I think it's also a little premature to judge his NHL head coaching abilities after less than half a season at the NHL level. As if we weren't all baying for Bednar's public execution after 16/17.
Why would that even matter, though? For the record, Loveland is closer to Denver than Colorado Springs, and southern Colorado isn't exactly known for its scintillating culture anyway. Fort Collins has some good bars and restaurants, plus live music and comedy every day of the week. The Springs may not be as bad as it used to be, but it's been famously straight-laced and boring for decades. And you're a lot more likely to find a good party to crash in the vicinity of CSU than by the Air Force Academy. If I was a young hockey player with an NHL contract, I would be way happier with my life north of Denver than south of it.
I don't think that's the case with Cronin. The Avs in 16-17 were an utterly horrible team. I'm pretty sure all of Grigorenko, Bourque, Iginla, Tyutin, Wiercioch, Colborne, Mitchell, Goloubef, McLeod, Gelinas, and Jeremy Smith never got NHL gigs after that season. That's an absurd amount of regulars to not be NHL caliber.
This is his second season coaching in the NHL.
But for Bednar's system to work everybody needs to buy in. If Cronin is trying the same thing and a few don't fit in it can collapse very quickly. I don't watch the Ducks so I might be wrong but as I said in my previous post Cronin was using the same system on the Eagles so it would make sense he uses the same in Anaheim.
Cronin only used Bednar’s system at first, when it didn’t work they gave up and just let Cro do whatever. I’m 1000000% positive whatever he’s using in Anaheim is NOT Bednar’s system. It’s a grinding scheme that has almost no offensive dynamic to it, and defensively he just looks like he’s having them pile bodies up the middle in a desperate attempt to limit shots against (which doesn’t work because the goalies are continually bombarded). I don’t think they have anything resembling a breakout scheme.
Ok good to know. Like I said...I don't really watch them so I was only assuming he was still using the same Avs system. Thanks for the info.
He sucks. He just never progressed from where he was as an 18 year old, either with his all-around game or with his offense. He's been stagnating since he went to the OHL.
I wish they’d move on from these guys a little sooner. Not that he’s taking a spot away from a more deserving prospect but I find it odd they hold onto these busts for so long. It was even more baffling with Kaut (who later revealed he’d made multiple trade requests) and Bowers (whose family made a public stink about him not getting a shot in the NHL).
Bowers and Kaut were trash and entitled f***s. They sure made it after leaving the Avs!
Avs amateur scouting is one of the primary reasons why the window is going to be several years shorter than it should be. With league average scouting capacity this team would be in a pretty solid spot, with something akin to the Stars we'd be top tier in the league. Can't believe how bad they've been for so long. It does seem like they are turning things around a bit, so hopefully that's a sign of things to come.
The Red Wings drafted incredibly well for a long time, and they got an unprecedented playoff appearance streak because of it. Getting core players like Datsyuk and Zetterberg out of late round picks basically gave them an immediate second window after the Yzerman era was over.
