Rikard Grönborg signed today with Tappara in Finland. 3-year deal.
He sounded like (between the lines) this is the last path until he becomes an NHL coach. This is the last path for him, how to learn to Tappara's continuous winning culture. Why those Finns are so good, and why Tappara is the ultimate best of Finnish teams.
It's very interesting career path, how Grönborg described himself. Like being the NA consultant for Sweden on early days +20 years ago. Swedish junior and national team coaching systems wanted to add his North American view for Swedish hockey.
Then teams in Switzerland were interested to add this Swedish package to their hockey. And Switzerland was very different place to coach. So many different styles and so many different nationalities against you. Every night was a different game, he learned a lot about that.
Now, the final phase is to join Tappara, team with most winning titles in Finland. And going every night against a Finnish coach which are hardest to beat. Almost everybody plays with the National Team system learnt from the same basis. How to beat those guys every night.
This is not what he said, but I can imagine that. If he will learn it, Grönborg is a heck of a coaching package to be stolen to NHL in few years. Lidström should be be aware, and Yzerman too. He is kind of a NA-Swedish styled hybrid coach, who came to learn those things why Finland wins so much always as an underdog.
He could be ready by that time, if these Lalonde-projects won't work. Trough Griffins who knows.`?