Speculation: When Does Bruno Get The Boot?

[101st_fan]

Dead last after 20 games thanks to the Hawks beating Florida.

 

[herzausstein]

Dead last after 20 games thanks to the Hawks beating Florida.

We are on our way to the top!

Of the 2025 draft

 

[Kat Predator]

So who's the new coach going to be?

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I wonder if Montgomery becomes the coach.

 

[hockey diva]

I wonder if Montgomery becomes the coach.

No more retreads please! Taylor deserves a chance to show what he can do!

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I wonder if Montgomery becomes the coach.

Montgomery has certainly had some impressive successes. He also has the hair to match Hynes, and the... uh, "other issues" to match Bruno?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

No more retreads please! Taylor deserves a chance to show what he can do!

It just amazes me how he has stayed here. That is some serious loyalty. Or it might be argued other teams are just as much of an "old boys" network and haven't given him better opportunities. But the success is there. The familiarity with our players (esp. the young ones who should be thought of as the lifeblood of the organization) is there.

You can stick the "interim" tag on him if that makes it somehow more palatable. But that guy has Paid His Dues. Which seems to actually be a very meaningful criterion in Trotz's lexicon? It shouldn't just be for players. Taylor may not have some fancy pedigree or be an NHL retread. But he has actually been doing the job.

 

[Legionnaire11]

As long as the next coach brings some structure to our on ice systems, I don't care who it is. I really want Brunette to succeed, I've always been a fan of his since his first goal with the Preds. But if he's too stubborn to adapt to his roster and how they're playing, then he needs to go. I've never seen a coach who wouldn't simplify things to get a little jump start after a few bad games, let alone 20.

 

[herzausstein]

If bruno goes, im really tired of the ol' boys club mentality. Bring in Taylor as an interim. Thin out some of the vets and let the chips fall where they may. The damage done to this season is near impossible to overcome. If taylor does a good job, talk to him about being head coach for a season. If he flounders, take a big step back and evaluate what this team actually is and see if you want to give him another shot anyways.

This team isnt getting any younger. All the "stars" are old in hockey years and there are zero young emerging stars and the current coach refuses to even give the young players a legitimate shot to make a name for themselves.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

See if Forsberg wants to go somewhere..he at least still has value

We are probabably stuck with Josi

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

If guys like Josi or Forsberg ever actively WANT to go somewhere else.... then that is the real kiss of death for the franchise for the next 10 years or so.

 

[herzausstein]

See if Forsberg wants to go somewhere..he at least still has value

We are probabably stuck with Josi

I mean if we wanted to go big shock to the team...

Saros' trade protection hasnt kicked in yet and he is playing well even though the team is garbage around him. Go the vancouver route like when they traded schneider (askarov) then a year later traded Luongo (Saros). We get a lesser goalie along the way that can tread water decent enough like they did with Ryan Miller.

 

[glenngineer]

My questions about Taylor:

If he's as good as we all think he is, why has he not won a Calder Cup or been hired as an NHL coach?

If it was because he didn't have the players what's going to change the outcome at the NHL level if he's got the same players?

If it's not the players, what is he lacking to get his team over the hump?

 

[Armourboy]

My questions about Taylor:

If he's as good as we all think he is, why has he not won a Calder Cup or been hired as an NHL coach?

If it was because he didn't have the players what's going to change the outcome at the NHL level if he's got the same players?

If it's not the players, what is he lacking to get his team over the hump?

Generally speaking he didn't have the team to be expected to win the Calder, the two teams that ended up there were pretty much called early in the season. Calder winning teams will often be loaded up with former NHL players, or those tweeners that are really good at the AHL level ( Hinastroza for example ). Unlike the NHL, the Calder can get pretty close to being bought. Believe it or not, the NHL is a much more even playing field despite the huge amounts of money.

A good coach is only going to overcome so much. Scotty Bowman isn't going to take the current Chicago team and win the Stanley Cup.

Keep in mind too call ups will play a huge roll in what happens in Milwaukee as well. I believe we pulled Stastney and Parssinen from his roster, and those are two guys who can play at the NHL level, so that's a pretty big hole to fill, and I'm probably forgetting someone else in there too. I know Askarov got hurt for example.

The other factor is this as well, just because a team stinks under one coach doesn't mean the team itself just stinks. I honestly think Brunette is causing a ton of this. He is wanting 30 year olds to play like 22 year olds, and I'm sorry guys just usually don't have that kind of jump at that point. Added to that he won't play the guys who might have that jump, compounded by the older guys playing more minutes than they should, and trying to involve his Dmen in a way that almost none of them have the talent or ability to do, and you have yourself a nightmare. I think if you had a coach that would flip things on its head, have his Dmen play a more responsible support role which means your forwards aren't constantly trying to play out position this is a playoff team. Maybe not a good one, but definitely better than what we've seen so far.

Edit: As far as getting an NHL coaching job, we all know how the good ole boy network is in the NHL. It can be rough to get into it but once you do you can roll around in it stinking for a long time. We know he has been to interviews, but there could be some cases in there where he didn't like the situation and backed out himself, knowing he has a pretty good job in Milwaukee. Coaches at that level its real had to know whats going on.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

My questions about Taylor:

If he's as good as we all think he is, why has he not won a Calder Cup or been hired as an NHL coach?

If it was because he didn't have the players what's going to change the outcome at the NHL level if he's got the same players?

If it's not the players, what is he lacking to get his team over the hump?

I don't think we'll ever have even an inkling into the coach hiring processes. But we do know that it's really difficult to crack into the NHL Old Boys Network unless you have some really Big credentials... which often start with having played in the NHL before. Ok, but if you haven't played in The Show, you often need to have Won Something at another significant level, and it's fair to acknowledge Taylor has never done that. He hasn't been a long time NCAA champion coach in a top program nor involved with National Team programs. He has 204 wins as an AHL head coach vs. 112 losses, which is a pretty good rate. Something around a .650 clip?

I think he is lacking the Big Win. Maybe the Ads will be able to give it to him this season, but tbh, I'm not sure the team is built THAT strongly, even so. The Ads are a good team, but relative to others in the league I'm not sure the lineup pops off the page. Taylor is a big part of the team being as successful as it has been. They have a mix of good prospects and vets, but nothing that is truly astounding relative to the rest of the league. So... could he take that roster to the next level and win a championship? It hasn't happened yet, and I'm honestly not expecting it with the current roster down there. So his resume is not likely to take that sudden leap forward with a Calder Cup. If it does, we lose him no question. If it doesn't... well, we're going to have to figure out if what he has accomplished thus far is worth taking the leap of faith or not.

I'm "for" the leap of faith. It cannot possibly go any further wrong that what we're seeing on the ice every night right now, after all. So where's the harm?

 

[glenngineer]

Appreciate both your thoughtful answers.

Had to look it up, Trotz had two Calder finals appearances, winning one of them and it still took him close to 20 years to win a Stanley. Not saying Taylor would have the same trajectory.

I'm all for giving Taylor an opportunity. How well would that sit with the current assistants, especially Richards?

 

[PredsV82]

If bruno goes, im really tired of the ol' boys club mentality. Bring in Taylor as an interim. Thin out some of the vets and let the chips fall where they may. The damage done to this season is near impossible to overcome. If taylor does a good job, talk to him about being head coach for a season. If he flounders, take a big step back and evaluate what this team actually is and see if you want to give him another shot anyways.

This team isnt getting any younger. All the "stars" are old in hockey years and there are zero young emerging stars and the current coach refuses to even give the young players a legitimate shot to make a name for themselves.

I can't imagine Taylor leaving his Milwaukee gig for an "interim" spot. Just need to hire him and let him have at least two years to get these guys playing like he has them in Milwaukee

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Appreciate both your thoughtful answers.

Had to look it up, Trotz had two Calder finals appearances, winning one of them and it still took him close to 20 years to win a Stanley. Not saying Taylor would have the same trajectory.

I'm all for giving Taylor an opportunity. How well would that sit with the current assistants, especially Richards?

Yeah, these are all the kinds of questions that are totally opaque to us in our armchairs. We really have no grasp whatsoever on what the individuals on the staff do or what their perceived competencies truly are. It is almost a decade since Richards was an NHL head coach, but... that's a lot more experience than Taylor has in the role.

I kind of think there's also a big element just in terms of how an individual coach "meshes" with a given roster. Like we're seeing right now with Hynes. A guy can be a totally "competent" coach just in terms of knowing his x's and his o's, but how his philosophy and personality meshes with the individuals on a given roster probably ends up mattering more these days than his actual technical know-how?

I can't imagine Taylor leaving his Milwaukee gig for an "interim" spot. Just need to hire him and let him have at least two years to get these guys playing like he has them in Milwaukee

"Interim" ... Head Coach in the NHL? He would totally 100% take that. No question. That's the foot in the door he needs. He doesn't have the kind of resume where he can shop around for a guaranteed long-term NHL contract.

 

[adsfan]

My questions about Taylor:

If he's as good as we all think he is, why has he not won a Calder Cup or been hired as an NHL coach?

If it was because he didn't have the players what's going to change the outcome at the NHL level if he's got the same players?

If it's not the players, what is he lacking to get his team over the hump?

The only Calder Cup winning team was in 2004, coached by Claude Noel.

Taylor probably would have won in 2020, if not for COVID-19. The Admirals were the #1 team in the league when play was halted. I figured a trip to the Finals at worst.

The last 2 seasons, Milwaukee made to the conference finals, and lost to Coachella Valley both times, who lost to Hershey.

Milwaukee hates that puny little music festival. Summerfest is 2 or 3 times its size!

 

[Kat Predator]

The only Calder Cup winning team was in 2004, coached by Claude Noel.

Taylor probably would have won in 2020, if not for COVID-19. The Admirals were the #1 team in the league when play was halted. I figured a trip to the Finals at worst.

The last 2 seasons, Milwaukee made to the conference finals, and lost to Coachella Valley both times, who lost to Hershey.

Milwaukee hates that puny little music festival. Summerfest is 2 or 3 times its size!

The staff that they lost too is now coaching in the NHL though.

 

[101st_fan]

Blues make a change.

 

[PredsV82]

That's now two teams with better records than ours that have fired their coach.

 

[Armourboy]

That's now two teams with better records than ours that have fired their coach.

And one of them was still in a playoff position. If Trotz's position is that Brunette needs time to learn then that is ok, but then when things go this bad as GM you need your ass down there telling him to either play the kids or he can go learn somewhere else.

 

[Viqsi]

I'm gradually getting to the point where I still predict he survives the season but I don't think he should. Depends on how he reacts when it finally sinks in that this season's playoff chances are pretty much done and how long it takes to get there (and folks are already losing points on the latter).

 

[Kat Predator]

Moneypuck says we have a 0.4% chance of winning the Cup. On the bright side, that's not zero!