maple leafs - coach killers

[davevandyk]

this has to be the biggest insult to a team... apparently losing to the leafs is the final straw for teams that are struggling.

After the leafs beat the Penguins the coach gets fired and now the same In NYC. I guess GM's can stand losing 9 of 11, but when that 10th loss in 12 comes at the hands of the leafs, Sather said enough is enough.

[spackler]

So every team that went to Europe to start the season this year has fired their coach? The Sens and the Penguins who were in Sweden, and the Rangers and Lightning who were in Prague. Is any coach going to want to bring their team to Europe next year?

[LobWedge]

this has to be the biggest insult to a team... apparently losing to the leafs is the final straw for teams that are struggling.

After the leafs beat the Penguins the coach gets fired and now the same In NYC. I guess GM's can stand losing 9 of 11, but when that 10th loss in 12 comes at the hands of the leafs, Sather said enough is enough.

We're glad to oblige.

[byerxa]

So every team that went to Europe to start the season this year has fired their coach? The Sens and the Penguins who were in Sweden, and the Rangers and Lightning who were in Prague. Is any coach going to want to bring their team to Europe next year?

In all seriousness I think Burke said he'd never do it again after the Ducks went over the season after the won the cup.

[BC MIST]

So every team that went to Europe to start the season this year has fired their coach? The Sens and the Penguins who were in Sweden, and the Rangers and Lightning who were in Prague. Is any coach going to want to bring their team to Europe next year?

If the comment is not meant to be humourous, why would playing the 1st two games of the season in Europe cause the team to play poorly in the next 50?

[spackler]

It was an observation, I think it's coincidental that all 4 teams fired their coaches. I do think the challenges to each team are real though. Between the disruption the trip causes to training camp, the lack of real practice for a week as the teams have to promote the games and the league, the disruption the travel and travel adjustment causes.....it's a lot to ask of a team.

[LobWedge]

It was an observation, I think it's coincidental that all 4 teams fired their coaches. I do think the challenges to each team are real though. Between the disruption the trip causes to training camp, the lack of real practice for a week as the teams have to promote the games and the league, the disruption the travel and travel adjustment causes.....it's a lot to ask of a team.

Humbug, poppycock, and balderdash! These guys get paid a bizillion dollars a year to play a GAME. Suck it up and deal.

[spackler]

Yeah but the other 26 teams are getting paid a bazillion dollars too, and they don't have to 'deal' at all. Happens in the NFL too, my Dolphins had to go to London to play and they ended up 1-15. The next year they didn't have to go and they were 11-5. Sure they played the Giants there and they ended up winning the Super Bowl that year, and the trip was midseason and followed by a bye week, but all those facts get in the way of my argument, so lets ignore them. I think with the NHL it does affect them for a few weeks to start the season, but I don't think it explains a whole season.

[Chambokl]

This is what Brian Burke said:

"I don't care how long the flight is. This is a great game we play, and we want to show it to people here in England."

I think he must have change his mind...lol.

Spackler, I am on your side. I think it is really hard on the players...

[Golfbum]

C'mon boys and girls. It is a trip to Europe. Good Lord it is not like they had to go over and back by boat.

Those teams are in trouble because of their manner of play and to some extent the coaching. I for one do not always buy into this firing of NHL coaches.

Let's face the facts. Spezza and others know how to play the game at this level. Yes they need to be coached but making dumb a** plays on the ice has nothing to do with the guy with the tie behind the bench.

Some coaches are great at getting players to rise to the challenge. No doubt about that. But the same coach can not prevent a guy like Spezza from making a drop pass onto the opponents stick

Trip to Europe killing teams? I don't buy that. They know they are going there well in advance. Get in shape and be ready to rock when the time comes.

"My team went to England and was 1-15 that year" is no excuse. They were 1-15 because they sucked! Other teams were better. Does it take 15 weeks to get over a trip to England? That is some mighty heavy jet lag right there