems to be translating into on-ice improvement. That's concerning. I think we do still need to give it some time, but I'm getting antsy. It's one thing to have a bit of a letdown on the road to Vegas in the second half of back-to-backs. It's another to get absolutely CRUSHED by Colorado and then come home seemingly knowing you need to play better only to stop working after the first period against your cross-town rivals. The Avs game was embarrassing. The Kings game was inexplicable. I'm more worried about the latter.
Lord Flashheart
Squadron Commander
All coaches have a shelf life. Cronin was brought in not to win, but to transition team to a next phase, while building a foundation and instilling work ethic. Whether he's reaching those goals or not is something PV can answer, but I am pretty sure he was brought in as an sort of interim coach.
Yeah, I really think this is it.
Cronin is a "work ethic" hire with the idea that our players are talented enough to figure it out if they work hard enough.
And now we're seeing that either A) they aren't talented enough or B) the NHL is not a league where you can just figure it out, even if you're talented.
I lean towards B.
Dr Johnny Fever
Eggplant and Teal
I just hope like hell we didn't give him more than a 2 year deal with a club option for the 3rd year. Because you know he will not be fired as long as we still owe him money.
Pretty sure they have fired every coach while under contract during the current ownership except Eakins.
MMC
Global Moderator
Most if not all of those were in seasons in which the team was expected to compete though, not really the case right now
Or, alternatively, they haven't reached the point in the development process where the work ethic has developed the talent to the point that they can compete in the NHL. I admit, I'm growing more skeptical by the day, but that's the hope I'm holding onto. And I think it's legitimate - we're five games into Cronin's second season. As ugly as the last two games have been, I need to hold onto my preseason vow to wait until New Year's Day to fully judge the progress.
I thought Boudreau's contract expired.
Dr Johnny Fever
Eggplant and Teal
I think if we were competing it might be different. Given this is Verbeek's hire, as part of the rebuild plan, it would be a really bad admission on his part to fire the coach before the contract was up. I guess anything is possible but I think it's quite a long shot.
It's also worth recognizing that the mental work ethic isn't a linear process. Maybe what he's doing hasn't been working and will work suddenly, or maybe it worked and no longer does. Maybe it never will etc. etc.
Definitely tricky.
