Ranking NHL Coaches

[RadioGaGa 162]

So, ESPN gives the NHL almost NO airtime, but they have enough insight into the league to rank (well...maybe not 30-1) or at least classify the coaches?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...&id=3515195

Thoughts?

[razrbladz12 0]

I like to see articles like this. I think they're fun to read...see how they stack players/coaches. Just because they don't get air time on TV doesn't mean ESPN doesn't have hockey folk around the news room waiting to write.

[chef_ducky 0]

I would have excepted to see Boudreau a little higher.

[Chadd 916]

I would have excepted to see Boudreau a little higher.

He hasn't even coached in the NHL for a full season, obviously the jury is still out.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I would have excepted to see Boudreau a little higher.

Until he does what he did last year again, having him in the "something to prove" category seems fair. They've qualified it well.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

I think Anderson's gonna do a great job in Atlanta - won a couple of Turners and a couple of Calders in 10 years.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I think Anderson's gonna do a great job in Atlanta - won a couple of Turners and a couple of Calders in 10 years.

And the year they didn't win it all in the "A" they still had very good teams...the made it to the West Finals ('04, '07) before winning last year...so, yeah...he knows how to win.

[Jarick 5]

I'm a Wild fan, but I don't get all the hype about Lemaire. He won a Cup in 1995, helped usher in the trap era, and hasn't done much since. Sure the Wild got to the Western Conference finals with a bunch of scrubs in 2003, but they were easy outs with good rosters the last couple years.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Also won the Calder the first year they joined...I like to call it a Solar Bears repeat anyway as Chicago picked up the Atlanta affiliation and pretty much all of the Bears went up to Chicago.

[Goonsquad 209]

I would have excepted to see Boudreau a little higher.

He hasn't even coached in the NHL for a full season, obviously the jury is still out.

Before Boudreau there was Hanlon... The change in styles did the team good...

There are some that say Boudreau should have given Kolzig at least 1 game before they got ousted playoffs..

[Chadd 916]

I would have excepted to see Boudreau a little higher.

He hasn't even coached in the NHL for a full season, obviously the jury is still out.

Before Boudreau there was Hanlon... The change in styles did the team good...

There are some that say Boudreau should have given Kolzig at least 1 game before they got ousted playoffs..

You play to win, not to make people happy.

[Jason Harris 31]

So, ESPN gives the NHL almost NO airtime, but they have enough insight into the league to rank (well...maybe not 30-1) or at least classify the coaches?

Terry Frei has been the hockey writer for the Denver Post since we've lived here (almost 11 years).

The problem with ranking the coaches is it's impossible to ignore how important the roster is. The world of sports is full of coaches who became a lot smarter once they were able to coach better players. Similarly, even "elite" coaches have been less successful in subsequent stops because the players weren't as good.

Then you have someone like Scotty Bowman, whose reputation brings him instant respect from the players, so he's been able to build winners everywhere he's gone.

[Chadd 916]

So, ESPN gives the NHL almost NO airtime, but they have enough insight into the league to rank (well...maybe not 30-1) or at least classify the coaches?

Terry Frei has been the hockey writer for the Denver Post since we've lived here (almost 11 years).

The problem with ranking the coaches is it's impossible to ignore how important the roster is. The world of sports is full of coaches who became a lot smarter once they were able to coach better players. Similarly, even "elite" coaches have been less successful in subsequent stops because the players weren't as good.

Then you have someone like Scotty Bowman, whose reputation brings him instant respect from the players, so he's been able to build winners everywhere he's gone.

Bowman also had pretty good rosters in Pittsburgh and Detroit.

[Jason Harris 31]

What's the saying? "It's the players, stupid?"

Yes, Bowman had players but he only missed the playoffs once in his coaching career. It took four seasons to win the Cup in Detroit, so I think that's more indicative of building a winning organization. And after he became GM of the Penguins, they not only reached the playoffs, but they took it all in his second season, then won again after he took over following Bob Johnson's death.

I realize the article is about current coaches, but in the time I've been following the NHL, that man was consistently the best coach.

[Neal 41]

I'm a Wild fan, but I don't get all the hype about Lemaire. He won a Cup in 1995, helped usher in the trap era, and hasn't done much since. Sure the Wild got to the Western Conference finals with a bunch of scrubs in 2003, but they were easy outs with good rosters the last couple years.

See and I'd thought the Wild were a team with a good coach and a bad GM. I've always looked at their rosters and seen solid defensive players but very few players with offensive skills. Even last year, with IMO their best roster ever, the offensive players were limited to Gaborik, Demitra, Bouchard, Rolston and Koivu. Gaborik, Demitra and Bouchard are at best mediocre defensively and weak physically. Rolston and Koivu are well rounded 2 way players but not very aggressive. Koivu may yet add that element to his game. The rest of the forwards were pluggers and grinders IMO.

[Jarick 5]

See and I'd thought the Wild were a team with a good coach and a bad GM. I've always looked at their rosters and seen solid defensive players but very few players with offensive skills. Even last year, with IMO their best roster ever, the offensive players were limited to Gaborik, Demitra, Bouchard, Rolston and Koivu. Gaborik, Demitra and Bouchard are at best mediocre defensively and weak physically. Rolston and Koivu are well rounded 2 way players but not very aggressive. Koivu may yet add that element to his game. The rest of the forwards were pluggers and grinders IMO.

No doubt the GM plays it way too safe. But Lemaire's brilliant coaching strategy was to put Demitra in a defensive role as center and put Todd Fedoruk on Gaborik's other wing. And it seemed most of the time he put the best center (Koivu) with Stephane Veilleux and Branko Radivojevic.

Rolston does owe Lemaire quite a bit of money for putting and keeping him at the point for over 90 seconds per power play. His goal and point production spiked way up when he came to Minnesota and played the point.

I don't know, following the Wild for many years now, the only thing I can come up with is that the Wild lack offense perennially, but most offensive players "don't fit" the system, and now it seems free agents don't want to play here because of it. So while it's nice to think we've got this legend of a coach in Lemaire, I'd rather see someone else who rewards offense instead of just defense.

[Neal 41]

No doubt the GM plays it way too safe. But Lemaire's brilliant coaching strategy was to put Demitra in a defensive role as center and put Todd Fedoruk on Gaborik's other wing. And it seemed most of the time he put the best center (Koivu) with Stephane Veilleux and Branko Radivojevic.

Okay Fedoruk on Gaborik's wing was hard to believe. But it does point out how the Wild have no physical, offensively skilled wingers. Your other 2 points just show how thin this team is at center. Koivu is their only 1st, 2nd or 3rd line center. Lemaire was forced to play Demitra at center. Koivu is also their only fast, strong, defensively skilled center. To Lemaire that means he has to play center on the shut down line, all the better to win the 1-0 nothing game.

Rolston does owe Lemaire quite a bit of money for putting and keeping him at the point for over 90 seconds per power play. His goal and point production spiked way up when he came to Minnesota and played the point.

I don't know, following the Wild for many years now, the only thing I can come up with is that the Wild lack offense perennially, but most offensive players "don't fit" the system, and now it seems free agents don't want to play here because of it. So while it's nice to think we've got this legend of a coach in Lemaire, I'd rather see someone else who rewards offense instead of just defense.

I think you're right, many free agents stay away from the Wild because they know their point totals and therefore earnings will drop. But the GM picks the coach, so he should be prepared to compensate for the lack of quality free agents by either overpaying for the right player, identifying underachievers who can overperform for Lemaire or drafting well and locking those players up.

[FlyChicaga 21]

Then you have someone like Scotty Bowman, whose reputation brings him instant respect from the players, so he's been able to build winners everywhere he's gone.

That's what we are hoping here in Chicago!

I love the writeup on Barry Melrose... "Not a knock on our colleague, but..."

[Fire0nIce228 1]

ESPN is a joke, they didnt even have Sidney Crosby spelled right during the LLWS last night..

[Chadd 916]

ESPN is a joke, they didnt even have Sidney Crosby spelled right during the LLWS last night..

Didn't watch it but if it was an in game graphic, chances are the kid in the truck who typed of the graphic wasn't a hockey fan.