I voted yes but mostly because I want to see the reaction when the team continues to underperform. That is to say I think the problems go beyond the coach. Doesn’t mean he isn’t one of the problems but I don’t see a scenario where we get vastly different results with a different coach. But a different coach could be enough to salvage a playoff spot, which at this point would be good enough for me.
Takes time to wash away the GG stink will be the new go to phrase if we still suck. But I’m curious as to when people will turn on treliving because, with the exception of a few guys who frequently wear the goat horns, I don’t think our core is gonna get the blame, rightly or wrongly, the way the core of the Iggy era always did.
And then I think there’ll be a whole lot of hand wringing, just like there was after feaster left. Even if it eventually turns out that the problems aren’t as simple as we had hoped and replacing the coach wasn’t a one stop catch all solution.
However at the end of the day, the team is underperforming and his fault or not we need a shake up. Sometimes firing the coach provides that extra little boost, even if only temporary. It doesn’t mean he’s a bad coach but maybe he’s the wrong coach for this group.
When you see the team underperforming like this, even though fan’s version of events are most often hyperbolic and reactionary, it does leave one to wonder where the issues come from. And since 99% of people are judging superficially or purely on results, when there is no immediate answer, like crappy goaltending, I think coaching is an easy out that doesn’t rely on layered analysis of the multitude of potential problems. That doesn’t mean blaming the coach is wrong though.
All that being said, as much as I’d like to avoid joining the mass hysteria it is hard not to read this article about the firing of Mike Johnston in Pittsburgh in early December two seasons ago, after he spent 18 months on the job, and not think of the flames. Clearly we have some different issues, that team’s stars sucked and ours are having career years, but nevertheless some of the similarities make you wonder if Tre hasn’t waited too long already.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/p...mike-johnston/