Should Cronin be fired? Yay or Nay?

[Mr Rogers]

I think it’s remarkable how good our record is and it’s almost entirely attributable to Dostal and Gibson. We have nobody in the top 60 for points and basically only one line that could be considered “top 6” but 2 of the 3 members on that line would ideally be 3rd liners on a good team.

This has been a really disappointing year from both players and coaches. In a lot of ways, this season has been a good deal more disappointing than last. Fortunately there’s still half of a season to turn things around.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

I keep going back to the teams the Isles had for a three year stretch the year before and two years during the pandemic, but especially that 2018-19 team - as example of what you can do with an elite coach even in the absence of proven elite star talent. They lost in the second round and then were a final four team twice. The 2018/19 team for example was led in scoring by Barzal at 62 points and Bailey at 56, Pulock led all Dmen with just 37 points and Lee had the most goals with 28. Overall finished just 22nd in goals for but first in goals against, on the back of excellent goaltending from a Lehner/Greiss tandem but also just made themselves a defensive gauntlet to face every night.

I'm not saying we should be that good already - but if you look at this roster, it really doesn't line up all that differently than what we have here.

2018-19 New York Islanders Roster, Stats, Injuries, Scores, Results, Shootouts | Hockey-Reference.com

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Yet they finished at a .628 points % and we are sitting at .464%. Yes different years/division/conference and whatever else but it's not a direct comparison. The difference between getting this team playing .600 hockey instead of .450 hockey can be somewhat improved with more talent but it's mostly an issue of consistency/culture/cohesiveness/confidence. Great coaches have taken rosters of this caliber way further.

It's not even so much the win/loss results this year though but more so development and culture. We don't want to raise losers in a loser environment. The tanking part of the process is over and it's time to start acting like a legit NHL hockey club. I just don't think Cronin is the guy to lead them over the hump. He knows what result he's looking for but has yet to prove he understands the cause and effect when it comes to getting this team to do anything consistently. The players need to perform yes, but what is he doing to push them there or put them in the best position to do so?

 

[freikugel]

Repeating what I said in the other thread:

Playoffs were within reach then these guys go out on the road and play lifeless hockey, I ain’t letting them off the hook and placing it all in the head coach

I don't know of many teams dead last in expected goals against that made the playoffs, this was never a playoff team they were just riding an unsustainable goalie hot streak. The way Cronin should be evaluated is how the youth are developing under him, not our standings, as the underlining stats point to us being a bottom team and imo he's doing an even worse job than Eakins in that regard. He should've been fired a long time ago.

 

[Hey234]

The players need to perform yes, but what is he doing to push them there or put them in the best position to do so?

To me, this is the part I can't get past. There's no question the players need to be performing better. But outside of LaCombe and maybe less goals against overall, what area of the team has improved with Cronin? It's astonishing the lack of progress. Coaches are supposed to get the best out of their players and help the team grow as a whole to achieve their goal. I can't find any evidence that this team is moving in the correct direction, but I can find an overwhelming amount of evidence that is moving in the opposite direction.

 

[Daz28]

I agree, I don’t think he has lost the room. Cronin just has no F’ing clue what he is doing or know how to adjust. The skill on this team has proven to win games but the inconsistency, I feel it’s more on the system/coaching than the players. Sure the players get some blame but when your leader doesn’t have a clue, it’s hard to find consistent success.

I'm not trying to bust your balls, but this isn't logical. If the coach were inconsistent, that would be preparation. I don't think many people accuse Cro of that. Some players are clearly not playing well, and the team game and goaltending has masked it. We all may be knee jerk reacting, and when Zegs, Terry and Zell get back in, we'll be ok again.