Confirmed with Link: Tortorella Fired Pt II: "The Search"

[Bluenote13]

Because the notion that these players were shackled from producing offense is just a sad myth thats being perpetrated as an excuse for the team's poor play. If anything, this team had a handful of players unwilling to buy into the sacrifice needed to play for Torts. Last year's team bought into it hook line and sinker, and they were a much better team as a result.

One of the ugliest situations in sports is having a small group of players thinking they are better than they actually are...thinking their coaches views limit their abilities in some way. Sather did what he felt he needed to do with Tortorella -- I hope his next order of business is ridding the team of these spineless whiners who did more complaining than sacrificing on the ice. He did it with Gomez and Zherdev in '09, in a situation with Renney that is eerily similar to this one.

I can't fault the players when they have a legitimate beef.

How long and how many players were you willing to go through to see that Torts hockey was not producing enough chances on offense? How many wasted PP's were you willing to sit through next year ?

Granted, a limp Brad Richards and no real PP QB would always hamper the PP, but this team has some talent, even teams below them with less than stellar offenses performed with the man advantage. Two years in a row.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I disagree. Even with this system, Lundqvist still faced a lot of high quality scoring chances. How many times did a bad pinch lead to an odd-man rush? How many great chances did the bruins have? With a more offensive system, we might actually spend more time in the offensive zone than the defensive one for a change.

How have the Giants traditionally won? By controlling the clock with the running game. They haven't done it as much in recent years, but the idea is to keep the other team's offense off the field. If the Rangers are more aggressive, play more of a puck possession game and have a more consistent forecheck, then the amount of offensive opportunities against are likely to be less.

If they can "out puck possession" the opposing team that is a sound strategy. I'm very skeptical they have the talent to do that against the top teams in the league. Pretty much starting and ending at center ice.

And if they can't, it will absolutely lead to even better quality of chances against.

 

[GAGLine]

Because the notion that these players were shackled from producing offense is just a sad myth thats being perpetrated as an excuse for the team's poor play.

Torts' system had the players collapsing deep in the defensive zone. You don't think that contributed to their inability to get to loose pucks and clear the zone? You don't think that contributed to their inability to effectively transition from defense to offense?

We played too soft in the neutral zone and at our own blue line. Why is it that we have to dump and chase every time and every other team gets a free pass into our zone? Even when we dump and chase, we usually don't have other players entering the zone with speed to win the race for the puck. We lose races for the puck all over the ice and then have to battle to get it back.

We've seen what other teams can do by being aggressive against us. You'd think Torts would have learned something from that.

 

[Vickers8]

Was 1/2 asleep this morning listening to the Jared Max/Robin Lundberg SHow, heard them say Gravy is getting an interview...Would love a Mess/Gravy tandem

 

[Don Chytil]

Just read that transcript of the conference call. Sathers sly vague non-answers to who the future coach may be makes me think that guys season isn't over yet.

So which of the 4 teams left have an assistant ready to move up to head coach?

Bruins - Houda. I don't know too much about him, but Boston's power play wasn't much better than ours..

 

[NHRangerfan]

According to hockeydb.com, Bylsma had less than one season of head coaching experience in the AHL and 4 seasons as an assistant head coach (w/ the Isles and the AHL Pens) before landing the NHL Pens job. I really don't think that 54 games as an AHL head coach and the rest of that resume makes him that much more ready than a retired player like Messier.

I'm not advocating for Messier to get the job but given the high percentage of coaching failure in the NHL, I won't assume he would be worse than other candidates.

So Bylsma had experience as an Assistant presumably doing something that caught the eye of someone, I'm assuming he wasn't counting SOG, so he at least has a track record of 4 plus seasons dealing with players.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Can some one please explain to me who the **** Dallas Eakins is?

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

outside of datsyuk, zett and kronwall, what does Det have? They beat Anaheim and came very close to beating the Hawks as well, but Babcock is a good coach, he lets his team play, take chances, etc; Torts did none of that

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

Can some one please explain to me who the **** Dallas Eakins is?

AHL coach of Tor, widely considered best coach in AHL

 

[Crease]

Can some one please explain to me who the **** Dallas Eakins is?

You might have gotten a quicker answer by looking it up.

NHL washout who served as assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006. Since 2009, has been the head coach of the Toronto's AHL team. Considered by some to be the best coach outside of the NHL.

 

[Vickers8]

You might have gotten a quicker answer by looking it up.

NHL washout who served as assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006. Since 2009, has been the head coach of the Toronto's AHL team. Widely considered the best coach outside of the NHL.

Played on a checking line with Shane Churla and Gravy in the 97 semis vs Flyers, his check was Eric Lindros, he was a defenseman

 

[Ola]

Just read that transcript of the conference call. Sathers sly vague non-answers to who the future coach may be makes me think that guys season isn't over yet.

So which of the 4 teams left have an assistant ready to move up to head coach?

Vancouver is an attractive place to coach, and they are interviewing guys -- as we speak. It definitely feels like, given the timing, that Slats has a one or a few guys in mind, and he doesn't want anyone of them snatched infront of him before getting a chance to talk to them.

 

[Crease]

Played on a checking line with Shane Churla and Gravy in the 97 semis vs Flyers, his check was Eric Lindros, he was a defenseman

Lindros had 5 goals and 6 points in the 4 games that Eakins played that series. He might not want to mention that during the interview.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I disagree. Even with this system, Lundqvist still faced a lot of high quality scoring chances. How many times did a bad pinch lead to an odd-man rush? How many great chances did the bruins have? With a more offensive system, we might actually spend more time in the offensive zone than the defensive one for a change.

How have the Giants traditionally won? By controlling the clock with the running game. They haven't done it as much in recent years, but the idea is to keep the other team's offense off the field. If the Rangers are more aggressive, play more of a puck possession game and have a more consistent forecheck, then the amount of offensive opportunities against are likely to be less.

Actually, this season the Rangers did try to open up the offense slightly. There was less shot blocking and the defensive zone play wasn't as tight as it was in 2011-12. The result, was that hank was less "Hank-like", especially in the playoffs.

Now take those mediocre "unHank-like" games from this season, and ask yourself what the Rangers would look like if the majority of the Rangers games look like that next season. Not a pretty picture if the new coach can't get more goals out of this group.

That's the real key here...the next coaching staff absolutely needs to get more goals if they move away from Torts' system (pretty much guaranteed they will otherwise why fire him?). This team has the horses to definitely get more goals...but they have to fit the right pieces together first.

 

[Vickers8]

Lindros had 5 goals and 6 points in the 4 games that Eakins played that series. He might not want to mention that during the interview.

Do you remember when they brought him up for that series, we all were like who the hell is Dallas Eakins

 

[Vickers8]

Glad to see the 5 man collapse in front of Hank, let them have the point shot, let them control the zone for 45 seconds at a time, try a chip clear along the boards that never makes it out, is finally over

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Actually, this season the Rangers did try to open up the offense slightly. There was less shot blocking and the defensive zone play wasn't as tight as it was in 2011-12. The result, was that hank was less "Hank-like", especially in the playoffs.

Now take those mediocre "unHank-like" games from this season, and ask yourself what the Rangers would look like if the majority of the Rangers games look like that next season. Not a pretty picture if the new coach can't get more goals out of this group.

That's the real key here...the next coaching staff absolutely needs to get more goals if they move away from Torts' system (pretty much guaranteed they will otherwise why fire him?). This team has the horses to definitely get more goals...but they have to fit the right pieces together first.

The writing is on the wall already. The team will probably score more goals - they'll also probably give up more goals and the results in the standings will be very much the same.

Oh, and dont forget the brainiacs who will start chastising Hank.

 

[Tawnos]

I believe .517 is something that buys no championships. And it is quite convenient to omit a team other than the Yankees in order to arrive at a statistic and then assign it meaning.

Hey, I'm not the one who said he never sniffed .500 outside of his time with the Yanks. That was you. 12 years of his career elsewhere is a decent sample size.

I omitted his time with the Mets for three reasons. 1) I was disputing the point that he never sniffed .500. He did in other situations. 2) Very, very few managers have much success in their first tenure. 3) Those Mets rosters were nearly as bad as the Mets roster today.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

The writing is on the wall already. The team will probably score more goals - they'll also probably give up more goals and the results in the standings will be very much the same.

Oh, and dont forget the brainiacs who will start chastising Hank.

That's what I'm worried about....especially if the rumors about that monster-sized deal Hank wants is true.

I envision a lot of screaming and scapegoating in the next season.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

The fault is Sather's. How many bad contracts has he signed? Torts has been a breath of fresh air. Most success of any Rangers coach since Keenan (and who knows how things would have gone with him if he had more years). Brought an air of accountability that has not been here in nearly 20 years. Rangers fans forget quickly how these boards would weep when high priced millionaires would not be held accountable for anything. Rangers fans forget how the clamor was not to bring in high priced free agents but to build a core. Which is what Torts did.

Blame him for the PP? Fine. But who picked the Rangers to go to conference finals two years ago? No one. Coming down the stretch of this season, with Gabby and Richards being abysmal failures, they were in the hunt. Yes, the trade helped, and he got them past the first round again.

Rangers fans have very short memories. So too does Glen Sather. His 'success" comes from the middling success that Renney had and what Torts has done. Aside from that, Sather has been an unmitigated disaster. How many bad contracts has he given out, just to have them swallowed up by Dolan?

Torts was a good coach. Boo-hoo to the players that decided that he was too tough. Oh, no. He holds me responsible and is willing to bench or scratch anyone. Wow. What a concept. Poor play, means you do not play. Again, there are a scant few left around here that remember what the dark years were like. And even with Renney holding only under 25 year old players accountable.

You got rid of Torts. Ok. Who is the better coach out there? Don't give me this drivel about Messier. Bryan Trottier was only an assistant and look how he turned out. Messier does not belong behind the bench. Who out there is capable of taking this team and doing with it what Tortarella could not do?

Can someone please sticky this? Fantastic, fantastic post, TB. You need to post on here more for this reason alone.

 

[Ola]

We are the NYR and the richest club in the league. Use the Skellefteå AIK (three head coaches) approch, get more muscle behind the bench than everyone else:

1/3 Head coach -- Mark Messier. Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. Main responsibility game preparation and match-ups. Motivator.

2/3 Head coach -- Alain Vignault. Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. Main duty offense, offensive X&O and PP.

3/3 Head coach -- Dave Tippet. Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. Main duty defense, defensive X and O and PK.

Assistant coach 1 -- Adam Graves. A slightly smaller roll in relation to the normal assistent coach game time, normal role in terms of practises.

Assistant coach 2 -- Brian Leetch. A slightly smaller roll in relation to the normal assistent coach game time, normal role in terms of practises.

Goalie coach -- Benoit Allaire.

Advisor to Head Coaches -- Jim Schoenfield. The head-coaches share the responsibility for all decisions. If they can't agree on something, they go to the Advisor and say "hey, we got a tough decision to make. Arguments can be made both ways. This is how we feel. What do you think?" The advisor got final say on all issues the head coaches can't agree on. He never adress the players and he cannot his In Skellefteå, that is said to happen once a month or something.

Advantages:
- We can get Mess on board, who doesn't have coaching experience but would bring great presence (that we never could get from him in a assistant role).
- Three great hockey minds should be able to pin down the X&Os, so that we never go in the completely wrong direction again.
- There is a ton of work involved in coaching a NHL team. Video. 29 other teams to follow. 20+ individual to take care of. Etc etc etc.
- There is a ton of pressure coaching in NY, a three guys in charge approch takes alot of pressure of our coaches.
- Knowledge. Shouldn't be underrated. Coaches are often the best scouts (BR and Redden aside). Three guys knows the other teams and players better than one guy. Would help Slats.
- Send a message. We are getting the label of a team that never really rebuilds, and hence can't compete for a cup. Let everyone know that we want to be the best run org. in the NHL.

I don't quite like that we never aim higher than teams around us, other when it comes to UFA's maybe... Renney had an attempt to build up the prospect development facility around this team, and gathered the some of the best off-ice coaches in the world. Created the rookie camps, put us in Traverse etc. That really seemed to pay off. We have more resources than anyone else -- lets use it!

 

[Glennsoe]

Maybe we can go back to playing hockey again?

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

We are the NYR and the richest club in the league. Use the Skellefteå AIK (three head coaches) approch, get more muscle behind the bench than everyone else:

1/3 Head coach -- Mark Messier. Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. Main responsibility game preparation and match-ups. Motivator.

2/3 Head coach -- Alain Vignault. Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. Main duty offense, offensive X&O and PP.

3/3 Head coach -- Dave Tippet. Shared responsibility in terms of game plan and X & O. Main duty defense, defensive X and O and PK.

Assistant coach 1 -- Adam Graves. A slightly smaller roll in relation to the normal assistent coach game time, normal role in terms of practises.

Assistant coach 2 -- Brian Leetch. A slightly smaller roll in relation to the normal assistent coach game time, normal role in terms of practises.

Goalie coach -- Benoit Allaire.

Advisor to Head Coaches -- Jim Schoenfield. The head-coaches share the responsibility for all decisions. If they can't agree on something, they go to the Advisor and say "hey, we got a tough decision to make. Arguments can be made both ways. This is how we feel. What do you think?" The advisor got final say on all issues the head coaches can't agree on. In Skellefteå, that is said to happen once a month or something.

Advantages:
- We can get Mess on board, who doesn't have coaching experience but would bring great presence (that we never could get from him in a assistant role).
- Three great hockey minds should be able to pin down the X&Os, so that we never go in the completely wrong direction again.
- There is a ton of work involved in coaching a NHL team. Video. 29 other teams to follow. 20+ individual to take care of. Etc etc etc.
- There is a ton of pressure coaching in NY, a three guys in charge approch takes alot of pressure of our coaches.
- Knowledge. Shouldn't be underrated. Coaches are often the best scouts (BR and Redden aside). Three guys knows the other teams and players better than one guy. Would help Slats.
- Send a message. We are getting the label of a team that never really rebuilds, and hence can't compete for a cup. Let everyone know that we want to be the best run org. in the NHL.

I don't quite like that we never aim higher than teams around us, other when it comes to UFA's maybe... Renney had an attempt to build up the prospect development facility around this team, and gathered the some of the best off-ice coaches in the world. Created the rookie camps, put us in Traverse etc. That really seemed to pay off. We have more resources than anyone else -- lets use it!

We just had a coach that is being portrayed as too tough - too much of a "my way or the highway guy"

So yea, lets just go in the completely opposite direction and place way too many cooks in the kitchen. I think thats idiotic, but I could certainly see the Rangers doing it.

 

[Loff]

Didn't think Sather had it in him. Good luck Johnny.

Ruff, Crawford and Wilson can stay the **** away.

 

[Tawnos]

Just read that transcript of the conference call. Sathers sly vague non-answers to who the future coach may be makes me think that guys season isn't over yet.

So which of the 4 teams left have an assistant ready to move up to head coach?

Pittsburgh: Tony Granato (head coaching experience in Colorado, 4 years as assistant in Pit), Todd Reirden (couple of decent performances as HC of Baby Pens, 3 years as assistant in Pit)

Chicago: Jamie Compon (6 years as LA asst including Cup, 1 year in Chi), Mike Kitchen (20 years as asst, 2.5 pretty bad years as HC in STL)

Boston: Geoff Ward (multiple years as HC in juniors and AHL, last 6 as Bos asst), Doug Jarvis (21 years as NHL asst, a few decent seasons as AHL HC), Doug Houda (last 7 years as Bos asst)

Los Angeles: John Stevens (best known for coaching Flyers, Calder Cup winner in AHL), Davis Payne (poor record as HC in STL, won ECHL championship in Alaska)

AHL HCs still playing:

Rob Zettler, Syracuse Crunch. Syracuse had a great season, but most of it was coached by Jon Cooper, who got promoted to the TBL job. Zettler was an asst there.

John Hynes, Baby Pens. Decent regular season. Currently in ECF. Been Baby Pens HC for 3 years.

Jeff Blashill, Grand Rapids Griffins. First season as HC. Had a great year. Spent time coaching in USHL and NCAA. Was Det asst last year.

Todd Nelson, OKC Barons. Former Thrashers asst. 2nd year in a row in WCF. Also coached at lower pro levels.