2016-17 Post-Mortem

[cprice12]

https://twitter.com/insideSTL/status/822206475917557762

His body language seemed uncomfortable when asked that question.
Also..."maybe one day...down the road..."

He isn't coming back here anytime soon.

[Toasted Oates]

https://twitter.com/insideSTL/status/822206475917557762

His body language seemed uncomfortable when asked that question.
Also..."maybe one day...down the road..."

He isn't coming back here anytime soon.

I'm not going to pretend to be a body language expert, but I wouldn't expect him to say anything different when put on the spot. I don't disagree with you or that it would even be best for the team to give him what he'll command. Just throwing it out there so folks can make up their own minds.

[ComradeT]

Perhaps worthy of its own thread... All assistant coaches have been let go.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... ee6d7.html

The team announced Tuesday that it will replace all of its assistant coaches. Gone will be Rick Wilson, Steve Thomas, Ray Bennett and Ty Conklin, the team's developmental goalie coach.

Two of the most likely candidates are Craig Berube and Darryl Sydor, who were on the staff of the Blues' American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, this season.

Other possibilities include Michel Therrien and Dan Bylsma, both of whom Yeo worked for in Pittsburgh. He was brought onto the Penguins staff by Therrien and kept on board by Bylsma after Therrien was fired.

[glen a richter]

Well, they certainly needed an overhaul in the coaching department. I suppose Yeo should have his own staff and the guys who were around were Hitch's guys.

[theohall]

Two of the most likely candidates are Craig Berube and Darryl Sydor, who were on the staff of the Blues' American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, this season.

Okay. New blood as coaches and Berube was earning praise for the work he did with Barbashev.

Other possibilities include Michel Therrien and Dan Bylsma, both of whom Yeo worked for in Pittsburgh. He was brought onto the Penguins staff by Therrien and kept on board by Bylsma after Therrien was fired.

God, NO!!! Bylsma already alienated all the players on two teams and one of those was the friggin' Sabres. If you want to see chaos and never know which players play on which lines, or which system the team will play this week, by all means, bring in Bylsma.

Therrien completely lost the room as the Canadiens head coach two years in a row. If you want to see early season success, followed by a January on slide into awfulness, bring in Therrien.

Enough of the NHL version of nepotism. Just because a coach worked with a coach, doesn't mean that coach is good and worthy of hiring because they worked together before.

[theohall]

Well, they certainly needed an overhaul in the coaching department. I suppose Yeo should have his own staff and the guys who were around were Hitch's guys.

Rick Wilson was a Yeo guy. He brought him with him from Minnesota where they were together Yeo's entire tenure there.

[glen a richter]

If they're too boneheaded to bring him in as a HC, bring Dave Lowry in as an assistant. Dude is just a great coach and his lack of playoff success will fit in nicely with the Blues. He can get the offense humming.

[theohall]

The only names Armstrong has actually mentioned were Berube, Sydor, and Daniel Tkaczuk.

Lowry likely won't take another NHL assistant coaching job - he's already done that twice and has been making his mark as a head coach in Western Canada. Of course, the Armstrong already committed to the offense-less wonder Yeo.

[WaukeeBlues]

Darryl Sydor hired as assistant coach.

[Toasted Oates]

Along with Steve Ott. Yes, THAT Steve Ott.
https://twitter.com/StLouisBlues/status/867833077615255552

[glen a richter]

Beat me to it! I was about to post the article link...

https://sports.yahoo.com/news/steve-ott ... 32883.html

What will Ott's role be? Teaching the youngsters how to be colossally useless NHL players and pull stupid antics that make them look like clowns?

[theohall]

Steve Ott
Are there any more of these?

Make the guy learn coaching at a lower level first, please. More Blues management idiocy.

What's happening with Berube? You know, the guy that players were crediting with helping them improve their game. The guy whose been coaching in the AHL for 10 years.

[Portland Blues]

Along with Steve Ott. Yes, THAT Steve Ott.
https://twitter.com/StLouisBlues/status/867833077615255552

Good lord...Guess Jarkko Ruutu must have been busy.

[Toasted Oates]

Ott is a harmless hire. He's inexperienced, but the Blues didn't win jack with an experienced coaching staff.

Rutherford has reported Berube is in the running for the #1 assistant position, but it takes two to tango. The Florida and Buffalo jobs are still open. Maybe he's holding out for one of those spots and that's ok.

Regardless of who the coaches are, this team needs another top 6 forward. They don't get that, we can forget about the Blues contending.

[theohall]

Regardless of who the coaches are, this team needs another top 6 forward. They don't get that, we can forget about the Blues contending.

And that is not likely to happen with so many players already under contract. Blues lose one guy via expansion draft and will probably push one of the kids up, instead of looking elsewhere due to cap constraints once Parayko is re-signed.

[glen a richter]

With our current coaching staff, it'll be difficult to develop one of the kids into a top 6 caliber forward. I still think Andy Murray is 100% responsible for David Perron never developing properly, and I blame Hitch for the same thing/different players. We haven't had an actual good coach since Q. The mistakes this team has made in personnel decisions are absurd. When you fire a coach, you're supposed to replace them with someone who has a completely opposite philosophy and we haven't actually done that in years.

[theohall]

Kelly McCrimmon Vegas Asst GM

These are the kind of hires Blues management never makes. All they seem to do is look for a name people will recognize and hire that guy, regardless of the lack of experience. How about looking beyond "name recognition", seeing whose been doing what at other levels, and hire people with experience in areas the team is lacking? You know, like when they hired Muller who immediately improved the Blues power play.

Ott - name recognition only. What's the value to the staff in that hire? The claim that it doesn't hurt. It does hurt when other candidates are available who could provide more insight based on experience coaching than Ott. Not saying bring in another NHL name, but actually look around and hire someone whose been working at the AHL or NCAA level and bring in new blood - not a former Blues player for his ability to communicate with the players only, because he was recently a member of the team. It almost seems like Ott will be a team captain for Yeo.
Sydor - part of the failure staff from Minnesota which Yeo led. Why are the Blues bringing in yet another Yeo re-tread?
Brodeur - zero experience as a GM. Only working at NHL level, instead of working at multiple levels to learn like other Assistant GMs in the league. Name recognition again, with very slow growth potential in current position. Of course, the Blues would have to spend money and actually manage an AHL team for this to change. Yes, having Brodeur was awesome when they had to fire the goalie coach. But if anyone thinks Brodeur should be the next Blues GM any time soon, think again. It takes time to learn that job and one has to put in the work, but Brodeur's work experience will be limited by the Blues as an organization.

The more I look at management of the Blues, the more convinced I am this team will be mired in mediocrity until senior management changes along with a change in owernship attitude about development costs.

[theohall]

http://twitter.com/TheButler44/status/867868948976607232

[Irish Blues]

Ott is a harmless hire. He's inexperienced, but the Blues didn't win jack with an experienced coaching staff.

I think theohall captured my sentiment. I mean, it's one thing if you hear guys say "you know, when we're on the bench Steve's such a good tactician, he's been great helping me understand little things about the game and pointing out stuff to pay attention to and it's really helped my game" - but I don't ever recall hearing anything close to that about Ott from former teammates.

Sure, the '16-17 lot of assistants weren't spectacular, but using "we didn't win with them, why not try inexperienced guys?" leaves a whole lot of room to be wrong. I'm not saying never give someone their first job - everyone has to start somewhere - but at least have some clues that who you're bringing in for their first job has some knowledge. Ott, ... I don't see it.

[WaukeeBlues]

Ott's been a captain on multiple teams so he obviously has some leadership skills.

Apart from that I don't know the mans qualifications or not to be an NHL assistant coach. I think it's a bit idiotic to think Armstrong just thought to himself "Former Blues that can generate name recognition for the team even though they're not qualified... hmmm..."

I'd like to think I'm one of the more pessimistic of the group against Armstrong and I have no love for many of the moves he's made but good God people. Chill for a hot minute.