Would You Want Ken Hitchcock Coaching the New Jersey Devils in 2011-12?
by John Fischer on May 1, 2011 8:47 PM EDT
in What Do You Think?
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PrintWhile I've spent the last few days focusing on Andy Greene, what the New Jersey Devils will do with him will not be the most important decision to make for 2011-12. In fact, determining what to offer Zach Parise may not even be the most important decision to make - though it's close. With the retirement of Jacques Lemaire, the Devils will need a new head coach. Ideally, this decision should be made in advance of trying to re-sign anyone beyond prospects since whoever the new head coach will be could have an impact on negotiations.
Among the many lessons to learn from last season, coaching does matter to some degree to a team's success. As much as Devils fans felt hiring John MacLean was a good idea last June, we know now in retrospect that it wasn't a good decision at all. Such is the nature of any signing, to be fair. We won't know if Free Agent X will suddenly drop off or if Prospect Y looks good and then suffers a major injury or if Coach Z loses the locker room within the first month of the season until it actually happens. Still, we can learn from the MacLean failure and eventual revival under Lemaire. Whoever the next head coach needs to command respect from the players in the back; be able to make proper tactical adjustments and preparations both in-game and from game-to-game; and knows when to light a fire under someone if they aren't performing well.
The early name that has popped up so far is Ken Hitchcock. Rich Chere said he was a top candidate in this NJ.com article on April 11, wherein he named several possibilities. His name resurfaced in the local media this morning. Larry Brooks claimed that sources say that Hitchcock is the top candidate for the head coaching vacancy in the NY Post. Ignoring various sticking points in his article about the Devils (Example: Risk-averse, Brooksie? A franchise that hired Brent Sutter right out of junior? A club that traded for Ilya Kovalchuk and sub-sequentially signed him to a long deal even after the NHL threw a fit over it?), it's clear that this is a real possibility. Say what you want about either of them, but Chere has been covering the team ever since they've been in NJ and Brooks is very well connected both locally and throughout the league. If they're floating a name as a coaching candidate, then I wouldn't treat it as just speculation.
That said, I wouldn't act as if it's set in stone. Remember that someone's "sources" said Michel Therrien was going to be hired last summer, many journalists ran with it, and as we know now, it wasn't Therrien. So if you hate this possibility, then recall that as solace.
Hitchcock is not tied to any NHL team right now, as he was fired in the middle of the 2009-10 season from Columbus. Any interviews or decisions involving Hitchcock would likely have to wait a few weeks, since he's currently coaching Team Canada in the IIHF World Championships. (Hint to Devils management: Talk to Travis Zajac about how he is behind the bench from a player's perspective.) In fact, any interviews may wait until after the postseason in case there is an assistant coach who the Devils would want to talk to (or other head coaches being sacked). This is fine. MacLean was hired in mid-June, in advance of any deadlines for qualifying RFAs as well as unrestricted free agents. In other words, even if it's not going to be Hitchcock, I would not expect the hiring to be made soon.
In the meantime, I want to gauge your opinion on Ken Hitchcock; hence, the poll. Would you want him coaching this team? Or would you want him to stay far away Newark? What about him do you like or dislike about his coaching style? Please leave your answers in the comments as well as other thoughts on who the next head coach should be. Thanks for reading.
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I’d like it if he was coach, its not really taking a chance and from what ive read, it said hes like lemaire but slightly more offensive, so I think it could work out. Oh and from the same place I read that it said that Hitchcock admires Kovalchuk, which is something you need to look at when hiring a coach for this team.
I live in Ohio so I spend a lot of time watching Blue Jackets games due to me not getting any other games for the most part. I really liked Ken Hitchcock as the coach for the Blue Jackets, but his coaching style didnt mesh well with the players in Columbus. Columbus was built around Rick Nash not a goalie or a defense man. The Devils have the guys to take advantage of Hitchcock’s slightly offensive scheme and they have more than enough skill to use his more defensive side. Hitchcock turned the Blue Jackets into winners without alot of all around skill being present and I feel that the skill of the Devils and his experience will make for a very good situation. I also like that he isnt afraid to get mad and call guys out, that was what bothered me the most about MacLean other than the losing. I would love for the Devils to hire him. I was in favor of this last year and Im still in favor of it now.
Tough call.
Hitch brings discipline, and he’s the antithesis of MacLean in that he is a veteran coach who commands respect. On the flipside, his coaching tenures have gotten progressively shorter as his career went on…503 games coached in Dallas, 312 in Philly, and then 285 in Columbus. Combine a downward trend with a presence in New Jersey and who knows, we might see Lou behind the bench again.
by MyDogsNameIsKovy on May 1, 2011 9:36 PM EDT reply actions
yeah, but
When was the last time the Devils coach lasted even 285 games?
Go Devils
Go Jets
Need to lose weight?
When was the last time the Devils coach lasted even 285 games?
Well, since you asked…. and since it was an excuse to whip out my handy-dandy Devils’ Media Guide….
You might know the guy. He coached 378 games from 1994-1998 — plus another 56 in the playoffs — and bears the initials “JL”.
The only other Devils’ head coach who can boast 285+ games on his resume is Doug Carpenter. He came on board for the 1984-1985 season, and was fired in the middle of the 1987-1988 season. His total tenure: 290 games (and 66 games below break-even).
No coach in the Kansas City and Colorado days came close.
I don’t like Hitchcock- his style is old, outdated and not meant to win post-lockout. He’s been fired twice and has limited success behind the bench in the recent years. I’m still on team Carbonneau- give him a controlled environment (Gainey did jack to keep his players in check, Carey Price and co were partying vs Lou and his no-nonsense environment) and he will flourish
In Lou We Trust/Twitter/Cycle Like the Sedins
Then I guess the animals are on their own. Even the cute ones.
by Kevin Sellathamby on May 1, 2011 9:42 PM EDT reply actions
Whoever it is, I seriously hope they last more than a season. Preferably 4-5.
I recall hearing that Hitchcock does not have the best track record with young players – any truth to this? We’ve certainly got a lot of youngsters on the verge of becoming important parts of the team.
It’s actually an interesting challenge for our future coach – having to balance dealing with a mega-star in Kovalchuk, and a solid core of veterans such as Elias, while also handling the unique challenges of rookies.
1995 - 2000 - 2003
One data point to refute the “not having the best track record with young players” perspective. In his 3rd season in Columbus, at 41-31-10 he started a 20 year old goalie roughly 60 times (Mason played 61 games, had 60 decisions and averaged over 60 minutes per game. I’d say if a young player performs, Hitch has no problem using him.
Go Devils
Go Jets
Need to lose weight?
09-10 Jackets, 20 year-old Jacob Voracek, 81 games, 16 G, 34 A, 15:37 average TOI. seems to me that’s low second/third-line minutes, probably about right for the production (Voracek had similar numbers this past season with Arniel, however another minute average in ice time.)
Isolated examples, I’ll grant you, but a coach with a problem with younger players “probably” wouldn’t have used them as much as he did.
Go Devils
Go Jets
Need to lose weight?
Lets not be down on all rookie coiaches
I would have never believed how badly this team would have responded to Maclean if i didn’t watch it myself, but that can’t make any rookie coach taboo.
I’m up in the air on Hitchcock, and I’m tired of the revolving door at coach.
So I’m casting my vote for MULLER.
It'd be a bit awkward
I seem to recall Larry Robinson criticizing Hitchcock’s use of Mike Modano in the 2000 cup finals…
Crime Fighter
I don’t know if he can coach, but he can definitely stop shoplifters. Let’s not leave that out of the discussion.
by TheTrapezoidConspiracy on May 2, 2011 5:58 AM EDT reply actions
As currently constructed, especially on defense, we could do a lot worse than Hitch. This team needs a disciplinarian who’ll make them accountable in all three zones. Thats Devils hockey; We’re never going to be a recreation of the Oilers of the 80’s or even the Red wings or Canucks now. You can see it in our prospects even. Most are Defensive defenseman and all of our forwards are honest hardworking forwards. The only 1 forward was Kovy that didn’t fit the mold, but even he showed that he can be a team player and toe the company line in the 2nd 1/2. Hitch , Theirrien, Carbonneau all sound like Devil coaches that fit the brand. We draft Larsson and with Merril will be good to go in a couple of years especially if Parise re-ups.
I don’t want Hitchcock. I believe he is too inflexable and his style does not merrit teaching of the younger players. I would prefer someone who can help develop our players as well as be flexable in adapting a style that best fit the Devils.
I keep hearing that he’s not good for young players, but have no idea what that means. I’m sincerely asking, what evidence is there that that is the case?
I’m sure someone would cite the Nikita Filatov case as evidence that Hitch can’t or won’t use young players, but Filatov wasn’t good this year either. Filatov was frequently scratched by Hitchcock last season and decided to play in Russia instead.
Lemaire is painted with the same brush – and there’s evidence, given his usage of Elias and Sykora in the 98 playoffs. But still, this year he ran a power play with 4 rookies and besides the Tedenby dust-up, seemed to play the rookies just as much as they deserved. It’s all about circumstances – if Hitchcock were going to coach this team, he’d have to use the young players in big roles. There’s not an alternative.
In fairness to Lemaire, if Tedenby pulled the ‘sunny day walk’ in 1996 he would have been a River Rat for a few extra years. I felt Lemaire mellowed this past season, even praising Josefson a lot!
In Lou We Trust: SBN Blog of the New Jersey Devils
Well Lemaire was always a lot more effusive in his praise of Josefson than any of the other rookies – even Fayne and Tedenby.
I think the “not kid-friendly” tag comes with the “defensive coach” tag. Kids are generally not good defensively, and under such coaches need to earn their ice time by playing well defensively first.
Well, we don’t have to look any further than the results in columbus. Is it really the GM’s fault there or is he just incapable of turning that franchise around with the players they have. Are they really that bad?
I want a coach that plays specifically the puck possession style, another babcock type coach who can get the most out of our players. I feel we have a lot of players that can benefit from that style. A good defense is a good offense as they say, and who will score on us if they never have the puck?
Indifference
Hitchcock would be a deviation for LL as he is a high profile coach hiring. I think this would have the same probability as a Marc Crawford hire.
While the Devils have shed some of their coach-killers (Madden, Captain Crankypants) they are still a team that needs to have someone who has ‘street cred’ and that walks in being respected that they will play for.
In Lou We Trust: SBN Blog of the New Jersey Devils
Sutter was thought to be the best coach working outside the NHL, and Pat Burns was a very high profile coach. I don’t really understand this line of thinking. Coaching searches are often limited by the fact that coaches don’t generally become free agents.
Fair enough. Burns you have a point on, but that was almost a decade ago. I just can’t see LL going after Hitch/Crawford types.
A ‘Sutter’ type is someone I would prefer, but I am leery of a rookie coach with that locker room.
I wonder if a NCAA coach would be a possibility. Junior coaches jump up every so often. Mike Eaves from Wisconsin? (that would also placate Mr. Parise….)
In Lou We Trust: SBN Blog of the New Jersey Devils
A rookie coach can be pushed around by our locker room. At least it seems that way with Maclean, but Sutter has a strict attitude and was hard on the players, which got them to produce pretty well. If Hitchcock is like Lemaire but more offensive than isn’t everyone pleased with that hes a hard nosed, defense first/doesn’t sacrifice offense for defense coach? sounds good to me.
The University of Denver
Has George Gwozdecky at the helm. He always struck me as a Devils kind of hockey guy. Plus, he’s turned around that program since he started his tenure oh, a dozen or so years ago. Of course, having a modern building/rink to play in doesn’t hurt either. But anyway, I’ve always wanted to see Gwozdecky in the NHL.
by Devils Junkie on May 2, 2011 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I wonder if a NCAA coach would be a possibility. Junior coaches jump up every so often. Mike Eaves from Wisconsin? (that would also placate Mr. Parise….)
Dean Blais, anyone? Built the University of Nebraska at Omaha program from scratch, and they were an NCAA Tournament team this year. Previously at North Dakota, where two of his players included Travis Zajac and Mr. Parise. Also spent some time with the Columbus Blue Jackets, so the NHL isn’t a complete stranger to him.
One thing that concerns me with Blais is his age. While it isn’t on the page I linked to, doing some math based on his playing days at the college level leads me to believe he’s right around 60. Nothing against age and experience, but I’d prefer a younger guy if I had my druthers.
I’d like to say Scott Stevens but thats not going to happen lol! I would have to say that Hitch has the inside track on this one. I would prefer a post lockout coach though. Muller, Carbaneau, Haviland. We need a coach that coach’s a more agressive forecheck. Kind of like how Nashville plays. Thats the way the rules are set up nowadays. I still want them to be a good defensive team and we all know they’re capable of that but they have to be more agressive and work hard. Even when the Devils were hot this year, they were playing too passive and sitting back too much.
Okay, I’ve given this some serious thought. I’ve been debated the whole Hitchcock idea, and well, let me know if you think I’m on to something here.
Over the years, the Devils have established themselves with their defense as a strength. That’s been the identity of the franchise since they emerged from the “Mickey Mouse” years. Well, that philosophy has produced 3 Stanley Cup championships and playoff berths in 19 of the past 21 seasons.
The last Stanley Cup came in 2003, and Pat Burns coached that team. That team was very deep, and although nobody on that team reached 60 points, there were 8 players with 39+ points. Burns was a very stern, perhaps stubborn coach, and players respected him as their leader, not their friend. Well, Ken Hitchcock would be the closest replica, so to speak, as Burns, and the Devils haven’t been under such a system since the lockout, when Burns tragically became diagnosed with cancer.
The next Devils coach needs to get the most out of his players. Eventually, the Devils will have a strong, young defense that mirror the pre-lockout Devils. Even without drafting Larsson this June, the Devils’ defense could potentially consist of Volchenkov, Merrill, Urbom, Taormina, Tallinder and Fayne/Burlon/Gelinas, etc. in 2-3 years. That’s pretty strong, or so it appears right now.
The difference between the future of the Devils and now is the offensive skill on the roster. Parise and Kovalchuk are elite players in the game, nobody will argue that. Zajac is a very strong 2-way forward, Tedenby and Josefson are emerging as extremely talented prospects. Adam Henrique is quietly becoming a strong prospect as well, and guys like the wily veteran Elias and the pesky winger Clarkson could add to the team’s depth.
So why am I going on about this when discussing the future coach? Ken Hitchcock is the closest the Devils would have had since Pat Burns, and while it resembles what has made the franchise so successful in the past, hopefully Hitchcock can get the most out of the players offensively as well. With that said, I’m still not 100% sure I “like” him as our coach, but he can’t be overlooked, either.
DownGoesAvery. Check out the hockey blog that's shaking the world: Down Goes Avery and on Twitter (@DownGoesAvery ).
Now, let me completely contradict myself.
I think the failure of John MacLean was a fluke. Mac was put into a tough situation with cap problems, injuries, etc., and let’s face it, he wasn’t ready for the job. He may never be, who knows, but I hope Lou doesn’t back away from young, up-tempo coaches down the road.
Although Hitchcock is starting to grow on me, I would love to see Haviland or Muller get the chance in NJ.
DownGoesAvery. Check out the hockey blog that's shaking the world: Down Goes Avery and on Twitter (@DownGoesAvery ).
by DownGoesAvery on May 5, 2011 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions
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