Leafs name assistant coaches

[CarltonTheBear]

On the search for (assistant) coaches, the Leafs have reportedly spoken to two more coaches from the OHL: Kris Knoblauch (Erie) and D.J. Smith (Oshawa). Knoblauch also interviewed for the Marlies job which Keefe of course got. It sounds like he might be staying put but the Sun is reporting that Smith has been offered an assistant job.

edit:

[tweet]610898774559318016[/tweet]

http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=771116

 

[herman]

On the search for (assistant) coaches, the Leafs have reportedly spoken to two more coaches from the OHL: Kris Knoblauch (Erie) and D.J. Smith (Oshawa). Knoblauch also interviewed for the Marlies job which Keefe of course got. It sounds like he might be staying put but the Sun is reporting that Smith has been offered an assistant job.

I'm getting a bit of a cronyism vibe. Would it hurt to glean some talent from other leagues and locales?

I also understand why they're hunting primarily in the OHL: familiarity with Hunter/Dubas/maybeMcCrimmon, easier relocation logistics to Toronto, living the dream, etc.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

On the search for (assistant) coaches, the Leafs have reportedly spoken to two more coaches from the OHL: Kris Knoblauch (Erie) and D.J. Smith (Oshawa). Knoblauch also interviewed for the Marlies job which Keefe of course got. It sounds like he might be staying put but the Sun is reporting that Smith has been offered an assistant job.

I'm getting a bit of a cronyism vibe. Would it hurt to glean some talent from other leagues and locales?

I also understand why they're hunting primarily in the OHL: familiarity with Hunter/Dubas/maybeMcCrimmon, easier relocation logistics to Toronto, living the dream, etc.

McCrimmon is from the WHL, not the OHL.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

On the search for (assistant) coaches, the Leafs have reportedly spoken to two more coaches from the OHL: Kris Knoblauch (Erie) and D.J. Smith (Oshawa). Knoblauch also interviewed for the Marlies job which Keefe of course got. It sounds like he might be staying put but the Sun is reporting that Smith has been offered an assistant job.

Cox is saying it "sure sounds like" Smith will join Leafs:

http://twitter.com/DamoSpin/status/610808304542072832

http://twitter.com/DamoSpin/status/610808478467235840

Fortunately Cox' blocking abilities only go so far on Twitter.

 

[herman]

McCrimmon is from the WHL, not the OHL.

Ah yes, thanks, Potvin29.

Anything interesting to expect about Hiller and Smith?

 

[Kin]

On the search for (assistant) coaches, the Leafs have reportedly spoken to two more coaches from the OHL: Kris Knoblauch (Erie) and D.J. Smith (Oshawa). Knoblauch also interviewed for the Marlies job which Keefe of course got. It sounds like he might be staying put but the Sun is reporting that Smith has been offered an assistant job.

I'm getting a bit of a cronyism vibe. Would it hurt to glean some talent from other leagues and locales?

I also understand why they're hunting primarily in the OHL: familiarity with Hunter/Dubas/maybeMcCrimmon, easier relocation logistics to Toronto, living the dream, etc.

Well I'd go out on a limb and say that the OHL being the most successful feeder league the NHL has is a part of it too.

But honestly, I think people are maybe overrating the "familiarity" element when it comes to guys like Dubas and Hunter. If they're good front office pieces, it's not because they have some sort of inside track on OHL prospects, it's because they've proven themselves astute judges of talent. It's not like Dubas or Hunter won't know how to evaluate a player in the SEL or from the USNDP.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

McCrimmon is from the WHL, not the OHL.

Ah yes, thanks, Potvin29.

Anything interesting to expect about Hiller and Smith?

Don't know much about the former, but Smith I know was considered one of the best coaches in the OHL the last couple years (could have won Coach of the Year either season really) and his teams were known for their defensive ability.  Former player (briefly for the Leafs as well as their AHL affiliate)  Other than that, don't know too much about them.

 

[herman]

On the search for (assistant) coaches, the Leafs have reportedly spoken to two more coaches from the OHL: Kris Knoblauch (Erie) and D.J. Smith (Oshawa). Knoblauch also interviewed for the Marlies job which Keefe of course got. It sounds like he might be staying put but the Sun is reporting that Smith has been offered an assistant job.

I'm getting a bit of a cronyism vibe. Would it hurt to glean some talent from other leagues and locales?

I also understand why they're hunting primarily in the OHL: familiarity with Hunter/Dubas/maybeMcCrimmon, easier relocation logistics to Toronto, living the dream, etc.

Well I'd go out on a limb and say that the OHL being the most successful feeder league the NHL has is a part of it too.

But honestly, I think people are maybe overrating the "familiarity" element when it comes to guys like Dubas and Hunter. If they're good front office pieces, it's not because they have some sort of inside track on OHL prospects, it's because they've proven themselves astute judges of talent. It's not like Dubas or Hunter won't know how to evaluate a player in the SEL or from the USNDP.

That's a very fair point; I'm quite a fan of what Dubas and Hunter have already done in their short time here.

In terms of assistant coaching candidates, I was wondering more along the lines of different voices from outside the OHL; are there any outside the box thinkers and innovators similar to Guy Boucher? people who have a bit of an inside track on overseas players and strategies?

Scouting across the pond is another one of the places I think we can flex our financial muscle, augment the great work Bergman has been doing in Sweden and expand the network into Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia, etc.

 

[herman]

McCrimmon is from the WHL, not the OHL.

Ah yes, thanks, Potvin29.

Anything interesting to expect about Hiller and Smith?

Don't know much about the former, but Smith I know was considered one of the best coaches in the OHL the last couple years (could have won Coach of the Year either season really) and his teams were known for their defensive ability.  Former player (briefly for the Leafs as well as their AHL affiliate)  Other than that, don't know too much about them.

Smith confirmed. http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2015/06/16/toronto-maple-leafs-hire-dj-smith-as-assistant-coach/

edit: Thanks for the consolidation, CtB!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Also: http://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/610898827600510976

 

[CarltonTheBear]

From the Leafs twitter account: Jim Hiller, D.J. Smith and Andrew Brewer have all been named to Babcock's staff. Hiller and Brewer are coming from Detroit, Smith from Oshawa in the OHL.

 

[herman]

Full (official) story
http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=771116

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Last season was Jim Miller's first in the NHL. He was previously a head coach in the WHL for 8 seasons. So it continues the trend of the Leafs heavily looking at the CHL for management/coaching options. Here's a couple of articles from the Detroit media on him during last season:

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2014/10/04/jim-hiller-confident-red-wings-can-improve-power-play/16735881/

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/10/babcock-credits-new-assistant-hiller-for-improved-power-play/

Seems to be a big offensive-guy, which works well as D.J. Smith is known to have very strong defensive teams. Good mix.

 

[Omallley]

Last season was Jim Miller's first in the NHL. He was previously a head coach in the WHL for 8 seasons. So it continues the trend of the Leafs heavily looking at the CHL for management/coaching options. Here's a couple of articles from the Detroit media on him during last season:

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2014/10/04/jim-hiller-confident-red-wings-can-improve-power-play/16735881/

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/10/babcock-credits-new-assistant-hiller-for-improved-power-play/

Seems to be a big offensive-guy, which works well as D.J. Smith is known to have very strong defensive teams. Good mix.

To put some numbers behind this, the Wings had their PP go from 18th in the league (17.7%) in 2013-2014 to 2nd in the league (23.3%) in 2014-2015. That's not insignificant.

 

[Rick C.]

To put some numbers behind this, the Wings had their PP go from 18th in the league (17.7%) in 2013-2014 to 2nd in the league (23.3%) in 2014-2015. That's not insignificant.

Wow. You're right

 

[hockeyfan1]

To put some numbers behind this, the Wings had their PP go from 18th in the league (17.7%) in 2013-2014 to 2nd in the league (23.3%) in 2014-2015. That's not insignificant.

Wow. You're right

Sounds like the Leafs are going in the right direction.  If Detroit's pp improved significantly under Hiller, we can expect to see a further rise for the Leafs.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

To put some numbers behind this, the Wings had their PP go from 18th in the league (17.7%) in 2013-2014 to 2nd in the league (23.3%) in 2014-2015. That's not insignificant.

A part of that may have just been because Datsyuk/Zetterberg/Nyquist played a combined 143 games in 2013-14 and 222 combined games in 2014-15. But those 3 also all saw their points per 60 rise a fair bit on the powerplay with Hiller too.

 

[Kin]

A part of that may have just been because Datsyuk/Zetterberg/Nyquist played a combined 143 games in 2013-14 and 222 combined games in 2014-15. But those 3 also all saw their points per 60 rise a fair bit on the powerplay with Hiller too.

You'd expect that though, wouldn't you? I mean, regardless of coaching players are likely to have better seasons when healthy and a PP will probably work better with consistent personnel.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

You'd expect that though, wouldn't you? I mean, regardless of coaching players are likely to have better seasons when healthy and a PP will probably work better with consistent personnel.

Looking a little further back, Datsyuk and Zetterberg both had the 2nd best seasons of their career on the powerplay last season (again based on P60). So I think that would probably indicate Hiller had a positive effect there.

 

[Redleaf]

Bringing in a great team of effective coaches should improve special teams, but immediate improvement isn't going to necessarily help get the horses needed to improve the team long term. It may in fact, be a detriment in providing opportunity to improve through the draft. Isn't that the main objective of the Shanaplan?

Good or bad for the big picture, count me in with those who think the Leafs will start to improve immediately next season. A few more terrible seasons of finishing at, or near the bottom may not be in cards anymore.