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Jesusberg

Brad McCrimmon will not return for 2011/2012

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Every team needs a scapegoat. We could definitely use a guy with better defensive schemes, but he isn't the reason our guys sucked.

He didn't do his job and needed to be replaced. simple as that.

His sole responsibilities were PK and D - our PK and GA have taken drastic downturns during his tenure. Our prospects development (Ericsson, Meech, Kindl) all hit walls when they got to him and he hardly helped move them forward in their games and let them become stagnant.

To blame 100% if our playoff exit on him is indeed shortsighted and naive, but to write off the vitriol towards him as strictly being treated as a scapegoat, is way over-simplifying the facts.

We are a better team with him out of the equation.

EDIT - I was a big proponent of bringing back the minuses, but whoever gave you a minus for an opinion is kind of ridiculous, I am going to give you a plus for an opinion I disagree with, just to even it out...

Edited by stevkrause

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Every team needs a scapegoat. We could definitely use a guy with better defensive schemes, but he isn't the reason our guys sucked.

He wasn't the REASON, but he was definitely part of the problem. How big a part, we'll find out now that he's gone. I'd like to see Hitchcock here and I think he'd want to be here. A couple years with the Wings, we re-establish ourselves as a great defensive team and Hitchcock's getting offers from everywhere to be their head coach. It'd be smart for him and us.

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This is great news!

But I don't get why Hitchcock's name is being mentioned so often. The guy's a Stanley Cup winning head coach with 15 years experience. Why would he want to be second fiddle to Babcock?

Has someone read something somewhere? Or is this another case of "sign Shea Weber!"

I mentioned it because he has bounced around the league the past few years and being an Assistant Coach can sometimes grant better job security (Look at McCrimmon - how in the hell he lasted here 3 years is beyond me). Plus he and Babs are good friends.

I just thought it would be cool, but I also like the idea of moving MacLean back to D and hiring an O Coach. Or bring Chelios in possibly.

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Every team needs a scapegoat. We could definitely use a guy with better defensive schemes, but he isn't the reason our guys sucked.

While I'm glad McCrimmon's gone, I have to agree somewhat. In 2007-08 (when they were hungry for a cup) they were tops in goals allowed per game and third in goals scored per game. The next year, they were first in GS/G but dropped hugely to 21st in GA/G. Last year Detroit was 7th in GA/G, pretty respectable if you ask me. That year, though, they couldn't score nearly as well (due in part to the outrageous rash of injuries). This year, once again their scoring was up but defense was down. Last year, when their defensive game was better, they were 83.9% on the PK - only 0.1% lower than in our cup-winning 2007-08 season.

While McCrimmon certainly hasn't helped at all - and for that reason I support him not being brought back - there's obviously something wrong with our players' commitment. They haven't been able to bring it both offensively and defensively, there's been a tradeoff in the past few years but they have shown that they can be successful both on offense and on defense under our current coaching... just not at the same time.

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GRAMMAR POLICE, GRAMMAR POLICE, GRAMMAR POLICE

:siren: :siren: :siren:

Sorry, but of all the grammar snafu's, the "Your/you're, there/ their/they're" one is at the top of my list

I Fixed it... and did not really catch it I was just happy and typed faster than my brain was thinking it!!:D

Thank You !

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I have to wonder if the team even let him go, or if he really is pursuing other opportunities. A little while ago I seem to remember there was buzz how he could be a head coach one day soon.

Either way, it's a good thing to get new blood in there. While the players obviously have to shoulder a lot of the responsibility for the poor defensive play, something had to change.

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I have to wonder if the team even let him go, or if he really is pursuing other opportunities. A little while ago I seem to remember there was buzz how he could be a head coach one day soon.

Either way, it's a good thing to get new blood in there. While the players obviously have to shoulder a lot of the responsibility for the poor defensive play, something had to change.

Given the wording in the TSN article - "mutually agreed" and "moving on to pursue other opportunities" - it sounds like McCrimmon was basically fired (and rightfully so). Yes, technically, they just didn't re-up his contract, but with that wording? It screams "you're fired, go somewhere else".

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He didn't do his job and needed to be replaced. simple as that.

His sole responsibilities were PK and D - our PK and GA have taken drastic downturns during his tenure. Our prospects development (Ericsson, Meech, Kindl) all hit walls when they got to him and he hardly helped move them forward in their games and let them become stagnant.

To blame 100% if our playoff exit on him is indeed shortsighted and naive, but to write off the vitriol towards him as strictly being treated as a scapegoat, is way over-simplifying the facts.

We are a better team with him out of the equation.

EDIT - I was a big proponent of bringing back the minuses, but whoever gave you a minus for an opinion is kind of ridiculous, I am going to give you a plus for an opinion I disagree with, just to even it out...

Thanks.

Like I said, an upgrade is needed, but he isn't the reason our PK and GA are so bad. Our PK and GA would have been much better if Jimmy played like Jimmy played in the postseason.

When Jimmy played lights out last season, we were top 10 in PK and number 7 in GA. This year with a struggling and over worked Jimmy we were 23rd and 17th in GA and PK respectively.

It isn't all his fault and people need to remember that all schemes and final decisions run through Babcock. But we do need a DMen coach that relays to our DMen to not pinch 24/7 and to clear the crease.

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Just out of curiosity because I really have no idea about these things, why does everyone think that Chelios would be a great replacement? He doesn't have any coaching experience, does he? Is there a reason I'm missing as to why he would automatically be an upgrade from McCrimmon?

Coaching just seems like one of those things that requires a lot of experience, and I don't mean playing experience, I mean actual coaching experience. Great players don't always make great coaches, right out of the gate.

Anyway, just wondering if there's something to it.

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Given the wording in the TSN article - "mutually agreed" and "moving on to pursue other opportunities" - it sounds like McCrimmon was basically fired (and rightfully so). Yes, technically, they just didn't re-up his contract, but with that wording? It screams "you're fired, go somewhere else".

Agreed. Those phrases mean one thing in the business & political worlds...you got fired.

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Whether you blame the players or blame the coach, the team has to shuffle the deck to improve the defensive performance. Since our blue line isn't going to see much change due to the contracts we've got, the only other option is to dump the coach.

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Just out of curiosity because I really have no idea about these things, why does everyone think that Chelios would be a great replacement? He doesn't have any coaching experience, does he? Is there a reason I'm missing as to why he would automatically be an upgrade from McCrimmon?

Coaching just seems like one of those things that requires a lot of experience, and I don't mean playing experience, I mean actual coaching experience. Great players don't always make great coaches, right out of the gate.

Anyway, just wondering if there's something to it.

Chelios was one of the best defensive defensmen of this and the past three eras. He can help coach how you should be positioned on ES and on the PK. I think he'd be good, but I also think he should work with the prospects on skating and conditioning.

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Just out of curiosity because I really have no idea about these things, why does everyone think that Chelios would be a great replacement? He doesn't have any coaching experience, does he? Is there a reason I'm missing as to why he would automatically be an upgrade from McCrimmon?

Coaching just seems like one of those things that requires a lot of experience, and I don't mean playing experience, I mean actual coaching experience. Great players don't always make great coaches, right out of the gate.

Anyway, just wondering if there's something to it.

He works with defensive prospects now, he has a good feel for the way the game is played currently being only a couple years removed.

He has a great reputation with the players and they all respect him. To me being a coach relies on good knowledge of the game...(which he has)

I think he has a great hockey mind and would fill the role really ,really well.

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He works with defensive prospects now, he has a good feel for the way the game is played currently being only a couple years removed.

He has a great reputation with the players and they all respect him. To me being a coach relies on good knowledge of the game...(which he has)

I think he has a great hockey mind and would fill the role really ,really well.

As I've said all along, I would prefer he get a little seasoning in the AHL donning the coaching cap first, but I wouldn't be opposed at all to him stepping into an NHL gig right away, he's a rare breed and I think one of those guys that is just a natural coach...

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