Note: Since I'm not a hockey insider, this blog is based on conjecture so please take that into consideration when reading the following perspectives.
As the Blackhawks recalibrate the organizational direction from rebuilding based on a youth movement to fast tracking toward contention as early as this season, a question that has come up is whether the coaching staff has job security no matter what or is now on borrowed time.
A year ago, head coach Jeremy Colliton as well as assistants Tomas Mitell and Sheldon Brookbank plus associate Marc Crawford had the green light to develop the team primarily by way of an infusion of youth throughout the roster who were bolstered by a cadre of veterans.
In a rebuild, wins and place in the standings are "nice to haves" but not necessarily "need to haves" as the focus is more on ensuring that players are on the right path to being impact ones now in the case of veterans or becoming impact ones long term in the case of youngsters.
However, management may have upped the ante for what's at stake for at least the upcoming season by adding more experience at forward with Tyler Johnson and Jujhar Khaira, on the blueline with Seth and Caleb Jones and Jake McCabe, and between the pipes with Marc-Andre Fleury.
That's half a dozen new players added to a team stocked with veterans already which leaves little room for youngsters whether last season's rookies or the new rookie crop. The youth movement may be delayed a year as it seems safe to assume the Hawks want to win sooner than later.
The onus to win may not rest solely on those who suit up and hit the ice, though. The coaching staff also has much to prove and could be expected to deliver not only wins but also a playoff berth and deep run in the postseason. A slow start out of the gate may not bode well.
So what would happen if the Hawks struggle in the early going of the season? Common solutions are mixing up lines and pairs, benching players, and recalling prospects from the minors. But is it in the realm of possibility that Colliton is on the hot seat for the first time?
A prevalent argument is that Colliton may be an appropriate and sufficient head coach at present while the team is rebuilding but may not be the one to lead the way toward perennial contention. As a young NHL skipper, though, perhaps he also develops and reaches that next level himself.
Yet, if that's not the case and Colliton can't bring the new-look Blackhawks to greater levels of success in short order, then his expiration date could emerge more quickly than originally designed. The same could be said for at least Mitell and Brookbank as his assistants.
Then what about Crawford? If a team cans its head coach while the season is in motion, an interim is needed unless a new one is already waiting in the wings internally or was lined up externally before the axe fell. Crawford may be an ideal interim but possibly not ideal permanently.
How long is an interim tag? The time frame could be as little as a few days to as long as the remainder of the season. Crawford has an extensive NHL coaching resume so there's the chance that management trusts him enough to be at the helm as long as needed to accomplish the mission.
What can the coaching staff do to maintain steady employment in what could now be a pressure cooker to produce results that will have the team poised to qualify for the playoffs and be a force once there? Do they continue as they have been and hope for better results in 2021-22?
That could be one option especially with more experience being integrated into the lineup versus having one third or more of the roster being comprised of teenagers and young twentysomethings. But the veterans have also not fared well with implementing the systems.
Not to say that the coaching staff doesn't do this to some degree already but it may be worth it to evolve and adapt the systems more frequently than they are based on feedback from the players or even by simple observation of game tape and criticism from the media and fans.
Having multiple players chase the puck carrier, abandoning the front of the net, employing the "push 'em back" zone entry on the power play, having predictable formations and set plays on the man advantage, and being easy to telegraph on breakouts all need to stop. ASAP.
In order to bust through that mindset of trying to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results, there needs to be someone willing to challenge the thinking of those making the decisions. That could be a few players, a fellow coach, or management.
Regardless of who it is, a single dissenter could be pivotal and frankly all it takes to make sure optimal decisions are made for the greater good of the organization. Otherwise, the team could be mired in groupthink, stubbornness, and false hope that prevent progress.
At least during Colliton's tenure as head coach so far, such alternate viewpoints seem lacking and that could be to his detriment. For his sake and the sake of his staff, entertaining more ideas and advice -- particularly those that go against the grain -- could make or break them.
--
Riley McKay
Riley McKay was the resident tough guy for the IceHogs last season: short on talent but big on physical presence including fisticuffs. While his re-signing yesterday was a decent decision, it also wasn't entirely necessary either. Yet, depth is never a bad thing.
Besides McKay, the forward ranks in Rockford isn't devoid of toughness with the likes of MacKenzie Entwistle, Mike Hardman, Reese Johnson, Evan Barratt, Andrei Altybarmakian, and captain Garrett Mitchell. Size isn't a factor either as some of them are far from huge and powerful.
The Hogs do have additional size, though, from forwards who aren't known to have sandpaper and grit like the aforementioned cohort. These wingers include Josiah Slavin, Cam Morrison, Michal Teply, Matej Chalupa, Jakub Pour, and Carson Gicewicz.
Isaak Phillips, Michael Krutil, Cliff Watson, and especially Dmitry Osipov provide muscle and brawn from the back end. Ian Mitchell, Chad Krys, and Jakub Galvas are also willing to battle while protecting the net despite needing to gain more strength to come out victorious more often than not.
--
See you on the boards!
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»