Speculation: 2024-25 Coaching/Management/Ownership

[JAHV]

Derek Lee asked Cronin about Gudas play wavering from last year. Cronin's response was "I don't think his performance has wavered." Anyone with a brain can see it has. Maybe he is lying to protect his captain?

This guy is out to lunch. The lineup decisions. The scheme. He doesn't have any answers to questions. He seems like kind of a dick. The emphasis on defense and the team still sucking on defense while relying on goalkeeping. His "motivational" video sessions. Z and his I hate playing wing comment on live TV. Killorn saying no one knows where other players on the ice are. Boosh and his comments. There is a lot of smoke about his guy not being a good coach that there has to be some fire IMO.

PV is going to trade Zegras or Zegras will demand a trade before PV cans this buffoon. Ducks are not a legitimate franchise with this moron and staff behind the bench.

Cronin playing Strome over Zegras on the 5-on-3 is crazy and one more piece of evidence that he should be canned.

Cronin answering a reporter's question so as not to throw a player under the bus is what a coach is supposed to do. Unless there's an effort issue with Gudas (and I would be shocked if that's the case), a coach should never publicly criticize his player in the media. There's no good that can come of that. And coaches can use semantics to justify this stuff so it's not really lying. If you define Gudas' performance as his compete and effort level, then it's not a lie.

What do you expect him to say? "Radko is older and slower this year so he's struggling at times." That will go over like a lead balloon in the locker room and doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know.

 

[Rybread86]

You guys are all assuming it was Cronin that didnt have Z in there. To me, it appears it was Clune that made the call and Cronin didnt want to toss Clune under the bus publicly.

 

[Unholy]

Clune doesn’t need to be gone. In the same way you view players as prospects, at 37 year old coach can be seen as the same. The jets have the best PP in the league and their PP coach was fired after being bottom 3 with another team for multiple seasons.

Context matters, hopefully Verbeek allows the kids gloves to be taken off next season and we get the old men off PP1 and the young guns on the PK.

What little confidence in both continues to somehow get even smaller as the season starts to end.

Just so many weird decisions being made, getting in their own way.

 

[ohcomeonref]

I feel awful for Zegras being mismanaged so badly and having Cronin potentially derailing his career. f*** you Cronin.

 

[Gliff]

You guys are all assuming it was Cronin that didnt have Z in there. To me, it appears it was Clune that made the call and Cronin didnt want to toss Clune under the bus publicly.

He is the head coach. The buck stops with him on personnel decisions.

If it really was Clune and not Cronin that obviously is a different situation then Cronin benching him, but Cronin does still have to take responsibility here.

If it was Clune I am just wondering why Z gets singled out. Noone, and I mean noone, thinks Strome is a more dangerous weapon on the PP then Zegras.

 

[duxfan1101]

The only reason Strome was on the PP instead of Zegras is handedness. I know people will think that’s stupid, but it does (sometimes) matter. Does that mean I would have done it? No, but it seemed clear they had a setup they wanted to run, and it required a righty in Strome’s spot.

So I don’t even think it’s that they think Strome is the better PP player, just that he fits the design of the system better. The better question would be why are they not designing a system that includes Zegras in it?

 

[KelVarnsen]

Cronin playing Strome over Zegras on the 5-on-3 is crazy and one more piece of evidence that he should be canned.

Cronin answering a reporter's question so as not to throw a player under the bus is what a coach is supposed to do. Unless there's an effort issue with Gudas (and I would be shocked if that's the case), a coach should never publicly criticize his player in the media. There's no good that can come of that. And coaches can use semantics to justify this stuff so it's not really lying. If you define Gudas' performance as his compete and effort level, then it's not a lie.

What do you expect him to say? "Radko is older and slower this year so he's struggling at times." That will go over like a lead balloon in the locker room and doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know.

I don't expect what is either an obvious lie or worse yet, Cronin actually believes Radko is the same player as last year when everything says he has not been. I expected the typical political/coach non response that doesn't really answer the question. Something like "Radko is a great captain and his influence is felt on the ice and his experience is what we need out there." This isn't Toronto and our press more often or not is going to smile and accept the answer. I mean, did our press even push Cronin at all when he refused to answer the 5 v 3 question? Or did they just nod approvingly?

Maybe you are right, and he just lied to keep the peace. Who knows with this idiot at the helm.

 

[JAHV]

I don't expect what is either an obvious lie or worse yet, Cronin actually believes Radko is the same player as last year when everything says he has not been. I expected the typical political/coach non response that doesn't really answer the question. Something like "Radko is a great captain and his influence is felt on the ice and his experience is what we need out there." This isn't Toronto and our press more often or not is going to smile and accept the answer. I mean, did our press even push Cronin at all when he refused to answer the 5 v 3 question? Or did they just nod approvingly?

Maybe you are right, and he just lied to keep the peace. Who knows with this idiot at the helm.

I guess your mileage may vary. I don't give a crap what the coach says after a game so I don't pay any attention to those interviews. I know that's technically part of Cronin's job, but the ability to intelligently and coherently answer impromptu media questions after a tough game without pissing anyone off is a completely different skillset than being able to coach a hockey team.

Some guys have both skills in their arsenal, some guys don't. Cronin clearly doesn't. So I just ignore that stuff. The main problem is that I don't particularly love him as an NHL hockey coach, either. I think he's probably better than most of us give him credit for, but I don't see anything he's doing that makes me think he should absolutely stay.

 

[Deuce22]

I don't expect what is either an obvious lie or worse yet, Cronin actually believes Radko is the same player as last year when everything says he has not been. I expected the typical political/coach non response that doesn't really answer the question. Something like "Radko is a great captain and his influence is felt on the ice and his experience is what we need out there." This isn't Toronto and our press more often or not is going to smile and accept the answer. I mean, did our press even push Cronin at all when he refused to answer the 5 v 3 question? Or did they just nod approvingly?

Maybe you are right, and he just lied to keep the peace. Who knows with this idiot at the helm.

The way he deploys his players says more than a presser. He thinks Gudas is good because he plays a ton of minutes. If he prefers Z over Strome on the 5 on 3 he overrules Clune and puts him in there. I don’t care what Cronin says, what concerns me is what he does.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

Knowing that he likes to take a “they’ll figure it out eventually” approach to things, last night convinced me that Cronin doesn’t believe in making adjustments in the middle of a period.

Very rarely do we start a period poorly and then end it well, it’s only ever the opposite. Any changes come after intermissions.

We got completely run over by a terrible team for an entire 20+ minutes last night.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

In spite of Cronin, this team has made SOME strides..

If only there was a real coach out there

 

[dracom]

Cronin playing Strome over Zegras on the 5-on-3 is crazy and one more piece of evidence that he should be canned.

Cronin answering a reporter's question so as not to throw a player under the bus is what a coach is supposed to do. Unless there's an effort issue with Gudas (and I would be shocked if that's the case), a coach should never publicly criticize his player in the media. There's no good that can come of that. And coaches can use semantics to justify this stuff so it's not really lying. If you define Gudas' performance as his compete and effort level, then it's not a lie.

What do you expect him to say? "Radko is older and slower this year so he's struggling at times." That will go over like a lead balloon in the locker room and doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know.

This is kinda funny (not you) because Roy just yesterday during an interview said Duclair was “godawful.” And “lucky to be in the lineup “.

Quite a different dynamic between the two coaches. I honestly think i would like that honestly from a coach.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Derek Lee asked Cronin about Gudas play wavering from last year. Cronin's response was "I don't think his performance has wavered." Anyone with a brain can see it has. Maybe he is lying to protect his captain?

Technically, Gudas' play dropped off later in the season last year. In that respect, Cronin's correct that Guads performance hasn't wavered from last year, but mimicking it. Except this year, he's been healthier.

We all know Gudas' play has dropped off, but, IMO, Gudas gets a lot of credit in helping LaCombe's confidence to boost his game into another level. LaCombe has increased his hitting this season. With less eight games left in the season, Gudas' play waning isn't a huge issue to close out the season. If Gudas is still with LaCombe as a top pairing D next season, then that is a significant problem. LaCombe's ascension exposes Gudas as a 3rd pairing defenseman.

If prospect RD Moore is to get some NHL games, then maybe it comes at the expense of Gudas or Trouba. We could see a LaCombe-Helleson top pair for a couple of games.

 

[70sSanO]

I think people read too into too many moves and they don’t know the reasoning behind it.

I prefer Zegras over Strome, well maybe almost anyone over Strome on the PP.

But Strome will dig out more pucks than Zegras. And with McTavish, Carlsson, Terry, and LaCombe out there, shame on the players and Clune if they can’t it done 5 on 3 against the worst team in the league.

I also prefer Gauthier over Vatrano in every dangerous situation.

People also complain about playing the 4th line too much. I want the team to win as much as possible, but I’d rather wear down our inept 4th line than are best young players. Now if this was OT, I’d have a different response.

John

 

[Rybread86]

He is the head coach. The buck stops with him on personnel decisions.

If it really was Clune and not Cronin that obviously is a different situation then Cronin benching him, but Cronin does still have to take responsibility here.

If it was Clune I am just wondering why Z gets singled out. Noone, and I mean noone, thinks Strome is a more dangerous weapon on the PP then Zegras.

Lets also remember that at this point in the season, playoffs arent really within reach and special teams has been BAD all year long. If Cronin said to Clune, "you got full reigns over special teams, I wont override anything, Im here if you have questions" then it makes total sense. Clune has to know hes fighting for his job and Cronin could be (most likely is) giving Clune enough leash to either thrive or hang himself. Which also explains his response to the 5-on-3 question.

Yes, the buck stops with Cronin. But there are more than a few bucks to go around. Im also not sure WHO was in charge of hiring Clune. If Clune isnt Cronins guy, and Crones is letting this play out, he could be looking to get Clune replaced.

I say it every year. When you arent a playoff team and you have a handful of games left, you are going to experiment with things like personnel and in this case, assistant coaches.

NOW. Lets say im 100% wrong and this was Cronin. Then good, hes digging his own grave.

 

[MMC]

I honestly think i would like that honestly from a coach.

That's great that you would, I seriously doubt the players would though, and considering one of the main things people complain about with Cronin is that the players don't like him (even though there's little substantiating that) I have no idea why some would call for him to be MORE hostile to the players than they already perceive him as

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

I felt something was off watching Z late in the 3rd period last night. He kind of seemed lackadaisical. As much as I don't want to admit it, there might be some truth to the rumor about him pouting for not being on the 5-on-3.

Whether it's fair or not, stupid or not, he's gotta channel that anger and frustration into his game in a positive way. He's done that before with Eakins. Hopefully he hasn't lost that mechanism.

 

[dracom]

That's great that you would, I seriously doubt the players would though, and considering one of the main things people complain about with Cronin is that the players don't like him (even though there's little substantiating that) I have no idea why some would call for him to be MORE hostile to the players than they already perceive him as

Because I want him to call out how awful the “vets” have been. I couldn’t give a shit if it upsets killorn or strome.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

I think people read too into too many moves and they don’t know the reasoning behind it.

I prefer Zegras over Strome, well maybe almost anyone over Strome on the PP.

But Strome will dig out more pucks than Zegras. And with McTavish, Carlsson, Terry, and LaCombe out there, shame on the players and Clune if they can’t it done 5 on 3 against the worst team in the league.

I also prefer Gauthier over Vatrano in every dangerous situation.

People also complain about playing the 4th line too much. I want the team to win as much as possible, but I’d rather wear down our inept 4th line than are best young players. Now if this was OT, I’d have a different response.

John

But shouldn't a 5 on 3 should be successful by passing/movement, not digging pucks off the walls or winning battles?

Ideally you tire the PK out so much they can't even challenge you

 

[70sSanO]

But shouldn't a 5 on 3 should be successful by passing/movement, not digging pucks off the walls or winning battles?

Ideally you tire the PK out so much they can't even challenge you

Not denying that. But with the Ducks I’m not sure it applies.

John

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

One of Cronin's few (IMO) good points is that he doesn't crap on the players publicly. Maybe he's abrasive and annoying in private but he at least understands that a team is us-against-the-world. So good for him, PV could learn from him.

Is there any corroboration about Z getting mad or is it just that one guy's tweet?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

One of Cronin's few (IMO) good points is that he doesn't crap on the players publicly. Maybe he's abrasive and annoying in private but he at least understands that a team is us-against-the-world. So good for him, PV could learn from him.

Is there any corroboration about Z getting mad or is it just that one guy's tweet?

Except that one time when Cronin called Mac a third liner. Mac is six points away from tying Terry in points. Terry has been pointless in his last five games.

 

[Boo Boo]

Except that one time when Cronin called Mac a third liner. Mac is six points away from tying Terry in points. Terry has been pointless in his last five games.

I really feel like that third liner comment was more him complimenting macs versatility than denigrating his talent though to be fair

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Except that one time when Cronin called Mac a third liner. Mac is six points away from tying Terry in points. Terry has been pointless in his last five games.

I really feel like that third liner comment was more him complimenting macs versatility than denigrating his talent though to be fair

I didn't like the comment because of how it came off but I didn't have the sense that he was criticizing Mac when he said it. I think he was just explaining how he saw Mac.

 

[Mr Rogers]

I really feel like that third liner comment was more him complimenting macs versatility than denigrating his talent though to be fair

Agreed. It was sloppy and a weird way to put it but don’t think he truly puts him in that category. He plays a meat and potatoes style so he has some qualities of a 3rd liner but he obviously adds a significant element of skill to that style.

There are Hall of Famers honestly in that mold.