Cox got his start as a Tennis guy, his hockey pedigree is no better than anyone on this forum. I've wanted Keefe gone since last year, so you wont get any argument here. Not Boudreau though, Trotz is the guy I'd want for our coach.
Dubas wont fire Keefe this year, its a pipe dream to think that Keefe will get different results in this years playoffs. Keef is living off elite players playing elite for a month before teams get their systems in place. Keefe has shown, over and over and over an inability to adjust and over come other teams systems.
How many coaches do these players get though? It was a larger issue under Babcock, and still pops up once in a while against weaker teams.
This is the excerpt from the CBJ loss.
On how he explains the team’s effort falling off in the second period:
I can’t. You guys talked to the players. I’m sure you asked them the same questions. I can’t do the work for them.
On whether it was an effort or execution issue:
On the message to the team in the second intermission:
They have to make a decision as to how important it is to them. That is really it.
He is right. He rightfully put the heat on the players, because that is squarely where it lies right now. They either play like they don't give a crap, or it is a good night to make the highlight reel. Marner was doing it all night. If he falls apart anywhere, it is the faith he places on his top guys to perform... Something most top coaches will do and are able to count on. He'll bench the Kampf line, but he won't bench Marner's line for making the same mistakes all the time.
Clearly, given we are able to compete and beat top level teams as well as almost anyone in the league. So how bad can he really be at preparing his players? I don't think he is telling his players to "take it easy" just because they are playing CBJ or OTT or MTL or ARI. Especially against OTT and MTL. I don't think he is telling his players to make the dumb mistakes that have cost us in the playoffs. This is a team that literally dominated CBJ for 4 periods straight and then just decided to pack it in. I don't think he told them that in the intermission.
Trotz likely would bench Matthews/Marner if needed. How those guys would respond is anyone's guess. Keefe has already somewhat benched Nylander at times, but Matthews/Marner seem exempt. It should also be noted that while Trotz did bench some of the Nylander-level players on his old teams, he never benched Ovi or anyone like that even if he was playing like crap (according to media, which seems to have a long list of Trotz benchings). Only time he benched Ovi was when he was late to practice one time.
It should be noted that, for the most part, benching guys didn't really make them play better. They were either already playing fairly well, maybe just had a bad game, and went back to playing well... Or they played like crap for an extended period of time and continued to play like crap after getting benched.
I find it funny that anyone thinks Boudreau is an answer though. He has consistently underperformed as a coach and has never won anything. His crowing achievement in like 15+ years as an NHL HC is a Conference Finals loss and a Jack Adams he won in his first year... 15 years ago. He lost Vancouver's locker room after like 40 games as their HC and he is almost 70. Chances are, it is not going to happen for him as an NHL HC.
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