Confirmed with Link: Brind'Amour named head coach

[cptjeff]

Reading behind the lines a little bit, I suspect Brind'Amour went into his conversation with Dundon with a list of things he disagreed with Peters on but had to do, why what Peters was doing was wrong, and how he would fix it. Sounds like the Captaincy thing was one of those things as well, so time to reopen that speculation. I also suspect that Dundon's conversations with players ($10 on Williams being pivotal here) in the exit interviews played a big role. If the players are saying that Peters was telling them to do this thing and Brind'Amour seemed to hate it, if they say that Brind'Amour was pushing them but Peters took the pressure off, or whatever that dynamic was- they're in a position to know which coaches are doing what. Especially somebody like Williams where he's basically a player-coach and has a relationship with Rod where Rod can tell him a lot more of the coaching staff dynamics than any other player. Dundon has that information, we don't.

I think Luke's piece is about where my thinking is at the moment. There are risks here- big ones. But if there's anyone in hockey who can rise to the challenge when finally given the head job, it's Rod Brind'Amour.

Well, aged a lot better than my December meltdowns did.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

If viewed in a certain context (and giving benefit of the doubt, the context I think he meant), I’m actually in agreement with him. We just watched one of the best X’s and O’s coaches in the world underachieve with this team for 4 years, while seemingly making the “wrong” culture decision every time (double captains, “make a ****ing save,” feud with RF, etc.)

Everyone that was around for the 05-06 season knows that there was something completely and fundamentally right about the culture of this team. It wasn’t the most talented team, but it was well-oiled and filled with players that would rush through a brick wall for each other.

Everyone that is around this season knows that there is something completely and fundamentally right about the culture of the Vegas Golden Knights. It’s not the most talented team, but it is well-oiled and filled with players that would rush through a brick wall for each other.

Everyone that was around for the last 9 years knows that there was something completely and fundamentally rotten about the culture of this team. They weren’t the least talented teams (especially the last two seasons), but they never really seemed to have any accountability towards themselves or each other.


I don’t think he’s saying X’s and O’s aren’t important, he’s saying they’re overrated. I don’t disagree. We’ve seen teams with very different systems succeed in the last several years. We watched Ottawa make the conference finals last year with the same system that made them bottom dwellers this year. And we’ve watched as a soulless, personality-less team in Carolina has floundered for close to 10 years without a real leader to speak of.

Dundon’s big thing is that this is a business like any other business, and hockey players are employees. Many have had the experience of working for employers where they feel enabled, heard, valuable, and a part of a strong team. In those situations, you naturally want to go above and beyond. There are other situation where you feel like a faceless cog. So long as you’re not the weak link, you could care less about going above and beyond. The latter is what this team has become for the last few years. And like at work, where a good manager can come in and make some changes to processes but also bring accountability to make sure you feel valuable, Rod can bring that to the Hurricanes. I’m sure the system will change, and maybe it won’t be as tight as it was under Peters. But the players will play, play hard, and play for each other, or be replaced by those who will.

Ignore my comments on pages 1 and 2. Instead read this in which Anton Dubinchuk clearly predicts every event of the 2018-2019 season.

 

[My Special Purpose]

How long before JW is named captain?

Seriously, players at this level are thoroughly coached in the Xs and Os. They really just need to be led, and to be pushed to be the best version of themselves. I have confidence Brindy can get this done. If Roddy can fix the leadership issue and introduce real accountability, I think that's a win.

He's won half the battle already with how excited the club seems to be about his hiring. This game is about far more than systems. If Rod is a little lacking in that area, so what. If he can get the guys to care and hate losing half as much as he does, we'll be fine.

FORMERLY SAD MAN NOW GIVES HEAD COACH "PASS FOR LIFE"

Make sure you read this one, too.

For someone who fancies himself as Mr. Positive, you are pretty mean-spirited.

Nah, kind of a running thing between Hank and me. No biggie.

 

[Canes]

Nah, kind of a running thing between Hank and me. No biggie.

Well, that's good then. I wasn't sure given his abrasive nature. I'm sure I'll feel his wrath now.

 

[MinJaBen]

I'm sure I'll feel his wrath now.

Nah. He’s married. He only lets the Mrs feel it now.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

For someone who fancies himself as Mr. Positive, you are pretty mean-spirited.

That's what some people call "charm".

 

[Dishface]

Are you not entertained?

Yes, why yes I am.

 

[Wolfpuck]

I think we've all learned a valuable lesson. Never question the brain trust ever again. Even the Skinner trade, crummy return aside, was addition by subtraction.

 

[Hulkacaniac]

Team is firing on all cylinders right when they need to, svech looks like he’s on another level from the beginning of the season, and I’ve got a pile of crow to finish

 

[bleedgreen]

They’re hot and it’s fun. Let’s just enjoy it while it lasts. There’s still plenty that could be picked apart and I’m sure will be again. f*** it, as ridiculous as this years ride has been it’s at least not been boring.

 

[MinJaBen]

I think we've all learned a valuable lesson. Never question the brain trust ever again.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

 

[Svechhammer]

They’re hot and it’s fun. Let’s just enjoy it while it lasts. There’s still plenty that could be picked apart and I’m sure will be again. **** it, as ridiculous as this years ride has been it’s at least not been boring.

I would say even when they were cold this year they still showed potential. I'm not sure if they are more 'hot' right now as it is that they finally figured out their roles as a team.

Given how young the team is, maybe this is just who they are, which would be nice.

 

[Unsustainable]

Nooo

I was wrong

 

[Ole Gil]

These takes are fun, but the real good stuff is in those November/December news and notes threads, where people were saying Rod should be fired because he had no idea what he was doing, get rid of Williams and Staal, and put Zykov with Aho.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

I am buddies with one of the players and in Nov and December he kept saying “I’ve never seen anything like this, we’re playing great, we can’t get this unlucky for the whole season.” And I didn’t remind him of This Is Hurricanes Hockey at that time. He was right.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I’m not re-reading this because I don’t have the time so if this has been said already, my apologies.

One of the things Rod said when he was hired was that as an assistant coach you have to defer to the head coach even if you don’t agree with him, or something to that effect. That’s how Peters, and I’m guessing many many other coaches operate. That’s how many GMs operate (like Francis). That was never going to work for TD. And that’s not how it’s working under Rod. In the article about the Canes goaltending with Bales he said Rod asks him which goalie to start and he’s yet to overrule him. Something to the effect of, those are his guys, he knows better than me. I’m sure other coaches ask for input and what not, but how many do you think give the goalie coach that much.

 

[Chrispy]

I'm still not sold on RBA as a tactician, especially on the PP where it was an issue under Peters and continues to be an issue. In fact, it's only exacerbated by all of us seeing things that are at least worth trying but haven't been.

That said, he's been much better leading a young team than I anticipated. Happy to be wrong there, and I'm hoping the style he described leads to less of a "tune-out" issue than with past coaches like Lavi or Peters.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I still think PP is due to lack of the right talent. 1) We have no defenseman that is a true PP QB, and given how PPs these days run through the forwards, a PP QB is much more important than a Defenseman with a bomb of a shot. Trying Hamilton over Faulk might help, but Hamilton is also a shooter and not a distributor. 2) All of our best talent at FWD is left handed.

I'm not suggesting that the PP is coached well, but for me, talent, and the right talent is a bigger issue.

 

[FreshSeabass]

*nervously checks through early pages to see if i made embarrassing hot taek*
Come out unscathed on this one.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

who?

oh yeah him

 

[NotOpie]

I still think PP is due to lack of the right talent. 1) We have no defenseman that is a true PP QB, and given how PPs these days run through the forwards, a PP QB is much more important than a Defenseman with a bomb of a shot. Trying Hamilton over Faulk might help, but Hamilton is also a shooter and not a distributor. 2) All of our best talent at FWD is left handed.

I'm not suggesting that the PP is coached well, but for me, talent, and the right talent is a bigger issue.

I think the brain trust sees this and it is exactly why the value Fox so highly and are being careful and methodical with Bean. Those guys seem to both be excellent PP QBs. So maybe it is a little of "playing the long game" in this case.

 

[MinJaBen]

I was so upset when we hired Rod. I felt we were bypassing a guy with relevant experience (Velucci) for a guy that was popular. I was feeling pretty vindicated in that take in December.

At this point, it looks like I was wrong. And I’ve been pleased to see Rod is learning as the season has gone on. I don’t think he’d have kept Svech on Jordan’s line after Ferland came back if it was still October Rod that was coaching.

 

[My Special Purpose]

I still think PP is due to lack of the right talent. 1) We have no defenseman that is a true PP QB, and given how PPs these days run through the forwards, a PP QB is much more important than a Defenseman with a bomb of a shot. Trying Hamilton over Faulk might help, but Hamilton is also a shooter and not a distributor. 2) All of our best talent at FWD is left handed.

I'm not suggesting that the PP is coached well, but for me, talent, and the right talent is a bigger issue.

I think the brain trust sees this and it is exactly why the value Fox so highly and are being careful and methodical with Bean. Those guys seem to both be excellent PP QBs. So maybe it is a little of "playing the long game" in this case.

I think Martin Necas figures in here prominently, as well. We just don't move the puck quickly or crisply enough to force the defense to break down. Having Williams, Faulk and Niederreiter out there at the same time when none of them are slick puck-movers is truly a problem. We've got a "hack and whack" team for the most part, and the power play is not "hack and whack" time.

 

[Bunch of Jurcos]

Things I am pleased about HCRB:
1. He did not let the wheels fall off before January. If we had a different coach we very well could be in the Lose for Hughes running.
2. The PK was as abysmal as the PP was early on in the season. They have managed to work on the weakness and turn it into a top 10 PK. The turnaround has been fantastic and he deserves credit for listening to his assistants and being able to change the strategy.
3. Shot suppression. Because he held the team together, you got guys sacrificing their bodies to help out their goalies every night. This is something that I don't see get as much credit for our defensemen but I appreciate their efforts as I'm sure everyone here does.
4. He got the f out of the way with the goal tending.
5. How he has brought along Andrei. By Svech being the #1 forward drafted, I probably would have had him playing top line minutes and wondering why he isn't progressing like he should. Instead he was brought along slowly, increasing responsibility when Svech could handle it, and it's paying off. Great job here!
6. Splitting up Aho and Tuevo. Another call I would not have made but it's led to Tuevo being able to help add a second scoring line when conventional wisdom is to keep the Finns together.
7. Deferring to Captain Williams when the time comes. Just recently after a particularly bad period recently, HCRB didn't have to say much as he let JW have the room. Not all leaders can do that. It does show that he has faith in JW's leadership ability and he trusts his own instincts to do so.
8. We are in the top ten in PP generated. To get to the top 10 in PP we would have needed to score 12 more PP goals, which if we had we'd also move very close to the top ten in scoring. Even saying all that we're currently in the top half of the league in goals scored and considering how the year started that's pretty incredible.
9. Seventh in team defense considering the division that we play in is really impressive. We have a very talented defensive core and I'm excited to see how great they can become in the future.
10. Allowing the Surge to become a tradition. I'm almost certain that if he did not want it to happen he could have nixed the idea by talking to TD. Instead he let the guys have some fun and I think that it's really been a huge factor in bringing the team together.

There's plenty to find fault with pretty much anything in the NHL but it's really nice to have so much to be happy about at the moment with our coach. There is still plenty to improve but if his coaching career is like his playing career, I have no doubt that we'll see improvement each year. Great job HCRB!

 

[bleedgreen]

These takes are fun, but the real good stuff is in those November/December news and notes threads, where people were saying Rod should be fired because he had no idea what he was doing, get rid of Williams and Staal, and put Zykov with Aho.

I’d still get rid of Staal, Zykov probably should’ve gotten another shot somewhere in the lineup and I don’t think I’m more convinced Rod knows what he’s doing. It doesn’t matter when you win, but it also shouldn’t be assumed everything we did was proof anything else was wrong.