Todd Richards Appreciation Thread
- Thread starter BlueJackets66
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I say that JD already answered that in an interview with 97.1. He and JK like what he and the staff are doing.
I say I have reservations; but it doesn't matter what I think. To be fair a lot of my issues can be resolved with additional experience. I think he's in that second tier of head coaches. I don't see him moving up to the top tier of guys and end up with a hall of fame coaching career.
I don't think he'll be our head coach in 3 or 4 years. Part of that, I think, is out of his control. It might depend on JK/JD. But we're building and very young (inexperienced). If the young guys keep stepping in and playing huge roles and we are able to get higher seeds and go deeper into the playoffs; he could stick.
I don't think JK/JD will be content with borderline playoff teams and first round exits. I see that being our lot for the next 2-3 years.
I say I have reservations; but it doesn't matter what I think. To be fair a lot of my issues can be resolved with additional experience. I think he's in that second tier of head coaches. I don't see him moving up to the top tier of guys and end up with a hall of fame coaching career.
I don't think he'll be our head coach in 3 or 4 years. Part of that, I think, is out of his control. It might depend on JK/JD. But we're building and very young (inexperienced). If the young guys keep stepping in and playing huge roles and we are able to get higher seeds and go deeper into the playoffs; he could stick.
I don't think JK/JD will be content with borderline playoff teams and first round exits. I see that being our lot for the next 2-3 years.
Hello Johnny
Registered User
- Apr 13, 2007
- 13,208
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I really like Todd as our coach, but I sincerely hope that Brad Larsen doesn't get scooped up by another team. He has brought continuity to the CBJ by virtue of the Falcons and I think one day he should be head coach to bring everything full circle.
I think Richie's doing a great job. The players seem to like playing for him and he's getting results and those are two of the most important things to me when evaluating a coach's performance. Could he improve? Sure. Everybody can do something better at their job. But overall I think he's top notch for this organ-eye-zation.
theD86
Winging it
Richards is a good coach. But, the front office has put plares who can actually play. Hitch was a good coach as well. He did what he could with what he had.
Oh no; we didn't change it the title to "appreciation thread"? 
Now that the title has changed; here we go with my standard "dick" quote. Thanks for doing your job!
If Todd was retiring after helping us win 3 or 4 Cups? Sure. Let's get a statue made.
More comments on Richards. I think the playoffs will tell us a lot. I've felt he's been, generally, out-coached by the better head coaches out there on a regular basis. I tend to think he doesn't adjust well to game situations. The 3 PP units were a terrible idea. How many times have we seen the top PP unit finally get out there with 20-30 second left because our 3rd unit came out second? He doesn't shorten his bench if players don't have it that night. When there is something slumping in our game, specialty teams or just general scoring, I don't think he has an answer and just tend to wait it out. How long did he stick, early in the season, with lines that didn't work for weeks? His odd scratchings late in the year... Well I'll let that go for now.
Having said that; he does seem foster a good locker room. For the most part, the players seem to like him. When he does get practice time, a weak part of our game does seem to improve - so he isn't totally clueless.
Even though the paragraphs we suggest the opposite, I think the positives far outweigh the negatives. I just think he's a good head coach for where this team is right now. At some point in the next 2-4 years, I think the team will outgrow him and we'll need to make a change if we want to win the Cup.
Maybe he'll grow and surprise me. If I see changes that allow me to revise this opinion, I'll be sure to advertise them.
Now that the title has changed; here we go with my standard "dick" quote. Thanks for doing your job!
If Todd was retiring after helping us win 3 or 4 Cups? Sure. Let's get a statue made.
More comments on Richards. I think the playoffs will tell us a lot. I've felt he's been, generally, out-coached by the better head coaches out there on a regular basis. I tend to think he doesn't adjust well to game situations. The 3 PP units were a terrible idea. How many times have we seen the top PP unit finally get out there with 20-30 second left because our 3rd unit came out second? He doesn't shorten his bench if players don't have it that night. When there is something slumping in our game, specialty teams or just general scoring, I don't think he has an answer and just tend to wait it out. How long did he stick, early in the season, with lines that didn't work for weeks? His odd scratchings late in the year... Well I'll let that go for now.
Having said that; he does seem foster a good locker room. For the most part, the players seem to like him. When he does get practice time, a weak part of our game does seem to improve - so he isn't totally clueless.
Even though the paragraphs we suggest the opposite, I think the positives far outweigh the negatives. I just think he's a good head coach for where this team is right now. At some point in the next 2-4 years, I think the team will outgrow him and we'll need to make a change if we want to win the Cup.
Maybe he'll grow and surprise me. If I see changes that allow me to revise this opinion, I'll be sure to advertise them.
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
Completely agree with this assessment. I was really, really worried when we first hired him as an assistant, and I've occasionally flashed back to that during occasional rough times, but he does seem to be learning and gaining experience, and the results have been good so far, so I'm willing to cut him some slack.
* * *
Ssh! Keep it quiet!
I count the fact that folks aren't really paying close attention to our developmental system as one of our greatest blessings. They might realize what Larsen is up to.
Like a lot of others have said, the big thing is that he's got a really young team working hard together. That's by far the most important factor, and it speaks strongly in Richards' favor. I don't like some of his in game adjustments and lineup decisions, but I so rarely like coaches' decisions, I'm thinking it would be hard to upgrade.
Cyclones Rock
Registered User
- Jun 12, 2008
- 10,912
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Richards has done an exceptional job with the Jackets.
Players have developed well under him. Johansen, Murray, Jenner, Bob and Atkinson have all taken great strides in the past 2 seasons. The team plays a very hard working and disciplined style. Richards has managed to pull the right strings to create an average scoring team despite washout seasons from likely top scorers Gaborik and Horton.
The team has remained resilient despite brutal losses against Colorado and Chicago and managed to do what they had to at crunch time.
Richards overall performance has been top notch since his hiring. Would the Jackets be a better team and would key players have developed better under a Babcock, Hitchcock or Quenneville or any other whom many might consider to be "top tier coaches"? I don't think so.
Richards leads with a style which is consistent and confident and it has been very effective with the players...they have bought into his leadership.
Todd Richards should get some consideration for Coach of the Year this season. Patrick Roy will (deservedly) win the award, but Todd Richards has been absolutely stellar in guiding the Blue Jackets. Former GM whatshisface deserves credit for a very strong hire.
My hat is off to Todd Richards for a job very well done
Players have developed well under him. Johansen, Murray, Jenner, Bob and Atkinson have all taken great strides in the past 2 seasons. The team plays a very hard working and disciplined style. Richards has managed to pull the right strings to create an average scoring team despite washout seasons from likely top scorers Gaborik and Horton.
The team has remained resilient despite brutal losses against Colorado and Chicago and managed to do what they had to at crunch time.
Richards overall performance has been top notch since his hiring. Would the Jackets be a better team and would key players have developed better under a Babcock, Hitchcock or Quenneville or any other whom many might consider to be "top tier coaches"? I don't think so.
Richards leads with a style which is consistent and confident and it has been very effective with the players...they have bought into his leadership.
Todd Richards should get some consideration for Coach of the Year this season. Patrick Roy will (deservedly) win the award, but Todd Richards has been absolutely stellar in guiding the Blue Jackets. Former GM whatshisface deserves credit for a very strong hire.
My hat is off to Todd Richards for a job very well done
Fireball23
Registered User
Richards has done an exceptional job with the Jackets.
Players have developed well under him. Johansen, Murray, Jenner, Bob and Atkinson have all taken great strides in the past 2 seasons. The team plays a very hard working and disciplined style. Richards has managed to pull the right strings to create an average scoring team despite washout seasons from likely top scorers Gaborik and Horton.
The team has remained resilient despite brutal losses against Colorado and Chicago and managed to do what they had to at crunch time.
Richards overall performance has been top notch since his hiring. Would the Jackets be a better team and would key players have developed better under a Babcock, Hitchcock or Quenneville or any other whom many might consider to be "top tier coaches"? I don't think so.
Richards leads with a style which is consistent and confident and it has been very effective with the players...they have bought into his leadership.
Todd Richards should get some consideration for Coach of the Year this season. Patrick Roy will (deservedly) win the award, but Todd Richards has been absolutely stellar in guiding the Blue Jackets. Former GM whatshisface deserves credit for a very strong hire.
My hat is off to Todd Richards for a job very well done
Very well stated. We are not on the bench either to where we can see who is gassed or dinged up with this style of play.
I think he has learned a lot from being selected to the Olympic team as well. He also has a good friendship with Dan Bylsma who has taken a young and talented team and made them work hard etc.. Friends talk and Richards benefits from this too.
Meh, Richards has been fine but I would never put forth that he deserves consideration for coach-of-the-year. Last year, some. This year? No.
Fireball23
Registered User
The injuries of Horton, Gaborik, Bob and the plethora of other players. Benching Umby, Getting everything out of his young players. Crazy schedule with the Olympics not to mention the Dallas situation. Last second losses with playoffs right there. Team played as a team with them all being very young
Making the playoffs with a team he wasn't supposed too. He does garner some consideration. Roy has been spectacular and deserves it.
nhldiedinthe90s*
who farted lol
- Sep 23, 2013
- 845
- 0
Mastering the psychology of the modern player: 10/10.
Overall player development: 10/10
In-game coaching decisions, line matching etc: 5/10
Line up selection : 8/10.
In an incestuous league filled with mediocre men recycling seven figure jobs, he's above average in my book for sure.
Overall player development: 10/10
In-game coaching decisions, line matching etc: 5/10
Line up selection : 8/10.
In an incestuous league filled with mediocre men recycling seven figure jobs, he's above average in my book for sure.
I appreciate your response; but I don't think the man minutes loss justifies him to received consideration. You pretty much lost me with benching RJ. No one in any position to make the decision is going to use that as consideration. The "crazy schedule" was suffered by all teams so is pretty irrelevant. The Dallas situation was different, but did haven't any impact until now. No idea what the last second losses was supposed to mean in this context - didn't seem to help out our argument.
Making the playoffs with a team he wasn't supposed to? No idea where you came up with that.
I'll stick with what I said, but thanks for the response.
Robert
Foligno family
After the Fantastic finish last season I moved to the center on Richards, he’s a good head coach but I’m not sure he’s the best we’ve ever had.. I don’t understand some of the line combinations or scratches at times but overall he’s doing a fine job so far, we'll see how well he does in playoffs which is new territory for him.
Richie (his REAL nickname) is exactly what this club needed at this point in time. He's done a helluva job for us the last two seasons.
That said, if the CBJ mirror other franchises on their way up: he will have some modest success, then have a disappointing half-year, and have the team make a change to "take us to the next level" before we become strong contenders for the Cup. This has little to do with him as a coach. In another two years, the team will need to hear a new voice to get back to the work ethic they're showing now.
That said, if the CBJ mirror other franchises on their way up: he will have some modest success, then have a disappointing half-year, and have the team make a change to "take us to the next level" before we become strong contenders for the Cup. This has little to do with him as a coach. In another two years, the team will need to hear a new voice to get back to the work ethic they're showing now.
HockeyGuy1964
Registered User
- Oct 7, 2013
- 4,286
- 5,129
He took a team that was soft, in last place & falling(hard to believe but true) & turned them into a hard working in-your-face team that is hard to play against & is now in the playoffs & on the rise. What's not to like?
I agree with lee though, his honesty & tough love approach has a shelf life.
I agree with lee though, his honesty & tough love approach has a shelf life.
I'm okay with Todd, I still think his roster decisions are very questionable as well as his line generator, but hey, he got us our best season in franchise history so I can't hate the man right now, maybe next year though.
Why is it so enticing for folks to do the RyJo/TRich thing? Lol. If it is too cumbersome to actually say all the syllables of a person's name, at least follow the hockey nicknaming guide posted in a previous thread. I think DSL posted that, maybe? Anyway, I hear the guys call him Richie, and that does follow the nicknaming guidelines, one of which is take first syllable of last name and add ie or y.
Robert
Foligno family
Why is it so enticing for folks to do the RyJo/TRich thing? Lol. If it is too cumbersome to actually say all the syllables of a person's name, at least follow the hockey nicknaming guide posted in a previous thread. I think DSL posted that, maybe? Anyway, I hear the guys call him Richie, and that does follow the nicknaming guidelines, one of which is take first syllable of last name and add ie or y.
Most of us have not majored with a Ph.D in the Kings English.... keep us honest Derby...
FANonymous
Registered User
- Nov 7, 2010
- 4,911
- 0
Why is it so enticing for folks to do the RyJo/TRich thing? Lol. If it is too cumbersome to actually say all the syllables of a person's name, at least follow the hockey nicknaming guide posted in a previous thread. I think DSL posted that, maybe? Anyway, I hear the guys call him Richie, and that does follow the nicknaming guidelines, one of which is take first syllable of last name and add ie or y.
The reason he is RyJo is because Umberger already had "RJ" taken. Otherwise RyJo would've been RJ. Just one more reason to hate Umberger.
Sore Loser
Sorest of them all
This thread is a far cry from the "Fire Richards" rhetoric after the first handful of games this year. You people know who you were.
Those of us who stuck by Richards are the ones who should really be commenting in this thread. He's worked wonders with the youth, has kept the team competitive on an almost nightly basis, and without a doubt is a big part of the reason we've turned in the right direction.
Hats off to Todd and his staff. Excellent job done this year, definitely deserves our appreciation.
Those of us who stuck by Richards are the ones who should really be commenting in this thread. He's worked wonders with the youth, has kept the team competitive on an almost nightly basis, and without a doubt is a big part of the reason we've turned in the right direction.
Hats off to Todd and his staff. Excellent job done this year, definitely deserves our appreciation.
I'm happy to post in a Richardson appreciation thread 
Most experts picked the Jackets to miss the playoffs this year (I picked them to finish 3rd in the Metro, so I could still win). He came in after Arniel was let go, guided the team to a semi-respectable finish that year; last year, dealt with a lot of adversity not the least of which was his being a basically interim coach suddenly under the thumb of a new GM, and crafted a spectacular run to just miss the playoffs, i.e. dead-last (ala CBJBrassard16) to a tie-breaker away from the playoffs. And this year, he's got us in.
In other words, the team is getting better and better. I am a strong believer in the impact of a head coach on a team's performance, and Richards's impact on this team is hugely positive.
And while I'm tending towards being down on JK and even JD in some of their tinkering over the past year, I do appreciate that they're responding to Richards's abilities and have seemed supportive. I like the guy, I think he deserves some security, and while I think some of you, Blah in particular, make a good point about a few years down the road, I'm willing to ride HCTR and see what happens.
Most experts picked the Jackets to miss the playoffs this year (I picked them to finish 3rd in the Metro, so I could still win). He came in after Arniel was let go, guided the team to a semi-respectable finish that year; last year, dealt with a lot of adversity not the least of which was his being a basically interim coach suddenly under the thumb of a new GM, and crafted a spectacular run to just miss the playoffs, i.e. dead-last (ala CBJBrassard16) to a tie-breaker away from the playoffs. And this year, he's got us in.
In other words, the team is getting better and better. I am a strong believer in the impact of a head coach on a team's performance, and Richards's impact on this team is hugely positive.
And while I'm tending towards being down on JK and even JD in some of their tinkering over the past year, I do appreciate that they're responding to Richards's abilities and have seemed supportive. I like the guy, I think he deserves some security, and while I think some of you, Blah in particular, make a good point about a few years down the road, I'm willing to ride HCTR and see what happens.
Ebbisen
Registered User
i really like what the coaching staff have done, was a Little concerned when Keith Action left Before this season (him being really good in faceoffs as a player), but last time i saw Columbus was ranked 8th in faceoffs. So i hope they all come back next year
