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Post by thepuckman on Mar 23, 2016 18:38:40 GMT -5
I saw this topic being discussed in the playoff thread and decided to start a separate discussion. I believe Moe is here only to close out the season. Drinkill has said he will be considered for the permanent job but there are some other excellent choices to consider. A few names that could be considered include:
Mike Eaves, longtime head coach at Wisconsin
Bill Bowler, currently in the Windsor Spitfires' front office, coached the Lasalle Vipers
Mike Johnston, former head coach of Pittsburgh Penguins, who was successful with the Portland Winterhawks
Lorne Molleken, former NHL head coach, recently let go by Vancouver Giants
Mitch Maunu, ex-Spirit player, currently coaching the Thunder Bay Kings
Dave Lewis, current defense consultant for Spirit
Gregg Sutch, current coach of York Simcoe Express
Obviously there are many others. Who should the Spirit consider?
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Post by donjohnson on Mar 23, 2016 20:21:29 GMT -5
Wow...didn't know the success of Mike Johnston...he'd be at the top of my list. It sounds like some of his success was as a GM in recruiting players (which he got suspended for around the same time Windsor got in trouble). It would be nice to have someone like that in the organization but he may be looking for full control (coach/GM) if he's going to make a return to juniors.
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Post by ricardo on Mar 23, 2016 20:27:27 GMT -5
I saw this topic being discussed in the playoff thread and decided to start a separate discussion. I believe Moe is here only to close out the season. Drinkill has said he will be considered for the permanent job but there are some other excellent choices to consider. A few names that could be considered include: Mike Eaves, longtime head coach at Wisconsin Bill Bowler, currently in the Windsor Spitfires' front office, coached the Lasalle Vipers Mike Johnston, former head coach of Pittsburgh Penguins, who was successful with the Portland Winterhawks Lorne Molleken, former NHL head coach, recently let go by Vancouver Giants Mitch Maunu, ex-Spirit player, currently coaching the Thunder Bay Kings Dave Lewis, current defense consultant for Spirit Gregg Sutch, current coach of York Simcoe Express Obviously there are many others. Who should the Spirit consider? Lorne Molleken is also a former Saginaw Gears goaltender. |
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Post by Disco Stu on Mar 24, 2016 11:16:40 GMT -5
I'm a bit concerned that the list didn't contain all the assistant coaches and assistant GMs in Barrie. Or former assistant coaches and assistant GMs in Barrie.
Seriously though, I'm always a little concerned about someone who made their bones primarily coaching NCAA players. Bob Mancini was an okay coach in the OHL but he didn't have what he needed to break through to be an elite coach in Major Junior, because his previous experience was coaching Michigan Tech and Ferris State. I really liked him as a person, but ultimately the dream of what he thought a championship team should look like playing his style of play (2006-07 team) got broomed in the first round and the physical and tough Plymouth Whalers won the OHL that year with a real elite OHL Coach, Mike Vellucci.
So while I like Eaves, and Patrick O'Sullivan could not praise the guy enough in his book which came out recently, and by all accounts is a terrific guy and a very good coach, I really wonder what he would do in the OHL. I feel like the style of play in the NCAA and OHL is too different. Eaves coached the NTDP and he was also an assistant in the AHL and NHL, but I really wonder if bringing him in would be like bringing in a slightly better version of Bob Mancini.
I do think that it would be a great idea for the Spirit to give guys like Sutch and Maunu the opportunity to be OHL assistant coaches.
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Post by IGive1 on Mar 24, 2016 12:13:25 GMT -5
Mancini's problem was that he could not control the team off the ice.
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Post by donjohnson on Mar 24, 2016 14:44:57 GMT -5
I'm a bit concerned that the list didn't contain all the assistant coaches and assistant GMs in Barrie. Or former assistant coaches and assistant GMs in Barrie. Seriously though, I'm always a little concerned about someone who made their bones primarily coaching NCAA players. Bob Mancini was an okay coach in the OHL but he didn't have what he needed to break through to be an elite coach in Major Junior, because his previous experience was coaching Michigan Tech and Ferris State. I really liked him as a person, but ultimately the dream of what he thought a championship team should look like playing his style of play (2006-07 team) got broomed in the first round and the physical and tough Plymouth Whalers won the OHL that year with a real elite OHL Coach, Mike Vellucci. So while I like Eaves, and Patrick O'Sullivan could not praise the guy enough in his book which came out recently, and by all accounts is a terrific guy and a very good coach, I really wonder what he would do in the OHL. I feel like the style of play in the NCAA and OHL is too different. Eaves coached the NTDP and he was also an assistant in the AHL and NHL, but I really wonder if bringing him in would be like bringing in a slightly better version of Bob Mancini. I do think that it would be a great idea for the Spirit to give guys like Sutch and Maunu the opportunity to be OHL assistant coaches. Mike Johnston would fit your mold...I didn't know anything about him until this thread and a google search. Sounds like the WHL version of Dale Hunter. The only question with him would be would Drinkell be afraid of bringing him in because he could end up stealing his GM job. Good thread...I have no idea what's out there in terms of coaches so keep the names coming. |
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Post by katokaelin on Mar 25, 2016 12:23:43 GMT -5
I think Dave Cameron would be a good fit. If Ottawa misses the playoffs (which looks like they will) he may be shown the gate. He has a lot of experience at this level coaching Sault Ste Marie and has ties to Michigan as he also coached the Detroit Falcons in the mid 1990's.
Good luck to the Spirit in their playoff series vs Erie.
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Post by spiritfan8 on Mar 25, 2016 15:46:53 GMT -5
Gregg Sutch just won the OHL Cup with the York Simcoe Express (as an assistant coach, I believe) and has been clear about his desire to get into coaching. He should be a winner whatever he does in life--I'd love to see him start out in Saginaw. But with no head coaching experience, he might not be ready yet. Maanu would be an excellent candidate. Actually, everyone mentioned--at least on paper--is an excellent candidate, and I certainly include Mike Eaves in that category. The other side of the NCAA coin is--who knows what he could do if freed of the rigors of recruiting, particularly as Wisconsin is a highly regarded academic school? Might be worth a conversation with Christian Dvorak of the Knights, who committed to Wiskey and then backed out--thought to be one of the things that cost Eaves his job.
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Post by IGive1 on Mar 25, 2016 16:01:10 GMT -5
On this week's radio show, I thought I heard Drinkell say he has known the YSE coach for sometime. Perhaps he and Sutch would be a good fit. I am beginning to think a coach that has a lot of experience with kids at this age will work out better than getting someone who has spent most his time dealing with pros. Whole different attitudes and issues (parents, fragile snowflake feelings, egos, etc) at this level than pros.
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Post by spiritfan8 on Mar 26, 2016 10:29:35 GMT -5
Giant exception: Dale Hunter Major exception: Dale Hawerchuk
I agree with your "different issues" comment, but I don't think you can make it a blanket statement.
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Post by IGive1 on Mar 26, 2016 11:28:35 GMT -5
Giant exception: Dale Hunter Major exception: Dale Hawerchuk I agree with your "different issues" comment, but I don't think you can make it a blanket statement. I was referring to former NHL coaches (like Gilbert or Dave Lewis) not simply NHL players. My mistake in not making that clear. Both Hunter and Hawerchuk started as junior or minor hockey coaches. |
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Post by spiritfever on Apr 4, 2016 15:48:55 GMT -5
Maybe on his way to Saginaw
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Post by Disco Stu on Apr 5, 2016 14:23:42 GMT -5
Isn't Trader George the sort who likes to be the coach and the GM?
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Post by spiritfever on Apr 15, 2016 7:02:21 GMT -5
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Post by donjohnson on Apr 15, 2016 12:55:51 GMT -5
Spiritfever...very sorry and didn't mean to rip you apart (although I do think I was a little gentler than that  )...you were the just straw that broke donjohnson's back and it wasn't just you and I even included myself because I'm sure I've been guilty of it from time to time. You've been a great contributor on this board and I was just trying to restore a little order before we hire a new coach and potentially make other offseason moves that have a good potential to be controversial and inspire good debates on here. |
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)...you were the just straw that broke donjohnson's back and it wasn't just you and I even included myself because I'm sure I've been guilty of it from time to time. You've been a great contributor on this board and I was just trying to restore a little order before we hire a new coach and potentially make other offseason moves that have a good potential to be controversial and inspire good debates on here.