Deboer in his first year at Florida brought a bad Panthers team within a tie breaker of making the playoffs with 94 points.
He brought a mediocre Devils team to the Stanley Cup final 2 years ago.
He's a very capable coach.
Not the most exciting teams, but the teams are well coached, and play a back pressure, more defensive style.
After years of run and scramble, I am ready for more structured hockey.
I look fwd to Kessel with 60 points and more winning. I am ready for Kadri with 40 points but making the playoffs.
Winning > Style points
Deboer with Spott, a natural fit. But then again I also like Willie Desjardin.
Yes, you very clearly know very little about Pete Deboer. Firstly, Deboer isn't a "defensive coach." He's known for an aggressive forecheck, pursuing the puck, and largely perimeter offense. He said it himself when he was hired in NJ: my goal is to add to this defensive system already established in NJ with my aggressive forecheck to generate more goals (it didn't work).
In his 6 year career Deboer has missed the playoffs 5 times. Even in the year he made the playoffs and we went to the Cup we were nearly eliminated 3 times. Even Marty argued that throughout the year we were mediocre.
Deboer's system encourages mediocrity. Everything about it encourages mediocrity. Grinding and poking at the puck and cycling and shots from the perimeter - all of that means you'll be playing a lot of 1-0 2-1 games. Which is not always good. You'll beat the Bruins 2-1 but you'll lose to the Sabres 2-1. Every game against any team is a bout of mediocrity.
On top of that, his personnel decisions are mind-boggling. He will bench any of your hotshot prospects for his "grinders." Steve Bernier will be on your PP. He will go to Toronto with him because he's been on every single on of Debo's teams. Thank you. Enjoy losing games but "competing." Enjoy losing games but "not having puck luck."
And, oh yea. Lemaire took a lesser Devils team on to have the best record in the NHL after he was hired the year before. That team had Parise, Kovy, Elias and a hot goalie. It wasn't mediocre. It had Henrique and Zubrus playing well. Zajac playing well. It wasn't "mediocre."
Deboer never got "the best" out of any of his teams in NJ. There's a reason why he's the only coach in the Lou era to miss the playoffs 2 out of 3 years. He has one 5 games all season (in 38 tries) when trailing by one goal. His system allows no creativity. There's no margin for making up goals. Nothing. It's a mediocre grind all game.
I'll say this before you get him, just like I said it before you got Clarkson, you'll regret it.
