Coach Michel Therrien FIred

As per tsn...

Not too surprising...

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/02/15/penguins_therrien/

not exactly surprised here.

Good ridence to bad rubbish

This move was about three weeks overdue. By procrastinating, hoping that Gonchar's return would magically turn the season around, Penguins management may have cost themselves a playoff spot.

What's the book on Bylsma? Is he a definite interim or a legitimate candidate? They are still very much in the race (just heading in the wrong direction) so they can't afford to bring in plug just to save money.

Good move IMO, but like Hartsburg maybe too little too late.

Renney should be next.

Therrien is the fifth NHL coach to be fired this season (the others being Denis Savard, Barry Melrose, Peter Laviolette and Craig Hartsburg).

The word is that Pat Quinn is a favourite of Mario Lemieux's to take over behind the bench.

I have to disagree with the Therrien bashers. When MT took over from Eddie Olczyk, the Pens were a truly terrible team. Therrien led them to successive 100-point seasons and a Stanley Cup Final.

Unfortunately for Therrien, the Pens lost Marian Hossa, Ty Conklin, Ryan Malone, Georges Laraque, and Jarkko Ruutu to free agency; and had traded Colby Armstrong away as part of the package for Hossa. These players were not replaced.

The absence of their two top defensemen, Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney for much of the season to date was an additional obstacle Therrien couldn't overcome.

Lyle 'Spector's Hockey' Richardson has an analysis of the firing on his Fox Sports blog which is recommended reading.
http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Spector
From that article, which IMHO sums this one up:
None of this however is the real reason behind this move. The real reason is the Penguins have a serious lack of depth on their current roster but this is the only real move Shero can make to save the season.

In some cases, it looks like GMs are deflecting responsiblity for their own mistakes by making coaches pay.

Fans might want to look upstairs before trashing the man behind the bench.

It was definetly time. They needed a big shake up. Not surprises at all!

From what I've heard though, the players HATED playing for Therrien. So whether external factors added up to lead to his dismissal or whether he was just not a good coach, the fact remains that his players disliked him.

PKC wrote:From what I've heard though, the players HATED playing for Therrien. So whether external factors added up to lead to his dismissal or whether he was just not a good coach, the fact remains that his players disliked him.

Yeah, I've heard the same. Specifically Staal.

asq2 wrote:

PKC wrote:From what I've heard though, the players HATED playing for Therrien. So whether external factors added up to lead to his dismissal or whether he was just not a good coach, the fact remains that his players disliked him.

Yeah, I've heard the same. Specifically Staal.

I don't even know if we can call it a rumour anymore. I've heard it out of Laraque's mouth. OTR during the all star week end if IIRC. Landsberg asks him if the players disliked Therrien, and BGL said, after a little suspect smile, something like: "Well, We went to the Finals, so may be he had the right approach".

asq2 wrote:Good move IMO, but like Hartsburg maybe too little too late.

Renney should be next.

The way their game is going tonight, might be Carbonneau.

PKC wrote:From what I've heard though, the players HATED playing for Therrien. So whether external factors added up to lead to his dismissal or whether he was just not a good coach, the fact remains that his players disliked him.

Scotty Bowman's players hated him too. Didn't stop Scotty from winning more Stanley Cups than any other coach.

And the first thing Cory Clouston said was that he wasn't there to be the players' friend.

IMHO Spector has it nailed. The Pens lost too many core and supporting players. Therrien paid for Shero's decisions.

PKC wrote:From what I've heard though, the players HATED playing for Therrien. So whether external factors added up to lead to his dismissal or whether he was just not a good coach, the fact remains that his players disliked him.

Hated him for sure, 100%, and there are a lot of guys in there that hate Crosby too.