Confirmed with Link: Francois Allaire named goalie coach with Avalanche

[CobraAcesS]

I can't think of anything negative that could come out of bringing Allaire aboard. He's a veteran goalie coach who's had success. He has history with Patty and Giggy. He's a full time goalie coach. Varly should be able to improve with an experienced coach and become a more stable goaltender. He's at that age when goalies start showing their true potential. I have high hopes for Varly.

All plusses.

It's better than we had before, but not as good as we could have had. If there isn't someone coaching the goalies full time.

 

[Nihiliste]

Would it have been fine to get disappointed about this if it was still Lacroix(s), Sherman and Sacco running the show?

If they hired Allaire, and a full time assistant, then in this instance no.

I'm not sure how part time he can be. He's talked about how important it is for him to work with goalies in practice and being prepared for games. He also doesn't like other coaches interfering with the goaltenders so I'm sure he'll be quite hands on.

Even if its not a perfect situation, this is a big improvement from Kirk Mclean as a consultant

I have faith in the work Allaire has done over the years, and have wanted the Avs to hire him for years. Lets wait and see what he can do.

 

[Foppa2118]

I'm pretty sure he knows more what to do to make a goalie better than any of us here. Being skeptical already when nothing happened yet is just absurd.

Absolutely, but it doesn't mean every decision he makes is going to work out.

I think it's completely fair to have some concerns over how it's going to work with Allaire's assistants being the hands on guys with Varly, when they're not really the ones with the answers or coming up with the plans.

It'd kinda be like Roy letting his assistants run all the practices, and the bench during games while he's somewhere else giving instructions every once in a while. Sure it could work, and there's no evidence to say it won't right now, but it's pretty different.

Hopefully we'll have a little more info at some point about just how hands on Allaire plans on being with the Avs NHL goalies.

 

[henchman21]

Absolutely, but it doesn't mean every decision he makes is going to work out.

I think it's completely fair to have some concerns over how it's going to work with Allaire's assistants being the hands on guys with Varly, when they're not really the ones with the answers or coming up with the plans.

It'd kinda be like Roy letting his assistants run all the practices, and the bench during dames while he's somewhere else giving instructions every once in a while. Sure it could work, there's no evidence to say it won't right now, but it's pretty different.

Or like an offensive coordinator letting his position guys coach their players... works well in football.

All of this really depends on the quality of the coaches working hands-on with the goalies. If they are good this succeeds... if they are bad, it fails. It is pretty pointless to have concerns over it until you see the whole picture (ie see who the assistants are and how well they perform).

If this works, it might change how organizations develop and coach their goalies.

 

[spidergoalie]

Reading over the thread I just wanted to bring some information out.

Francois Allaire was Roy's goalie coach in Montreal. Read Roy's Dad's book. It is very informative about their relationship.

Allaire was the goalie coach in Anaheim when Giguere arrived. Giguere was not playing well at all and in fact was even thinking of quitting. Allaire overhauled his game challenging him to take over as #1, and the rest as they say is history.

Most NHL goalie coaches are "part time"

Allaire has always held camps in the off season where many NHL goalies attend, including folks like Luongo, Fleury, and I'm almost positive in his washington days....Varly.

Giguere was not "hated " in Toronto, but he came in as a guy who could still be a #1 in many people's minds, and unfortunately due to a bad groin, and the coaching situation and style of play in Toronto, he simply wasn't good enough. I am maybe Giguere's biggest supporter, and a life long Leaf fan, so it was disappointing for me, but more disappointing the Leafs didn't re-sign him to mentor Reimer.
I think most Leaf fans recognized Giguere's significant contributions in the dressing room, and as a team leader though.

Allaire in Toronto did indeed become a gong show.
I think the big problem is that Ron Wilson was trying to coach a run and gun style, which gives up high quality scoring chances. Allaire teaches a percentage based blocking style, that is rather passive, and not ideally suited to the sorts of situations Leaf goalies faced under Wilson's style.

If Burke had fired Wilson about a year sooner, and gotten either Carlyle (who wouldn't have been available a year earlier) or another defence minded coach, I think Burke and Allaire would still be in Toronto. In my biased opinion, Burke's two great failures were not firing Wilson, and not re-signing Giguere.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Reading over the thread I just wanted to bring some information out.

Francois Allaire was Roy's goalie coach in Montreal. Read Roy's Dad's book. It is very informative about their relationship.

Allaire was the goalie coach in Anaheim when Giguere arrived. Giguere was not playing well at all and in fact was even thinking of quitting. Allaire overhauled his game challenging him to take over as #1, and the rest as they say is history.

Most NHL goalie coaches are "part time"

Allaire has always held camps in the off season where many NHL goalies attend, including folks like Luongo, Fleury, and I'm almost positive in his washington days....Varly.

Giguere was not "hated " in Toronto, but he came in as a guy who could still be a #1 in many people's minds, and unfortunately due to a bad groin, and the coaching situation and style of play in Toronto, he simply wasn't good enough. I am maybe Giguere's biggest supporter, and a life long Leaf fan, so it was disappointing for me, but more disappointing the Leafs didn't re-sign him to mentor Reimer.
I think most Leaf fans recognized Giguere's significant contributions in the dressing room, and as a team leader though.

Allaire in Toronto did indeed become a gong show.
I think the big problem is that Ron Wilson was trying to coach a run and gun style, which gives up high quality scoring chances. Allaire teaches a percentage based blocking style, that is rather passive, and not ideally suited to the sorts of situations Leaf goalies faced under Wilson's style.

If Burke had fired Wilson about a year sooner, and gotten either Carlyle (who wouldn't have been available a year earlier) or another defence minded coach, I think Burke and Allaire would still be in Toronto. In my biased opinion, Burke's two great failures were not firing Wilson, and not re-signing Giguere.

This does not exactly make me feel better, considering that Roy is considered/expected to be a extremely offensively minded coach.

Is it run and gun? I don't know, but that term gets used in a very general sense.

 

[CantTouchThis]

Reading over the thread I just wanted to bring some information out.

I really liked that book. Really read things about Roy I didnt know before.

 

[henchman21]

This does not exactly make me feel better, considering that Roy is considered/expected to be a extremely offensively minded coach.

Is it run and gun? I don't know, but that term gets used in a very general sense.

Roy's teams are very good at both offense and defense... it is uptempo and aggressive, but not run and gun.

 

[Foppa2118]

Or like an offensive coordinator letting his position guys coach their players... works well in football.

All of this really depends on the quality of the coaches working hands-on with the goalies. If they are good this succeeds... if they are bad, it fails. It is pretty pointless to have concerns over it until you see the whole picture (ie see who the assistants are and how well they perform).

If this works, it might change how organizations develop and coach their goalies.

I don't know much about football to know if that's the same kind of thing, but it seems much different given it's a group of guys. It's kinda like Roy letting his assistants run the special teams, or run the D.

The goalie and goalie coach relationship is much more personal. Again though, we'll see. I'm not making any claims on it not working or anything.

I'd really like to hear more details at some point on Allaire's plan. If he's going to be working hands on with Varly in practices, and having in person conversations with him a few times a week, while letting the assistants do more of the drill work, and game preparations, that would alleviate most of my concerns. Then Varly would have that personal relationship with Allaire.

If Allaire's off somewhere else scouting prospects, or doing other things, only seeing Varly every once in a while, and giving the all the marching orders to his assistant, then Varly's having that personal relationship with the assistant, and then problems could arise because he's not really the goalie coach. He could not agree with a particular approach, and want more clarification as to why that will be better, and the assistant isn't really the guy that decided it was.

It doesn't mean it will be worse than it was before, but if Allaire's not personally involved regularly with Varly, it might not be all that better either.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Roy's teams are very good at both offense and defense... it is uptempo and aggressive, but not run and gun.

That's what I was hoping for, it's going to be pretty interesting to see the team play under Roy's system.

Sounds like it will be something like Chicago, to be honest.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I don't know much about football to know if that's the same kind of thing, but it seems much different given it's a group of guys. It's kinda like Roy letting his assistants run the special teams, or run the D.

The goalie and goalie coach relationship is much more personal. Again though, we'll see. I'm not making any claims on it not working or anything.

I'd really like to hear more details at some point on Allaire's plan. If he's going to be working hands on with Varly in practices, and having in person conversations with him a few times a week, while letting the assistants do more of the drill work, and game preparations, that would alleviate most of my concerns. Then Varly would have that personal relationship with Allaire.

If Allaire's off somewhere else scouting prospects, or doing other things, only seeing Varly every once in a while, and given the all the marching orders to his assistant, then Varly's having that personal relationship with the assistant, and then problems could arise because he's not really the goalie coach. He could not agree with a particular approach, and want more clarification as to why that will be better, and the assistant isn't really the guy that decided it was.

It doesn't mean it will be worse than it was before, but if Allaire's not personally involved regularly with Varly, it might not be all that better either.

I wonder who the hell is going to be the assistants?

 

[henchman21]

I don't know much about football to know if that's the same kind of thing, but it seems much different given it's a group of guys. It's kinda like Roy letting his assistants run the special teams, or run the D.

The goalie and goalie coach relationship is much more personal. Again though, we'll see. I'm not making any claims on it not working or anything.

I'd really like to hear more details at some point on Allaire's plan. If he's going to be working hands on with Varly in practices, and having in person conversations with him a few times a week, while letting the assistants do more of the drill work, and game preparations, that would alleviate most of my concerns. Then Varly would have that personal relationship with Allaire.

If Allaire's off somewhere else scouting prospects, or doing other things, only seeing Varly every once in a while, and given the all the marching orders to his assistant, then Varly's having that personal relationship with the assistant, and then problems could arise because he's not really the goalie coach. He could not agree with a particular approach, and want more clarification as to why that will be better, and the assistant isn't really the guy that decided it was.

It doesn't mean it will be worse than it was before, but if Allaire's not personally involved regularly with Varly, it might not be all that better either.

We will probably all just have to wait and see how this works. The organization isn't going to say much of anything until all the details are worked out, even if then.

There is nothing saying that Varly and an assistant can't have a great working relationship and be better than a more personal relationship between Allaire and Varly. Saying that it will be worse right now is just pessimism.

 

[CobraAcesS]

We will probably all just have to wait and see how this works. The organization isn't going to say much of anything until all the details are worked out, even if then.

There is nothing saying that Varly and an assistant can't have a great working relationship and be better than a more personal relationship between Allaire and Varly. Saying that it will be worse right now is just pessimism.

How about Varly's old goalie coach becoming Allaire's assistant? Eh? Eh?

(Will never happen, but it would be awesome)

Edit :

Allaire = Executive vice president of goalie development

Parkkila = Colorado Avalanche goalie coach

Someone = AHL, and junior development goalie coach

 

[henchman21]

How about Varly's old goalie coach becoming Allaire's assistant? Eh? Eh?

(Will never happen, but it would be awesome)

That would be worthy of....

 

[CobraAcesS]

Then Foote can be, Executive vice President of Defender development, and Hejduk can be Executive vice President of Forward development. When he retires of course...

 

[Foppa2118]

We will probably all just have to wait and see how this works. The organization isn't going to say much of anything until all the details are worked out, even if then.

There is nothing saying that Varly and an assistant can't have a great working relationship and be better than a more personal relationship between Allaire and Varly. Saying that it will be worse right now is just pessimism.

That's true I agree. And again for the record I'm not saying it will be worse. I don't think relationship wise it could be worse, because McLean was only part time anyway.

The only way it could potentially be worse is if Varly doesn't mesh with the style Allaire thinks he should play. Should be an interesting story line to follow as the season goes though.

 

[Foppa2118]

Then Foote can be, Executive vice President of Defender development, and Hejduk can be Executive vice President of Forward development. When he retires of course...

And Greg Zanon can be Executive Vice President of jock straps, since he's spent a lot of time picking up his.

 

[spidergoalie]

This does not exactly make me feel better, considering that Roy is considered/expected to be a extremely offensively minded coach.

Is it run and gun? I don't know, but that term gets used in a very general sense.

I only have seen the Remparts when they played in the Memorial cup, and honestly I don't remember the style they played now.
Wilsons team was straight up weak defensively though, and would have needed someone like Tim Thomas in net to do well I think.

However Roy and Allaire know each other very well, and put Giguere into that mix, at least communication should not be an issue.
However both Roy and Allaire are extremely strong willed, and if things aren't going well I would expect fireworks.

The knock on Allaire in the goalie community is that he is stuck in his blocking system, that worked better in the old NHL than in the new one with less obstruction and smaller goalie equipment.
His goalies tend to be less acrobatic, more positional, and rather passive. Another quirk is they tend to prioritize getting the elbows in to the body for no holes, but this tends to move the stick blade to the side for some questionable 5 hole goals.
Also that Allaire is a "my way or the highway" kind of coach. That is strongly his reputation, but when I talk to people who have gone to his camps, or read interviews with people like Leaf back up Ben Scrivens, they say this is not the case. So who knows....one would think the reputation came from somewhere though.

My personal belief on it, (and what I try to apply to my own game albeit a zillion levels below NHL) is that Allaire's methods are rock solid as a starting point, or a base from which I work, but if you just rely on technique alone, you will get into trouble, so you still have to battle, improvise, and do whatever it takes to stop the puck.
Giguere is sort of my mentor (though he doesn't know it...or me!) but I have to watch falling into the trap of playing the system instead of reading the shot.
Giguere really is the ultimate Allaire style goalie though, with all the strengths and weaknesses.
If you like how he plays, you will like Allaire. If you like your goalies to make more spectacular desperation saves, you will hate Allaire.

 

[Frenchy]

Reading over the thread I just wanted to bring some information out.

Francois Allaire was Roy's goalie coach in Montreal. Read Roy's Dad's book. It is very informative about their relationship.

Allaire was the goalie coach in Anaheim when Giguere arrived. Giguere was not playing well at all and in fact was even thinking of quitting. Allaire overhauled his game challenging him to take over as #1, and the rest as they say is history.

Most NHL goalie coaches are "part time"

Allaire has always held camps in the off season where many NHL goalies attend, including folks like Luongo, Fleury, and I'm almost positive in his washington days....Varly.

Giguere was not "hated " in Toronto, but he came in as a guy who could still be a #1 in many people's minds, and unfortunately due to a bad groin, and the coaching situation and style of play in Toronto, he simply wasn't good enough. I am maybe Giguere's biggest supporter, and a life long Leaf fan, so it was disappointing for me, but more disappointing the Leafs didn't re-sign him to mentor Reimer.
I think most Leaf fans recognized Giguere's significant contributions in the dressing room, and as a team leader though.

Allaire in Toronto did indeed become a gong show.
I think the big problem is that Ron Wilson was trying to coach a run and gun style, which gives up high quality scoring chances. Allaire teaches a percentage based blocking style, that is rather passive, and not ideally suited to the sorts of situations Leaf goalies faced under Wilson's style.

If Burke had fired Wilson about a year sooner, and gotten either Carlyle (who wouldn't have been available a year earlier) or another defence minded coach, I think Burke and Allaire would still be in Toronto. In my biased opinion, Burke's two great failures were not firing Wilson, and not re-signing Giguere.

very good comment ,

 

[Holyhell]

Giguere really is the ultimate Allaire style goalie though, with all the strengths and weaknesses.
If you like how he plays, you will like Allaire. If you like your goalies to make more spectacular desperation saves, you will hate Allaire.

We'll just have to hope the Avs pick up some defensemen worthy of good NHL icetime and to watch Varly become a more well rounded goalie. It would seem strange to see Varly completely stop using his reflexes and speed to his advantage, but I doubt that could actually happen. Allaire should at least be another mentor, along with Roy, that may be able to help Varly be more confident with his movements and positioning.

 

[Hans Landaskog]

Who's to say that Parkkila would be a better option....I feel like people aren't even giving this a chance when they don't know the details. If anything we should all be focused on the fact Tim Army is still around, not this.

 

[Sheet]

If he only improves on varly positioning and gets him to relax a bit it'll be a huge benefit.. that kid nearly jumps clear out of his pads sometimes to make a save and a lot of times it results in a weak rebound goal from him being out of position.. Not so bad last year, but the year before that.

 

[CalderKing21]

i like the hire and i think it fits Roy's vision of the team.
this is a big thing for Varly. he has all the potential in the world but he needs someone to help him put it all together and refine his game.

 

[Nihiliste]

Who's to say that Parkkila would be a better option....I feel like people aren't even giving this a chance when they don't know the details.

Agreed. Of all the hirings we've made, this is the one with the best track record and the one that I'm most excited about.

 

[RockLobster]

Allaire update

http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2013/06/17/francois-allaire-talks-about-new-role-with-avalanche/13855/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

On working with Semyon Varlamov and Giguere:
“Well, I think Jiggy was really excited when he called me, and of course we’re going to go on the ice this summer to make sure we’re still on the same page. We’ll try to involve Varlamov as well, because we want the kid to be part of the project. He’s the guy they tried to develop and get better, so Jiggy will help a lot, Patrick will help a lot and I will try to do my best, just to make sure everybody feels good in the organization, with Jiggy as the backup and Varlamov as the No. 1. If I can make everybody feel good and make everybody appreciate their job, I think it’s going to be a better season for both of them.â€