I still don't get the "Tipp can't develop" argument.
Which young player isn't coming along? Domi has improved. DeAngelo looks good. Dvo is getting minutes. Chych looks good. Gaudet looked good last night. Martinook has become something out of nothing. Same with Dauphin. Crouse had his best game last night and has filled a unique role. Tobi Rieder looks fantastic.
Duclair is the only one struggling. He's snakebit. He's got a sophomore slump going hard. Maybe some of that is on Tippett, but where's the responsibility on Duclair? I mean, Tippett gets none of the credit for the guys in the second paragraph but gets blamed 100% for Duke?
Tippett doesn't get credit for Chychrun and DeAngelo for a variety of reasons, plus he is scratching them when it isn't earned. Domi does not look better. Duclair is obviously worse off. Dvorak has played a quiet game but he has been benched hard for a few mistakes while others get out of jail free. Crouse has one point in 19 games and his usage is terrible.
Rieder learned to be a two way player outside of this organization. Martinook improved in the minors, away from Tippett. They look good because they fit his system perfectly and are what he expects all players to be. I have no doubt that he has helped them improve in their time on the NHL roster because of that. They speak the same language, if you will.
The two best examples used in Tippett's favor basically had next to nothing to do with him in their formative years. He can only amplify the strengths of certain skillsets. He fails to cultivate skills. He is an old school
"Here's the bar, now clear it" manager, when most of the world has moved on to new school thinking of "Let's play to your strengths and then work on your weaknesses."
Some people, to this day, give him credit for Turris, so I realize this is a losing battle.