News Article: Pete DeBoer could be next coach of the leafs

[FlareKnight]

Honestly I'm no sure either way so I'll just wait and see how the coaching situation with this team turns out.

I think there are points of concern with DeBoer to be sure. Considering a lot of the need going forward is implimenting the younger guys we have. But you can also figure with his background with Spott that they can work out who is a fit for the roster. Maybe not though. At least it's hardly a step backward from how Carlyle assembled his bottom six.

But at the same time I'm not so wowed by the other possible options that I'll say this is the worst move. In the end the key is going to be a guy who can get this team's play going in the right direction and on the management to assemble a roster that can play better than this.

If we actually hire the guy then I'll really start worrying about the pros and cons.

I think you could definitely kiss goodbye any chance of Stamkos coming to Toronto as a free agent. No way any talented players openly choose to play garbage robot hockey.

Well if we continue on as the eternal losers of the NHL I very much doubt Stamkos will be eagerly wanting to play for us anyways. If we're really going to get decent UFAs (which has been tough), it'll help if we're not a terrible team .

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

Devils have lost 18 OVERTIME LOSSES!! If they could have gone at least 7/13 for shootouts they would be in the playoffs.

Exactly. Tough for the head coach to make Brodeur/Schneider better at shootouts (43rd and 47th respectively in SO SV%, among goalies playing in 3+ shootouts...only Halak was worse than Brodeur). If they had gone 8-5 instead of 0-13 in the shootout, then they could have potentially passed the Rangers for 2nd in the Metropolitan with a win tomorrow.

That being said, DeBoer is still only one of the potential options for Carlyle's replacement. I'm sure Nonis and Shanny will go through a lengthy interview/analysis process before they hire someone.

 

[ChuckWoods]

DeBoer haters better get over it, quick.

I dropped this a day or two ago, which was followed by Ward's comments and now this article.

I'd say; 80% DeBoer, 19% Trotz, 1% Other



Positive note is that Carlyle is a goner unless he promise's Shanny a lot of lovin.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Kovalchuk, Parise, Elias, Henrique...far from an average roster.

If the rumor is true with him and developing young players, then I don't want him near this team.

I'm not sure how true it would be, he was a heck of a coach for Kitchener and developed some pretty good young hockey players while there. I don't know how much better he would be for this team than Carlyle though. Both coach defense-first styles, and this Leaf team apparently hates that.

 

[William Nylander*]

ugh dammit. I now fear for Rielly's development. Please don't become Larsson 2.0

 

[ForSpareParts*]

We are not 1 coach away from being a successful team.

This will do nothing until they move key Leaf pieces.

 

[gabeliscious]

maybe he wont be so bad. we are a pretty young team so its not like he can lean on veterans considering we dont have too many. most people think are biggest issue is possession and lack of a defined system. if thats the case then he might be ok?

the only problem i see if the watching new jersey play hockey is like watching paint dry. i might not be able to handle watching the leafs if they play like jersey.

 

[Trapper]

ugh dammit. I now fear for Rielly's development. Please don't become Larsson 2.0

I guess you have to give him a chance before he gets bashed. He might coach that way in Jersey because he has too. All I hear is build a team for the coach. Coaches come and go but a good one should be able to adapt his system to what he has. Also if management says play the young guys then don't take the job if you won't.

 

[Un33q]

to trap or not to trap...
But right now, anything is a leg up on RC. Tired of all talk and no results.

 

[mydnyte]

lol @ some of the replies in this thread

As if there's some kind of super coach available that will fix this team

Keenan!

 

[mydnyte]

DeBoer haters better get over it, quick.

I dropped this a day or two ago, which was followed by Ward's comments and now this article.

I'd say; 80% DeBoer, 19% Trotz, 1% Other



Positive note is that Carlyle is a goner unless he promise's Shanny a lot of lovin.

Thanks for the heads up, if you hear anything re Dion and Franson being on the outs, pls let us know, so we can all sleep better

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

You kind of miss my point there. It's not that the system requires strong work ethic, it's that it relies solely on work ethic.

I don't know if I can agree that it's so black and white (all work ethic vs. all skill). It's definitely a 'safer' system than what we're used to, but Patrik Elias has done just fine in NJ for years, and he's not some mindless ogre grinding away in the corners. Kovalchuk became a significantly better all-around player in NJ and bolted because he wanted to play in Russia, not because he had a problem with their culture/coaching.

IMO, if some of our players can't learn how to utilize their skills within the framework of an actual system, then we'll know who we need to get rid of, because you're not going to win anything in today's NHL with a bunch of guys playing pond hockey like this.

Not that DeBoer would necessarily be my first choice or anything, but there's no reason not to have an open mind about it.

DeBoer haters better get over it, quick.

I dropped this a day or two ago, which was followed by Ward's comments and now this article.

I'd say; 80% DeBoer, 19% Trotz, 1% Other.

Oh, wow. Well, I'm on board with either of the two.

Do you think there will be much of a roster turnover, or is this likely to be more of a 'here's the new system, let's see who buys in' season? Should we expect the rest of the coaching staff to stay? 'cause I'm not a big fan of some of the comments I've heard coming from Cronin re: shot differential, and I think either he or Scott Gordon is responsible for the PK which has been one of the worst in the league this year, despite the goalies playing well.

 

[likeabosski]

DeBoer continues to give Martin Brodeur a significant number of starts for a backup. When Martin Brodeur has a .901 save percentage and Schneider .921.... For this reason, I question this coach's judgment and don't want him coaching this team. If the Devils actually played Schneider more, they would have made the playoffs for sure.

 

[socko]

at least David Clarkson will be happy. It will be far less obvious that he has absolutely no talent.

He'll still fall down a lot though.

 

[Duffman955]

DeBoer haters better get over it, quick.

I dropped this a day or two ago, which was followed by Ward's comments and now this article.

I'd say; 80% DeBoer, 19% Trotz, 1% Other



Positive note is that Carlyle is a goner unless he promise's Shanny a lot of lovin.

Are either of these guys good at developing young players?

I don't think either is a good fit for a young team with mostly offensive minded players. I could be wrong though, and both coaches have had some success with very average rosters in the playoffs.

 

[Paradoc]

NJ TOI:

Greene (31) 24:35
Zidlicky (37) 21:39
Zajac (28) 20:22
Salvador (38) 20:17
Merril (22) 19:12
Jagr (42) 19:11
Harrold (30) 18:40
Fayne (26) 18:22
Henrique (24) 18:03
Elias (37) 17:53
Larsson (21) 17:36
Zubrus (35) 17:32
Gelinas (22) 16:55

vs Leafs TOI:

Phaneuf (29) 23:35
Gardiner (23) 21:02
JVR (24) 21:01
Bozak (28) 20:57
Franson (26) 20:43
Kessel (26) 20:39
Gunnarsson (27) 19:24
Lupul (30) 18:27
Rielly (20) 17:36
Ranger (29) 17:28
Kadri (23) 17:25
Raymond (28) 17:19

Please tell me how Deboer is suppose to play his young players more, since 70% of their roster is above the age of 30...

 

[ChuckWoods]

DeBoer continues to give Martin Brodeur a significant number of starts for a backup. When Martin Brodeur has a .901 save percentage and Schneider .921.... For this reason, I question this coach's judgment and don't want him coaching this team. If the Devils actually played Schneider more, they would have made the playoffs for sure.

DeBoer is showing respect for a legendary goalie who's time has come to an end in the only franchise he truly knew.

If you take an issue with that then some people might question your people skills!

I understand doing what it takes to win, but there's also a long term approach to things and garnering yourself some respect around the league.

It's not his fault his team dropped the ball so many times in the shootout.

This team (NJD) has lost so many 1 goal games it could make any coach's record look bad, but that can't be strictly on the coach.

DeBoer is a good coach, he knows Spott well and the cohesiveness between the two could really benefit a teams system from the AHL and beyond if Spott would stay in that position. Spott and DeBoer as a pairing were always viewed as a "jekyl and hyde" type, one tough love, one easily approachable, but you always got the best out of both of them and became a much better player along the way.

I think if DeBoer comes on and Spott comes up as an assistant, you could see the young guys flourish rather than everyones fear of seeing them receive an Adam Larsson treatment.

 

[Mystifo]

1. I love the guy because I believe in possession stats and his teams prove to be solid in this category


2. I hate him for the way he treated Adam Larsson.

 

[Liminality]

to trap or not to trap...
But right now, anything is a leg up on RC. Tired of all talk and no results.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I heard that when DeBoer was hired in New Jersey he said that he was going to expand on the system that the Devils already had in place. The Devils have been using the trap long, long before Deboer and most likely will continue to do so till the end of time. DeBoer is apparently a heavy forecheck and puck possesion coach who preaches hard work and is hard on his players and not known for a trap style of game. Can't comment on the other teams he coached in the OHL or the Panthers what style they were running with, don't remember that far ago lol.

 

[Paradoc]

DeBoer continues to give Martin Brodeur a significant number of starts for a backup. When Martin Brodeur has a .901 save percentage and Schneider .921.... For this reason, I question this coach's judgment and don't want him coaching this team. If the Devils actually played Schneider more, they would have made the playoffs for sure.

Brodeur record: 18 W, 14 L, 6 OTL

Schneider record: 16 W, 15 L, 12 OTL

It's all about the wins when your a coach.

 

[Byron Bitz]

How much of this is his style of coaching and how much is the talent level of the two teams he's coached at the NHL level?... I'm curious what style he coached in junior especially his last stint with Kitchener... I realize junior hockey is different but I'd like to try and determine if he's always had a boring, defensive style of coaching?...anyone know through the experience of watching rather than hearsay?...

His kitch rangers memorial cup team was a very exciting offensive team. It helped that he had exciting offensive players like Boedker, kadri, spalling and azvedo

 

[Swervin81]

Every Devils fan hates him. I'd take their opinions on him very seriously and stay as far away as possible.

 

[DPyro]

Clarkson continuing to ruin the team. Now we are looking for a coach that will compliment this 5.25 million boat anchor at the expense of everyone else.

Not Clarksons fault he was used wrong.

 

[SourGrapes]

Why don't we just make Clarkson coach a la King Clancy? Worked for us then, I see no reason it wouldn't work today! Make him earn that $5.25 million salary!

 

[Suntouchable13]

Not Clarksons fault he was used wrong.

Not Randy Carlyle's fault that Clarkson sucks. 5.25 mil players should be expected to be able to adjust to the system that they are playing in.