04/20/24
December 19, 2002
Avs Fire Hartley:: Despite winning the Cup two years ago and making four straight Western Conference finals, the Avalanche have fired their head coach after a slow start that dropped them to tenth in the West. Is this fair to Hartley? Will Granato turn the Lanche around?
Sammy, I think you're half right. In general, coaches get fired much too quickly. Continuity has to count for something otherwise you’ll end up with players who have to deal with a new system every year. That said, I think it’s difficult to put the blame for the Avs failure on Lacroix. Even without Drury this is a deep and incredibly talented team, a team that belongs in the elite, not at tenth in the conference. What other move could/should have been made in order to spark a struggling club?
posted by 86 at 12:52 PM on December 19, 2002
i tend to disagree with the knee jerk firings, but this one sits well with me for some reason. maybe because the avs are playing well below capabilities. the drury trade was the stupidest thing i've ever seen, never trade a gamer, but the avs will respond and make the playoffs yet again. and to explain the firings, its all about commodities, which are expendible, and which are vital. players are vital, coaches are not....lemaire of the wild would be considered essential. though he is one of maybe 5 exceptions....maybe less.
posted by garfield at 12:56 PM on December 19, 2002
off the subject, but this is a great idea http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/powerranking Sabres to WSH and the Wings to the Eastern Conference. Fantastic.
posted by garfield at 01:07 PM on December 19, 2002
Unfortunately Hartley is the scapegoat...but really, I think this is unnecessary. Hartley is a great coach and the team is just going through a rough patch. The Avalanche are way too talented to be pressing the panic button. Firing the coach, to me, is an insinuation that the season is a lost cause, which, at Christmas, it is clearly not.. Bad, bad Colorado management this year. First Drury, now this.
posted by Succa at 01:08 AM on December 20, 2002
Hey Samsonov, Succa, this looks like it's right up your alley. "It's not the coach, stupid"
posted by 86 at 11:40 AM on December 20, 2002
That's crap. The constant coach firing in the NHL is out of hand. I agree with Terry Frei's opinions on this issue. A bigger blame should be placed on Lacroix for trading away Drury, who was a great character guy and now has more points than all of the guys that Colorado received in return combined.