The decision has been made and the change made. Peter Laviolette is gone and Paul Maurice is back as coach. The Canes are moving on.
Was firing Laviolette the right move? Was it the right time? What about bringing back Maurice a second time? Was that the right call, or should the Canes have hired someone else?
You've had a few days, and a few games now, to digest it and mull it over.
The floor is open.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at
Comments
Lavi vs Mo
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 12:17 — groovinsmokeFirst off, as many of you may agree, JR has a bad habit of bringing people back for that "second chance." Or as I call that dare to be great situation. I don't really think that Mo was the best, or for that matter, first choice by JR. I would really like to know what he was thinking when bringing Mo back, considering the reason that he fired him to being with. If he is here is get Ronnie ready for the HC position then he needs to be a little more agreesive about it. Yes we are fortunate that the maple loafs are picking up the most of the tab, but is that necessarily a good thing? As I agree with the comment that just because you are a hall of fame player doesn't mean that you can coach...Gretzky and the dogs of Phoenix. I think that even Jeff Daniels would have been a wiser decision than Mo, but then again that is my opinion.
RE: Mo-Part II
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 12:03 — boofish4It was a shock to see Mo come back but in the end it is a potential win/win for both sides. He was brought in to groom Francis for the head coaching job and if he can right the ship in the interim all the better. Mo and Francis have a good relationship and he will be a great mentor for Ron. If the canes make the playoffs this year I would expect Mo gets a 2 yr deal, if they don't he will be out at the end of the season, the canes are out a minimal amount of $$ with Toronto picking up most of Mo's tab, and Francis will have had the chance to get 3/4 of an NHL season under his belt from behind the bench. The goal of JR has always been to get Francis as coach, the assistant GM position was the first step, they are reeling him in slowly. Who knows if Francis will be a good HC, Hall of Fame membership as a player does not necessary guarantee success as a coach, just look at Gretzky, but if anyone can pull it off it would be Ronnie Franchise.
heart and soul
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 10:57 — wolverine10I agree with comment about #11 and #24 being the heart and soul of this team and it's important that Maurice rewards them for it. I'm a HUGE Brind'Amour fan, but he's having a really bad year and it has to be acknowledged. In key situations, maybe we're better off with Cullen in the middle this year. We can't keep putting the same players out there at the most important times based on history, salary, etc. Speaking of which, why on earth do we keep playing Eaves on a regular shift? I get it - he scored 20 goals in Ottawa a few years ago playing with Heatley and Alfredsson on the power play (who wouldn't?)and JR overpaid him in the offseason. So what? 30% of the way into the season he has ZERO goals! I don't think it takes a hockey guru to check the stat sheet and see that LaRose has 7 5-on-5 goals and we have him on the fourth line! Plus, I think the heart & soul comment could apply to him as well because he plays hard every shift. Lavi seemed to have figured this out before he left, but Maurice hasn't bothered to check out the sheet or watch any film of the first 20+ games.
Heart & Soul ??
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 23:05 — esteban1949try # 59 & # 77....both may never ever get HOF status, but in the time they both have been here, even banged up,sore and felt like...(you know what i mean) they went out and gave all they had...and while their stats maybe down compared to last year at this time, but you have NOT read nor will you read that LaRose or Corvo will ever pea,whine,moan or complain, all they do is what they are there for...game in and game out...to play to win ! Not that anybody else is slacking off or lack luster players ...And let us all NOT forget #15...Ruutu...he too puts out as does Samsonov...and what MO has or hasn't checked on or watched, we fans in the ol peanut gallery need to be mindful that we are fans...Not owners,managers player reps or junk like that...we are just fans who love the game of Ice Hockey...and who happen to try and support Our team...The Carolina Hurricnes...But ...what would I know ???
I wonder if the Lethbridge Hurricanes Games is on yet ??
Time Warner !!! Bah ! Humbug !!
To be fair...
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 11:30 — jgrant641Lavi WAS playing him on top lines, and Mo has been changing up the lines.
I am not a fan of Eaves, I can't quotes or facts, but I just get the feeling that he doesn't want to be here. Just a hunch.
I also get the feeling that Brindy is injured and trying to play through it. Someone mentioned in an earlier post that he just doesn't have that spark in his eye anymore... may be true, I have noticed Staal out on the ice more for the crucial faceoffs... should we read into that?
To add to the #24, #11/heart... Anyone notice a huge difference in the team when Walker is/isn't out there? I would also add Whitney to that list with heart, he seems to skate hard even when no one else is.
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There is more than meets the eye
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 16:35 — caniac11First off - one win does not mean that the coaching change was a sucess.
Secondly I think there is more than meets the eye here. Lavi was an "outsider" to the JR/PK clique and Mo is not. I can't believe that Lavi didn't think to bring up Borer or Conboy when Melichar was on waivers the first time. Bringing up an AHL player paying them an NHL salary AND paying Melichar $1M probably didn't sit well with JR. My guess is that the purse strings were much tighter when Lavi was coach and Mo gets more latitude because of his friendship with JR/PK.
True I am a Lavi fan but the team was not playing well. So if a coaching change means the GM allows the coach to do more of what he wants then ok - the change was good.
PS. Maybe we should be debating whether the heart and soul of this team is #11 and #24 and not #12 and #17. The team played better against Washington with them back.
Mo and Lavi
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 14:41 — vdotuI think Lavi should have been canned last year. JR should learn never to sign coaches for more than 2 years...
As far as Mo, a new year, new players, new opportunities. If Mo can bring the W's, then fine with me. The players will drive the excitement in the end.. The canes have the talent, let's hope it is used wisely!
The change was inevitable.
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 13:53 — CanarseThe change was inevitable. If the coach wasn't getting it done who's fault was it? The only other responsible party would be the GM and Rutherford isn't going to fire himself.
We'll judge Maurice in a couple of months. During these first few games you can notice some tentativeness from the players. They seem to be trying to figure out how Maurice wants them to play. There is certainly more defensive responsibility involved. That's a good thing because if you are only going to score a couple goals a game you had better be strong defensively. Laviolette's system wasn't getting any more goals, so defense it is! Exciting or not, winning is the ultimate deoderant.
Mo? I Still Don't Know.
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 12:53 — NetMinderI'm still not convinced that Mo is the right choice to replace Lavi. As an STH since those halcyon Greensboro days, it gives me the creeps to see Mo behind the bench. Any minute, I expect to see Robert Kron taking the ice or Trevor Kidd in net. That being said, I liked most of what I saw last night and was particularly impressed with the defensive call ups and Staal's effort. While we still look a bit tentative in our own end, we rolled four lines, kept the shifts short and got solid overall play from our forwards. Also, to Mo's credit, the post-game press conferences are a definite step up. At the same time, I'm not about to let the momentary euphoria of a very nice win color my thinking. One victory does not make a streak and the Canes will have to reel off a few more for me to feel comfortable with management's decision to resurrect Mo. Until then, I will continue to have the weird feeling that I've been here before in a previous life.
Changes
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 11:50 — louis12580It seemed inevitable that coach Peter's time was up. Teams had learned how to play against his style and there seemed to be no plan B or plan C. The pressing, in your face style worked the first year, but in the end came back to bite the team in the end. Too many odd man rushes, not enough taking care of the puck. I have noticed the subtle changes lately. Crisper passes, movement, a better commitment to detail. The power play is still struggling, but the goals will come. As for coach Mo coming back, a bit of a surprise. If you listen to all the all knowing press, especially north of the border, this was the worst move in the history of the game. I'm sorry, but John Tortorella would not be the right fit here. Too many times he has not only thrown players under the bus, but has driven the bus as well. Changing head coaches in the middle of a season is difficult as there aren't a lot of qualified coaches available. Let's see how things go for the rest of the season, then evaluate this move.
On the fence
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 11:34 — caniacgirl30I agree that it was time for a change. The team just wasn't cutting it and some of that (but not all of it) has to do with the coach and his methods. I hated seeing Lavi go, but something had to be done. I don't know that bringing back Mo was the right choice, but it's a different team (well almost) and he has supposedly grown as a coach so maybe it will work out this time around. I have really liked the effort the past two games. I don't know if this renewed passion will be permanent or not, but I really hope that it is. Whatever Mo is doing right now, it's working. But I don't think we can pass any sort of judgment just yet. 3 games isn't enough time to decide whether he is right for this team or even if the team will keep it up. We just have to take it one game at a time (that's cliche I know) and hope that the team continues to respond like they did last night!
On board with Maurice
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 11:19 — HockeydogLavi was more of an energy guy, hell bent for leather. He wouldn't change his system. Maurice is more of a thinking man's coach. Listen to or read his interviews, the guy is very smart about the nuances of hockey. Not saying Lavi didn't know anything about strategy, but Mo is head an shoulders above.
Also, and maybe most important is that Maurice doesn't play quite the throw caution to the wind style that Lavi employed.
I think it was a good move and Maurice is just what this team needed. He has not had a lot of time between games to work in his system changes, but with the next game not until Thursday he should get some meaningful practice in. Thursdays game should be a starting point for the new Paul Maurice tenure.
The right choice
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 10:53 — jessa2525Whether or not you agree that Mo was the right choice, I don't think anyone can argue with the fact that SOMETHING needed to be done to shake things up. If the Canes kept on with more of the same they'd be mediocre at best. Change is good!!
Canges - To Chip & All
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 10:35 — esteban1949When it was announced that Mo was back, and Lavi gone, the outcry was one of Old Testiment preportions as some fans here and else where were renting(ripping apart) their garments and covering themselves with sack cloth & ashes in mourning of the pending death of the Hurricanes for the season. Only time will tell if what JR did or has done thus far would have helped or ruined this season. So we the fans ,STH's or not...have to be patient...and not be as we were when on a long car ride when every few moments kept asking..."Are we there yet" ? It is good to see that JR & the coaches are NOT afraid to pull or call up from Albany those who can & have made an impact . yet Now the rats are now suffering as we have ...injuries, loss of key players...( call ups) as the Rats lost 4-0 to Rochester yesterday evening. See even on the " other side of the fence", the grass is just as brown there as it is on our side isn't it ? So now the puck is in our zone, do we play or pass ...and go off and support some other team ?
The choice is now ours...
Go Canes !! Go Rats !!
well
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 09:41 — wylde4canesI still believe that firing Lavi was the answer, and I still believe bringing in Mo was not the appropriate next move. I have beat this dead horse as mush as I care to.
Coaching Change
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 21:53 — abramsdougI felt a coaching change was essential if the Hurricanes were going to make the playoffs this year. For whatever reason, key players on the Hurricanes were not responding to Laviolette's system or Laviolette was too stubborn to modify his system to adjust to changes made by other teams. I was at the Capitals game last night; and during the penalty shot by Ovechkin, there was a feeling in the RBC that the spirit of 2005-2006 had returned. It was electric. Every person at the RBC was standing and shouting. When Leighton made the stop, I think everybody in the RBC knew the Hurricanes would prevail in the game. If Maurice can keep that spirit and intensity that the players showed last night, then he deserves to remain as head coach. NHL hockey is such a game of inches and luck with almost all teams capable of winning on any given night that the quality of a head coach can't guarantee victory. The head coach can almost always elicit effort and can instill a system in which the team doesn't self-destruct on a regular basis. I never dreamed that JR would hire Maurice; but judging by these first three games, I can't imagine anybody else JR chose would have done better as a head coach over those same three games. Maurice seems to be on the same page as JR with regard to younger players, such as the Albany guys. In that regard, I hope Maurice will keep Borer and Conboy on the team. All they have ever done for the Hurricanes is to be part of winning efforts. They never give up; and they almost never make a key bonehead play that sinks the game. To me, Maurice did an excellent job of bringing Borer and Conboy into the shifts in a smooth fashion. Maurice, I thought, also did a good job using Carson.
Something has changed
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 07:36 — CanenutSomething has changed. There has been much better effort all around for 3 games. What ever is being said is now being heard. All I have wanted to see is their best effort for 60 minutes. Thought it was too bad for them to loose the Flyers game, thought they out played them for most of the game. Great to see them rebound and beat the Caps. Go Canes!
The bottom line...
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 06:21 — jgrant641I love Lavi and all, but I think simply put his time here was winding down anyway.
Mo was only brought in to either
1) Groom Ron Francis into a head coaching position.
2) Ready the ship for, if Francis cant/wont do it, Rowe or Daniels to take over
3)Buy time to seek an outside coach.
Rutherford made it very clear that this Mo/Francis setup was only for this season if even that long. Besides... if you are Jim Rutherford and this Mo/Francis tandem doesn't work, who would you rather publicly fire Coach Mo or Ron Francis?
This setup helps everyone save face WHEN a more permanent coaching situation is made.
Beside that defensive slow game that some thought Mo was going to bring... where is it?
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Domino effect
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 04:42 — Biff_BeersWhich underperforming team will fire its coach and hire Laviolette? Islanders?
Coaching Change
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 01:19 — WAStoutYes, a coaching change was needed...I loved Lavi as much as everyone else...but something was missing in our effort and motivation is a key requirement of a coach.
I was not looking for Mo to come back and was SHOCKED when he was announced. I will give him a shot and hope he can motivate this team to put a 60-minute effort every game. Win or lose - I will be happy with that.
A little two-way hockey will be good for us too.