I am loving Huska.
Has he made mistakes? Yes. That's a rookie coach for you, and he is coaching a team with a revolving door of fresh faces to the NHL.
Why do I love him?
You either look at this roster and think that this is a great team, or you don't. I don't. I think this team is one that absolutely needs a major retool/rebuild. Not scorched-earth, but it needs a good, deep rebuild. I look at the third pairing most nights, I look at the number of players that have gone through the lineup this year with zero (or next to zero) NHL experience, and wonder how this team isn't in last place. I look at the number of rebound seasons on this team. I also can't help but notice how 'disjointed' the players were all of last season, and how they never really looked like a unit out there, but rather a mish-mash of puzzle pieces from different puzzle sets that never looked like they would fit together and look good.
Huska has them looking good. I am amazed. I was happy with the hire, and he has been better than expected by me.
Huska seems like a modern coach who is assertive. He isn't a hard ass coach, and he isn't a pushover player's coach either. He is the modern NHL coach who is both insightful, thoughtful and confident. Through the start of the season as those losses mounted, he never once panicked, or even seemed to be lost in his post-game pressers. Right or wrong, he most reminds me of Jon Cooper.
This team is a step away from a major retool. It is not competing. I am much more interested in the development of the young players than I am in the win/loss column. However, the way in which this team is playing as well as the point totals they are having makes me believe that Huska - even with the occasional mistakes - is the right choice to coach this team today. I won't even put it past him that he may be the right coach for this team when it rounds the corner and starts competing again. He may develop along very nicely with the team as well.
Now, if you feel this team on paper is a much better team than their record indicates, than I understand why Huska has been a disappointment. I don't share your viewpoint in the slightest, but I understand where you at least are coming from. I just see a coach who has this team playing well practically from top-to-bottom, and the kids seem to be thriving and developing under his coaching. That's my point of view with Huska, and why I really like him as the coach.
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