Ten games into the 2006-07 season, the Coyotes have only two wins on the season. During that period the club was dead last in the Western Conference and only the Philadelphia Flyers sport a worse record.
They’ve scored the third fewest goals (19) yet lead the league in goals-against with a whopping 44.
Shane Doan, Ladislav Nagy and Mike Comrie are the team’s best forwards but they’ve struggled to score. They lost center Steve Reinprecht and promising blueliner Keith Ballard to injury.
UFA acquisition Ed Jovanovski has been underwhelming as a Coyotes thus far, but at least he’s made some offensive contributions and isn’t a minus player. Veteran forward Owen Nolan and Jeremy Roenick are looking their age, struggling to keep pace with the faster game.
Goaltender Curtis Joseph has received little help from his defense corps, but he too is showing signs of age. Backup Mike Morrison, meanwhile, is doing very little to stick with the club beyond mid-season with his current play.
Speculation is rampant that management may swing a big trade to shake up the roster, but there’s a much easier solution, one that doesn’t need the moving of players to possibly turn around the fortunes of the Desert Dawgs.
Head coach Wayne Gretzky must step down in favor of Ken Hitchcock.
That move might not make the Coyotes a playoff contender this season, but it could go a long way toward righting a sinking ship and pointing it in the right direction.
Gretzky was unquestionably the greatest offensive player in NHL history, but he’s shown little to prove he can translate what made him a great player into being a great coach.
He’s in good company. Few superstar hockey players can make the leap to successful head coach when their playing days are done.
Gretzky’s a proud, competitive man who doesn’t want to admit defeat when it’s staring him in the face, but he should also know that his team needs a lift, the kind he cannot provide them as a head coach.
Gretzky knows Hitchcock from their time together on Canada’s Men’s hockey team in 2002 and 2006. He also knows Hitchcock’s pedigree, as the type of no-nonsense coach who has succeeded at every level he’s coached at.
If the Coyotes were in every game they’d played this season despite their current record, if every loss had been by the narrowest of margins, the case could be made for Gretzky to stay on, to give him a chance to bring this club along into a possible winner.
But that hasn’t been the case. The Coyotes needs an experienced bench boss, one who garners respect, who knows how to win. There is some very good talent on this year’s Coyotes team, but rather than surrendering the season and casting them aside, it would be best to see what this club can do with a strong hand at the helm.
Gretzky knows this. He has to know it. He has to know that each day that passes without doing the right thing could result in another club snapping up Hitchcock.
That would be another golden opportunity lost for a franchise that has seen many such lost opportunities since moving to Phoenix.
I do believe you are correct on this call. The game has passed Wayne by. All the moves he has made the last couple of years bringing in the elder statesmen, who the game has left in the dust as well, just hasn't worked. A lot like the picks he made for Team Canada. Although, I'm not so sure Hitch is the right replacement. He didn't seem to do much for the teams he has coached lately himself. Maybe he could do something if they did make a big roster shake up. You just are not going to win in todays game with Roenick, Nolan, Joseph, Scathard, Laraque and Ricci. Add in ill timed penalty taking and momentum killer Boynton and underachiever Brendl. What could Hitch do with that, that Wayne couldn't? This team could destroy what credibility as a coach Hitch has left. Even Scotty Bowman couldn't turn that roster into a winner. If Wayne had looked to the future instead of trying to salvage the past, he might have had a solid roster to work with and we might have a different opinion of his coaching ability. But he didn't and it's time to let go. Only promote a coach from within until you fix that roster.
Last edited by Gregsky on October 26th at 6:36 AM.
Gregsky-- I wouldn't say the game has past Wayne by but only that he isn't the same caliber of coach as he was a player. There's a ton of character on this team and Hitchcock is the type of guy the Yotes need. No need to implode the entire roster but to use the players they have in the roles that best suit them. Nolan, Roenick and Ricci aren't big offensive threats anymore but they are strong, vocal leaders. Laraque is a spark plug and Boyton is a decent defenseman when paired with a speedy defense partner. They have good offensive weapons in Nagy and Doan. Phoenix isn't a powerhouse but they are a lot better than their record suggest. They just need the right coach.
Last edited by Archangel3005 on October 26th at 8:02 AM.
Archangel3005 - It pains me to say that about Gretz, but the moves he has made suggest he is out of touch with todays game. On a coaching level, wouldn't he do better with a stronger roster? If he were coaching the Sabres would the outlook on his caliber as a coach be different? If he had gone with the kids on Team Canada instead of the crusty vets would things have been different? Of course they would. Signing Hull and Sanderson last year Roenick and Nolan this year doesn't make you scratch your head? Having watched Boynton the last couple of years I can tell you your opinion of him will change as the season goes on. What they need are players who are offensive threats. Nagy and Doan can't do it alone. They need speed, balance and the ability to finish. Leadership and character can only get you so far. I just don't see how any coach will turn that roster around. The Yotes are not much different than the Flyers, Hitchcock didn't do much for them. I see an out of the frying pan and into the fire situation for Hitch if he takes the helm. If Gretz is just a poor coach and it has nothing to do with the roster moves he has made, can you honestly say with a new coach you see them being better than the Ducks, Stars and Sharks?
in a recent interview on XM radio Bill Clement commented on Ken Hitchcock's departure from the Flyers. He said coaches that never played the game at any high level have a tendency to over coach, micromanging players, telling them where to do, what to do, when to do it, and it makes players feel like they have a "python wrapped around their necks". He also said Hitchcock is a sarcastic condesending guy, a yeller that is extremely critical and it takes a tough skinned player to handle that; most guys can't. Now Hitchcock's accomplishments speak for themselves: stanely cup winner, gold medal as one of the coaches for team canada, coached a dominant team in the late 90s with the stars; but if what clement said is true then it would seem hitch might not be the right kind of guy to step into this situation and put the 'yotes back on track. Clearly the 'yotes should be focusing on having their younger players developing into the goto guys on the team. Their older players have obviously lost a step, or two, or three or four.
How can you say the game has passed Wayne by and not Hitchcock? How many cups did they win in Philly with Hitchcock as coach??????? I live in Phx and go to all the games its not Gretzky its the players they have no engery they think they are better then they really are. Coyotes lead the NHL in Penalties how many of those does Wayne have? The players need to step up now...... I think the Oilers started last year at 3-10 so I think its still far to early to say Wayne needs to go.
Last edited by great1nphx on October 26th at 11:28 AM.
I never said the game passed Gretzky by. I said I don't believe he's the right kind of coach for the Coyotes.
As for Hitchcock's supposed demeanor, it's funny how that wasn't considered an issue last season with Philly, now was it? I also don't recall it being an issue during his long, successful tenure with the Dallas Stars.
If there are players whining about Hitchcock being a "yeller", I suspect they're "yeller", in that they cannot look in the mirror and see the problem was themselves, not Hitchcock. Even former Flyers captain Keith Primeau laid the blame for the club's slow start on the players, not Hitchcock.
I can attest to Hitchcock's demeanor knowing him personally in Philadelphia. He was not condescending in any manner. Remember, he tamed an incohesive group which declared mutiny on Barber. It is true that Hitchcock is definitely detail oriented. He is a whiz on Civil War matters and takes each game as a battle. It was a pleasure always talking to him off the ice about hockey. I wish him the best of luck and I know he will be back coaching in the NHL soon.
1) Its too bad some are blaming Wayne alone for this mess. This team wouldn't win if Toe Blake were coach
2) Doesn't the GM, Barnett deserve some blame in the construction of this moribund squad? Yet, all we hear is Wayne is the problem.
3) Gretzky is no quitter. We don't expect he'll leave when things are getting bad. Bringing in Hitchcock as an assistant might be a good move, but to turn over the reigns now would show he quit, and even the biggest Gretzky haters would never accuse him of that!
4) We posted our thoughts on this yesterday: http://fauxrumors.blogspot.com/2006 /10/flyer-like-shake-up-imminent-in -desert.html#links
It's really interesting seeing the debate here about Gretzky. No, he's not on the ice, so no he's not taking the penalties. But just like Wayne made the player choices for Team Canada that were too old to keep up, he's had the same influence over Barnett's "choices" for this team...meaning, with Barnett being Wayne's friend and ex-agent, and considering the stature of Gretzky in the hockey world, who do you think is really in charge of player selection? That being said, the team has too many old guys who have lost a few steps, causing a frustration factor that leads to penalties and short-handed situations, and, based on what I said above, that comes down to Gretzky. Gretzky has not shown, on any level, that he is capable of coaching successfully, so why keep him in that position, because it's not going to make a difference if he has rookies or veterans. The answer here is to develop a new philosophy on building the team around the youngsters and the draft. It takes four or five years to build a decent team (look at Buffalo, the Sharks, Ottawa, and Atlanta....none of those teams happened overnight). I think Phoenix just got anxious, wanted to compete now against the Ducks/Sharks/Stars, but they don't have the youth or the draft picks to do it yet. Big name coach, a few fading stars, how else do you draw crowds without a good team? Have the Coyotes even had many successful drafts in the last few years?
Hitch hasn't succeded at every level, all the stories about him being fired say that he couldn't find chemistry with the gm and they couldn't bring a cup to philly.
Sorry Kyle, I beg to differ. Hitchcock was a very successful juniors coach before he came to the NHL, and then when on to win the cup with the Stars....that's pretty much every important level. With the Flyers, Hitchcock was at the mercy of Clarke's poor choices, as Clarke made many of the same miscalculations that Gretzky/Barnett have made in taking older players and big, slow players. I don't think Hitchcock would like to step into the Coyote mess, so to speak, as there doesn't seem to be a plan in place for future success. I'm sure coaches are not much different than players....they'd rather go somewhere on the upswing so they can be successful rather than toil just to lose and be replaced....
great1 nphx - I made the comment about the game passing Wayne by not Spector - and I hated saying that, but I felt I had to. I was trying to defend his coaching ability because I don't think he should be looked at as a bad coach due to the fact that he has a poor roster to work with. However, I feel the moves he has made making up that roster is his fault and he has made his own bed. I do think if he had not relied so much on past performers and had looked forward I believe his coaching ability wouldn't be questioned. I just can't see the players on that roster stepping up to compete with the much stronger teams in that division.
sharkfan25 - I agree on all fronts. Hitch would be making a big mistake jumping into the Yotes mess as it is no better than the one he was just in. The choices Gretz has made putting that team together have been less than stellar and because of that and not his ability to coach is why I think he should step aside. The team needs a shake up of some kind and if major roster changes is not the game plan then Wayne should step down as coach and focus on fixing the roster for the future.
Gregsky--You stated it would be a big mistake for Hitch to jump into the Yotes mess...but isn't that what seperates a good coach from a great one? And how often do we see coaches fired when their tema is doing great? Coaches that are hired in mid-season normally find themselves with a team in disaray. I'd love to see Hitch take this team as it is and work with what he's got. Of course, he'd would have to. Phoenix doesn't have a lot of assets other teams would want right now. Doan and Nagy are the only two players that have any decent value.
As a side note. It really makes me wonder why the first thing a team does when it struggles is to fire the coach. I realize it's the simplest thing to do, you can't fire 30 players, but is it really the best?
Archangel...I know that you addressed your question to Gregsky, but I'd like to reply also. Even Scotty Bowman had teams (Buffalo in particular, where he was GM and coach) that didn't do well. A great coach knows after a while about the support he might receive going to a new team, which is probably a big deciding factor as to whether he pursues that job or not. While every great coach likes a challenge, they also want their input to be supported so that they can get the job done the way they feel it should be done. As Gregsky noted, if Gretzky is going to be in the way of the Coyotes taking a different direction, and he decides to stay in a position of major influence in the team's player developement, why would even a great coach step into that catastrophy? That's why Gretzky needs to step back and let someone who know's how to put a winning team together take the reins.
Ummmm...Are we talking about Gretzky quiting as a coach or as a GM? I might be off course here but I always thought that player acquisiton was done by a team's GM, not the coach. I'm sure many coachs have a say in the matter but ultimately the final decision falls on the GM.
If Hitch needed that kind of support (ie input in player acquisition and development) then Phoenix would need to hire him as the team's GM and coach...not a chance. But Hitch has coached a lot of teams with veteran players (Dallas and Philly) without being so vocal about player development. Phoenix needs a coach that can get their veterans players going now because the team is stuck with these guys for the year (they might be able to move somebody at the trading deadline). How can Hitch be any worse than Gretzky at this point? The team has no where to go but up...
Just my opinion...hope I haven't ruffled anyone's feathers.
I would like to make a few statements. 1. I still say its way to early to tell what is going to happen with the coyoetes the Oilers started last year at 3-10 and look where they went too. 2. I think the Sharks, Stars and Ducks are great teams but they have not come through when it counts. 3. The Coyotes do have some great young players. 4. I keep hearing how the "NEW NHL" has passed Wayne by but think about his Oiler teams in the 80's again Wayne was way a head of his time. I would love to have the other "Great One" (Spector) bring this up again around the all star game.
Gretzky was a great player. He could probably still play today, and he'd be yet another old fogey on the Phoenix lineup. There're two problems in Phoenix. The coaching is one of them. A little annecdote, if I may:
Back in the day, I played roller hockey on a junior team (14-17). At age 18, I took over the coaching duties. Granted, I wasn't the Wayne Gretzky of my league, but I was still a decent hockey player. Two things happened. First, there was an instant bond, having been a player on the team, we all knew each other pretty well. Second, and more importantly, the guys on the team stopped listening after a few games. I've never understood exactly why, but I think a big part of it was they thought they were great players compared to me, and I didn't know what I was on about.
Looking at the Coyotes roster, you've got a lot of players who were playing in the league when Gretzky retired. Roenick, Nolan, Joseph, etc, were stars when Gretzky ruled the league. I think it's become a situation where Gretzky no longer has the veterans' ears. And, as we know, younger guys follow the vets. It says nothing of Gretzky's skill as a player, or a coach, other than he isn't getting the respect he ought to as a coach. The problem there is, he doesn't Command their respect.
And the other problem? The organization has yet to pave the way for its future. Plain and simple. Gretzky should bail, if for nothing else than to save face. The Coyotes have been a sinking ship since they were in Winnipeg, and the Penguins were hoisting their second cup.
Thank you, chaas, you pretty much took the words out of my mouth.
As for revisiting this, hey, if the 'Yotes manage to turn things around in the coming weeks so that by the All-Star break they're a playoff contender, I'll happily eat my words. I take no satisfaction in seeing any team struggling like the Coyotes have been. That's what spurred my original comments, because I'd like to see them improve.
But if they're still doormats by the All-Star break, I think the last thing I need to do is revisit this. There'll be plenty of criticism from many corners by that point without me piling on.
Last edited by Spector on October 27th at 5:37 PM.
Pheonix's problem is that they never get consistancy out of any of their players. Nagy is often hurt, Doan has never been a consistant scorer and often goes out and gets in fights at the end of a big loss, Cujo doesn't seem to have enough left in the tank to play at this level anymore either.
I'm really surprised that Jovocop has played as well as he has, because I was never impressed by his defensive play in Vancouver. Maybe Wayne isn't the right guy for this team. I'm a big #99 fan from living back in Edmonton as a Kid, but if it's possible to get someone as a coach who's proved himself in the past, then Wayne should step down.
After a while, it just doesn't matter whether Gretzky's the best coach in the world or the worst bench boss in history--and I'd gather that he's probably a very, very good coach by any conventional measure thereof.
The team's not responding, and, in my opinion, anyway, he doesn't have the horses to begin with. The Yotes, for whatever reason, are a team whose nucleus has been shredded in favour of an adventure in instant chemistry. The half-a-roster that's been brought in doesn't mesh with the half-a-roster that is, with few exceptions, made up of players with relatively short tenures in Phoenix.
Long story short? What Lyle said to begin with. If they're not working out, and you can't blow up the roster, a new coach may help get the message across.
Gretzky stepping down wouldn't do anything to tarnish his reputation as an amazing player, ambassador for the game, or as a savvy front-office person--he helped the Canadian Olympic Team win the Gold in 02, you know--so if he's not the right guy for the Yotes as they are, then that's OK.
hey Spect I have a question for you we have a guy in phx on the after noon talk show and he said the Coyotes are thinking about making a trade with the Sharks have you heard about this??????
Here is his state ment.
The Coyotes did get a spectacular performance in goal from David LeNeveu Thursday night, but that may not stop them from considering a deal with the San Jose Sharks that would net them goalie Evgeni Nabokov. The 31-year-old Russian has been splitting time with Vesa Toskala, who is 5-0 with a 1.99 goals against average this season. But Nabokov costs much more than Toskala, and the Sharks could be looking to deal him while he is in the first of a four-year contract extension worth $21.5 million.
San Jose is looking for a physical defenseman and could be interested in Nick Boynton. Nabokov won the Calder trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2001 and led the Sharks to the Western Conference Finals in 2003-04. With Curtis Joseph on a one-year contract, Nabokov would come in as the No. 1 goalie and give Phoenix stability at the position going forward.
Anything's possible but trades between division rivals are rare, especially during a season. There's also cap issues to consider, for we don't know if the Coyotes are willing to spend more than they currently are on salary, which is what they'd be doing in a Nabokov for Boynton swap. Finally, the consensus amongst most pundits is the Sharks are in no hurry to move a goalie, as they've been quite happy with the play of their young blueline. At some point, perhaps, they might move one of their goalies for an experienced blueliner,but such a move might not come until later in the season, if at all.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
