NEXT COACH should be? mega thread ...

[WildCard]

I just can't see him leaving a very good shot at working with Dubas again and being the Leafs head coach after next year 

[Drunkard]

59 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Yeah, possibly.  Either way, I think just turning him loose on the NHL might set him up for failure.  I think he needs, like you said a dinosaur like Jacques Martin, or my suggestion Lindy Ruff, or whoever.  The key is to find a former head coach who will accept the role as an assistant.

It shouldn't be hard with the deep pockets of Daddy Warbucks. All they need to do is make the pay attractive. 

[PASabreFan]

@MODO Hockey needs to give us a lecture on how to pronounce Rikard Gronberg. LEE-noose EWL-mark has not left my brain.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

In my best Viking accent ... ReeKard Groneburg ... cheers!!

?

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

7 hours ago, SDS said:

Offensive-minded defensemen jumping up into the play are one thing, defending with forwards is another. The top-end skill in the NHL will feast on forwards rotating to the blue-line if that is the idea.

I don't have a recent example, but Pominville going around Alfie in 2006 comes to mind.

How well have they feasted on this guy and his system on an international level in recent years?

EDIT: I might add that the international size rinks being larger would even add to their ability to feast seeing there's more room to get around a D-man and more room for the d-man to defend.

Edited April 26, 2019 by MakeSabresGrr8Again
added to post

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, WildCard said:

I just can't see him leaving a very good shot at working with Dubas again and being the Leafs head coach after next year 

Babcock has four years left on his deal. Keefe negotiated a new deal last spring that apparently leaves him free to pursue an NHL job if the opportunity arises.

He’s done all he needs to do at the AHL level. He’d have to be either incredibly patient and loyal to Dubas, or have been told that Babcock has been given some kind of “cup or else” ultimatum from Dubas and Shanahan.

If somebody offered you a big raise and promotion would you stay in your current job on the hope you might get a promotion some time in the next four years? Would the fact that the current guy is generally highly-regarded in your industry affect your decision?

 

1 hour ago, MakeSabresGrr8Again said:

How well have they feasted on this guy and his system on an international level in recent years?

Not sure how much of this applies to the Beard, but aren’t the Swedes generally regarded as the most defensively stingy national team in hockey?

Edited April 26, 2019 by dudacek

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Not sure how much of this applies to the Beard, but aren’t the Swedes generally regarded as the most defensively stingy national team in hockey?

Exactly, and that's why I don't see it as a problem.

Forwards are playing in defensive positions on the PP all the time, not precisely the same as a 5v5 situation but similar.

[#freejame]

Re: Gronberg defense playing forward

It’s more about a fluidity of movement and cycling than it is forwards playing defense and defense playing forward in the offensive zone. The other most applicable area would be breakouts, where it’s as simple sometime F1, F2, and F3 aren’t your LW, C, and RW, which isn’t exactly “new.” In fact, I’m not sure any of it is really “new” if you look at old Soviet footage. 

[Curt]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

Re: Gronberg defense playing forward

It’s more about a fluidity of movement and cycling than it is forwards playing defense and defense playing forward in the offensive zone. The other most applicable area would be breakouts, where it’s as simple sometime F1, F2, and F3 aren’t your LW, C, and RW, which isn’t exactly “new.” In fact, I’m not sure any of it is really “new” if you look at old Soviet footage. 

Exactly.  Forwards dropping back to cover for a defenseman who jumps up into the play is not an innovative idea.  It’s something that is done in literally every NHL game.

All of these Gronborg quotes are cool and it really seems like he “gets it”.  The guy looks to be a good candidate for an NHL HC job, but I don’t think anything he says in these quotes that are floating around is revolutionary, innovative, on the cutting edge, or any of these other buzzwords that have been used by fans to express gushing admiration for him.  Great beard though.

[Drunkard]

7 minutes ago, Curtisp5286 said:

Exactly.  Forwards dropping back to cover for a defenseman who jumps up into the play is not an innovative idea.  It’s something that is done in literally every NHL game.

All of these Gronborg quotes are cool and it really seems like he “gets it”.  The guy looks to be a good candidate for an NHL HC job, but I don’t think anything he says in these quotes that are floating around is revolutionary, innovative, on the cutting edge, or any of these other buzzwords that have been used by fans to express gushing admiration for him.  Great beard though.

The beard is enough. I hear like Chuck Norris he keeps an extra fist under there which should come in handy when the troops get restless and need to be kept in line.

[Curt]

18 minutes ago, Drunkard said:

The beard is enough. I hear like Chuck Norris he keeps an extra fist under there which should come in handy when the troops get restless and need to be kept in line.

I can’t wait until he is hired, fans spend the entire offseason basking in the warm glow of it, then Grönborg shows up to training camp completely clean shaven. 

[Brawndo]

There was more to the the Friedman Interview, he mentioned that if Buffalo really likes Keefe and wants him, that it might force Toronto into making a decision on Babcock sooner then desired. 

[Derrico]

6 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

There was more to the the Friedman Interview, he mentioned that if Buffalo really likes Keefe and wants him, that it might force Toronto into making a decision on Babcock sooner then desired. 

So we either hire Keefe or Babcock.  Win win.

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

2 hours ago, Curtisp5286 said:

Exactly.  Forwards dropping back to cover for a defenseman who jumps up into the play is not an innovative idea.  It’s something that is done in literally every NHL game.

All of these Gronborg quotes are cool and it really seems like he “gets it”.  The guy looks to be a good candidate for an NHL HC job, but I don’t think anything he says in these quotes that are floating around is revolutionary, innovative, on the cutting edge, or any of these other buzzwords that have been used by fans to express gushing admiration for him.  Great beard though.

How about words like.....using analytics and in game adjustments?

Something we know Phil never knew.

[...]

4 hours ago, #freejame said:

Re: Gronberg defense playing forward

It’s more about a fluidity of movement and cycling than it is forwards playing defense and defense playing forward in the offensive zone. The other most applicable area would be breakouts, where it’s as simple sometime F1, F2, and F3 aren’t your LW, C, and RW, which isn’t exactly “new.” In fact, I’m not sure any of it is really “new” if you look at old Soviet footage. 

Mmm, I dunno.  I'd like to watch some of his teams to see if we can really ascertain what it is he's talking about.  See the quote from him I'm focusing on below...

2 hours ago, Curtisp5286 said:

Exactly.  Forwards dropping back to cover for a defenseman who jumps up into the play is not an innovative idea.  It’s something that is done in literally every NHL game.

All of these Gronborg quotes are cool and it really seems like he “gets it”.  The guy looks to be a good candidate for an NHL HC job, but I don’t think anything he says in these quotes that are floating around is revolutionary, innovative, on the cutting edge, or any of these other buzzwords that have been used by fans to express gushing admiration for him.  Great beard though.

Who in the NHL is coaching the way Gronborg spelled it out? 

“We involve all five players in the defense as well as the offense,” he said. “The game is not as static anymore. Everyone needs to go outside the box a little bit. Forwards are not always forwards, and defensemen are not always defensemen. It’s the situation that steers that and dictates it. That’s how you raise the pace of the game.” 

I don't see how you can have a static system and accomplish what he's talking about here.  I think he's talking about more than offensive D men jumping up into the play.  I think he's talking about taking that concept a step further.  Yes, we do see some five-men unit plays on entries from time to time, especially on the PP, but we're not seeing a sustained approach using this concept. 

Add to that allowing the players freedom to create on the ice instead of playing a manner outside of their personal style, I do think this guy is taking a fresh look at the game and we haven't seen it here unless you watch pee-wee games.

[Curt]

17 minutes ago, MakeSabresGrr8Again said:

How about words like.....using analytics and in game adjustments?

Something we know Phil never knew.

Sounds great to me.  I’m all for a coach who will use all available information to help make decisions.  Like I said, he seems like a good candidate.  I’m a little uneasy about the fact that Grönborg doesn’t have much experience in a league environment, coaching the same group over a 6 month, or year after year, period of time.  No candidate is perfect though, and he check pretty much every other box.

[Curt]

4 minutes ago, ... said:

Mmm, I dunno.  I'd like to watch some of his teams to see if we can really ascertain what it is he's talking about.  See the quote from him I'm focusing on below...

Who in the NHL is coaching the way Gronborg spelled it out? 

“We involve all five players in the defense as well as the offense,” he said. “The game is not as static anymore. Everyone needs to go outside the box a little bit. Forwards are not always forwards, and defensemen are not always defensemen. It’s the situation that steers that and dictates it. That’s how you raise the pace of the game.” 

I don't see how you can have a static system and accomplish what he's talking about here.  I think he's talking about more than offensive D men jumping up into the play.  I think he's talking about taking that concept a step further.  Yes, we do see some five-men unit plays on entries from time to time, especially on the PP, but we're not seeing a sustained approach using this concept. 

Add to that allowing the players freedom to create on the ice instead of playing a manner outside of their personal style, I do think this guy is taking a fresh look at the game and we haven't seen it here unless you watch pee-wee games.

I don’t really think that he is.  Do you think he is after some sort of positionless way of playing hockey with all 5 players seamlessly rotating positions around the ice?

Perhaps he is interested in using 5 man puck moving type of stuff through the neutral zone, like Nashville has done at times.  As coach of Sweden’s national teams, has he been using groundbreaking tactics that are blowing peoples minds?

 

 

[...]

17 minutes ago, Curtisp5286 said:

 As coach of Sweden’s national teams, has he been using groundbreaking tactics that are blowing peoples minds?

I don't know.  I already stated I'd like to watch some of his teams.  Have you watched his teams?

His reputation precedes him somewhat, though, as illustrated by the article that started this conversation.  And I already stated earlier in this thread I doubt he would go P1-P5 on the ice per shift, that those players would have to revert to some comfortable area.  It's ludicrous to think we're going to find 18 players per night who are all so well rounded they're going to be trusted in any zone, with any assignment, playing any role.

All I know is that the systems we've been seeing aren't likely the only way to play the game.  There has to be a better way to enter zones than dump and chase.  There has to be a better way to capitalize on possession while using the neutral zone and your own zones. 

I think we caught a little flavour of that with the Sabres during the streak and they would routinely use Hutton as a sixth player (as opposed to just a goalie).  I bet you that stuff drove Housley crazy and it's why we saw a lot less of that from January on.  In their attempt to implement Housley's system, they were chaotic, but we saw some interesting things happening with the D coming up and forwards dropping back but not into a completely defensive position.

Edited April 27, 2019 by ...
The Ghost of Dwight Drane

[Curt]

 

52 minutes ago, ... said:

I don't see how you can have a static system and accomplish what he's talking about here.  I think he's talking about more than offensive D men jumping up into the play.  I think he's talking about taking that concept a step further.  Yes, we do see some five-men unit plays on entries from time to time, especially on the PP, but we're not seeing a sustained approach using this concept. 

Ok, fair enough.  I’m trying to understand exactly what you are invisioning though.  Could you elaborate on this 5-man unit concept you are talking about above?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

8 hours ago, ... said:

I don't know.  I already stated I'd like to watch some of his teams.  Have you watched his teams?

His reputation precedes him somewhat, though, as illustrated by the article that started this conversation.  And I already stated earlier in this thread I doubt he would go P1-P5 on the ice per shift, that those players would have to revert to some comfortable area.  It's ludicrous to think we're going to find 18 players per night who are all so well rounded they're going to be trusted in any zone, with any assignment, playing any role.

All I know is that the systems we've been seeing aren't likely the only way to play the game.  There has to be a better way to enter zones than dump and chase.  There has to be a better way to capitalize on possession while using the neutral zone and your own zones. 

I think we caught a little flavour of that with the Sabres during the streak and they would routinely use Hutton as a sixth player (as opposed to just a goalie).  I bet you that stuff drove Housley crazy and it's why we saw a lot less of that from January on.  In their attempt to implement Housley's system, they were chaotic, but we saw some interesting things happening with the D coming up and forwards dropping back but not into a completely defensive position.

Gave you a LOL thingie for the edit.  Your post is very good.

[Brawndo]

 

[Derrico]

Come on buffalo.  Get on that train!

[Gatorman0519]

Keefe all day!

[Zamboni]

I wonder if we’ll get a coach before or after the draft... I can see arguments for both sides.

[Thorny]

On 4/26/2019 at 7:51 PM, Derrico said:

So we either hire Keefe or Babcock.  Win win.

I think this is what happens. 

14 hours ago, Zamboni said:

I wonder if we’ll get a coach before or after the draft... I can see arguments for both sides.

Not sure, but I don't think it matters.