Could Therrien's Job Be On The Line?
Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins
Dec 26, 08:22 PM | Hype this story!
It’s been discussed over and over on sports talk shows, internet message boards, and even here at Faceoff Factor, but is there really any substance behind rumors that Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Michel Therrien could be in a fight to keep his job?
According to Lyle Richardson of Spector’s Hockey, there soon might be fire where smoke originated.
During his daily media rumor breakdowns, Richardson dissected a few Penguins trade rumors, including one involving Atlanta Thrashers forward Marian Hossa and several others involving Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik and forwards Jarkko Ruutu and Gary Roberts.
“A coaching change might be more in line than making a trade,” Richardson wrote. “Dealing away Orpik would remove a physical presence from the Pens blueline.”
He went on to say that “firing Therrien could indeed be the only reasonable option.”
While there is no hard evidence such a move is in the works, signs are beginning to point toward the coaching staff losing some of its clout.
Take, for example, the regression of the power play and penalty kill. Both of these special teams aspects have suffered since the first month of the season, yet little has been done to make adjustments.
And then there has been some static in the hockey world lately that Roberts and other veteran players are upset with the way Therrien treated Recchi, that Orpik and Darryl Sydor are upset over recent benchings, and that Ruutu is unhappy with his role on the team.
Add in that the team, which is constructed nearly the same as it was during its second half playoff run just a year ago, is showing no improvement over last season’s first half, and there is reason to believe some sort of move might be made.
The problem, however, with making a coaching change at this point of the season is that a new coach brings with him a new system, a new attitude, and a new way of doing things.
This new leader may generate a spark initially from his players, but after the momentum wears off, learning a new system can have more detrimental effects than using a faulty one.
It is my opinion that this sort of move should have been made in late November, when the Penguins had six days without a game. Now, as the New Year approaches, games are scheduled closer together, and winning becomes more and more difficult.
The timing is wrong to make a change at the top.
That is, of course, unless general manager Ray Shero feels his team has little or no chance of making the playoffs and is, instead, focusing on building for next year.
On the surface, the playoffs appear to be a long-shot, as starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury could miss another four or weeks to an ankle injury and as defenseman Mark Eaton misses significant time, if not the remainder of the season, with a torn ACL.
But, with the Penguins remaining in the hunt, it would be next to impossible to justify looking ahead to the future and ignoring this season.
As the storyline unfolds, I think we’ll gain a much better picture of Therrien’s status with the team. The types of trades (if any are made) will foreshadow whether or not a coaching change is imminent.
But, as I said, imminent most likely does not mean immediate, but rather following the season — unless, of course, the team falls apart quickly.
Comments
DaBich
Dec 27, 06:41 AM
This team is going no where this season anyway, so Shero may as well make his moves. YOu can paint a bright picture or wear rose-colored glasses, but it doesn’t change the facts, stats, or whatever you want to call them. Special teams are terrible, and they are a MUST for winning games. Our inuries are many and they have hit our best players. Only a minor miracle will see the Pens in the playoffs. However, that won’t stop me from watching them and rooting for them.
With that said, I am disgusted with the way Therrien and Yeo abuse the potential and the abilities of their players. Maybe a coaching shakeup is in order!
Matt Bodenschatz
Dec 27, 02:06 PM
I agree that the post-season looks bleak at this point, factoring in the players lost to injuries, the special teams play, etc. But, at the same time, when running a business (as running a hockey team is), you can’t simply mail it in because the post-season appears to be a longshot.
Last year, at this time, the post-season appeared to be a long-shot as well. Had the team made some sort of move that would have been recognized as mailing it in, the team would not have made the playoffs.
Am I suggesting a 16-game point streak is forthcoming? No, not at all. Personally, I don’t see the playoffs as a realistic possibility. But, with the way the standings are at this point, the Penguins are still in the hunt, and have remained in the hunt despite losing their starting goalie and replacing him with someone who had played 14 games in the NHL prior to this season and a minor league starter.
All I am saying is that nothing is certain at this point, and making a coaching change now would make something certain.
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