Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Thursday 28 November 2019
Help not available: NHL staffs brimming with ex-head coaches

By STEPHEN WHYNO ponents.
AP Hockey Writer "There's nothing but posi-
When Kevin Hayes got tives," Vigneault said. "I've
off to a slow start with the got guys that understand
Philadelphia Flyers, coach exactly what I'm going
Alain Vigneault didn't need through and understand
to talk to him. exactly what I mean as far
Assistants Mike Yeo and Mi- as feedback. Nobody un-
chel Therrien took care of derstands a head coach
that. Because each had better than a former head
been an NHL head coach coach."
before, Vigneault encour- Philadelphia's three-head-
ages that direct communi- ed monster is bested only
cation. by the Dallas Stars having
"There's a confidence fac- ex-head coaches John
tor with AV knowing that Stevens, Rick Bowness and
if we're going to talk to a Todd Nelson on Jim Mont-
player, what we're saying gomery's staff. Unlike Vi-
would be the same mes- gneault, who carries with
sage that he would be de- him the gravitas of taking
livering to that player," Yeo two different teams to the
said. "He wanted people Stanley Cup Final, Mont-
that were comfortable gomery is a first-time head In this Oct. 29, 2019, file photo, Philadelphia Flyers assistant Michel Therrien, left, and head coach
and confident to go up to coach and isn't at all both- Alain Vigneault stand behind their bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against
players, whether it's cor- ered by having guys di- the Pittsburgh Penguins, in Pittsburgh.
recting, whether it's rein- rectly reporting to him who Associated Press
forcing, whether it's patting have done his job before.
somebody on the back. He "I'm a guy that wants infor- Cup as a head coach, and played together in the before.
wants us to be proactive mation from other people," Sutter did it twice. Many American Hockey League "I think I had had 10 or 11
about that." said Montgomery, who's in more have connections and won the Calder Cup in years of assistant or as-
It's not just Yeo and Ther- his second season as Stars to championship teams or 1998, while Vigneault and sociate coach (experi-
rien. Anyone interested in coach. "As much infor- won in the minors. Therrien have known each ence)," said Reirden, who
firing a coach this season mation they can give me "There's a lot of little fires other for two decades. was Barry Trotz's top as-
is in trouble without a suc- before I talk to the team, that coaches have to go Washington's Todd Reird- sistant when the Capitals
cessor lined up because al- the better knowledge I'm through — head coaches en in his first head NHL job won the Cup in 2018. "But
most every potential candi- imparting to the team so — and I think when you wanted an assistant with not being a full-time head
date already has a job. that we can have quicker have a staff with experi- similar experience and coach in this league, and
Of 31 teams, 20 have a for- points and get right to what ence, they can put those hired Scott Arniel without I thought it was important
mer NHL head coach as an we think's going to help us fires out before they get to knowing him. After being to have someone like Scott
assistant and six have more win hockey games." you," said Arizona Coyotes on a Pittsburgh Penguins that had gone through the
than one. Concerns about Four of the NHL-tested as- coach Rick Tocchet, who staff under Bylsma with for- same type of thing: Good
having too many cooks in sistants — Detroit's Dan has Phil Housley and John mer head coaches Tony things that worked for him,
the kitchen are no match Bylsma, Chicago's Marc MacLean on his staff. Granato and Jacques in the same breath things
for the benefit of having Crawford, Anaheim advis- Often, a personal connec- Martin as fellow assistants, that he wished he could
experience dealing with er Darryl Sutter and St. Louis tion is enough to create in- Reirden understands the do over and positives and
players, handling game part-timer Larry Robinson stant chemistry on a staff. importance of leaning on negatives we could work
situations and scouting op- — have won the Stanley Montgomery and Stevens someone who's been there on together."q

Continued from Page 17 ing the 2017-18 season. Pe- diligence on it."
Brind'Amour, who was an ters was then immediately Ward said the Flames have
assistant on Peters' staff, hired by the Flames, where not informed him anything
said he was proud of the he led the team to a 50- more about his role except
way players and support win season and a Pacific that he will be coach-
staff handled what hap- Division title in his first year. ing his first NHL game. He
pened by immediately Flames general manager has more than 25 years of
bringing their concerns to Brad Treliving is overseeing coaching experience, and
team officials. the investigation into Pe- joined Peters' staff this sea-
"Management handled it ters, and on Tuesday said son after spending the past
directly and never heard he's spoken to the coach three years as an assistant
of it again and never saw and Aliu plus many oth- in New Jersey.
anything else after that," ers. Treliving was not made "We all feel for everybody
said Brind'Amour, who available for comment involved. It's not a perfect
spoke to reporters in New Wednesday. situation," Ward said. "We'll In this Oct. 25, 2019, file photo, Calgary Flames coach Bill Pe-
ters watches practice in Regina, Saskatchewan, ahead of the
York before the Hurricanes Ward and Flames players worry about the next step NHL Heritage Classic outdoor hockey game against the Win-
game against the Rangers. attempted to place the fo- once we get through this nipeg Jets.
"So it was definitely dealt cus on the game, not Pe- game today." Associated Press
with, in my opinion, cor- ters. "I don't have any com- The Flames arrived in Buf-
rectly. ... We've definitely ment about that, I'm just falo just 1-5-2 in their past that's going on, we're just tions throughout the year
moved past that." here to talk about hockey," eight games. They open not even thinking about it," where we have to block
Brind'Amour took over as Ward said. "Everything else a three-game homestand center Derek Ryan said. "As stuff out. And we're just try-
coach after Peters opted will be decided when ev- Saturday against Ottawa. professional athletes, we ing to keep that as another
out of his contract follow- erybody's done their due "All this extraneous stuff go through different situa- one of those situations."q