Confirmed with Link: Morgan: Coyotes, Tocchet agree to part ways

[Grimes]

Like I said in the GDT the other day, I'd have preferred a proper firing like he deserved but I'll take it

I would have too, but the day after the season ends is still a statement. Anyone who thinks this was exclusively "mutual" can't read behind the lines. BA gave RT an objective, he did not meet it and was let go immediately. He was well liked enough in the org and fanbase to not make it as cutthroat as the Gallant firing, and if the objective was to make the playoffs then determine an extension than that would only have been a week ago, which would have just made us look terrible around the league once again. I would have liked this to have happened after losing to Minnesota three times in a row right before the deadline to see if the team could have strung some wins together to make a fair deadline assessment. I think this was the second best option.

 

[lanky]

It's interesting that this was handled
professionally and quietly.

With the ugly breakup with Chayka and then that Strang noise it seemed like we were destined to deal with peak drama at every corner.

 

[rt]

Laxdal was an ECHL HC for five seasons, and made it to the finals twice (won once). Made the playoffs all five years.
He was a WHL HC for four seasons and made it two the finals three times (won twice). Made the playoffs all four years.
He was an AHL HC for five seasons and made it to the finals once and made it to the post-season in three of five years.
He was an NHL AC for 1 season before he made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, and they're in the playoffs again this year.
From his 1st season as a CHL HC 18 seasons ago, all the way until now, he's only missed the playoffs twice in the span.

 

[Canis Latrans]

I'm excited by the prospect of potentially having 10 candidates to interview for the position, per the tweet by Lebrun. I think the decision on letting go Tocchet was mutual only in the sense that both sides were apart well before this decision was to be made, and things were not coming together. so they easily part ways immediately following the season. It's likely not a surprise whatsoever for either party and actually is the right decision for both parties. Armstrong also needs this amount of time to make a decision and it only makes sense to do it right away when you already know they are changing direction, and Tocchet isn't a candidate, or does not want to be a candidate.

 

[rt]

Torts plays defense shield wall hockey. He hasn't adapted to the salary cap era very well. He has changed his approach when communicating with players, but not his overall deployment style.

I want nothing to do with defense first, whether it's Laxdal....

Does not compute?

EDM in WHL GF
1. 10th
2. 2nd
3. 4th
4. 3rd

TEX in AHL GF
1. 3rd
2. 2nd
3. 10th
4. 11th
5. 8th

 

[SniperHF]

It's interesting that this was handled
professionally and quietly.

With the ugly breakup with Chayka and then that Strang noise it seemed like we were destined to deal with peak drama at every corner.

Quietly and prudentially is fine, but I think mid-season firings are plenty professional in the right circumstances. So much so that basically every franchise except ours has done one in the last 15 years and we haven't since Bob Francis.

 

[Mosby]

Friedman: Don't be surprised if interested teams contact Gerard Gallant in the next week, before he goes with Team Canada to Worlds.

 

[rt]

Friedman: Don't be surprised if interested teams contact Gerard Gallant in the next week, before he goes with Team Canada to Worlds.

Gallant is probably my No1 choice.

Imagining that we hire John Davidson as President and Gallant as Head Coach. With BA as GM and Plandowski as top scout, that feels really, really legitimate.

 

[Mosby]

I'd like to see Varady offered the Tucson job again.

 

[rt]

I'd like to see Varady offered the Tucson job again.

He seems to be a great coaching prospect. It’s just a tad too soon for NHL HC. Feel the same about Stillman.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Quietly and prudentially is fine, but I think mid-season firings are plenty professional in the right circumstances. So much so that basically every franchise except ours has done one in the last 15 years and we haven't since Bob Francis.

I would think financials played a large part in that. After Francis, you let the interim finish out the season, then you had Gretzky who was part of the ownership group, so impossible to fire for a multitude of reasons. Tippett got himself installed in a role above that of Chayka essentially, and now Tocchett was allowed to finish out his contract as the new GM came in on his last year. I think we've just had the right circumstances to mostly avoid it. Arguably it could have happened last season before Chayka departed, and he may have fired him had he remained with the team.

 

[Canis Latrans]

I think Gallant would be good, but won't be upset if they don't go with him. I could easily see him not being interested because of the trajectory of the team with its prospect pipeline. I don't know that it's the right fit for the stage that the team is in, though I'm sure he'd improve the team. I suspect we go with one of these less experienced in the NHL guys who have a proven track record in other leagues and as assistants. I think that would fit better.

Since we probably won't know what Armstrong's preferences will be this might not be fully apparent, but I think if it gets out there that we weren't even pursuing some one like Gallant, then it's a signal that Armstrong is looking at rebuilding the core and not trying to just adjust this team on the fly. Should be interesting however it goes.

 

[rt]

Just realized Stars got knocked out. Damn. That really sucks. Likely takes one of Laxdal or Nelson off the board. Gotta think Bowness retires at this point. Assume Stars pick on of Nelson or Laxdal.

 

[Grimes]

Gallant is probably my No1 choice.

Imagining that we hire John Davidson as President and Gallant as Head Coach. With BA as GM and Plandowski as top scout, that feels really, really legitimate.

Not only is he a great coach, it would also show that ownership is the real deal.

Another positive about this is that ownership isn't trying to make every decision. With valid reason it seemed like some of us were concerned RT was in AM's head and could have been extended because of it.

 

[rt]

Purging the ignore list. Season is over. This is a big day. Optimism abounds (for me) and I’m going to clear out the muted.

 

[Grimes]

Purging the ignore list. Season is over. This is a big day. Optimism abounds (for me) and I’m going to clear out the muted.

Hear me out. What if we give Gretzky one more chance?

 

[rt]

Hear me out. What if we give Gretzky one more chance?

Or hire Mike Yeo who has STL ties. Or Mike Stothers or Dean Chynoweth because they played with BA in the AHL.

 

[PainForShane]

Torts plays defense shield wall hockey. He hasn't adapted to the salary cap era very well. He has changed his approach when communicating with players, but not his overall deployment style.

I want nothing to do with defense first, whether it's Laxdal, Torts, or Nelson if he intends to coach that way. I want someone who worships at the altar of the Corsi gods. Someone who presses, involves all five guys, and plays active defense.

Entertaining hockey that has guys improving should be the order of the day.

100% agree with @XX on this one. May never happen again so maybe worth mentioning...

But to be clear @XX didn't you go out of your way to belittle / personally attack me after I brought up Kessel's positive relative Corsi / Fenwick when you were trying to argue he was worse than a replacement AHLer...? *shrug*

Imo one of the main problems with Tocchet (out of many) is that he was trying to coach a style that our team had no business playing. By that I mean Chayka made us a small, skilled team that also happened to be soft. So, why in the world would a coach with a small, soft, decently skilled team insist on coaching a system that relied on being greasy / winning puck battles in the offensive zone? Obvi easier to armchair quarterback but our system made no sense for the players we have (arguable if the system would have made sense anyway, I am not touching that).

Anyway, our core forwards are not great at defense and they are not heavy -- Schmaltz, Keller, Kessel etc... I mean, we have one of the smaller teams in the whole league and they are not better than other teams at defense -- we once had good defensive forwards -- but Richardson and Stepan are both gone now (yes, I know the boards generally hates them but they were both well above average defensively compared to other NHL centers). So imo a defensive coach makes no sense because we don't have the personnel for them.

Either way, we need a coach who can mentor and grow our young players. Imo that's by far the most important thing, it's not even close. For better or worse we're stuck with guys like Keller and Schmaltz for the medium to long term, the only way we get good in the next 5 years-ish is if they actually become a better than average NHL first liners in terms of scoring

 

[XX]

I think Gallant would be good, but won't be upset if they don't go with him. I could easily see him not being interested because of the trajectory of the team with its prospect pipeline. I don't know that it's the right fit for the stage that the team is in, though I'm sure he'd improve the team.

He isn't a bad coach but he has chafed with two different FOs now, leading to his untimely dismissal. Hasn't been hired since. He's still being paid by Vegas, and has no reason to sign a deal early, so you can't hold that against him too much. But there's some smoke there.

Maybe that makes him the ideal reach target for BA. Any hire is probably going to be a good one.

I'm more curious to see the scope of changes this summer, given a new coach, and what the budget will be.

Or hire Mike Yeo who has STL ties. Or Mike Stothers or Dean Chynoweth because they played with BA in the AHL.

Yeo flamed out spectacularly. I'm not worried about that. The names Lebrun was putting out there make me happy.

 

[che]

Uuuhh, you know... It's aaaaa, you know. Uuuuh, guys wanted me out, I don't know.... uhhhhhh

Thank you, BA!

 

[MIGs Dog]

Hear me out. What if we give Gretzky one more chance?

Drunk posting is like drunk texting... proceed with caution.

 

[87turbobuick]

If playoff favorite Carolina are signing their coach for 1.8 as reported we will have a hard time signing a top coach with arguably the worst roster in the National. My long shot pick if they go established will be Bylsma. I know nothing about assistant or minor league coaches so I will pass on a pick from that category. My fear is they will go after a person who fits a social media standard. I do not think that Armstrong will have complete autonomy making this pick. I would go for Montgomery depending on his sobriety because he would work cheap befitting the standards that ownership has shown the past 2 seasons.

 

[Sm00chy]

If playoff favorite Carolina are signing their coach for 1.8 as reported we will have a hard time signing a top coach with arguably the worst roster in the National. My long shot pick if they go established will be Bylsma. I know nothing about assistant or minor league coaches so I will pass on a pick from that category. My fear is they will go after a person who fits a social media standard. I do not think that Armstrong will have complete autonomy making this pick. I would go for Montgomery depending on his sobriety because he would work cheap befitting the standards that ownership has shown the past 2 seasons.

There is no way you really think the Yotes have the worst roster in the league....right?

 

[Jakey53]

Torts plays defense shield wall hockey. He hasn't adapted to the salary cap era very well. He has changed his approach when communicating with players, but not his overall deployment style.

I want nothing to do with defense first, whether it's Laxdal, Torts, or Nelson if he intends to coach that way. I want someone who worships at the altar of the Corsi gods. Someone who presses, involves all five guys, and plays active defense.

Entertaining hockey that has guys improving should be the order of the day.

Corsi gods? I want a coach that wins, period. Torts is that kind of guy, along with some other that are available. I expect us to go with young unexperienced NHL coach which will lead to hope and pray again.

 

[Jakey53]

Hopefully we don’t go with a low resume guy to give some new body a shot to try and prove something. Just grab gallant and call it. We don’t have time to f*** around anymore.

Time to join the big league.