The Rangers named David Quinn as their coach today with a press conference to introduce him in that role Thursday. Quinn reportedly was offered the job a few weeks ago but originally turned it down as it appeared he wanted to stay at Boston University. But Quinn never formally took his name out of contention or running for the role. After Jim Montgomery decided to go to Dallas for their head role, New York pivoted back to Quinn, substantially upping their original offer to land the former Terrier coach for five years at around $2.4 million per.
Quinn will become the 35th coach in team history and second to go from the college ranks directly to the pros, joining Herb Brooks, though Brooks went from Minnesota to the US Olympic Team to Davos to the Rangers. Prior to Quinn and Montgomery, Dave Haskoll to the Flyers was the most recent to make that jump with Brooks the last prior to this trio. With these two coaches making the jump, the total of those who made that direct transition from college to the pros sits at five with Badger Bob Johnson having the most success.
What should New York expect from Quinn. Larry Brooks ran Part of the below quote in hos column today. Here is the full quote from an interview Quinn have to the Terrier Hockey Blog in October 2015 on
BU's style of play:
One of the things we stress is a puck-possession game. There are times you have to chip a puck in, but that’s not the way we want to play. We kick loose pucks in the neutral zone back to our defense so they can possess it and enter the zone with speed. A lot of teams will post a guy at the blue line and have him chip it in and go get it. That’s not how we want to play. We want to carry the puck into the offensive zone and attack with speed. We need our defensemen to be involved in the attack; so, it’s something we’re constantly stressing.
Attacking with speed. Using the D to create offense. Puck-possession game. Some of the hallmarks that marked the Rangers the past few years when they weee playing the right way. However, because of a variety of reasons, including an inability to make adjustments, sustaining that type of attacking was few and far between.
What’s not included above is Quinn’s willingness to allow players to make a mistake and aid in their development. Granted, at college the capacity and capability to follow that philosophy is much easier than in the pros. But those younger players who lived in fear of a benching when making a mistake likely won’t have to play grasping the stick and hoping not to make a mistake rather than trying to make a play.
Quinn had a slew of players he coaches at BU who have made or will make an impact in the NHL. Included within that list in order are Jordan Greenway, Charlie McAvoy, Clayton Keller and Jack Eichel with Brady Tkachuk to be selected high in the draft this year. Now the question can be rightly be asked if those players improved in the year or two they were in BU or were they close to finished products. Each of those four appeared to have take a step forward at a minimum in college, augmented by several of others, who made major gains under Quinn and his program.
With New York in some kind of a rebuild, the form, structure and length of it still to be decided, player development takes on an increased focus. Following the deadline trades last year, the Rangers have a slew of young players on the parent team and in the pipeline. Setting a course of direction at the minor-league level to teach Quinn’s system will be paramount to facilitate a pipeline to the NHL.
At the parent level, Pavel Buchnevich, Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil should be the primary beneficiaries of Quinn’s hire. Buch, who is a polarizing figure amongst the fan base, now will have no excuses. Mistakes will be tolerated better than previously but the same mistakes repeated still may land him on the bench. But Buchnevich like the rest of the team has a clean slate with the new coach and assistants that will be brought in. Most of us believe Buch has a lot more to give than shown to date. He now gets the chance, and presuming no major changes in the Top-6, should be reunited as part of the KZB line.
On the blue line, Anthony DeAngelo may be the defenseman who has the most to gain under Quinn. Part of that depends on who is brought in to coach the defense. But ADA’s ability to rush the puck and go from defense to offense would appear to be a solid fit for what Quinn is implementing. That all starts with strong play in your own zone, which is an area where ADA needs work, but DeAngelo, especially as a RH d-man, should get every opportunity to stick and be a difference maker this year.
Quinn and the system implemented will be charged to help develop Libor Hajek, Brett Howden and Ryan Lindgren as well as Sean Day and Tim Gettinger. Neal Pionk’s skating ability should also play well into the Quinn’s system, aiding his next step forward. The pace at which development will be required depends on what New York does before and at the draft as well as in free agency. What transpires in each of those situations will drive the timeframe in which Quinn has to operate.
Quinn comes to New York with a strong pedigree. After three years as an assistant both at Northeastern and the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Quinn served as associate coach to the legendary Jack Parker for five years at BU. During that term, Quinn coached Kevin Shattenkirk and was part of a national title.
From BU, Quinn coached Lake Erie of the AHL for three years, parlaying that role into an assistant role under Joe Sacco in Colorado. Because of that relationship, look for Sacco, now an assistant with Boston, to possibly join Quinn in New York as an assistant, providing experience behind the bench. Quinn went from Colorado to replace Parker at BU, where he has been the past five seasons. During the stretch, Quinn led the Terriers to 105–67–21 record and BU was the NCAA runners-up (and Hockey East champs) in 2014-15.
I was on record stating that I wanted Montgomery. My second choice was Sheldon Keefe, but the hiring of Kyle Dubas as Toronto GM (further ramifications noted below) May have played a role in the belief that Keefe wants to stay with the organization. Quinn fell behind those two in the pecking order in a mix of others. But the more you hear about Quinn and system he utilizes, the more you believe this is the right hire. Quinn has gotten over his initial reticence or taking the job - aided by a big offer - and now will be charged to bring in the right assistants. It’s a new era in New York.
In other news:
The Islanders named
Lou Lamoriello as President of Hockey Operatons placing the long-time NHL executive in charge of all hockey related matters. Coach Doug Weight and GM Garth Snow both will have to wait to find out their fates, but a change in both positions, especially GM would not be surprising and is expected. How this impacts free agent to be John Tavares remains to be seen but Lamoriello and Tavares reportedly met last week and his hiring certainly increases the likelihood that Tavares re-ups on the Island. Nothing is guaranteed in that regard, but compared to where Tavares might have been before the hiring to now certainly has to provide the Islanders fan base more hope that their captain returns.
Lamoriello was the Toronto GM for three years and could have remained in that role but Brendan Shanahan opted to follow the terms of the contract the two aides had signed, moving Lamoriello into a senior advisor role and promoting Dubas to GM. Speculation immediately centered on Lamoriello joining the Isles to work with his son, Chris. In addition, Mark Hunter, who played a large role in the drafting of Toronto’s young talent, parted ways with the organization yesterday and could end up on the Island after the draft and free agency.
As a Rangers blogger and fan, the Islanders adding someone of the pedigree and respect or Lamoriello bodes well for that organization in terms of attractiveness to the players. Issues with the stadium etc still must be resolved. It going from Snow to Lamoriello is like moving for night to day, possibly making the Island a more probable destination then existed just a few days ago.
Evander Kane has reportedly signed a seven-year extension worth close to $49 million to stay to San Jose. Acquired at the deadline, Kane posted 14 points in 17 games as a Shark fitting in well with the team. But that kind of money and term for a player who wore out his welcome in Winnipeg seems like an overpayment.
We all know all it takes is one owner to blow the market place and that might have now just happened. Compared Kane’s history and production to James van Riemsdyk’s and JvR and his agent have to be salivating at the offers they might get following this signing. Kane did bring physical play and filled a missing role with the Sharks. But if Kane is ‘worth’ this type of deal what will Tavares and even Ilya Kovalchuk now receive in a relatively weak free agent marketplace?
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