Ranking the NHL coaches at the quarter mark

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...&id=3716064

The elite ...

… or the men who get the most out of their rosters, regardless of how good (or otherwise) those rosters are.

Mike Babcock, Detroit

Any quarrel here? Other than the fact that the rich got richer, which isn't his "fault"? His broad-based background, his Stanley Cup résumé, his adaptability all add up to this: He should be at the top, or near the top, of any list. Stock: Up.

Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota

I've said it before and I'll say it again: You've got to give the devil -- or ex-Devils coach -- his due. In some ways, he has helped ruin the game, if you consider sports to be entertainment and the showcase of individual skills. That effect shows up in every arena in the league, and it's weird that one of the NHL's major challenges is to continue to try to undo the damage. But now the Wild are winning without Marian Gaborik. (Yes, I'm among the multitudes who think the guy is a 70-goal scorer waiting to happen under a coach who will let him play.) Lemaire is the best there is. I hate to say it, but he is. Stock: Up.

Lindy Ruff, Buffalo

This team is in what would be a playoff spot if the season ended today. There's still some talent left, so it's not as if it was a case of the last guy to depart should turn out the lights. Ryan Miller is playing well, but the longest-tenured coach in the league is helping keep the Sabres afloat. Stock: Unchanged.

Barry Trotz, Nashville

I admit I've used Trotz as the working example of the coach who has done a tremendous job of getting the most out of what he has had over the years, sometimes in trying situations, and I've heard from many who think I've gotten carried away in placing him in this category. But he remains a testament to the value of stability behind the bench, and I still don't think this league often enough takes all the working conditions, and the state of the roster, sufficiently into account when evaluating coaches. If he can get this bunch into the playoffs, he should be an automatic Adams Award finalist. Stock: Unchanged.