| Author |
 Topic  |
|
tjpavlik
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
552 Posts |
|
|
Catch22
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
676 Posts |
 Posted - 04/11/2011 : 3:08:42 PM
|
I do think this staff will be back but only because they made the playoffs. And I think the only reason they made the playoffs was the lucky pick-up of Foster.
What scares me is this.
What if, given the 6 months to do so, Skalde brings in "his guys" and lets proven ECHL players like Ehgoetz and Sheahan and Reynolds go? And then what if he still flops?
Well, the organization loses, long term. Big time.
As I've said about 1000 times, I do not buy the whole recruiting "his guys" thing at this level. With two affiliates (which seems to be an organizational goal) the majority of the roster will always be WHO GETS ASSIGNED TO YOU.
After that, you have to cultivate connections and find guys to backfill call-ups and injuries and STILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
Yes, Skalde only got 1.5 months to prepare. But he had all season to adjust and compensate AND HE NEVER DID.
Adjusting and compensating is crucial in the ECHL, and there appears to be zero evidence that Skalde can do it. Weber was a master at it, and it appears that Stork learned well as Greenville started at the top and stayed there all year, regardless of roster changes.
Part of me wants to think that a coach deserves more of a chance than 1 season, and I'd be all over supporting him for another one of we saw ANY improvement over the course of 76 games. But we didn't. The team was lost, frustrated, inconsistent and underperforming in game 1 and were lost, frustrated, inconsistent, and underperforming in game 76.
Seventy Six games is an awful lot of opportunity for improvement.
Who saw any?
I'm being serious. If you can name an area where this team improved over 76 games (other than Foster in goal) please tell us about it. I can't think of a single damned thing.
|
Yes, I grew up playing hockey... In Alabama. |
 |
|
|
Reggie Dunlop
(The Next Level!)
USA
399 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2011 : 3:09:35 PM
|
It seems there are a number of factors that impacted the season: Chuck's late departure, Jarrod's late arrival, call-ups and injuries. The last two are just part of the deal. Although the team didn't look good for most of the year, Jarrod did show a willingness to make necessary roster moves the second half of the season. He really turned over the roster from what started in October. Some moves paid off, while others didn't. And who knows what happened with Mahbod.
We can't lose sight of the fact that CWeb didn't have a great regular season his first year, either. Granted, his playoff run was better. He seems to be experiencing a poor first season with Rochester, too. But we all know the guy can coach and I hope he stays behind the bench in the AHL. Basically, it's hard to condemn someone based on one season. Too small of a sample size.
But watching the team this year, it didn't seem to have a knack for what it was. The Cyclones didn't have gifted finesse players with great scoring touches, nor did they have big men who could always play the body. A style was never defined and it may have been a function of Jarrod's late arrival. Also, at times it didn't look like the Cyclones had the personnel to match up with other teams' size and speed.
It's my hope that he can make some adjustments and show great improvement next year. If not, then he can be held responsible. |
|
|
|
fangers
(The Next Level!)
USA
262 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2011 : 3:20:38 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by bhf303
quote:
Originally posted by fangers
When I voiced my opposition to his hiring at the time I was pretty well blasted for it. Despite what some felt at the time, I did not simply base my opinion on what a couple posters on another forum said, rather on the opinion of several folks I've gotten to know that really know the junior and minor pro hockey world.
And what you saw from this team this season is what has been seen from previous skalde coached teams - inconsistent performance, especially on the part of the more veteran players and a general sense that his teams underachieved.
I'm not sure comparing what the next Bloomington coach did is fair tho, because they did step up to a higher league which in turn would have brought in higher quality players. I'd stick to comparing it against his coaching track record.
The disparity between their home and road play is baffling tho, not sure how much of that is on the coaching staff, but I guess game day prep was different enough to cause the problem?
I'll give you credit that it may not be completely fair to compare Skalde to Blommingtons current Coach, but my comparison was more central to how they were as comapred to how they are now and that I believe that a better Coach can be found. The Clones went in the opposite direction and I think that trend will continue. I think this topic is all for not however, as I believe Skalde will be here again next year. With that said, the proof will be in the pudding, as there will be no more excuses as to why he fails, if in fact he does (I hope he doesnt.) He will get to recruit a couple of his own players, which history says will be goon type players.
I don't argue that at all. |
|
|
|
Spud
(Rookie)
20 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 02:23:02 AM
|
| I agree with your opinion, Reggie. I would like to see a broader sample before I pass judgement. Who knows what the team might look like next year. I'll be interested to see who is sent to us after the camps. |
|
|
|
bags
(Person With Nothing Better To Do!)
USA
2224 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 06:48:43 AM
|
Don't forget everyone the main point- this is ECHL (Double A) level
hockey. When I say this, it means EVERY YEAR you have a turnover of
talent and must start over. Coach Weber could take a group of players
and find a system that would produce respectable results in a short
period of time. Coach Skalde spent the entire season throwing out the
same game plan with talent that didn't match. If Skalde is kept and we
start next year with 70% turnover, are we looking at a dismal 1st half
of the season again. I would expect so. I appreciate the job Skalde
tried to do but the two coaches showed me little on adjustments to
present player abilities. If we were an "independent" ECHL team, we could
keep the core together of players good enough for this level but not good
enough to move up. We are an affiliate so players will constantly change.
We need a "quick change" coach to deal with what we have. |
|
|
|
Donnie Hockey
(Loves To Post!)
USA
1514 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 10:08:00 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by bags
Coach Weber could take a group of players and find a system that would produce respectable results in a short period of time.
Really? Is a 31-39-5-5 record and last-place finish in the AHL North Division this season respectable results?
|
|
|
|
Catch22
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
676 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 10:50:03 AM
|
Obviously he's terrible.
Bring him back here and let us suffer through his presence some more. |
Yes, I grew up playing hockey... In Alabama. |
|
|
|
Catch22
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
676 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 10:55:04 AM
|
Now for the serious answer.
I haven't seen a single minute of a single Rochester game this year. So I have no idea why they had a bad season. Bad goaltending? Players generally not up to AHL caliber? Injuries? Poor coaching?
<shrug>
Could be any one or a combination of those things. I have no idea. Neither do you Donnie.
But for OUR home team... I saw 24 games and had my head in my hands during almost all of them. There was some poor goaltending and there were some injuries and there was some poor play. But mostly there was forcefeeding an approach that didn't work and some obviously unhappy players.
I never saw that when Weber was here and I haven't seen anything BUT that with Skalde behind the bench.
|
Yes, I grew up playing hockey... In Alabama. |
|
|
|
bags
(Person With Nothing Better To Do!)
USA
2224 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 11:50:07 AM
|
Don't forget Rochester was a "lame duck" franchise for Florida. The
early reports were they are not choosing to stay with the Florida
organization for next year. As a result, maybe Weber's hands were tied
on bringing in new talent like our organization did the year we were
shutting down.
By the way DH, why am I not surprised you had to bash one of my posts.
It just seems to be habit for you  ! |
|
|
|
jsun51
(The Next Level!)
143 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 12:27:33 PM
|
| Speaking of affiliates, what are we looking at next year? Same two organizations? |
|
|
|
Donnie Hockey
(Loves To Post!)
USA
1514 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 1:04:41 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by bags
Don't forget Rochester was a "lame duck" franchise for Florida. The
early reports were they are not choosing to stay with the Florida
organization for next year. As a result, maybe Weber's hands were tied
on bringing in new talent like our organization did the year we were
shutting down.
By the way DH, why am I not surprised you had to bash one of my posts.
It just seems to be habit for you !
Whether Florida was staying or going had no impact on the season Rochester had. The head coach in the AHL doesn't bring in the talent, either. Chuck Weber's hands were not tied. He was hired to coach the team. He coached it to a last place finish.
In the ECHL, the coaches that can recruit end up having the best teams. Chuck Weber is an outstanding recruiter. But his record this year begs the question of whether or not he can really coach.
The ECHL is very similar to college sports. The coaches that can recruit have the best teams. And you can look at all the great college coaches that didn't have success in the NFL or NBA. It's because they were better recruiters than coaches. Weber may be in that same category.
|
www.twitter.com/donhelbig |
|
|
|
cloneinator
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
597 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 4:48:00 PM
|
Well, I don't know if I would completely agree with that Donnie. Some coaches can't make the adjustments going to the higher leagues (college to pro, minors to higher leagues, etc.) Your point is well taken and only time will tell if Chuck can coach at the AHL level, and you are correct, he could be one that can't make the adjustments, but I wouldn't necessarily say its all in the recruitment. Chuck is worth a team sticking with for 2 or 3 years to see if he can adjust. Conversely, Skalde has not shown he can win at any level, even with talent.
It is true the Ohio States, USC's, Florida's, etc have outstanding recruitment's, but not just anyone can coach them to be winners. They can certainly ride their talent, but they always get exposed in the end (see Earl Bruce, John Cooper who couldn't win the big games for Ohio State). |
...And on the eighth day, GOD created the Cyclones! |
|
|
|
Reggie Dunlop
(The Next Level!)
USA
399 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 5:14:49 PM
|
Systems aside, I saw a lot of fundamentally poor plays this year. It doesn't matter what system you play if you constantly pass the puck into someone's skates or fumble away a tape-to-tape pass. And how many open nets were missed this year?! Perhaps this year's team just didn't have the level of talent as in past years. There was no pure scorer and not much of a physical presence outside of Olson. Foster put duct tape on a lot of broken parts this year. Skalde may not be Scotty Bowman, but he may also have been working with incredibly average raw material.
However, regarding systems, I will agree that the PP formation never made any sense. That set up seemed to cause them to gum up their own offensive zone. That definitely needs to change. |
|
|
|
Catch22
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
676 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 7:05:53 PM
|
You can win in hockey without super scoring talent. You simply play strong defense and a "scrum" type dirty, ugly, scrappy offense.
See this year's Predators. No real natural scorers. No huge and intimidating guys. But there they are, competitive in the west and an outside shot at the cup.
It can be done, the coach just has to understand the talents of his team and adopt a style of play to that.
Yes, we took awful shots, passed into skates all season, and tried to generate offense from the point with no real strong offensive defensemen. And it was awful.
So... We shouldn't have been doing it.
|
Yes, I grew up playing hockey... In Alabama. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
