Speculation: The coaching search continues

[WTG]

Green played the hell out of Petersson and Quinn Hughes. Seems like you're cherry picking and omiting the obvious. Cant really take this opinion seriously.

It was hard not to play Pettersson and Hughes when Pettersson just won the SHL playoff MVP and Hughes joined a D-core where an aging Edler was the best LHD.

That is also beside the point. What about what I said in that timeline was incorrect? These are all events that happened. Green rode his AHL grinders and Markstrom to the NHL. If Benning had a brain, he should have been fired for his antics in Utica. He did what he did for his own career rather than what was good for the development for the prospects in the farm.

 

[bert]

You can fund puff pieces and praises about every coach hiring in history. It means nothing to me. Just like how well-spoken he is at his press conference this week will mean nothing to me.

If you tell the media you’re looking to hire a proven winner, hire a proven winner, not someone who could become a winner some day.

Corrado told this story weeks ago before Green was even mentioned being in Ottawa as the coach.

Listen you can be upset hammer on your keyboard all you want you dont seem to be very rational at the moment. You are reaching hard when you compare him to Mike Milburry. The fact of the matter is, the jury is out until they actually play and not just one game but over a substantial period of time. If he is terrible at his job I will gladly lament hockey ops for the decision. However I have heard enough from reliable sources, more reliable than random posters on HF boards that he has some good things and some questionable decisions made. He wasnt my first or second or third choice of realistic candidates. However until he actually coachs I wont be passing assumed judgement especially based on the sources you guys are using.

 

[bert]

It was hard not to play Pettersson and Hughes when Pettersson just won the SHL playoff MVP and Hughes joined a D-core where an aging Edler was the best LHD.

That is also beside the point. What about what I said in that timeline was incorrect? These are all events that happened. Green rode his AHL grinders and Markstrom to the NHL. If Benning had a brain, he should have been fired for his antics in Utica. He did what he did for his own career rather than what was good for the development for the prospects in the farm.

But you just went on for 5 paragraphs about how he didnt play young players. Thats exactly what he did in these two players cases and they have both developed into superstars. So its not really beside the point....

Whether your point is true about Utica or not they went to the finals. You are suggesting they fire the coach for this? That he doesnt have a brain because he didnt fire a coach that took the team to the finals? Did you read what you just wrote?... Do you think Benning wasnt watching the team? Show us some box scores back up your claims. Were you watching all these AHL games a decade ago?... Do you have any posts to prove any of this?

Secondly people in all aspect of life learn from their mistakes and tend to develop. I will reserve judgement until I see him coach. Its he's terrible I will gladly blast him and management, if not then great. Maybe you are right but it seems to me there are massive holes in your arguments and not much rational thinking.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Corrado told this story weeks ago before Green was even mentioned being in Ottawa as the coach.

Listen you can be upset hammer on your keyboard all you want you dont seem to be very rational at the moment. You are reaching hard when you compare him to Mike Milburry. The fact of the matter is, the jury is out until they actually play and not just one game but over a substantial period of time. If he is terrible at his job I will gladly lament hockey ops for the decision. However I have heard enough from reliable sources, more reliable than random posters on HF boards that he has some good things and some questionable decisions made. He wasnt my first or second or third choice of realistic candidates. However until he actually coachs I wont be passing assumed judgement especially based on the sources you guys are using.

I never compared him to Mike Milbury. I just think the idea of not allowing yourself to have opinion on the hiring because the decision was made by “pros” is ridiculous.

We know we have to “wait and see”, but then that means we can scrap this board for good because there’s no point of discussing anything.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

You can find puff pieces and praises about every coach hiring in history. It means nothing to me. Just like how well-spoken he is going go be at his press conference this week will mean nothing to me.

If you tell the media you’re looking to hire a proven winner, hire a proven winner, not someone who could become a winner some day.

He won a WHL championship, memorial cup runner up, and Calder Cup runner-up as a head coach by the time he was 45 years old. He hasn't won a Stanley Cup, sure.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

He won a WHL championship, memorial cup runner up, and Calder Cup runner-up as a head coach by the time he was 45 years old. He hasn't won a Stanley Cup, sure.

Cool, I thought by proven winner Alfie meant someone who’s had more than one .500 season out of seven in the NHL. My fault I guess.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

There I never compared him to Mike Milbury. I just think the idea of not allowing yourself to have opinion on the hiring because the decision was made by “pros” is ridiculous.

We know we have to “wait and see”, but then that means we can scrap this board for good because there’s no point of discussing anything.

No one is pushing back against having an opinion on the hiring, in fact most people arguing have stated that Green was not their preference.

There is a big difference between that and eulogizing the franchise (or at least the new owner & GM).

Cool, I thought by proven winner Alfie meant someone who’s had more than one .500 season out of seven in the NHL. My fault I guess.

Damn, if only they had an excel spreadsheet maybe they could have made an informed decision, like you would have.

 

[Icelevel]

Sounds good for a team like ours. On paper. Let’s see

 

[WTG]

But you just went on for 5 paragraphs about how he didnt play young players. Thats exactly what he did in these two players cases and they have both developed into superstars. So its not really beside the point....

Whether your point is true about Utica or not they went to the finals. You are suggesting they fire the coach for this?

Yes.

That he doesnt have a brain because he didnt fire a coach that took the team to the finals? Did you read what you just wrote?... Do you think Benning wasnt watching the team?

Yes.

Show us some box scores back up your claims. Were you watching all these AHL games a decade ago?...

Yes.

Do you have any posts to prove any of this?

I used to follow all Canucks prospects and post videos on them. Unfortunatly, my youtube got taken down. Me and Shiftbyshiftguy used to make videos on canucks prospects for the HFCanucks board. Here is my Twitter for proof of at least some of what I did.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

He had a bad rebuilding team that wasnt ready or built to win. He had great results in the AHL before that. He is on his second NHL team now thats typically when coachs break out. I have heard plenty about how he runs his camps and how he wants his teams to play. Its what Ottawa needs, he endorses heavy hard hockey. I will reserve judgement for him by the end of next season and see where the team is at. Until then I will relly on the sens hockey ops who know way more about the sport that I do. Resources like opinions of former players and media members who are actually qualified.


What does Travis Green and DJ smith have to do with one another exactly? Once you explain that I will answer the question.

Based on what I am reading the only research anyone here has done is go and read another teams boards about their opinion on a coach they had what 4 years ago? When they had a shit team... nice job. A bunch of unqualified fans who have no skin in the game. Like I said earlier ill refer to the real professionals. What I will repeat is I wont judge the hire until I actually can see how the team plays.

I'm asking you a simple question. Do you think DJ was a good coach?

 

[LevelingSolo]

Dallas Eakins was a great AHL coach too lol

 

[DrEasy]

Man, what a day to be AFK!

Wait, Andlauer bought that (was it $6M?) monstrosity that looks like the headquarters of a fledgling crypto trading firm on the outskirts of Orlando?

That gives me no confidence in his taste.

He also bought the f'in Ottawa Senators, that's all you needed to know!

Deeply disappointing hire. If the previous regime had done this it would be interpreted as a budget choice, and I guess we don't even know that it wasn't. It sure looks like a case of bristling at the ~5M dollar price tags of Berube, McLellan, etc. and falling back on a guy that might make, what, 1.5M tops?

I was hoping that this would be a hire that 'takes the coach out of the equation' so to speak. A guy that has a history of getting results, so that if the team stinks again in 24/25 we know without a shadow of a doubt that it's on the players. We won't know that now. Travis Green has never really gotten any results.

Seems not so good to me. I guess we'll see.

Exactly my thoughts. I was never fully on the "Fire DJ!" bandwagon, but ultimately I was ok with it just to eliminate the "coach" variable and see if these players are good or not. Still, even after Jacques I wasn't sure what to think, and certainly this hire won't allow us to definitely isolate what sucks and what doesn't.

There’s no way Green is only making 1.5M. As much as I’m not thrilled about this hire I can pretty much guarantee it wasn’t a financial decision.

I'm not sure if I should feel good or bad about this! At least if he paid him peanuts I could understand the thrift angle...

Wouldn't Alfie also hate this guy? He was on those Leaf teams in the early 2000s. Alfie, Neil, and Phillips are probably going to want to beat him up the first time he comes to the rink.

Maybe that's why he was hired! Season opener, it's a full house, ceremonial puck drop, coach is on the ice (for whatever reason, just play along), and suddenly Alfie, Neiler and Phillips show up on skates in their old retired jerseys and give him the beat-down he deserved as a member of the stinking leafs. Then Berube descends from the ceiling, revealing himself as the actual coach they had hired all along...

Agreed. Really don't care how the hire is perceived by fans.

It all comes down to how he runs training camp and prepares the team for next season. If he can get this group to play over .500 for the first couple months that's a win.

Desperately need to come out of the gates strong this season. Can't have the season down the drain before the new year yet again.

I’m not sure if results actually matter considering who we just hired. What exactly are his results?

And if you don’t think fan perception matters for a franchise that has been a dumpster fire for 7 years I’m not sure what to tell you.

At this point perception matters a lot. Fans are paying the bills. This hiring is giving me leaf PTSD. Travis f'in Green is the last person I wanted to see behind OUR bench. I don't care if he's Stanley Bowman reincarnate (and he's clearly not), he has leaf stench. Yes, it's irrational, but it's also my irrational dollars.

This Front Office brought back Alfie and Jacques. I wasn't necessarily on board with having them coaching this team, but at least I thought this showed some awareness of which team they were in charge of. Lyndon Slewidge was another nice touch. You can see how fans react to these types of moves. And fans react with dollars. This coach hiring is very deflating to fans, especially after all the promises that were made, and the generally slow follow-up in terms of building up the front office with quality people. After years of disappointment, the fanbase is in need of exciting news, and this is not it.

See for example how the DBC trade (and the increase in spending) energized the fanbase, even if it turned out to be completely misguided? It brought the fans back (ok maybe Melnyk's passing played a role too). Ultimately fan satisfaction is what matters. Yes, winning also brings satisfaction, but I don't think choosing Travis f'in Green over the available alternatives is going to be the difference between winning and losing, so when in doubt, maybe pick someone else. Really, is Travis f'in Green going to be that much better than, say, Claude Julien?

This was the first important move for GM Steve Staios, and as someone who was in wait-and-see mode with him, I'm not impressed at all.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

Does Andlauer use social media? How is he ok with the fan peception?

He is a Canadiens fan. This is an inside job!

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

holy cow...around 25 pages in two days

What did I miss? Are we getting a new coach this week?

 

[swiftwin]

holy cow...around 25 pages in two days

What did I miss? Are we getting a new coach this week?

We're getting DJ Smith 2.0, and people are freaking out as if it's a bad thing.

 

[JackieDaytona]

Travis f***in Green? Really??

I’m not seeing the upside here.

Clearly Staios and co. are not worried about how the public (paying fans) will perceive the hire of an inexperienced coach with a shitpoor record, who seems to have similar flaws and issues to the last guy who just got shitcanned. I guess they must feel strongly in light of what seems to be a controversial and poor decision according to pretty much everyone else, and so I commend their confidence I guess?

We’ll see. Just win ffs.

 

[Tragedy]

We're getting DJ Smith 2.0, and people are freaking out as if it's a bad thing.

Except for the part where nothing anyone has said about him even seemingly applies lol.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe you had previously posted (maybe it was another poster but I feel like it was you) some stats regarding which teams used the dump and chase the most because everyone constantly claimed DJ utilized the dump and chase and it showed the Senators were like bottom 10 in the league in dump ins.

(Perhaps people confused all the off the glass and out breakouts in the D zone?)

He seems like a bit of a hardass with grueling training camps which seems antithetical to DJ so I'm not super sure where the comparisons come from aside from W/L record

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

We're getting DJ Smith 2.0, and people are freaking out as if it's a bad thing.

...another DJ would definitely be a bad thing.

 

[Tuna99]

He won a WHL championship, memorial cup runner up, and Calder Cup runner-up as a head coach by the time he was 45 years old. He hasn't won a Stanley Cup, sure.

And to do all that while his chin is trying to vacuum up your face is impressive

 

[bert]

I'm asking you a simple question. Do you think DJ was a good coach?

I answered it twice in this thread. Didn't you read it?

Here ya go again.

'Pierre Dorion doesnt know shit. He has absolutely no real experience.

Also I think DJ was the right coach for the first three years. He built a strong culture where the team competed and played hard for one another. However it was obvious the team needed to take another step and he should have been replaced. Dorion knows absolutely nothing about the sport at the pro level and kept him around for too long. But to start I think it was a good hire considering they were tanking but didnt want to have too much of a loser mentality.'

We're getting DJ Smith 2.0, and people are freaking out as if it's a bad thing.

By all means he sounds like the opposite in regards to his relationships with his players. Accountability and how demanding he is and his training camps. Don't think you're gonna see a buddy buddy type coach.

I'll say it again it wasn't my first or 2nd or 3rd choice. But I do trust this hockey ops and i appreciate that they did their due diligence. Had they not interviewed so many candidates I don't think I'd be so willing to see what Green does here. I get why people are unhappy. However the deeper I have dug it sounds like he maybe the type of coach this team needs. If he isn't ill gladly blast management for the decision. I mean we have a fan of another team saying they'd fire him when they went on a run to the AHL finals for not developing players more that all turned into busts.... If there isn't anything more HF boards than that..... Literally identified the weak links and had success. Isn't that exactly what this team needs?.... Green has 10 years of coaching experience parts of 7 seasons in this league. That still more than D.J currently has (not that, that should.be the benchmark, just a retort to people saying its DJ Smith lite hire). I hope green has learnt from his previous experiences, successes and mistakes. I likes what Corrado said about him as a coach when he had him in the AHL. (Was weeks ago) I like that he played and developed Pettersson and Hughes. I like what I have heard in regards to how hard and demanding his training camps are. I am going to have a wait and see approach. I'm interested to see who his assistants are. If he brings back Capuano I'll turn on him. A new D coach is very important. I hope he has a strong and supportive staff. Hopefully new organizational goalie coach's as well

 

[jbeck5]

I'm gonna be so negative about this team if they hire green. Even more negative than I have been this year.

This place will become an unbearable shit hole if green is named head coach.

People will shit on this team for years to come. I'm seeing it all.

What a shitty feeling.

 

[Tuna99]

Just the images of Green in the Leafs playoffs taking defensive zone face offs and skating off the ice right after and doing that every defensive zone face off and then you check the game sheet and he played 12 minutes but it felt like he played 25 minutes.

I Can’t stand his face, I can’t stand his name.

What I like about the hire:
- he’s Canadian
-he has an intensity I like
- he’s had excellent support staffs

 

[BankStreetParade]

…until he actually coachs I wont be passing assumed judgement especially based on the sources you guys are using.

If Dorion was the GM in the midst of hiring Green, you’d be losing your f***ing mind right now.

 

[jbeck5]

That’s perfectly fine, being disappointed is a perfectly fine reaction to have.

I’m talking about things like nobody wants to work for Staios, nobody wants to work for Andlauer, Andlauer won’t spend money, Andlauer hiring Staios is a huge mistake because nobody wants to work for Staios, nobody wanted to come because Andlauer was making sure he picked the Assistanrs, etc.

That’s just jumping to the worst conclusions possible because a coach you don’t like was hired.

It's a coach nobody likes.

It's a better conclusion than our owner and GM are simply idiots.

It's better to assume that they're smarter than that but because of some other reason, had their hands tied.

 

[Micklebot]

Well, everyone complained that our last coach was too chummy with the players, so we brought in a new guy everyone can't hate together!