Wild Coach Question

[leechlake]

I'm fine with Yeo but I was pondering something last night. I played hockey and have coached for years. What would happen if you took a good youth hockey coach and had him coach the Wild? Most good youth coaches look at the skill they have and then put systems in place that compliment their players abilities. These same coaches make educated "guesses" on figuring out lines and d pairings.

How much motivation should a pro coach really have to provide for his players? I can see that the players would scoff at the idea but truly if you're a grown man 20-35 years old do you need the coach to be constantly pushing you to fuel the fire?

It's a silly question but still would like to hear others thoughts.

[icehole10]

I never played the game or coached it for that matter, but I will agree that they shouldn't need constant coaching at that age. One would think that their game check would be enough motivation!

It will be interesting to see how they respond to Yeo flipping his lid at practice yesterday. Need to stop a few of these loose goals!!

[CaptainMusky]

Interesting question LeechLake. Not a ridiculous one either I dont think. In fact, its not unprecendented, perhaps at a professional level, maybe, but example. Craig Dahl coached SCSU and never played hockey. I think he was reasonably successful and did get mentored by Herb Brooks so there was something there, but I do agree that players at very high levels shouldnt need to be "coached" so much, but its more about scheme, etc.

Yeo touched on this in an interview today actually. Considering all the injuries and people out, he was asked does this require a change in scheme. His answer (which I technically agree with) is, we dont change our scheme to fit the players we have per se, but we may become more of a possession type focus vs an open ice stretch play type team.

Watch for the Wild to dump the puck low and try and work offense from below the goal line much more tonight. This is something they strive to do normally, but I think once you see guys hit that red line, that puck is going to get dumped in 9 of 10 times tonight unless they have an odd man situation where they have an opportunity.

You kind of take away the my player beats your player mentality and push more for a grind it out and get someone free for an open look. That's how I look at it anyway.

[OnAFly]

I think that regardless of the age, you do need coaches to get the most out of the players. The coaches can see more of what is happening on the ice than the players can in terms of the play developing. They are the ones who can make small adjustments to what the players are doing to take advantage of recurring situations.

On the other end, you always need someone to push the members of a group to be their best. You'll get more out of the group with this motivation. Some of the group may need less, some may need more, but you needs that presence there.

Now, that presence is going to be different for a group of kids playing hockey to a group of young men adjusting to the the AHL to a group of experienced NHL players. I wonder if Yeo has some trouble here. We know he can coach kids, but can he tell an veteran NHL'er that his ice time is diminishing because of his play? The whole situation with Heater last year makes me wonder.

[bobberineyes]

It really seems to boil down to respect. Look at what Lemaire did with a team that had a hand full of nobody's. You could bring in a coach that talks a good game but if he isn't on the same page or getting the players attention at all times its not going to matter. Thats the sad part of pro sports, if it were us on our jobs we would have been gone along time ago.

[O.T.C.]

Let's oust Yeo Ming, it's not all on him, but I don't feel there's been something built here that we would miss a beat bringing someone new in, i never hear our players ever referring to our coach. Dump it in plan well who is going to go throw that check that is effective and then win the Andrew Brunette corner battle ? Who is on our checking line, our 4th line do we have any toughness, grit? Parise Granlund can get tossed around like rag dolls who's worried on the other bench ? No 1 at all crash the net boys but spurgeon might clip u with a right, no toughness, havent mentioned our stellar goaltending the guys realize their fate this season, Chicago is miles ahead of us and everyone for that matter we lost ground to them instead of gained, good by Mike Yeo whoever u are. Back to the AHL fella. Todd ridiculed Richards seems do more with less out east even losing Rick Nash to NYR. Sorry Yeo fans but its not working out here. Certainly the players are running him out of town but we wouldnt miss a step if he left. Think he'd land another head job if fired ? I highly doubt it, he'd be low on owners lists to be a head coach. There's my 2015 wild rant lol, just tough to see a step backward or 2 with a lot of hope going into this season.