Hey this question is for Ola, BBKers or any of you Euro hockey fans. Is there any coach in the SEL or any Euro league who would make a good NHL coach. I wouldn't mind a totally fresh approach and a new face. Not the same old coaching carousel. Maybe a top minor league coach.
Ah, I was just about to get back to work...
Great question!
Of course there are. Just like, de facto, some of the best players, player developeers and scouts come from Europe, some of the best coaches come from Europe.
But they are not options, because there are zero methods that enables them to adjust to the NHL.
It will change eventually, but it could take a good 10-20 years.
I am not sold on the fundamental coaching structure in the NHL to start with, and I think that gotta change first. Over the last 75 years we have gone from like having (i) one a head coach with one assistent, to (ii) having one head coach with two assistants, to maybe (iii) having one head coach with two assistants and a goalie coach and maybe a guy that helps out with the "VCR".
The head coach always have an extremely strong role on the coaching staff. The assistens, on scale of course, are very low key. Often more or less buddies with the head coach. You will just struggle to find (i) a European coach that is, in all areas, able to do a good job as a head coach in the NHL, and (ii) there are very few assistent that has an enough prominent position to have a big impact in the NHL.
There are alternatives to these structures. In Sweden we have more and more lately started to see teams with two outspoken head coaches. Skellefteå that won the SEL had three head coaches. I mean, if Slats tomorrow had a pc and announced that we where having 3 new headcoaches, being say Mark Messier, Dave Tippet and Ken Hitchcook (or any suitable combination), with to a certain extent diffrent responsibilities but overall just told to sit down and figure it out together. What would the result be? Would the coaches kill each other because they couldn't get along? Would the players be extremely confused because they coaches couldn't agree on "one" game plan? Or would the three of them actually figure it out, be able to support each other, and use their vast combined ability to our advantage? Give the players more comfort? Many teams in the SEL are using that strategy and my impression has only been positive.
I don't think we will see European coaches come into this league for real before the hierarchic coaching structure is lessened some. I think it will come for sure, but its going to take time. The NHL is very concervative. But like Slats talked yesterday about finding someone that had both Renney and Torts in him, a mix of the two. And I think we all would agree that that is perfect, but that those guys are hard to find.
But if two guys who are paid millions -- can cooperate -- there is nothing stopping you from getting that from two guys instead of being able to find that one guy that is able to do it all. Its when you get that, the top European hockey minds could be valuble. Like a troika of Mark Messier, Dave Tippet and say Pelle MÃ¥rts (Swedish National Team coach with a tremendous hockey mind, but still some flaws that could be exposed instantly if used as headcoach in the NHL). Messier's experience and the precense he would bring as a coach in NY. Tippets knowledge of day-to-day coaching in the NHL. MÃ¥rts X and O hockey mind. Tell them to sit down together and pin something down, then bring it to the players.
This is how I would format my Organization if I were Slats:
GM/President -- Glen Sather. Same duties as today.
Advisory to Head Coaches -- Older former GM and coach. More or less recently retired. Has final say on any coaching issue. Is never behind the bench. Never really has any direct contact with the players. Watchin games from sitting next to Slats. Watching practises from the stands. Could be a "Scotty Bowman"-type. Wayne Gretzky. The advisor type. I will describe his function below.
1/3 Head coach -- Motivator. Cheif strategist during games in terms of match-ups. Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. For this position, you can use someone like
Mark Messier/
John Tortorella. Involved in X and O, but not responsible for it. Gets alot of support.
2/3 Head coach -- Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. Main duty offense, offensive X and O and PP. Any coach who is good at this, and can cooporate with others. A goog coach who is good at this, say a Dave Tippet/Alan Vignault/Tom Renney.
3/3 Head coach -- Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. Main duty defense, defensive X and O and PK. A goog coach who is good at this, say a Dave Tippet/Alan Vignault/Tom Renney.
Assistant coach -- A slightly smaller roll in relation to the normal assistent coach game time, normal role in terms of practises.
Goalie coach -- Typical goalie coach.
Video coach -- Responsible for stats and video.
How it works: The head coaches share all responsibility, cept for the actual duty to yell at the players to jump over the board, and to inform the players in certain areas game time. They sit down and agree on a game plan. If they cannot agree, they involve the cheif head coach and present their diffrent opinions, and the advisory to the head coach has -- between the options persented to him -- the final say.
It costs more. There are risks. But also a ton of potential. That's what I would do if I were Slats. Make sure to make all 3 coaches the best paid in the game. Get Gretzky/Bowman as Advisory to Head Coaches, Messier for the first HC role descibed. Alain Vignault for the 2/3 HC descibed, and say Tippet for the 3/3 role.
