It isn't often I get to scoop something. Sometimes it is months before it hits the circuit: The trade that didn't happen with Calgary that I had back after the trade deadline, which Newsday confirmed earlier this summer. Sometimes it is just 12 hours, like my Saturday scoop on the final three coaching candidates. Overall, it is rare because being a hockey insider, as the affable Austin Powers once said, before he his alter ego started doing movie stinkers . . . "This Sort of Thing Isn't My Bag Baby"
So excuse me as I toot my horn on the rarity.
So there are three candidates left:
1. Bob Hartley, former Avs and Thrashers coach
2. Paul Maurice, longtime Carolina coach and short-term fall guy to the Toronto mess
3. Scott Gordon, AHL coach-of-the-year of the Providence Bruins
So who do you want?
On IslanderMania.com, the official messageboard of the Isles, Gordon is winning the poll by a Dark Knightesque margin.
Oh, there are arguments about all these choices. But we should make one thing clear: all are actually solid candidates in my opinion. Some better than others.
Bob Hartley: Yes, yes, we know he's a pal of Garth. Too much is made of that. More importantly, he was once Garth's coach once-upon-a-time. A bit better of a scenario that just being his bud, don't you think?
Hartley inherited an very good Avs team on his first go round. Crawford was wearing thin and disappointed Pierre Lacroix with a first round exit. Hartley led the Avs to be a touch better. It wasn't till Ray Borque came along that he lifted that team for a cup win. But Hartley did keep them in the mix solidly for a few years.
Hart went to the Thrashers in only a month of being on the bread line. He inherited a scattered and putrid playing team of some talent. One of the big pluses of Hartley's time there is his keeping that team together during tragedy. Snyder's death in the Heatley accident was a huge wave to roll over a young team. Hartley kept them competitive and on-track.
Yes, the Thrashers got plowed by the Rangers in their playoff debut recently. But don't blame Hartley. Atlanta has always has some weird personnel decisions and chemistry killers. The Zhitnik trade that gave away Coburn to Philly is a shining example. Hartley did not survive the slow start last year. But he is to be commended for keeping that mixed bag together during trying times and taking them to a playoff level.
Bob Hartley comes with some keen tools. He can do his job under extreme conditions and tends to be a winner. His development chops aren't bad, but nor are they that good. He is a solid, not spectacular choice. Had this been the Isles about one or two years ago, he might have been the top choice. However if development and rebuilding is integral, he might lag behind the other two.
Paul Maurice: No. He hasn't won a cup. I still hear this empty words in debate over him. But he's done something better. He took a team long term, developed the kids, worked with vets, and got to them to the cup finals. I declare this a far more important mantra than the repetitive and silly words: won a cup. For this addresses several key areas that are important and better fits for Long Island.
Sure Toronto stunk with him. Toronto was already well within their deathroll of bad contracts and a GM who made costly mistake after mistake. The biggest issue for Toronto was thinking Raycroft was their answer in goal.
Maurice took on one of the hottest seats in hockey, and was pretty much doomed from the get-go. He wasn't the right guy, nor was he the problem in TO.
He is a fine choice at coach for the Isles. His strengths fall within our own needs. The question is he the BEST guy in those strengths.
Scott Gordon: one of the stupidest arguments being made is hearkening to the coaching ghost of Steve Stirling who was a lauded AHL coach also. It is simply not applicable.
Let's do a little history lesson for those negative nancies who spout the doom and gloom of yesteryear, like it should dictate our choices today . . .
Stirling was a coach to fill in the need for a more mature role. Lavs was fired for the official stance of mixed chemistry and a play-level drop-off. What wasn't recognized in Mad Mike's comical reign was that it was the beginnings of a locker room fracture of styles and philosophies.
Stirling was promoted from within by Mike Milbury. He was awarded The Hockey News' Minor Pro Coach of the Year in 2001-2002 at Bridge, taking them to the Calder Cup finals. He was tapped after Lavs awkward dismissal. Milbury is quoted as saying: "I wanted a guy with gray hair". He was brought in to recapture that ebbing chemistry that was really the beginnings of a fracture in the locker room.
This team where a coach is being hired is NOT a vet team, nor the same situation, GM or coaching prospect. Therefore apples to oranges, or to go farther: kiwis to cantaloupes. The Steve Stirling simply does not apply, and is a stupid argument to begin with. Those who list all the vets on this team seem to be forgetting all the kids who will join them this season.
Gordon has a few articles written about him. Here is one excellent piece by blogger extraordinaire James "Mad Man" Mirtle.
Overall, "Flash" Gordon is known as a defense-first type of guy, which falls in line to the team's main need and would help their best player on the ice, Rick DiPietro. Add to this, he is an ex-goalie, who is considered to be a great goalie coach. Many players have bloomed under him. We could use that as well.
He is extremely well-respected and had been talked about being one of the top AHL choices who deserves a shot of head coach even before this position on the Isles opened. In fact, he comes with the same awe and respect that one Peter Laviolette come with back when.
Personally, I think he's the best choice.
Whoever is tapped, they will have their work to do.
Bailey Tidbit
To those who think Josh Bailey will be going back to Windsor this coming year should recall that he's been asked to move to Long Island. Add whit: Doug Weight's presence along with Bill Guerin to provide leadership and you get the feeling is that it is the Isles intent to have Bailey be on this team this season.
I definitely felt this more when speaking to Doug Weight in my interview with him over the weekend. Just a feeling that they'd really like some Weight to fall onto Bailey, so to speak.
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