We all kind of saw this coming...the changes in the NHL will be fast and furious this off-season and no one is waiting for the Stanley Cup Playoffs or showing any fear of upstaging the great event.
In Edmonton...
Ken Holland, as was just noted in his press conference, came very quickly. Ken was just at the U18 WC and realized he still has the GM itch. While this may have taken Ken Holland himself awhile to figure out, I think those who know him would have told him this in a second. That if he could still be a GM it wouldn't matter what Detroit was offering...he would be a GM again.
Ken has told Hitchcock that he is out already. By the way, you gotta love Holland bringing that up immediately in the PC...I say that not because I feel Hitch didn't do a great job, I say that because it shows that Holland is anticipating the craziness that awaits him in the Edmonton media and social media world...although Holland has also said he isn't on social media...which many people may say, but Holland truly isn't...
I fully expect Holland will be very aggressive over the next few weeks finding creative ways to move Lucic and other cap issues. It might take a few unpopular moves to make that happen, but the great thing for Oilers fans is Holland won't care...and honestly, the reality is the team will be OK with making a few unpopular moves...There is some very strong AHL talent with speed, who will bring excitement...to the city and McDavid will be rejuvenated by the young talent.
Holland will also have to find a way to re-vamp the scouts and there are some very good options out there for Holland.
On Philly...
The Flyers new coaching staff is the perfect example of the cyclical nature of this sport. The Flyers are going from first -timers, take-a-shot-at-it young management/coaches in Hextall and Hakstol to the tried-and-true, you-know-what-you-are-getting experienced Fletcher/Vigneault....and they have gone overboard in hiring Therrien and Yeo to go completely retro..
Will it work?
Sometimes it does work short term and that is why so many GMs take this easy way out. The players on the Flyers are going to be hit over the head with strong personalities and when Mike Yeo is the most stable/player friendly coach on your staff.....well...he is.
And while this is a scorched earth approach to coaching these Flyers players really did bring it on themselves. This is a team with enough talent to be a contender, but they started everything so slowly...They started games slowly...they started seasons slowly....Then when things got desperate they would show their talent and go on ridiculous runs like they did the second half of last year...The Flyers are a team crying out to have the whip taken to them. That is undeniable....and that is going to happen with these coaches.
It is a HUGE risk however....If it doesn't work because these coaches are unwilling to bend to the new NHL...(See Babcock in Toronto) then the Flyers will have to blow this whole thing up from the GM down again...and with a different core of players...
What say you?
Listen to the HockeyBuzzcast w/@Eklund @sportsology & @MikeInBuffalo on iTunes (https://t.co/yXakLaiyRy) & Tune In (https://t.co/O3Em8BtZ6W)
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) August 2, 2017