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Therrien’s New Deal
by Alanah McGinley on 07/25/08 at 10:32 AM ET
Comments (8)
From Ron Cook at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
My money is on Michel Therrien. It’s been on Therrien since he took the Penguins coaching job in December 2005 and immediately showed he wasn’t afraid to rattle the cages to shake the losers he inherited out of their country club ways. No matter what, the players were going to do it Therrien’s way. It’s no coincidence they soon turned into winners, big winners, nearly Stanley Cup winners last season.
Now, I’m betting Therrien will break one of the most astonishing records in Pittsburgh sports history.
I’m betting Therrien will become the first coach in Penguins history—41 years and counting—to start and finish four consecutive seasons.
Steven Ovadia at Puck Update provides a contrary opinion on Therrien:
Therrien is a dangerous combination of narrow-minded and panicky. You could see it during the finals when he didn’t change anything against the Wings until he suddenly moved Ryan Malone to the top line, only to put things back the next game. I suspect we’ll see more moves like that from Therrien, and as he loses people in the locker room, which is rumored to be the case, these knee-jerk switches will be less and less effective.
I was surprised the Penguins gave Therrien a three-year extension. Watching him coach has often felt like watching someone drive a car that’s too fast.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: michel+therrien,
Comments
After seeing, hearing, and reading about Coach Babcock and his demeanor and handling of the press and his players and most especially of himself since 2006, I can think of no other more befitting personality to coach the Wings.
When Coach Babcock was first hired in, Lidstrom made the bold prediction: “Coach Babcock will get us to the Stanley Cup Finals.” When the Wings’ All-Universe team Captain says that about the man coaching him, I hopped on board. Lidstrom doesn’t say things like that offhandedly or off-the-cuff. He means it.
Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 07/25/08 at 11:42 AM ET
To be fair to the man, I really only watched him for the one finals series against the Wings. But from what I saw I don’t think much of him. I also wondered why so many players chose to leave the Pens after the season, and their coach is as likely a reason as any, IMO. Putting both of those together I, too, was surprised he was extended for 3 years.
But now, though, is isn’t so much about his last playoff series and how he performed in it as it is about what he learned from it and whether or not it will make him a better coach.
Posted by BobTheZee on 07/25/08 at 12:07 PM ET
Therrien doesn’t seem too popular around PIT. Look at the exodus of players this offseason.
He seems to put his guys in bad spots, and as we saw in the Cup Finals when placed in those awkward public positions (such as the whining about the refs) not all his players were willing to step up and defend him.
That speaks volumes. If they think someone like Satan will thrive under him, they’re nuts.
Posted by Primis on 07/25/08 at 04:06 PM ET
But now, though, is isn’t so much about his last playoff series and how he performed in it as it is about what he learned from it and whether or not it will make him a better coach.
That my good man is truly what makes or breaks a coach with a decent roster under his thumb. Then again with a mass exodus of players after the season end…. I’d say there’s alot to be learned about tactics off the ice and in the locker room… and on the podium in the post game pressers.
Personally I can’t stand him and in the Finals became quite personal for me after hearing the boooo hooooing. That whining made him instantly on par with Marc Crawford to me. He was out everything’ed by Uncle Mike including outclassed. Class is something that’s hard to learn, game strategy etc can be.
Posted by MoWingsfan19 on 07/25/08 at 04:13 PM ET
Class is something that’s hard to learn, game strategy etc can be.
Very good point. I couldn’t agree more.
Posted by BobTheZee on 07/25/08 at 04:32 PM ET
mass exodus?
you can count hossa if you want… i wouldn’t. that aside, you’re left with two players who actually chose to leave Pittsburgh, rather than the Penguins basically choosing not to retain them: Malone and Roberts. both were clearly chasing paydays that they knew they would never get with the Penguins. Ruutu and Laraque were both allowed to walk because the Penguins didn’t see them as being valuable enough to warrant the money they wanted. The one player that was said to have actually had a pretty big beef with Therrien, Brooks Orpik, signed a brand new 6 year contract. Fleury and Malkin both also signed huge extensions. man, some mass exodus… would it be so hard for people to actually look into what they’re talking about before they take some blogger’s opinion as the gospel truth?
the fact is, poorly coached teams do not glide to the stanley cup finals with as much ease as the penguins did… it just doesn’t happen. sure, therrien was out-coached in the finals, but did this article even say a single thing about babcock? strange that he’d be mentioned in almost every single comment…
Posted by drew on 07/25/08 at 10:31 PM ET
I dont think Therrien was “panicky” during the series. He was frustrated at how well the wings control the play, and wouldnt you be. For the 1st time I found myself not rooting for my hometown wings and let me tell you, they are not a group that is fun to play against.
And as for Therrien bitching…again…wouldnt you? You just got handled in the series, as a coach you have to attempt to shake up the refs and get some calls. He knew the only way the pens would win is scoring on the PP.
He is the best coach they have had in awhile and I think he takes a lot of heat off the young players, something invaluable with such a young roster.
Pens and Wings will meet again in a few years, and it wont be as lopsided a match.
Posted by DrW from Detroit on 07/26/08 at 09:54 AM ET
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if i was a pens fan, and i watched babcock coach a rival team, i still would’ve respected him. he seems to be guided by a very strong work ethic, and he doesn’t make excuses.
being a wings fan who watched therrien squirm, cry, b*tch, and moan all finals long, i have little to no respect for him and i am totally suprised by his extension.
Posted by ColdWar on 07/25/08 at 11:13 AM ET