New head coach required ASAP

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

After reflecting on the last few games with Nas in charge it has become clear that a new head coach needs to be found as soon as possible. 

Whilst it may be easier to get someone in the off-season I really don't feel the devil's can actually waste the rest of this season and see what happens. 

There are 52 games left, 52!!!!!!!! That is a sh!t load of hockey for our young guys to get through and for them to develop they need to start being coached well!

If you stick with your current hand for the remainder of the season you are wasting months of development for players like Jack Hughes. If you wait till the summer you have all that uncertainty and expectation and you could end up in exactly the same situation in November again. 

I really don't care if the guy they bring in at this stage is another interim, but they need to get someone who can actually teach these guys some fvcking basics. 

 

[Devilsfan118]

In my opinion, this team needs an ass kicker head coach in the worst kind of way. A Pat Burns type. Unfortunately they seem to be a dying breed in today's NHL.

This team is so freaking soft right now, led by a group of veterans who clearly do not have a flying f*** to give anymore. 

I also think it's imperative we get someone in here as soon as possible - but based on how long it took Shero to ditch Hynes.. I'm not hopeful he gets anything done quickly here.

Edited December 11, 2019 by Devilsfan118

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

CD#9, I cited your viewpoint in the Stars GDT thread and agree with it fully.  Nas and the rest of that staff being here for too long will do more harm than good.  It's fine that Shero didn't necessarily have a true replacement immediately and I was OK with Nas only because he's supposed to be interim only, but Nas & Co can't be here for the rest of this year.  Even if I think a good offseason coaching hire can undo any development damage that Nas & Co might have inflicted on the kids, I just don't want them to ever get that chance.  Just get them out of here.  Hopefully by no later than by early January.

And like you said, I don't care if it's another interim (though it will be hard to hire a guy strictly to be that, I'd imagine).  Though I guess if Shero wanted to bring in a Boucher-type or someone similar to be what Kevin Constantine wound up being to the Devils in 2001-02 (a guy who at least stabilized things), even if he's not necessarily sold on a guy like that being a long-term solution...I could live with it. 

[moustic]

Rikard Gronborg! 

[Aitchmack]

19 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

CD#9, I cited your viewpoint in the Stars GDT thread and agree with it fully.  Nas and the rest of that staff being here for too long will do more harm than good.  It's fine that Shero didn't necessarily have a true replacement immediately and I was OK with Nas only because he's supposed to be interim only, but Nas & Co can't be here for the rest of this year.  Even if I think a good offseason coaching hire can undo any development damage that Nas & Co might have inflicted on the kids, I just don't want them to ever get that chance.  Just get them out of here.  Hopefully by no later than by early January.

And like you said, I don't care if it's another interim (though it will be hard to hire a guy strictly to be that, I'd imagine).  Though I guess if Shero wanted to bring in a Boucher-type or someone similar to be what Kevin Constantine wound up being to the Devils in 2001-02 (a guy who at least stabilized things), even if he's not necessarily sold on a guy like that being a long-term solution...I could live with it. 

I'm 100% behind this. Getting rid of just Hynes hasn't been enough of a change to have a real effect on the team.

[Daniel]

You’re assuming the goal was for the Devils to get better after firing Hynes.

 

[mfitz804]

38 minutes ago, Daniel said:

You’re assuming the goal was for the Devils to get better after firing Hynes.

 

 

[NJDfan1711]

2 hours ago, Devilsfan118 said:

In my opinion, this team needs an ass kicker head coach in the worst kind of way. A Pat Burns type. Unfortunately they seem to be a dying breed in today's NHL.

This team is so freaking soft right now, led by a group of veterans who clearly do not have a flying f*** to give anymore. 

I also think it's imperative we get someone in here as soon as possible - but based on how long it took Shero to ditch Hynes.. I'm not hopeful he gets anything done quickly here.

Completely agree.

- Need a stern, disciplinarian-type coach

- Need it immediately 

[vadvlfan]

A new coach at this point is asinine with this group. You can't make Chicken salad out of Chicken sh!t. Who's going to want to come here. Shero (or another GM) has to unload damn passengers. If you think a good coach is going to salvage this team,  you're hallucinating.  I'm beginning to believe Daniel that Ray needs to go, because 1/2 this team needs to go. The philosophy overall has to change. This team has no grit, soft to play against, and not feared or respected at all. The Devils are an easy 2 points for everyone. Other teams lick they're chops.  Start deleting/adding better pieces, and then worry about a damn coach.  It's this team, not freakin coaching.

[jagknife]

This team just had a coach that they we’re all buddy buddy with, told them stories of how great they were, he’ll he probably tried to breast feed a couple (I’m angry now, so obviously exaggerating... maybe). His band of idiots are not better. A new coach would break this country club atmosphere they have in that locker room (I have ZERO proof of this). There are no consequences and the players know it.

What Ray Shero did by firing only Hynes is the equivalent of the Giants only firing Coughlin years ago: pin the blame on one person and make the obviously wrong choice to replace him as the choice WAS the problem to begin with (McAdoo). I’m not washing Hynes’ hands of the disaster that this team is at all, you all know how much I was over the bald headed idiot, but the fact that no one else on the staff rolled with him is proof enough that Ray is grasping at straws.

No one on this team is getting better, and only getting exponentially worse. Some absolutely falls on the players, but when you have Uncle Johnny telling you that it’s okay that we lost, we’ll get them next time, then a guy who literally has never held the title of head coach in his life before last week, you’re inviting/allowing the inmates to run the asylum.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

14 minutes ago, jagknife said:

This team just had a coach that they we’re all buddy buddy with, told them stories of how great they were, he’ll he probably tried to breast feed a couple (I’m angry now, so obviously exaggerating... maybe). His band of idiots are not better. A new coach would break this country club atmosphere they have in that locker room (I have ZERO proof of this). There are no consequences and the players know it.

What Ray Shero did by firing only Hynes is the equivalent of the Giants only firing Coughlin years ago: pin the blame on one person and make the obviously wrong choice to replace him as the choice WAS the problem to begin with (McAdoo). I’m not washing Hynes’ hands of the disaster that this team is at all, you all know how much I was over the bald headed idiot, but the fact that no one else on the staff rolled with him is proof enough that Ray is grasping at straws.

No one on this team is getting better, and only getting exponentially worse. Some absolutely falls on the players, but when you have Uncle Johnny telling you that it’s okay that we lost, we’ll get them next time, then a guy who literally has never held the title of head coach in his life before last week, you’re inviting/allowing the inmates to run the asylum.

I think Ray knows that whoever is next true permanent hire is, that guy can't be a failure...Shero probably won't get another one.  On that count, I can understand him wanting to take some kind of time to try to make sure it's a guy that he fully believes in. 

That being said, he can't sit by for 52 more games and let the leftover regime continue to contribute nothing.  I agree with vadvlfan that there's players who are an issue here too...it's not ALL on the coaches.  But I want to at least see someone who isn't tied to Hynes get a shot with these players before cleaning house (though obviously some guys on expiring deals need to go regardless). 

Edited December 11, 2019 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Nicomo]

32 minutes ago, vadvlfan said:

A new coach at this point is asinine with this group. You can't make Chicken salad out of Chicken sh!t. Who's going to want to come here. Shero (or another GM) has to unload damn passengers. If you think a good coach is going to salvage this team,  you're hallucinating.  I'm beginning to believe Daniel that Ray needs to go, because 1/2 this team needs to go. The philosophy overall has to change. This team has no grit, soft to play against, and not feared or respected at all. The Devils are an easy 2 points for everyone. Other teams lick they're chops.  Start deleting/adding better pieces, and then worry about a damn coach.  It's this team, not freakin coaching.

This team is not even close to being “chicken sh!t.” 

Anyone that claims they had a problem with how this roster was constructed going into the season is full of sh!t. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

15 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

This team is not even close to being “chicken sh!t.” 

Anyone that claims they had a problem with how this roster was constructed going into the season is full of sh!t. 

Man, I remember being in Asbury Park in late Sept for a weekend of concerts (Sea Hear Now I think it was called), staying at a bud's condo, and showing him a clip of Hughes' preseason breakaway goal against the Rangers...he's a casual Devils fan that I've been trying to turn hardcore (with no success).  I was so excited...was really building the team up, telling him that I thought they should at least be able to complete for a WC slot...and even if they failed, that they'd still be entertaining as hell to watch.

Never imagined it would ever get this ugly.  So yeah, I had no issues with the roster, really...sure, it wasn't a finished product, but there was enough there to feel optimistic about.  I do think this is the year that is showing conclusively that some guys are never going to reach the upside that we thought they might.  It's definitely NOT a team-wide thing, but some guys are simply not that good, and are never going to be...to put it another way, I think the only defenseman that I would be on-board with being here beyond this season would be Vatanen...not that he's flawless himself by any stretch, but he's the only one that I would be OK with sticking around.  The rest can all go bugger off...obviously they won't ALL be gone, but I wouldn't miss any of 'em. 

Of course, maybe the right coach gets more out of them...games like last night just suck so severely.   

Edited December 11, 2019 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Nicomo]

13 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Man, I remember being in Asbury Park in late Sept for a weekend of concerts (Sea Hear Now I think it was called), staying at a bud's condo, and showing him a clip of Hughes' preseason breakaway goal against the Rangers...he's a casual Devils fan that I've been trying to turn hardcore (with no success).  I was so excited...was really building the team up, telling him that I thought they should at least be able to complete for a WC slot...and even if they failed, that they'd still be entertaining as hell to watch.

Never imagined it would ever get this ugly.  So yeah, I had no issues with the roster, really...sure, it wasn't a finished product, but there was enough there to feel optimistic about.  I do think this is the year that is showing conclusively that some guys are never going to reach the upside that we thought they might.  It's definitely NOT a team-wide thing, but some guys are simply not that good, and are never going to be...to put it another way, I think the only defenseman that I would be on-board with being here beyond this season would be Vatanen...not that he's flawless himself by any stretch, but he's the only one that I would be OK with sticking around.  The rest can all go bugger off...obviously they won't ALL be gone, but I wouldn't miss any of 'em. 

Of course, maybe the right coach gets more out of them...games like last night just suck so severely.   

He’s definitely been the only one worth a damn this season, that’s for sure. 

Butcher is one of the most disappointing players for me at the moment. I know a lot of it was from Hall on the PP, but how the hell did he ever rack up a 44 point rookie season? 

[Gunslinger27]

I think Shero needs to start thinking about a new head coach now, start evaluating coaches who can work with this team and a direction. Get a head start going into the upcoming season. Its obvious this teams structure is seriously flawed, he cant ignore it any longer. Its obvious this team isnt going to the playoffs. With the TDL coming, he needs to start evaluating players who stays and who goes. A goaltender who will be 34 showing and 37 yr old D man. A couple of free agents contracts coming up at the end of the season. Shero needs to start now IMO................ 

[Aitchmack]

2 hours ago, Daniel said:

You’re assuming the goal was for the Devils to get better after firing Hynes.

 

If the point was to remain in the basement then all Shero had to do was not fire Hynes. You said Shero wouldn't sign anyone after he missed out on Trouba but he did. You said Shero wouldn't fire Hynes but he did. It doesn't matter what Shero does you're just going to sh!t all over him.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

15 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

He’s definitely been the only one worth a damn this season, that’s for sure. 

Butcher is one of the most disappointing players for me at the moment. I know a lot of it was from Hall on the PP, but how the hell did he ever rack up a 44 point rookie season? 

I also think that the Devils will have so much damned cap space that they could overpay for Vatanen a little and not have it be the end of the world.

Yeah I'm with you on Butcher.  And I'm really tired of Minus Man too. 

And no more Mueller please.

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Daniel]

7 minutes ago, Aitchmack said:

If the point was to remain in the basement then all Shero had to do was not fire Hynes. You said Shero wouldn't sign anyone after he missed out on Trouba but he did. You said Shero wouldn't fire Hynes but he did. It doesn't matter what Shero does you're just going to sh!t all over him.

Per Friedman, the decision to fire Hynes was more of a mercy killing than anything else; Shero did not want him to face the abuse from the fans at the Vegas game he was going to get.

Rejean could not be that stupid (although he possibly might after witnessing his body of work) to believe that John Hynes had the ability to turn things around about half-way through Fitzgerald's baby sitting operation.  If the goal was to make the team better, he would have gotten a real coach, not John Hynes' clone.  So he either decided by late October/early November that tanking the rest of the season was best for the long term prospects of the team (and himself) or he is inept at separating good coaches from bad ones. 

And how the fvck can you watch what you saw last night and not conclude that Shero deserves to be sh!t all over. 

Edited December 11, 2019 by Daniel

[jagknife]

1 hour ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I think Ray knows that whoever is next true permanent hire is, that guy can't be a failure...Shero probably won't get another one.  On that count, I can understand him wanting to take some kind of time to try to make sure it's a guy that he fully believes in. 

That being said, he can't sit by for 52 more games and let the leftover regime continue to contribute nothing.  I agree with vadvlfan that there's players who are an issue here too...it's not ALL on the coaches.  But I want to at least see someone who isn't tied to Hynes get a shot with these players before cleaning house (though obviously some guys on expiring deals need to go regardless). 

I know I’m really lashing out on the “grasping at straws” comment, but our defense is unacceptably bad. And the coach is the mastermind behind that clueless bunch.

There has to be a struggling defender out there on the same level as Severson that a one for one should be feasible, right? Hell Sbisa has 5 points over 19 games with the Jets. Severson has 2 more points over 11 more games.

I know Ray needs to find the right fit for a coach, but I swear if we get another Pitt castoff, I will lose my goddamn sh!t with him.

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

2 hours ago, vadvlfan said:

A new coach at this point is asinine with this group. You can't make Chicken salad out of Chicken sh!t. Who's going to want to come here. Shero (or another GM) has to unload damn passengers. If you think a good coach is going to salvage this team,  you're hallucinating.  I'm beginning to believe Daniel that Ray needs to go, because 1/2 this team needs to go. The philosophy overall has to change. This team has no grit, soft to play against, and not feared or respected at all. The Devils are an easy 2 points for everyone. Other teams lick they're chops.  Start deleting/adding better pieces, and then worry about a damn coach.  It's this team, not freakin coaching.

I don't agree here. 

Sure there is dead wood within the squad and players who have had their chance and just haven't performed or just flat out aren't any good(Muller & Wood spring to mind) but there are far to many young guys in this squad to give up on that easily without first trying a different approach. 

Hughes, Nico, Butcher, Zacha, Severson, Coleman, Blackwood, Bratt and others have only ever know Hynes as thier only NHL head coach. Surely it makes sense to at least see if they can develop and respond to a completely different voice in the room?

If after the remainder of this season with a completely different coaching setup we are still seeing the same lackluster performances and players not taking a step then fine , by all means blow this fvcker up again and start over. But at least try something different first. 

 

[DevsMan84]

Forgot to mention this, but Amanda Stein wrote on twitter yesterday that she is under the impression that the Devils will name a new coach in the off-season.

Take it for what it is.

 

[Gunslinger27]

13 minutes ago, DevsMan84 said:

Forgot to mention this, but Amanda Stein wrote on twitter yesterday that she is under the impression that the Devils will name a new coach in the off-season.

Take it for what it is.

 

I'll say this, if its going in the direction its going right now, Our off-season starts Jan 1st 2020. This season is a complete fvcking train wreck.....

 

[jagknife]

29 minutes ago, Gunslinger27 said:

I'll say this, if its going in the direction its going right now, Our off-season starts Jan 1st 2020. This season is a complete fvcking train wreck.....

 

Let’s be honest, our off season started on that 5 day Not-bye week, bye- week we had when Hynes was still allowed to coach this pile of sh!t. The grave was dug. The dirt keeps getting piled on now that another “Mr. Everyone Loves me” is behind the bench.

From 31 Thoughts:

Quote

18. If you ask anyone who played with Alain Nasreddine to say something about him, there are two consistent replies. First, people love him. He was a very, very popular teammate. Second, he drove one hideous station wagon while playing in the AHL. 

Quote

21. I asked Nasreddine if it was hard to coach a team where trade rumours swirled over the group, there are few untouchables and anything could happen at any time. “I don’t have time to think about that,” he answered.

Yeah no sh!t you don’t have time for that, you’re still on the introductory chapters of “Coaching hockey for people who don’t know how to coach hockey.” And him being with Hynes for 10 years shows in how the team performs: confused, lost, unorganized, and with no spine.

[devlman]

Replacing Hynes with a Hynes disciple is not going to cut it. Agree wholeheartedly that, for the sake of developing the kids the right way, a permanent manager needs to be identified and brought on ASAP.

[Antiquated Colorado Rockie]

I can't imagine they are going to change coaches again in season. They are going to trade their best player and probably then their best defenseman. The management course is to tank.

I heard that Shero the other day, in a Freudian slip, accidentally called "Nasreddine" "Lafreniere".