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Originally Posted by Major Major
Simply an initial assessment based on what these 2 candidates have shown in terms of having head coaching potential at the pro level.
It's not that complicated. Love is a top coaching prospect based on what he's done with the Heat/Wranglers. Huska is replacement level may not have been offered another job in the NHL had he not been given the top gig. It's like opting to take take Stone over Valimaki. And we'll get to see that play out again. Nothing getting more familiar as a flames fan than watching top talent leave the team for greener pastures.
Everything we've heard so far is that this is a loyalty hire of some kind. I think that's dumb. It will be framed like this guy is an incredible communicator and intelligent hockey mind. That's probably true and I hope it pays off, but this comes off as exactly the type of mistake Sutter made. Go with the guy you know and trust no matter what the younger guy is showing.
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I don't know how anyone can safely assert that Huska is "replacement level". And if the test is whether or not he would have gotten a gig elsewhere, I definitely don't foresee Love heading a head coaching gig elsewhere, so on the same basis do we call him "replacement level"?
At the pro level as HC? You have to look at who they were given to coach.
Huska had somewhat less success but OTOH, had a lot of goalie issues (as in 7 goalies in his last season) and the top talent given to him by the franchise was Andrew Mangiapane (for 1.5 seasons).