[Game Takes] Leafs 2 Flames 1 (OT)

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

And I would say that this follows a pretty consistent trend for this group under their last four coaches:

Bob Hartley 2014–15 0.591
Bob Hartley 2015–16 0.470
Glen Gulutzan 2016–17 0.573
Glen Gulutzan 2017–18 0.512
Bill Peters 2018–19 0.652
Bill Peters 2019–20 0.500
Geoff Ward 2019–20 0.622 (includes play-in)
Geoff Ward 2020–21 0.500

I know it is oversimplified, but there is a pattern there with this group under every single coach and playing system: they have a tendency to fall off. The second year is always much worse than the first. Certainly, the coaches deserve criticism for not keeping the players engaged enough to be consistently good, but I also don't think there is any evidence to suggest that a long-term "proven" coach would yield any different results.

The more time lousy coaches have to burn their lousy ideas in to the players’ brains, the worse they get. Give the team a clean slate and they play well until it’s coached out of them

No matter. If you really believe that’s all there is to it, freshen up the coach every year then.

[Enoch Root]

One of the things about the NHL, and coaching in the NHL, is that it is largely about adjustments, and counter-adjustments.

When a coach does substantially worse in the 2nd year than the first, the immediate (and most common) conclusions are that they are bad at making adjustments, or the team isn't listening to them.

Neither outcome offers much solace for the status quo.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

One of the things about the NHL, and coaching in the NHL, is that it is largely about adjustments, and counter-adjustments.

When a coach does substantially worse in the 2nd year than the first, the immediate (and most common) conclusions are that they are bad at making adjustments, or the team isn't listening to them.

Neither outcome offers much solace for the status quo.

I wrote in a different threat about how I think there are going to be coaches getting exposed this season with all these multiple games in a row, somewhat mirroring playoff series.


I think the coaches that are great at making adjustments will get more out of their team than the coaches that aren't good at it. For instance, I thought Calgary looked worse and worse as their 'series' against Vancouver played out. I thought Calgary looked worse in their 2 games vs Toronto. Let's see what happens in Ottawa now.