New Head Coach search

[xigon]

where would brunette rank among the list of potentially available coaches right now?

 

[bossram]

I'm not really as interested in Keefe as most of you.

I don't think he's bad a coach. But ultimately, the coach has to figure out a way to solve the team's problems. He correctly identified them in Toronto, but never solved them. Part of that is personnel, but that's the job.

Berube and Woodcroft are my top two choices by a very large margin.

 

[NJDevs26]

where would brunette rank among the list of potentially available coaches right now?

'Potentially available' is a loaded comment lol...I'd put him behind Sullivan and maybe Brindy but I doubt either is actually available.

Among currently available I'd probably put him second behind Berube. Not saying I'd want Berube for certain, but clearly a Cup winner is going to get priority over anyone else (especially doing it with a last place team in January, for a franchise that never accomplished it before). You could debate Woodcroft's Conference Final against Brunette's two Jack Adams finalists against Keefe's consistent regular season success and hard-luck playoff failures and I'm sure three different people would order them three different ways.

 

[Goptor]

I don't think the team needs a Berube. He is much more suited for the Leafs anyways. They badly need a guy like him.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I'm not really as interested in Keefe as most of you.

I don't think he's bad a coach. But ultimately, the coach has to figure out a way to solve the team's problems. He correctly identified them in Toronto, but never solved them. Part of that is personnel, but that's the job.

Berube and Woodcroft are my top two choices by a very large margin.

Every coach has their weaknessess. Woodcroft lost the dressing room pretty quickly so I wonder how he handles with star players / big egos. And I'm not sure how good of a systems coach Berube is.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

We saw him put in Samsonov for the first 4 games. You'll get outcoached by Travis Green doing that stuff.

That won't be an issue when the Devils trade for a clear starter in this offseason

 

[bossram]

Every coach has their weaknessess. Woodcroft lost the dressing room pretty quickly so I wonder how he deal with star players / big egos. And I'm not sure how good of a systems coach Berube is.

To me, Berube is best systems coach out of all the options. He's shown a lot of versatility. The Cup-winning Blues played a hardnosed, stifling defensive game, and offensively created on the forecheck and with heavy OZPs. Since his roster turned over considerably, he's leaned into a much more transition-based, east-west "quality" chance generating system to leverage what he has in guys like Thomas, Kyrou and Buchnevich.

I don't know how anyone can make a determination of Woodcroft "in the room" or whatever. His goalies were letting in like 3 out of every 7 shots for the first 20 games and that ultimately is what got him fired.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Every coach has their weaknessess. Woodcroft lost the dressing room pretty quickly so I wonder how he handles with star players / big egos. And I'm not sure how good of a systems coach Berube is.

I haven't heard this? Did Oilers fan say this or something by their media?

 

[Cheddabombs]

Hey guys Leafs fans here. Here is some intel on Keefe if you guys hire him.

First of all he's a good coach. He's failed in the playoffs no doubt and outcoached in most series.
-excellent systems coach. He's always had a good system in place no matter what roster he had.
-Best attribute is his defensive structure. Even with lackluster D cores, he made them work. They were always an above average or better defensive team sometimes great.
- first time this year the PK was bad. Other years it's been good
- when he didn't have to cater to stars egos, he was excellent. Look at the record when a star wasn't in the lineup.
-changed lines a lot in games. Some coaches just stick with it no matter what but Keefe constsntly shuffled lines looking for answers.

Weaknesses
-playoffs is the main thing. Outcoached simple as that.
-experimented in season with different combos, but maybe not enough.
-few times in big games, did things hoping they would stick
-youngters tolerance for mistakes were a bit lower compared to others.

This was super interesting, thanks for the insights!

I'm sold on Keefe now, but you all have 24 hours to write up why we should want another coach instead before I lock in my opinion.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I haven't heard this? Did Oilers fan say this or something by their media?

Maybe I overinterpred and/or misremembered the situation.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Good defensive structure without sacrificing offense and making counter-adjustments to win in different ways are two things the Devils desperately need from a coach. The former seems to be a big strength of Keefe's, but the latter seems to be a big weakness.

None of these coaches are gonna check all the boxes. Fitz has his work cut out for him.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

where would brunette rank among the list of potentially available coaches right now?

same as his Jack Adams rankings - 3rd

 

[NjDevsRR]

I’m happy with this crop

Just not McLellan please

 

[kiwidevil]

Listening to Pucksoup podcast and DGB. These are the main problems I hear about Keefe:

Had the issue with his teams that they seem to have some very slow starts to games/series. So que the Lindy "unprepared" comparisons.

They'd always play down to their competition.

Always performed best when the expectations were low. Ie, down 3-1 in a series. Struggled when in command like 3-1 up in a series.

I know some will point to the core 4 of TML as the problem here, but just providing what I've heard. Also concerns me how little regulation wins they had this year. Really seems like the team went backwards.

 

[Goptor]

Good defensive structure without sacrificing offense and making counter-adjustments to win in different ways are two things the Devils desperately need from a coach. The former seems to be a big strength of Keefe's, but the latter seems to be a big weakness.

None of these coaches are gonna check all the boxes. Fitz has his work cut out for him.

Sullivan checks both of those. One of the best in the business at adjustments. His warts are in other areas.

Keefe is solid. I'm fine with him.

Don't know enough about Woodcroft. Never was able to watch much west coast games.

 

[My3Sons]

Listening to Pucksoup podcast and DGB. These are the main problems I hear about Keefe:

Had the issue with his teams that they seem to have some very slow starts to games/series. So que the Lindy "unprepared" comparisons.

They'd always play down to their competition.

Always performed best when the expectations were low. Ie, down 3-1 in a series. Struggled when in command like 3-1 up in a series.

I know some will point to the core 4 of TML as the problem here, but just providing what I've heard. Also concerns me how little regulation wins they had this year. Really seems like the team went backwards.

You never know what is going on behind the scenes. From that short clip posted in the video where Keefe is identifying that the team isn't going to the net to score, I'm skeptical he didn't then tell them to go to the net to score. But how coachable are guys like Matthews, Marner, etc? I think Bratt, Hischier, Meier, and even Jack and Luke will do what is asked but they may bristle if the plan isn't good.

 

[JrFischer54]

This is interesting at least. Of course, it still falls on him as a coach that he couldn't get the stars to understand after all this time that you have to commit to playing a certain way in the playoffs, but he certainly identified the issues they had some time ago.

Makes it at least pretty clear that the players there couldn't get the message.

i'm pretty sure im the only one defending the leafs here probably anywhere. of course we know its super hard and difficult to score in the playoffs and its way different then the regular season. it makes it even harder then just that when your facing legit and literal cup winning teams from game 1 of the playoffs. if he can come here and get that type of regular season production out of our guys this team will be a lock for the conference finals every year even with bad goaltending imo

 

[Rhodes 81]

Listening to Pucksoup podcast and DGB. These are the main problems I hear about Keefe:

Had the issue with his teams that they seem to have some very slow starts to games/series. So que the Lindy "unprepared" comparisons.

They'd always play down to their competition.

Always performed best when the expectations were low. Ie, down 3-1 in a series. Struggled when in command like 3-1 up in a series.

I know some will point to the core 4 of TML as the problem here, but just providing what I've heard. Also concerns me how little regulation wins they had this year. Really seems like the team went backwards.

The thing about the Leafs and translating Keefe to the Devils; I think when healthy our roster was better than theirs on paper. Hughes isn't quite the same talent as Matthews but Hischier, Bratt, Meier is as good of a supporting cast as Marner, Nylander, Tavares and the rest of our roster 1-6 on D and 5-12 Forwards was equal or better than theirs at the start of the year. Both goalie situations were a crapshoot as it turned out.

We had just about everything go wrong from that point and essentially no depth to speak of, but that gives you hope he would get at least as good of results out of our group assuming they can play his system. Given the assumed advantage with the defense we have vs theirs, you would expect even better results.

 

[Comparison Ford]

who has been rumored to have interviewed for the job so far?

 

[longislanddevil]

who has been rumored to have interviewed for the job so far?

I’ve heard McClellan, Woodcroft, Berube and not much else.

 

[Guttersniped]

To me, Berube is best systems coach out of all the options. He's shown a lot of versatility. The Cup-winning Blues played a hardnosed, stifling defensive game, and offensively created on the forecheck and with heavy OZPs. Since his roster turned over considerably, he's leaned into a much more transition-based, east-west "quality" chance generating system to leverage what he has in guys like Thomas, Kyrou and Buchnevich.

I don't know how anyone can make a determination of Woodcroft "in the room" or whatever. His goalies were letting in like 3 out of every 7 shots for the first 20 games and that ultimately is what got him fired.

Berube was good when he had Savard and then Montgomery as assistants, then he wasn’t so good.

 

[Comparison Ford]

I’ve heard McClellan, Woodcroft, Berube and not much else.

was there anyone that doesn’t have any nhl experience ?

 

[longislanddevil]

was there anyone that doesn’t have any nhl experience ?

I do not believe so. I would be stunned if Fitz does a 180 because he’s basically said he wants a HC with experience.

 

[bossram]

Berube was good when he had Savard and then Montgomery as assistants, then he wasn’t so good.

His rosters also deteriorated significantly. A decline in team performance was expected.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Fitz didn’t at least speak with Carle