ECR1: Florida Panthers (A3) vs Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) - PANTHERS WIN 4-1

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Sorry fellow FanIn80. I just don't agree. Cooper is a genuinely great coach. Look at what he did with a misfit Canadian group in the 4 nations. His record is strong, beyond reproach. I give credit where it's due, He's fantastic.

[FanIn80]

The shortened covid seasons (the first one with no crowds, and the second one with crazy divisions that saw them have to beat MTL in the finals) will always have asterisks beside them in my mind.

Putting that aside, the main point I was trying to make is that there isn’t a lot of coaching that goes on with a team like Tampa. It’s more managing than coaching. Even Paul Maurice said the same thing about Florida. I don’t have the exact quote in front of me, but it was along the lines of “I’m just here to manage the team. These guys don’t need me telling them how to play hockey, they know what they’re doing. I just try to put right guys together and then let them do their thing.”

There’s a stark contrast between coaching the Lightning and coaching the Sharks (for example). He’s a great bench boss, but I would love to see him go to Buffalo (please stay away from CHI/SJS/ANA or anywhere here in the west). I’m not being vindictive when I say that, either. I honestly would love to see him with a team that actually needs to be coached. I suspect he’d be really good with that too, but until it happens I don’t actually know.

[DeluxeMoustache]

I think Maurice is understating lol

The team has a system, they need to all be on the same page. All five guys on the ice need to understand what their teammates are doing and what they need to do

He’s smart enough not to claim something that would get him roasted

[Paulie Walnuts]

Maurice overhauled the system in Florida to play this gritty system lol. He’s not just putting lines together and telling them to figure it out. That was Mike Keenan.

[FanIn80]

His “system” is “get the puck and move it forward.” (In a nutshell.)

…but I didn’t say anything about him not having a system. Just that he has a deep, veteran roster that doesn’t need a lot of hands on coaching. There are different approaches for different rosters… like imagine thinking you have to teach Aleksander Barkov how to play hockey lol. It’s more like, “I don’t want the puck in our zone. Get the puck and move it up the ice. If you want to carry it or pass it or even just dump it… you know what you’re doing. I’ll leave that up to you.”

He’s literally talked about how his players pretty much just coach themselves. I mean, obviously he’s being a bit coy, but he’s also not wrong. It’s funny cause I got roasted here pretty hard last week for suggesting that the Flames’ coaching staff might not be the best fit for a player like Parekh, and then literally the next day Rhett Warrener is on youtube saying exactly the same thing lol. I know, I know, the same people who always say I don’t know what I’m talking about also say the same about Rhett… but I tend to think a guy with over 700 games in the show knows a bit more about what goes on in NHL rooms than they do.

[Sylvanfan]

Well looks like Father Time will once again win here. Kucherov turns 32 in June, Hedman will be 35 in December, Guentzel and Vasilevsky will both be 31 when the season starts again in October.

Point is still younger as are Hagel and Cirelli. But are they guys who are going to drive a championship team? Or are they outstanding complementary pieces?

I see them more as the latter, and I think it's starting to turn a bit on the Lightning. Remains to be seen if they end up like Pittsburgh...and Chicago. Or maybe like a Washington who did slip but seem to have made a late stage recovery here even if it may only be a one time thing.

[The Yen Man]

I hope they don't fire Cooper. I can see a team like the Canucks or (gross) Oilers snap him up. Can you imagine the Oilers with Cooper coaching them? Yuck, no thanks.

[Paulie Walnuts]

They have no 1st round picks in the next 3 drafts. The GM said they don't care about trading them away.

I just don't see them changing course just yet. Plus those players outside of Hedman all are still playing at an elite level. Kucherov is top 3 in Hart voting, Vasilevsky is top 3 in Vezina voting.

Hagel had a career year with 90 points.

[Sylvanfan]

Sure they can still win regular season hockey, and probably beat a weaker playoff team like a Montreal or this seasons injured New Jersey. But once the top guys pass 30...winning Stanley Cups gets a lot harder in this cap era.

Do you think Hagel scores 90 points if he's on the Flames roster?

[Paulie Walnuts]

No I don't think you can win with players over 30 being your top players, but they think they can and went all in with letting Stamkos walk and giving a long term deal to Guentzel.

I think the regular season success is masking that they are probably done contending, and the GM has said he has no plans to change course.

I think their cup contention window is closed.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Sorry fellow FanIn80. I just don't agree. Cooper is a genuinely great coach. Look at what he did with a misfit Canadian group in the 4 nations. His record is strong, beyond reproach. I give credit where it's due, He's fantastic.

Is this a serious message or a sarcastic one

Misfit group? Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon, Makar…

[Ped]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I hope they don't fire Cooper. I can see a team like the Canucks or (gross) Oilers snap him up. Can you imagine the Oilers with Cooper coaching them? Yuck, no thanks.

I read (in The Athletic maybe?) that there are mild rumblings Cooper could consider moving upstairs in Utah, where he is apparently very close with the owners.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Is this a serious message or a sarcastic one

Misfit group? Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon, Makar…

Outside of a top pair, defense and goaltending were very suspect heading into that tournament.

[Ped]

Now confirmed that Cooper will be back next year.


https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...tning-says-gm/

[FanIn80]

I just re-read all my posts on the last page (and this one). Clearly I was high* af...

*metaphorically

[3rd liner]

Hagel calling out Ekblad today for the forearm shiver, now that he has a concussion from it. Saying Ekblad should have just challenged him to fight instead of targeting his head.
I have mixed feelings. I see his point, but Hagel also cheap-shotted Barkov, which could have been worse. Whether it's right or wrong, playoffs aren't about settling up with a fight (that's usually next season). If I were Hagel I would have said nothing and just destroyed Ekblad next season.
Ekblad is hardly an angel and has some karma coming his way.

[FanIn80]

When did Hagel turn into such a whiny little bitch? Has he always been like this?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

The ####? Whiny? Concussions can severely alter and limit your career. Ekblad could have just cost him millions. He's well within his rights to bs upset.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

The ####? Whiny? Concussions can severely alter and limit your career. Ekblad could have just cost him millions. He's well within his rights to bs upset.

I think he's referring to him whining about being hit in the head after he went head hunting on Barkov earlier in the series.

Maybe whiner isn't the best term. Hypocrite fits much better.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by 3rd liner

Hagel calling out Ekblad today for the forearm shiver, now that he has a concussion from it. Saying Ekblad should have just challenged him to fight instead of targeting his head.
I have mixed feelings. I see his point, but Hagel also cheap-shotted Barkov, which could have been worse. Whether it's right or wrong, playoffs aren't about settling up with a fight (that's usually next season). If I were Hagel I would have said nothing and just destroyed Ekblad next season.
Ekblad is hardly an angel and has some karma coming his way.

Its kind of funny, Hagel did a cheap shot, now is calling out Ekblad?

They both did stupid things.

As for Hagel taking out Ekblad good luck with that...