paul maurice's post game interviews

[thejackal 46]

am i the only one who find them the funniest thing ever? everytime it looks like his dog just died and someone's holding a gun to his head to just get him to talk.

[DarkStar50 679]

Right now, that pretty much sums up coaching the Leafs.

[Eazy_b97 1]

He's a poor coach, but a very personable guy. One of the better interviews around and the media loves him because of it.

[kosydar 0]

He's a poor coach, but a very personable guy. One of the better interviews around and the media loves him because of it.

Its funny, last season I really thought he was a great coach because of how he handled the media. This year once I've paid attention to his actually coaching I've noticed he has many shortcomings. I really like the guy though, and I don't necessarily want to see him fired.

[#96 0]

If he's such a bad coach, how'd he get the Canes to the Cup? I mean, you get that far, everyone's gotta be doing their job right, no?

[kosydar 0]

I don't think he is an absolutely terrible coach, I just think he has a lot of faults. His judgment of talent seems far from rational at times. Woz had a good game or two to start he season off. The last 20 games he has done nothing but play horrible positionally and take untimely penalties. Both Stralman and Kronvall were much, much better when they were called up, yet Woz keeps his roster spot over both. I have a sick feeling that when Cola comes back Woz will still play. In less than three games on the top line Bell scored a goal and in my opinion showed that he deserved to be there far more than Poni. Now Bell is getting 5 minutes of ice a game on the 4th line. The powerplay sucks and it seems like Maurice can't fix it. He also puts questionable people out in important situations- see McCabe being the only defensemen out on the OT 3 on 3 that Komisarek scored the breakway goal.

I can't say I paid much attention to his coaching in 01-02, but he was coaching a very solid team with good leadership. His players performed well (the BBC line, Irbe, Francis, Brind Amour and O'Neill all stand out in my mind), and were helped out in the Conference finals with a very beat up Maple Leaf team.

[Eazy_b97 1]

If he's such a bad coach, how'd he get the Canes to the Cup? I mean, you get that far, everyone's gotta be doing their job right, no?

He played a different style, rode goaltenders who were playing well above their level and caught some breaks. Beat an overrated NJ team, faced a Leafs team coming off 2 7 game series missing key players and having others playing extremely hurt (Tucker with a broken collarbone, Roberts with 1 shoulder, Cujo with a broken hand). They also played a weak MTL team who upset Boston. Easier route than normal, catching breaks and doing the little things are how they made it.

[#96 0]

If he's such a bad coach, how'd he get the Canes to the Cup? I mean, you get that far, everyone's gotta be doing their job right, no?

He played a different style, rode goaltenders who were playing well above their level and caught some breaks. Beat an overrated NJ team, faced a Leafs team coming off 2 7 game series missing key players and having others playing extremely hurt (Tucker with a broken collarbone, Roberts with 1 shoulder, Cujo with a broken hand). They also played a weak MTL team who upset Boston. Easier route than normal, catching breaks and doing the little things are how they made it.

I don't watch enough Leafs games to really make an educated opionion on the subject, but you guys would definitley know way more than me.

I hated Quinn. Not because of his tactics or strategy as a coach, I just thought he was a bully behind the bench. So to me, Maurice is an improvement.

[hahaimhenry 0]

I think Maurice doesn't push the players enough. I mean you watch the Leaf games and some games they skate hard and the other games look like they just want the game to end quicker so they can go home.

[5minutesforfighting 0]

My coach gave me a hard time about that today. He's a die-hard Bruins fan..and I muttered "Bruins got lucky" as he walked by..he turned around and said "Did you see their interviews after the game? What a bunch of crybabies"

[Chadd 916]

I think Maurice doesn't push the players enough. I mean you watch the Leaf games and some games they skate hard and the other games look like they just want the game to end quicker so they can go home.

That's what happens when you have a "players coach".

[mrusse01 0]

I think Maurice doesn't push the players enough. I mean you watch the Leaf games and some games they skate hard and the other games look like they just want the game to end quicker so they can go home.

That's what happens when you have a "players coach".

I've actually heard just the opposite from a former pro that I know through a few friends. He apparently hangs out with Steve Simmons from the Toronto Sun around here (a VERY questionable source in my opinion...but still a decently big name). Apparently Maurice is very very hard on the players behind closed doors and a lot of them resent him for it, Simmons especially singled out Sundin as one player who does not like Maurice personally. I ran into Matt Stajan one night at a bar through a mutual friend after the Leafs blew a couple of big leads against the Pens, he commented to me how the coaches were really riding his ass about his performance this season, and obviously he'd didn't want to say too much but both me and another guy there got the feeling Stajan did not particularly like the coaching staff. He also had obvious disdain for the defense corps on the team, but when asked about McCabe (smack in the middle of the McCabe controvery this season) he mentioned that he was a really good guy and everybody on the team was behind him. I also heard Raycroft referred to as the "coach's son" last year by Wellwood, but that's another story.

Funny thing is I always thought of Maurice as a 'player coach' before as well, he seems very personable and funny in interviews. But if you watch the team on the bench there is very little communication with the coach, and in particular during timeouts they seem almost to tune him out. I wouldn't be shocked if he has lost that dressing room to a certain degree, you rarely see a 'player's coach' helm a team that gets blown out as frequently as the Leafs do. They really seem to give up on a lot of games.

[chippa13 1844]

I've watched Maurice coach some very bad Whaler and 'Canes teams to respectability. The guy is a good coach.

[Chadd 916]

I've watched Maurice coach some very bad Whaler and 'Canes teams to respectability. The guy is a good coach.

Just because he's a good coach doesn't mean he's the right coach. Some guys can coach pluggers but they can't coach stars and others can only coach one style of play.

[chippa13 1844]

Francis, Brind'Amour, Cole, O'Neill (when he actually scored), Primeau......what a pile of stiffs. ;-)

Personally, I can't understand why anyone would want to coach the Leafs.

[Chadd 916]

Francis, Brind'Amour, Cole, O'Neill (when he actually scored), Primeau......what a pile of stiffs. ;-)

Personally, I can't understand why anyone would want to coach the Leafs.

I never said HE could only coach pluggers, only giving an example that not every good coach is the right coach.

I do agree about Toronto though. The media seems to have yankee-like expectations despite not having won a cup in roughly forever.

[chippa13 1844]

Francis, Brind'Amour, Cole, O'Neill (when he actually scored), Primeau......what a pile of stiffs. ;-)

Personally, I can't understand why anyone would want to coach the Leafs.

I never said HE could only coach pluggers, only giving an example that not every good coach is the right coach.

I do agree about Toronto though. The media seems to have yankee-like expectations despite not having won a cup in roughly forever.

I could understand if they at least had a Yankee-like roster. I'd wager Montreal is very similar in this regard.

"You are the Canadiens, you must win."

[Eazy_b97 1]

It's not just winning, it's being respectable and coming to play on a nightly basis. It took a year and a half for this team to stop getting blown out on a bi-weekly basis. The main problem was an all-out, balls to the wall, offense, which Maurice constantly spoke of as a "need" in the new NHL. He was coaching the new NHL, not the Leafs, and that killed him. Now he seems to be doing better, identifying his teams strengths and working with them. He's had issues over complicating things here, his greatest success has been with simplicity.

[DarkStar50 679]

Scotty Bowman was a prick to his players. Read Ken Dryden's The Game if you want some insight to Bowman. Of course, the 76 Habs had the greatest collection of players ever. Bowman also did a great job with the Penguins and Wings. Give him the talent and he got the results.

However, given the dilution of talent across 30 teams, a coach who rides the team all the time will eventually lose the team. The fringe players feel their job is secure. They know they are better than the AHL guy right behind them. The star players get tired of taking all the crap for the lack of wins. Bob Hartley got some improvement out of the Thrashers but after getting wiped out by the Rangers in the playoffs, the players said screw you and tanked the start of the season. So long, Bob Hartley.

JFJ must be on some short leash where he has to twist in the wind with Maurice together. I'll leave the rest up to kosy and easy since they know more about the Leafs on a day-in, day-out basis than I do.

[chippa13 1844]

Players don't tank on coaches, they just stop listening to them. There is a difference. You can usually tell because the team looks to be playing without any kind of structure. Guys just try to play their own game instead of a team game.

[Chadd 916]

Scotty Bowman was a prick to his players. Read Ken Dryden's The Game if you want some insight to Bowman. Of course, the 76 Habs had the greatest collection of players ever. Bowman also did a great job with the Penguins and Wings. Give him the talent and he got the results.

However, given the dilution of talent across 30 teams, a coach who rides the team all the time will eventually lose the team. The fringe players feel their job is secure. They know they are better than the AHL guy right behind them. The star players get tired of taking all the crap for the lack of wins. Bob Hartley got some improvement out of the Thrashers but after getting wiped out by the Rangers in the playoffs, the players said screw you and tanked the start of the season. So long, Bob Hartley.

JFJ must be on some short leash where he has to twist in the wind with Maurice together. I'll leave the rest up to kosy and easy since they know more about the Leafs on a day-in, day-out basis than I do.

Bowman had top-level talent in all three of those cities, some would say that each team was the most talented in the league at the time.

As much as I like Bob, he wears out players and he knows it. He knows that coaching in the NHL is short-term employment and he believes the best way to get the utmost from every player is to drive them as hard as he can.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Players don't tank on coaches, they just stop listening to them. There is a difference. You can usually tell because the team looks to be playing without any kind of structure. Guys just try to play their own game instead of a team game.

There was clear confusion for most of last season and the first 2 months of this season. Constant motion in the defensive zone and constant switching along with it, players in and out of rush, not knowing when to jump in. It's like they were fighting instincts that every other system produces. It was really weird, but it's been better lately.

Darkstar, It's like Burns said, every coach has a shelf life. Eventually you lose the team or they become complacent.

[DarkStar50 679]

Sometimes the team with the most talent doesn't win. It's still about the coach. Bowman also did a very good job with mediocre(talent-wise) Buffalo teams. And since I am the only one here who can say I saw it happen, he coached the Blues with expansion talent to Cup Finals back-to-back. They were overmatched by the Canadiens in the Finals but they were competitive.

On topic, Maurice doesn't have the horses. His goalie situation is never settled. His defence is screwed up.

Since the lock-out comeback with the free ride through the neutral zone, most teams attack the blue line with the puck carrier taking it into the zone and going deep. There is very little tic-tac-toe through the neutral zone(thank you trap). This 1-on-2 rush results in cycling to death until a turn over. Maurice has forwards that do this like the rest of the league. Its a struggle to get any sustained attack in the zone now. Cycle for 30 seconds and hope for one shot opportunity.

[mrusse01 0]

It's not just winning, it's being respectable and coming to play on a nightly basis. It took a year and a half for this team to stop getting blown out on a bi-weekly basis.

The last PHX game was one of the biggest quit jobs I've ever seen from a professional hockey team, so I wouldn't speak too soon. Frankly we could have easily lost at least two games in the recent 4 game streak and then the whole picture doesn't look so rosy.

[Karly14 21]

I've watched Maurice coach some very bad Whaler and 'Canes teams to respectability. The guy is a good coach.

Just because he's a good coach doesn't mean he's the right coach. Some guys can coach pluggers but they can't coach stars and others can only coach one style of play.

I think so too. Maurice is a good coach but has the wrong players for his coaching style. For his style I think he needs a bit better of a d core. They try and run and gun a lot and their d just can't contain a wide open game.