Speculation: Who should be the new head coach of the Washington Capitals?

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NobodyBeatsTheWiz

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Jun 26, 2004
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I agree with you but I don't think you'd find a lot of people here who support Alan May. It's obvious when you listen to him talk about the team that Alan knows what he's talking about. He brings up every deficiency that the team has, states the solution for those problems, and is adamant about playing a style of hockey that suits the ability and talent of the players. I think he would be great as a coach or GM but I don't see it in the cards.

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2014/04/29/alan-mays-litany-of-criticism-for-adam-oates/

You think he'd be a great coach or GM based on his commentary? That's a terrible way to evaluate.

Didn't Adam Oates sound like he really knew what he was talking about when he was hired?
 

CapitalsCupReality

It’s Go Time!!
Feb 27, 2002
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I agree with you but I don't think you'd find a lot of people here who support Alan May. It's obvious when you listen to him talk about the team that Alan knows what he's talking about. He brings up every deficiency that the team has, states the solution for those problems, and is adamant about playing a style of hockey that suits the ability and talent of the players. I think he would be great as a coach or GM but I don't see it in the cards.

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2014/04/29/alan-mays-litany-of-criticism-for-adam-oates/

May is a good in studio guy. He's got nothing as far as coaching or management credentials/experience. I love his attitude and knowledge, but he's just a TV guy at this point.
 

SlappaDaBass

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May 7, 2012
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You think he'd be a great coach or GM based on his commentary? That's a terrible way to evaluate.

Didn't Adam Oates sound like he really knew what he was talking about when he was hired?

His overall knowledge and understanding of the game is what I appreciate from him. He realizes that a certain system will not work regardless of the talent level of the players, instead there must be chemistry between linemates and playing to strengths. Stuff you would assume would be elementary coaching knowledge but what Oates lacked. I never liked Oates' pressers or believed in his approach to the game. He seemed too robotic for my liking.


May is a good in studio guy. He's got nothing as far as coaching or management credentials/experience. I love his attitude and knowledge, but he's just a TV guy at this point.

I understand he has no formal experience in management or coaching and I would be hesitant to actually hire him in either of those roles but I still think given a chance at either position he would excel with a few years time. I would be all for an assistant position.
 

g00n

Retired Global Mod
Nov 22, 2007
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Hahahah...an ex-Cap with no NHL coaching experience at ALL. Perfect. We learn nothing.

Love May's no b.s. commentary and tough guy attitude. No way in hell do you want him as the coach of this team right now. Maybe years from now IF he gets some assistant experience first.

Firing off suggestions from the stands is a lot different than being responsible for your ideas, actions and results.
 

Stewie G

Needed more hitting!
Oct 19, 2009
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I don't know how anyone can state one way or the other if May would be able to translate his analysis into any sort of effective coaching at the NHL level, but the Caps are not in a position to find out right now.
 

Langway

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Jul 7, 2006
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May had a short run as an AHL assistant in TB's org. a while back IINM and that's the sort of gig he would be suited for at this point (if any).

Horachek is out in Florida. That puts Nashville, Washington and Florida openly in the coaching market. With Toronto and Vancouver likely to join them perhaps ownership pouncing on a top coaching target isn't such a bad idea (particularly if there's a perceived massive drop-off in quality). More than anything this should create urgency to fill the GM spot. Is it worth waiting for Benning, particularly if the sense is that he's leaning towards Vancouver anyway? If Fenton has a tremendous interview should they go ahead and offer him the gig? They need to get the right people but time is of the essence here.
 

NobodyBeatsTheWiz

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I understand that involvement in the playoffs might be prohibitive for coaching interviews, but why Assistant GMs? What role does Joe Will or Jim Benning have in his team's playoff run that would preclude an interview with another organization?
 

Langway

In den Wolken
Jul 7, 2006
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I understand that involvement in the playoffs might be prohibitive for coaching interviews, but why Assistant GMs? What role does Joe Will or Jim Benning have in his team's playoff run that would preclude an interview with another organization?
Some of them may help with scouting and assessment as far as potential roster decisions go, particularly when it comes to call-ups and black aces if need be. It varies from team to team. Nill moved from Detroit to Dallas right after the regular season last year regardless.

The GM spot offers both a deeper field of candidates and fewer openings so the opportunity is there to be comprehensive and selective but it should still be done with urgency. The head coach spot seems far shallower and they're potentially competing with many other teams within that pool.
 

Liberati0n*

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You think he'd be a great coach or GM based on his commentary? That's a terrible way to evaluate.

Didn't Adam Oates sound like he really knew what he was talking about when he was hired?

I think it's an excellent way to evaluate, as long as you're not really bad at evaluating. That's one of the things that disturbs me most about the GM search. Half of the guys who could be hired could be on par with the pundits on TSN, etc., who say moronic **** and misjudge what's really going on all the time. Maybe that's just a lack of information, but the amount that people on national platforms like that miss the mark makes me wonder about a large portion of these people in general. It's a perfectly fine way to judge them, and it should be done; you just shouldn't come to the wrong conclusions.

Oates sounded like he knew what he was talking about...sort of. It was always really general. I liked a lot of the things he said, but they were never that tangible or specific. I think other people here saw through him pretty quickly.
 

Langway

In den Wolken
Jul 7, 2006
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Oates is clearly intelligent but he never ever came across as a leader. Not as a player, not as a coach. It's just not who he is. The technical side of the game he understands but there's so much more than that.

As far as pundits go...those people are where they are today because they weren't that good at running teams. I hardly ever listen to any of them. Some of the HNIC and TSN staff know what's what but so much of the other coverage is sensationalism, bitterness or fluff.

There's also a vast difference between being able to identify what's wrong and capably being able to fix it.
 

BlockJockHalak

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Mar 25, 2014
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With Hunter, Oates, Johanson, Ollie, then May...some teams have home grown players, but we have home grown coaches :laugh:
 

Hivemind

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I understand that involvement in the playoffs might be prohibitive for coaching interviews, but why Assistant GMs? What role does Joe Will or Jim Benning have in his team's playoff run that would preclude an interview with another organization?
AGMs with most franchises also GM their AHL affiliate. Some of those AHL affiliates are still playing.

Oates is clearly intelligent but he never ever came across as a leader. Not as a player, not as a coach. It's just not who he is. The technical side of the game he understands but there's so much more than that.

As far as pundits go...those people are where they are today because they weren't that good at running teams. I hardly ever listen to any of them. Some of the HNIC and TSN staff know what's what but so much of the other coverage is sensationalism, bitterness or fluff.

There's also a vast difference between being able to identify what's wrong and capably being able to fix it.
Nailed it.
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
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New Bern, NC
Which might be okay if the franchise hadn't been 40 years of fail.

honestly....for a team with a 40 year history to have that few returning players as coaches.

hunter is a very successful junior coach and if he really wanted to be an nhl coach could have been anywhere. oates....

Johansson held the team record for goals and Kolzig was the defacto team leader, honored NHL player for his character and the player responsible for the team's only scf appearance.

taking oates out of that mix, those three players at least are not a sign of so awful flaw in team judgement over coaching.

edit: it would be a shame if having played for the capitals disqualified a good coach or executive from working for the capitals. dave tippett?
 
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SimplySensational

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Mar 27, 2011
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JoshuaCooper @JoshuaCooper
We caught up with Trotz today. Said Poile told him "there has been some teams just asking about me." FLA and WAS are the only 2 openings

JoshuaCooper @JoshuaCooper
Said he hasn't interviewed or been contacted by other teams yet. Washington and Florida are the only 2 current openings.

This really just makes no ****ing sense, Trotz's response seems to imply he can be contacted freely.

Why the **** would they be calling up Poile and asking about him, then not contacting Trotz. Doesn't seem like Poile is being an asshat and preventing anyone from hiring or talking to him until his contract is up.
 

QuadrupleDeke

33% more deke
Aug 6, 2009
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Trotz Trotz Trotz Trotz Trotz Trotz

dxBjcTi.jpg
 

txpd

Registered User
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JoshuaCooper @JoshuaCooper
We caught up with Trotz today. Said Poile told him "there has been some teams just asking about me." FLA and WAS are the only 2 openings

JoshuaCooper @JoshuaCooper
Said he hasn't interviewed or been contacted by other teams yet. Washington and Florida are the only 2 current openings.

This really just makes no ****ing sense, Trotz's response seems to imply he can be contacted freely.

Why the **** would they be calling up Poile and asking about him, then not contacting Trotz. Doesn't seem like Poile is being an asshat and preventing anyone from hiring or talking to him until his contract is up.

trotz is still under contract and can not be contacted freely
 

Carlzner

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Oct 31, 2011
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Laviolette fits this roster much better than Trotz and has made the finals twice.

Not sure why people want Trotz over Laviolette.
 

malyk

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
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The City by the Bay
JoshuaCooper @JoshuaCooper
We caught up with Trotz today. Said Poile told him "there has been some teams just asking about me." FLA and WAS are the only 2 openings

JoshuaCooper @JoshuaCooper
Said he hasn't interviewed or been contacted by other teams yet. Washington and Florida are the only 2 current openings.

This really just makes no ****ing sense, Trotz's response seems to imply he can be contacted freely.

Why the **** would they be calling up Poile and asking about him, then not contacting Trotz. Doesn't seem like Poile is being an asshat and preventing anyone from hiring or talking to him until his contract is up.

Also, it's reasonable due diligence to call up Poile and ask how things run there, how was trotz involved in off ice management things, is he adaptable or does he like is defensive system, etc. You can certainly get that from trotz himself, but it's good business to get other perspectives on people...especially from those that have worked closely with him for so long.
 

txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
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New Bern, NC
Laviolette fits this roster much better than Trotz and has made the finals twice.

Not sure why people want Trotz over Laviolette.

I think trotz might be a hard ass. I think there many that think players on this roster need to pay a steeper price for coasting than they have been. or to say that trotz would close the country club
 

Langway

In den Wolken
Jul 7, 2006
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Also, it's reasonable due diligence to call up Poile and ask how things run there, how was trotz involved in off ice management things, is he adaptable or does he like is defensive system, etc. You can certainly get that from trotz himself, but it's good business to get other perspectives on people...especially from those that have worked closely with him for so long.
Right. Particularly when you're Dick Patrick and you have a prior working relationship with Poile. I'd be shocked if that call hasn't happened and didn't include some questions about Fenton as well.

I'll say again with this being their fourth coach in four years that someone that has displayed staying power in the past is a real plus. Lavy fits better stylistically but how long would it last? As much as ownership wants to talk about competing next season and immediately revamping things they also need to think about this long-term and establishing a program. Maybe Lavy can be part of that, I don't know. That's the sort of stability I'd be looking for if I'm serious about this leadership change since perennial contenders have that sort of stability.
 

BrooklynCapsFan

No more choking!
Oct 23, 2002
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Right. Particularly when you're Dick Patrick and you have a prior working relationship with Poile. I'd be shocked if that call hasn't happened and didn't include some questions about Fenton as well.

I'll say again with this being their fourth coach in four years that someone that has displayed staying power in the past is a real plus. Lavy fits better stylistically but how long would it last? As much as ownership wants to talk about competing next season and immediately revamping things they also need to think about this long-term and establishing a program. Maybe Lavy can be part of that, I don't know. That's the sort of stability I'd be looking for if I'm serious about this leadership change since perennial contenders have that sort of stability.

If only we had the opportunity to bring in Jim Nill and Lindy Ruff :shakehead:
 

Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
37,454
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Philadelphia
I'm honestly pretty happy about the coaching and GM candidates available at the moment (slightly less so if Benning really is off the market). Having guys like Laviolettte and Trotz already on the market is far better coaching options than have been available during the last couple HC vacancies. Let alone if McLellan or Bylsma join them.
 
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