Management Travis Green [Head Coach]

[redbrick98]

You gonna cancel your 5 game pack in the nose bleeds if you deem the number isn't appropriate? What's your breaking point? 2.5 million? 3? Eh what's gonna make you pull your 300 dollar investment in the team? Was 950,000,000 not enough or too much when you make your decision to switch from Heineken to Labatt Blue beer this season so you could go to the games?

Would greater transparency not serve to dispel organizational misconceptions ?

 

[stempniaksen]

It's not contrarian to at least wait and see how the team does.

I get it, the cry babies didn't get their first choice wah wah. Ultimately, we don't get a say in the decisions. Staios is our GM for better or worse. He makes the call. I am going to trust that he has done his homework and hired someone who he thinks will help.

What I am not going to do is cry on a message board about it.

The wait and see approach is entirely fair and level headed, that part is fine.

Crying on a message board about someone crying on a message board is objectively dumber than using the message board to vent and/or discuss something the team has done that you disagree with. That's the whole point of a message board. You're allowed to have faith in Staois, but not everyone is going to fall in line with appeals to authority from a rookie group who haven't proven anything yet.

This isn't specifically to you I'm just using this post as a jumping off point, but criticizing people for having a opinion on a message board is entirely silly. We're all here posting in the off-season about a team that didn't make the playoffs for the 7th straight year, we're all clearly fans of this team, people just have varying shades of rose to their coloured glasses.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Keep in mind that coach candidates need to consider whether they'll have success here or not. Their record is their CV. How many Ottawa Senators head coaches went on to head coaching jobs afterwards?

Now, it might be a chicken-or-the-egg scenario, we are a small market so we don't tend to hire coaches with as much talent.

But if I were Berube, I would certainly ask for the Senators to make it worth my while before I tied myself to what might be a losing cause.

Berube's price tag was undoubtedly higher... and that may have been a factor for the Sens.. but I think Berube wants a team that is already a playoff team or one that by his estimation is ready to be now. We are quick to jump at the evidence we get through a slit in the fence.

 

[stempniaksen]

Berube's price tag was undoubtedly higher... and that may have been a factor for the Sens.. but I think Berube wants a team that is already a playoff team or one that by his estimation is ready to be now. We are quick to jump at the evidence we get through a slit in the fence.

Dreger mentioned this morning that he was in talks with Buffalo (but that Kevyn Adams wanted Lindy Ruff and didn't make it a secret) and Ottawa (and that's been speculated to have fallen apart over money).

It makes a ton of sense logically that Berube would wait for an offer from a team already in the playoffs or on the cusp, but the evidence we've gotten "through the slit in the fence" has painted a slightly different story.

There's probably ego that goes along with being a head coach and/or a Stanley Cup winning head coach and he probably, at least partially, thought he could and/or would be the difference between these teams making the playoffs and not.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Dreger mentioned this morning that he was in talks with Buffalo (but that Kevyn Adams wanted Lindy Ruff and didn't make it a secret) and Ottawa (and that's been speculated to have fallen apart over money).

It makes a ton of sense logically that Berube would wait for an offer from a team already in the playoffs or on the cusp, but the evidence we've gotten "through the slit in the fence" has painted a slightly different story.

There's probably ego that goes along with being a head coach and/or a Stanley Cup winning head coach and he probably, at least partially, thought he could and/or would be the difference between these teams making the playoffs and not.

could very well be ..?



Given what Yorkie has said about Gruden wrt coaching the defense (asst coach) in the NHL.. I think he would be a good option.. The history with Staios and Andlauer is there . Jay McKee may get his shot in the NHL as an assistant .

 

[DueDiligence]

Is the inverse true? Are "bad" coaches the product of bad goaltending?

Sometimes yes. Jacques Martin couldn't do much with the Sens based on who they had in net. Heck, if the Sens had Swayman in net last season DJ would likely still be a HC. He would be seen as average rather than awful!.

 

[Flamingo]

Berube's price tag was undoubtedly higher... and that may have been a factor for the Sens.. but I think Berube wants a team that is already a playoff team or one that by his estimation is ready to be now. We are quick to jump at the evidence we get through a slit in the fence.

Yeah, but I think besides wanting to win now because everyone wants to win, he (or any coach) would look at coaching the Senators as a risky proposition. The downside is ending up in the coaching dust bin.

 

[SanderSen]

Oh yea, another Leaf alumni coach with limited experience. Hope it goes well but my first reaction is to be underwhelmed. Just seems to follow the same old pattern for Sens coaches.

 

[DueDiligence]

To be this confident about a coach that you really dont know much about is next level stuff. Because someone trusts someone, that knows way more about hockey than you do, is now a contrarian?... An entire hockey ops that interviewed 10 candidates. You feel you are in a better position to choose a candidate eh. Over 2000 NHL games played between them... Then we can listen to multiple sources that played for them and actually trust their opinion. to the point where were willing to give the person a chance. Again people that know way more hockey than you do. Are not falling in line in what you think is correct makes people contrarians. haha ok!

There is a lot of arrogance on this board from people who know much less than the management team doing the hiring. They figure guys like Berube and Julien are miles better than Green because of course they each won a cup. Never mind that both those guys had all world goaltending the year they won.
I for one will wait and see what player moves the Sens make and then judge Green on how the team performs. The glass is half full for me.

 

[DueDiligence]

Yeah, but I think besides wanting to win now because everyone wants to win, he (or any coach) would look at coaching the Senators as a risky proposition. The downside is ending up in the coaching dust bin.

Any potential coach would look at the Sens current goaltending and be worried. If that's not fixed it doesn't matter who they hire . They won't be successful.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Dreger on TSN1200 ., suggests that where the Senators are in their evolution towards a playoff team was a factor and it is more about the fit.

Wildly unfair comments from the fan base.
Hockey decision recognizing where the Sens group is. Can't emphasize that enough.
Not sure they got to contract talks with Berube.
Other teams (as I had incorrectly speculated) were not a factor. He had strong interest in Buffalo and Ottawa
Berube is getting paid on his next gig.
Travis Green will 100% bring accountability to the group.
There will be times when the players don't love the approach.
Travis was a scapegoat in Vancouver. He wasn't given enough runway.. essentially the org was dysfunctional.
Smart decision to bring in Rutherford to run the hockey ops and get the owners out of management

If Toronto lets Keefe go and hire Berube its because they feel they need that closer. Ottawa needs someone in the middle.. Toronto needs someone to push the group over the edge.

 

[jbeck5]

It’s like the Sens players went through puberty last season. They started the year bright eyed and happy kids and ended the season as morose teenagers looking for direction.

Sens went 12-8 to finish the season and those last 20 games when they said they were finding their identity is a .600% and would put is 6th in the Eastern Conference ahead of Tampa.

If Green can just do that and continue what Martin started, we are going to be a playoff team. Green can easily do that.

Chin up Sens nation - lots of good has already happened Sens aren’t as bad as we think we are.

I can't believe there are still sens fans pointing to the record to close out the season and getting all optimistic?

Have you not learned anything?

Have you been hiding under a rock the last almost decade?

The sens are crap, and pointing to little things and expecting them to improve is insane. It's actually insane at this point.

I don't know whether to applaud you for still managing to be optimistic, or if there's underlying issues causing your blind optimism.

Either way, pretty neat.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

could very well be ..?



Given what Yorkie has said about Gruden wrt coaching the defense (asst coach) in the NHL.. I think he would be a good option.. The history with Staios and Andlauer is there . Jay McKee may get his shot in the NHL as an assistant .

Gruden spent the last six years on NYI and Boston's bench, would probably be a great hire.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Berube's price tag was undoubtedly higher... and that may have been a factor for the Sens.. but I think Berube wants a team that is already a playoff team or one that by his estimation is ready to be now. We are quick to jump at the evidence we get through a slit in the fence.

Why did he keep talking with us then ? Sometimes money is simply the factor. And that is not a complaint. It’s just life

 

[Boud]

I can't believe there are still sens fans pointing to the record to close out the season and getting all optimistic?

Have you not learned anything?

Have you been hiding under a rock the last almost decade?

The sens are crap, and pointing to little things and expecting them to improve is insane. It's actually insane at this point.

I don't know whether to applaud you for still managing to be optimistic, or if there's underlying issues causing your blind optimism.

Either way, pretty neat.

Hard to argue with you here. This team has been "on the way" and "finishing the year strong" for years now. Teams don't go from bottom 5 to playoffs usually so I would expect an uphill battle for playoffs next year too. We need absolutely everything to go right to sniff the playoffs with this group.

This means Norris staying healthy and contributing. That's a huge if. The defense getting better, including Zub and Chabot staying healthy. Korpisalo playing NHL average goaltending. Stutzle taking a massive step forward. Batherson keeping his season end level of play. Acquiring bottom 6 players. Greig not running into a sophomore slump. Giroux still playing at a top line forward level.

If all of these things happen, we might make the playoffs next season. If they don't, which is the 90% chance likely outcome, we are out of the playoffs.

No faith in this roster. They don't have what it takes at this stage to make the playoffs. I think we are far away and next year is probably the soonest we could hope for playoffs.

 

[DueDiligence]

Why did he keep talking with us then ? Sometimes money is simply the factor. And that is not a complaint. It’s just life

You ever been job hunting with skills that are in demand? There is usually the job you want and there are others you 'll take if the price is right. Given the choice I bet Berube would love the Toronto job but would have settled for the Sens job if things didn't work out with the former.

 

[BankStreetParade]

Well, it probably came down to their list of finalists because those are the guys who they felt were the best fits

I know it's hard for fans to understand, but maybe based on all the interviews and whatever other research and deliberations they made, the team just liked Green better than guys like McLellan, Julien, Evanson, ect.

Because you're right, it wasn't a binary choice, and we had a well respected option in Julien publicly stating he was interested. So we can either believe the team chose Green because they liked him, or we can imagine all sorts of scandalous reasons why the team didn't hire someone the fans would have preferred.

OR we can question their decision-making because the guy in charge of the hiring process has almost no track record of hiring coaches or making any decisions at the NHL level, for that matter.

1. July 25, 2012 - December 4, 2014: Player Development Advisor for the Leafs
2. December 4, 2014 - January 6, 2015: Manager of Player Development for the Leafs
3. January 6, 2015 - June 5, 2015: coaching staff assistant for the Leafs
4. June 5, 2015 - October 6, 2022: Hamilton Bulldogs President (GM title added in 2016)
5. October 6, 2022 - September 29, 2023: Special Advisor to the Edmonton Oilers hockey staff
6. September 29, 2023 - present: President of the Senators

1. not involved with hiring
2. not involved with hiring
3. not involved with hiring
4. OHL
5. Woodcroft was named interim in February 2022 and given an extension + made permanent head coach in June 2022. So, Staios not involved with hiring.

So, we only have his OHL record to look at with regards to hiring. During his time, he hired John Gruden, Dave Matsos, Vince Laise and Jay McKee. In his tenure as GM, his teams accumulated a .588 pts%, which is pretty good in a league where 16/20 teams makes the playoffs. Unfortunately, it puts you on the playoff bubble in the NHL, most years. (Funny enough, we might end up with Gruden and/or McKee on the bench this year. Something you guys would have roasted the last management group for pseudo-nepotism hires but will completely sign off on now.)

I don't understand this disdainful condescension you're showing people for rightfully questioning how we got to this hire. Like, no one in this organization has some sterling track record of accomplishment at the NHL level and you're somehow incredulous that people are questioning the people doing the hiring...

They had multiple, lengthy conversations with Berube and no one thought to ask after the first meeting what his number was? They "got down the road" in conversation before they realized his number was too high for them? That's supposed to somehow make us feel confident that these guys know what they're doing?

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Gruden as the D coach would be great. He has a great resume doing that as an Assistant coach in the NHL.

 

[albator71]

I can't believe there are still sens fans pointing to the record to close out the season and getting all optimistic?

Have you not learned anything?

Have you been hiding under a rock the last almost decade?

The sens are crap, and pointing to little things and expecting them to improve is insane. It's actually insane at this point.

I don't know whether to applaud you for still managing to be optimistic, or if there's underlying issues causing your blind optimism.

Either way, pretty neat.

I disagree the Sens are not crap our goaltending is crap, last season our xGA/60 was ranked 11th but we ended up in 27th place, this team is one goaltender away from making the playoffs. How many points did we lose because our goalie could stop a beach ball?

 

[jbeck5]

I disagree the Sens are not crap our goaltending is crap, last season our xGA/60 was ranked 11th but we ended up in 27th place, this team is one goaltender away from making the playoffs. How many points did we lose because our goalie could stop a beach ball?

That was this year. Next year we will have average goaltending and shitty something else.

Every year something improves and something else gets worse.

So sure, our goaltending might improve, but something else detrimental might happen.

Maybe our special teams also improve but then we get near league worse 5 on 5 numbers or something.

It's always something that goes wrong. Exactly what this year? Time will tell, but you're better to bet against the sens, evidently.

 

[Qward]

I slept on it for 24 hours.
Still hate it.

 

[Beech]

A list of coaches who would otherwise be in the NHL, but took a fame thrower to their careers.
- Babs.. 10 years setting his career on fire
-Coach Q--could not relate to a teenage boy being sexually assualted / harassed
-Crow.. 10 plus years of annoying players
-Hartley--- Crowford but in Franco colours
-Vigneault --- Did not know an African American was having his neck stood on
-Peters -- Did not know, the 'N" word is immoral..
-Sutter brothers (name the one)-- could not figure out hockey players are not cattle

A list of coaches who aged out
- Bowness --- hey 68 is 68
-Jacques Martin -- if 68 is old, what is 72?
-Claude Julien -- 64 stills gets you a senior's discount at Shoppers Drugmart

A list of once assumed shining stars that have yet to take off
-Keefe--- How about Mitchell Marner, or Johnny Toronto!!!!
-Jay Woodcroft ---- f*** Dude, you had McJesus and Leon!
-The Ontario Mafia (Steve spot, Dallas Eakins, Mike Yeo, Bob Boughner, Steve Ott, and others)

We are talking 15-20 coaches who have either failed to develop, aged out or took a flame thrower to their careers.

It leaves the market bare.. Can you imagine if the list of throw aways was not 15-20, but 5-10, so that 10-15 guys were on the market?

Coaches are like right handed D men and goalies. The league is going throw a shortage.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Still worried but the amount of support for Green from people who know him is encouraging.

Sure, I get that no one is going to take a dump on him on the radio/podcast/tv, but they also don't have to talk about how much of a hardass is and how detail-oriented he is.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

You ever been job hunting with skills that are in demand? There is usually the job you want and there are others you 'll take if the price is right. Given the choice I bet Berube would love the Toronto job but would have settled for the Sens job if things didn't work out with the former.

Guy wanted lots of money AND apparently a team that could make the playoffs. I’ve been job hunting and I’ve never settled for a job that gave me nothing of what I wanted

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Berube is kinda overrated. Not even my #1 choice.