[News] Devils hire John Hynes

[sureLoss]

update:
Tom Gulitti @TGfireandice
Fire & Ice blog: Devils plan to hire John Hynes as next head coach; Working out compensation with Penguins:

New general manager Ray Shero will reach into his Pittsburgh past to make his first coaching hiring with the Devils.

According to two sources, the Devils plan to introduce John Hynes of the AHL's Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins as their new head coach at a news conference Tuesday. The team has yet to announce the news conference, though.

The only hold-up, as of early this evening, was settling with the Pittsburgh Penguins on the compensation for Hynes. Under a recently added NHL rule, the Penguins are entitled to a third-round draft pick from one of the next three drafts.

old info:
http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2...ld_be_clu.html

Phil Housley, who played 22 games for the Devils late in the 1995-96 season, is at the top of general manager Ray Shero's short list to become the club's next head coach.

Shero has done an extensive search to find the right coach for the Devils, considering Guy Boucher of SC Bern in Switzerland, Washington Capitals assistant coach Todd Reirden and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton AHL coach John Hynes, but Housley has emerged as the leading choice.

Housley, 51, is currently an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators under Peter Laviolette. The Predators were knocked out of the playoffs this year by the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.

He coached Team USA to the gold medal at the 2013 world junior championships in Ufa, Russia.

[OzSome]

thumbs up on this. I really like Phil Housley and I hope he gets the chance to coach the NHL soon.

[Sylvanfan]

He might want them to play a too up tempo style. Unless they can instantly get about 8 years younger per player this could be bad.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I like it for Jersey.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

He might want them to play a too up tempo style. Unless they can instantly get about 8 years younger per player this could be bad.

From what I've seen and read his playing style isn't consistent with his coaching style.

[Erick Estrada]

He's worked his way up and I think it would be a solid hire as he was always a very smart player and did well with the US junior team.

[Swayze11]

Makes a lot of sense to me. Good move

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Phil "all offense, very little defense" Housley. This is a massive attitude shift from the organization. I think Lamoriello realized that when you don't have a winning product, you still have to entertain the fans. Last year's Devils were the most boring team they may have ever put out there, and I remember their trap heyday.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

Phil "all offense, very little defense" Housley. This is a massive attitude shift from the organization.

Jacques Lemaire was a PPG player in the NHL, and Larry Robinson was one of the best offensive defencemen of his generation. Both were stifling, defence-first coaches when they coached the Devils. No attitude shift was required.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Jacques Lemaire was a PPG player in the NHL, and Larry Robinson was one of the best offensive defencemen of his generation. Both were stifling, defence-first coaches when they coached the Devils. No attitude shift was required.

Yeah, but these guys were still responsible defenders and more importantly had championship pedigree from their playing days. Didn't they used to say that the Canadiens players hated Scotty Bowman for 364 days a year for stiffling their offense to make sure they played championship calibre defence. That day they spent with the cup...they didn't hate their coach.

Granted I really don't know much about Housley the coach. It's just that Jersey has had boring hockey for 25 years. The 7000 fans they still have might panic if they see a second fore checker or Defenceman join the attack.

New Jersey in my opinion is an ugly roster. Any coach will be challenged to succeed there. Given what they have for pieces...Boring hockey is their only shot to win.

[Jay Random]

‘Championship pedigree’, in this case, means ‘lucky enough to be drafted by Sam Pollock’.

Heck, Kevin Lowe and Craig MacTavish have championship pedigree coming out of their ears. So does Wayne Gretzky. Doesn’t mean a thing once you go into coaching or management.

As for ‘responsible defenders’: For the era they played in, yes. But there really was nothing we would recognize as a defensive system anywhere in the NHL in the 1970s. Lemaire did not learn to coach the trap by playing in Montreal.

Stifling their offence? from 1970–71 to 1979–80 the Habs averaged 334 GF per season. They were a classic run-and-gun team at a time when a lot of other clubs were trying to imitate the Broad Street Bullies.

[JohnnySkittles]

From Elliott Friedman's 30 thoughts:

' 7. There were reports Saturday that Phil Housley was in the lead for the Devils’ coaching job (I’d heard a similar rumour, although not as strongly worded), but that came with some pretty strong denials. It’s always difficult to predict what New Jersey will do, but it does appear as if something is coming within the next day or so. I do believe AHL Wilkes-Barre coach John Hynes is a finalist, but a couple of sources indicate there is at least one other person in the mix. '

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

‘Championship pedigree’, in this case, means ‘lucky enough to be drafted by Sam Pollock.

Heck, Kevin Lowe and Craig MacTavish have championship pedigree coming out of their ears. So does Wayne Gretzky. Doesn’t mean a thing once you go into coaching or management.

As for ‘responsible defenders’: For the era they played in, yes. But there really was nothing we would recognize as a defensive system anywhere in the NHL in the 1970s. Lemaire did not learn to coach the trap by playing in Montreal.

Stifling their offence? from 1970–71 to 1979–80 the Habs averaged 334 GF per season. They were a classic run-and-gun team at a time when a lot of other clubs were trying to imitate the Broad Street Bullies.

They scored goals no doubt. But those players believe they could have scored more. Plus Robinson and Lemaire were still around fot the 86 cup win which was a far different Habs team. No ex Oiler ever won a cup on a team like that.
*edit Lemaire no his last year coaching the Habs was 84-85.*

Either way I'm done here. I don't want a three day argument. Housley if he does get the job has paid his dues, and yes his playing style won't necessarily reflect his coaching style.

I think Devils fans have had a punishing run of really defensive coaches. Worse their current roster looks set up that they need to keep that up.

[sureLoss]

per multiple reports the NJ Devils have hired John Hynes pending compensation issues

[Gallick]

Seems a little odd to do this with the removal of compensatory picks on the horizon. Knowing the Devils they'll probably just assume they will be exempt like they were with the Kovalchuk pick penalty.

EDIT: nevermind, the Penguins never fired Hynes, so they are entitled to compensation even under the upcoming rule change.

[codynw]

This situation actually deserves compensation, unlike most of the other ones we've seen.

[sureLoss]

now official

[codynw]

I know nothing about this guy but he has to be an upgrade on DeBlower.

Now they just need some players under the age of 30 and they'll be good to go!

[handgroen]

does this mean the pens are entitled to compensatory picks for both this hire and the bylsma hire?

[CaptainCrunch]