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Ummm. Hello? Do We Have An Asst. Coach Or Not?

by IwoCPO on 07/22/08 at 12:46 PM ET
Comments (10)

Screw it. I’ll run the power play.

We’ve got one guy in Atlanta saying McCrimmon’s been hired.  A guy in Michigan agreeing.  Another guy in Atlanta confirming.  And a bunch of Diggers in Detroit riding the fence.

Ho frigging hum.

In my best Judge Smails voice...wellllll?

It’s not a big deal. I’m serious. The guy’s gonna be hired.  But, man, it just looks stupid.  Let’s recap, just for fun.

Craig Custance, Sporting News

The Detroit Red Wings have hired Brad McCrimmon as an assistant coach on Mike Babcock’s staff, filling the vacancy created when Todd McLellan left to take the head job in San Jose.

McCrimmon was the associate coach for the Atlanta Thrashers last season and a finalist for the head job with the Thrashers.

He told Sporting News he has agreed to terms to join the Red Wings and expects to sign the deal when he goes to Detroit next week.

“Told Sporting News...”.  Semantics.  He told Custance, and he told Custance because he knew Custance because Custance worked at the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  Makes no difference.  Just for clarity.  Believable.

In wades George Malik.

The Sporting News’s Craig Custance reports that the Detroit Red Wings have hired former Atlanta Thrashers assistant coach (and Wings alumnus).

And then the waffling begins.  John Niyo:likely.

Khan(!):  a little stronger, but not exactly a confirmation.

Former Red Wings defenseman Brad McCrimmon likely will be back on the bench at Joe Louis Arena next season.

The Free Press?  The non-denial denial.  Bob Woodward would be so proud.

The Sporting News reported that McCrimmon, an 18-year NHL veteran who spent three seasons with the Wings (1990-93), had been hired to join Mike Babcock’s staff. The Wings said no deal had been signed as of Monday afternoon.

Bruce MacLeod? Silence on the line.  However, Chuck Pleiness stuck his toe in.

The other news from Monday came when The Sporting News reported Detroit has added former Wings defenseman Brad McCrimmon to fill the vacant assistant coaching position left when Todd McLellan was named head coach in San Jose.

To the Diggers’ credit, most of them reached Holland and a few ran quotes just like this one from Niyo’s story.

“Nothing’s official, but certainly we hope to have something done soon,” Holland said Monday from his offseason home in Vernon, British Columbia, where he celebrated with the Stanley Cup.

But, as they were scuffling and trying to get confirmation on a story an out of town reporter ran in a national mag?  It didn’t go unnoticed.  And a little tidbit came with a barb from the AJC’s Jeff Schultz.

For all the dolts who bashed former Thrashers assistant coach Brad McCrimmon and blamed him even a little bit for the team’s faceplant last season, hear this: He just got hired by the Detroit Red Wings, the NHL’s best team, as an assistant to Mike Babcock. (Credit to pal Craig Custance of The Sporting News, formerly of the AJC, for getting the story before anybody in Detroit. Custance will be moving back to Michigan soon. I believe it was a package deal with McCrimmon and Marian Hossa.)

Moving back to Michigan, eh Craig? 

Which paper?  Do we have a new Digger?

Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
 

Comments

I read something slamming McCrimmon for being defensively minded yet failing miserably in ATL. Not that ATL has a D core to hang your hat on or anything bordering on respectable even. Just sayin’.
The way our PP slogged through the SCPO’s a little breath of life there wouldn’t hurt from the coaching staff. Dunno enough about Deans caoching to say, I’ll leave the guess work up to the expert guessers. I trust in Kenny & the Brain trust to make the judgement calls. History seems to say they pick well & history seems to repeat itself.
Unfortunatley ‘bout all that’s left for puck news for the balance of the off season is drama laden.

Posted by MoWingsfan19 on 07/22/08 at 12:19 PM ET

With all the defiite maybes and ambiguity flying around here, you’d think McCrimmon was a playoff injury.

Posted by Nate A from Dark side of the moon on 07/22/08 at 12:20 PM ET

Even redwings.nhl.com doesn’t have any news on the official hiring of McCrimmon as Babcock’s new assistant.

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 07/22/08 at 12:24 PM ET

SYF: It’s supposed to be official next week, when McCrimmon goes to Detroit to sign the contract. At least, that’s what Custance reported.

Also, Chief, don’t put much stock in what Schultz says. He’s not the beat writer (although he used to be, until he pissed off the Thrashers front office), just someone who opines on various sports in Atlanta - particularly the Hawks and Thrashers.

Me? I said my peace in the thread announcing McCrimmon to the Wings yesterday, and I’ll leave it at that. Obviously, my opinion differs from Schultz’s opinion, but that’s to be expected.

Custance was also formerly a beat writer for the Thrashers, and was offered a gig with Sporting News earlier this year. Since he has no need to be in Atlanta anymore, I believe that’s why he’s moving back. That, and he’s a Wings fan as well.

We’re everywhere, even if we’re also pulling for the team in our locale. Others of you might not agree with me, but I’d like to see the Thrashers become a successful franchise in a region where hockey is usually considered a sideshow attraction instead of a big deal. Maybe living in Atlanta has rubbed off a little bit on me. Thank the Gods I didn’t pick up the bloody accent, though. Hopefully I can get the hell out of here before that happens.

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 07/22/08 at 12:37 PM ET

The way our PP slogged through the SCPO’s a little breath of life there wouldn’t hurt from the coaching staff.

I think we got just what the doctor ordered on that front- and it’s spelled H-o-s-s-a. 

Talk about a PP that runs itself…

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 07/22/08 at 12:52 PM ET

I found this suggesting that MacLean will run the offense, and McCrimmon will run the defense.

“I’m talking to (McCrimmon) right now,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said by phone from Vernon, British Columbia. “We’re trying to add him to our staff. Mike’s wish list after Todd McLellan left was to get a former NHL defenseman with NHL assistant coaching experience. Brad McCrimmon really fits the bill.”

http://www.theolympian.com/nationworld/story/514662.html

Posted by w2j2 on 07/22/08 at 01:12 PM ET

And a bunch of Diggers in Detroit riding the fence.

Just sticking to the Diggers’ Credo…

Do not eat, sleep, or perform any other bodily function without the express written permission of the Red Wings’ PR department.

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 07/22/08 at 02:19 PM ET

Maybe the former NHL defenceman won’t agree to be one of Uncle Mikes Bitches.... or he’s at least putting up a fight on the moniker of bitch.
“That’s right FNG, you’re one of my bitches now. Go get me the game tapes, bitch”.
Yup I’m bored at “work” again.

Posted by MoWingsfan19 on 07/22/08 at 02:35 PM ET

You were thinking what I was, Bill.  Kulfy’s done some articles for the Sporting News, and Custance is moving to Michigan...hmmmmmmmmm…

I asked the Wings’ PR staff, and they told me that they’d have an announcement as to whether they’ve hired a coach next week.  As I tend not to care about just calling what I see instead of being wary of stepping on their toes (no offence, but prospect camp or no prospect camp, you gotta call it as you see it, period), I’m reporting that he’s hired, or nearly so.  He might not have signed on yet, but the Wings had whittled their candidates down to “one or two” almost two weeks ago, so this is just the pre-consumatory-contractual dance crap going on.

Good fit, good guy, tons of Wings connections, and whether Kenny’s put McCrimmon’s pen to paper or has arranged for McCrimmon to come to Detroit for the presser (it would be nice to see somebody slip on a Wings jersey this summer, eh? ) or not, he’s the guy.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 07/22/08 at 02:55 PM ET

Would that be Judge Elihu Smails?

when in doubt....

Spaulding!

Posted by Rumbear from Artistically speaking...the 19th Hole on 07/22/08 at 04:49 PM ET

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