Laviolette paid price for Canes' inconsistency
The news that the Hurricanes have called a press conference this morning to announce a coaching change comes as no surprise to anyone who watched this team play this season.
With each passing game, it was becoming clear that Peter Laviolette no longer possessed the ability to get this team to play hard on a regular, consistent basis. It’s also possible that wasn’t his fault.
He wasn’t given the most talented roster in the NHL to start with, and injuries and poor performances left him with a shell of even that. It’s entirely possible no coach could have been able — or will be able — to get more out of this roster.
But in the end, Laviolette paid the price for a string of home losses — three in a row, and a 6-7-0 home record — that highlighted this team’s most critical failing:
Whether to start games (the Hurricanes have given up the first goal in 10 straight games) or to end them (the late collapses against Los Angeles, Edmonton and Washington), there was no way of telling how hard the Canes were willing to play on any particular night.
In the end, the coach bears responsibility. He can’t stop pucks for Cam Ward or score goals for Eric Staal — and with a little more in those departments from both, Laviolette might still be employed — but the buck does stop with him when it comes to effort and intensity.
This is an old story in the world of hockey, perhaps the oldest. Look, for example, at the Canes’ nearest neighbor to the north.
Glen Hanlon did a remarkable job with the Washington Capitals. He got more blood out of that particular stone than seemed humanly possible, getting a low-budget, too-young team that was impossibly outmatched every single night to compete at the highest level.
But even Hanlon’s time came to an end. Even a miracle worker can only work so many miracles. As the Capitals added talent, Hanlon's motivational tactics lost steam. Last Thanksgiving, with the bulked-up Capitals lingering in last place, he was fired.
Since then, under former minor-league coach Bruce Boudreau, the Capitals have gone 49-26-10, going from worst to first to nip the Canes for the Southeast Division title last season.
The point? Sometimes even a good coach’s message turns sour.
This couldn’t have been an easy decision for owner Peter Karmanos and general manager Jim Rutherford. Not only do they owe Laviolette more than $2 million for the remaining two full seasons on his contract, Laviolette won them a Stanley Cup.
Three years ago, Laviolette did the near-impossible, pulling together a team built largely out of whole cloth into a coherent unit, then sagely maximizing the advantages given by the NHL’s new officiating standards to create a worthy champion.
To his credit, he retained that attacking style even after the Anaheim Ducks, a year later, showed that brawn still ruled in the NHL. That wasn’t where he ran into trouble.
The Hurricanes have played big chunks of the past two-plus seasons like they were no longer listening to Laviolette. If the Hurricanes didn’t want Laviolette fired, it was long ago time they showed it on the ice, because they were playing like a team that’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Ducks was merely the latest in a string of inconsistent performances. For two periods, the Hurricanes outplayed the Ducks, but the Ducks came out firing in the third, scored on the power-play (where the Canes haven’t scored in weeks) and blew open the game.
Consider these damning words from Scott Walker after a November loss: “We’re just throwing on our gear and going out there.”
Walker is an honest player who gives an honest effort. There’s no reason to doubt a word he says.
Those are exactly the kind of things players were saying whilst they stumbled through last December and January, the dark times that came back to haunt the Canes in April.
Luke DeCock
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at 829-8947 or luke.decock@newsobserver.com.
Comments
Rutherford the possible problem here?
Thu, 12/04/2008 - 11:10 — renegadejennAm I the only person who thinks that maybe Rutherford is the real problem here? Granted, the players take their cues from the coaches but don't forget who the coaches take theirs from. In my mind, it ultimately comes down to management and if management isn't doing what what need to with their coaches, how can we think that the coaches will do what they need to with the players. I am still a die-hard supporter of this team through good and bad, but it's getting tougher and tougher every season. I was shocked that Maurice was brought back, but there was something that made Rutherford make this decision, no one really knows what that reason is - is it personal or is it because he really feels Mo has done some growing since he's been gone and has seen something in him that we haven't had a real chance to see yet? I hope he comes in and proves himself to be the coach that Rutherford obviously thinks he is, but if he starts out playing the same game he left playing, changes need to be made quickly. I hate to see this team leave and that's exactly where we're headed if Rutherford doesn't get himself together and start making sound business decisions that will affect us in a POSITIVE way and if the players don't start earning the big bucks they're making.
Green 'Canes
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 17:53 — VJR recycles. $5 says he's on the phone with Battaglia right now. Possibly Irbe.
Nolan
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 16:21 — CDO"With regard to the comment that Ted Nolan would have been a better option, I have to disagree. Nolan has twice been fired now due to "philosophical differences". It is clear that he does not respect upper management enough to get out there and do his job."
Please, the Islanders are idiots, look at that team and their ownership. In addition, he certainly was improving the team when he was there. And in Buffalo, perhaps he did have issues with some people, but he got results, very good results. I don't think you or I know what transpired, but I am from Buffalo and the rumors I heard, have nothing to do with whether Nolan is a very good coach. Most who have played for Nolan speak very highly of him.
Nolan would be a GREAT pick to lead the Canes. Leaders aren't a** kissers.
Having been fired twice for
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 16:33 — CharlotteCaniacHaving been fired twice for roughly the same reasons (at least from what we know), and having been interviewed and passed over for about 10 coaching jobs is enough to satisfy the lay person that there are underlying issues with the guy. He had a decent time in Buffalo but they also had a good team. He has never been able to manage his players though, and clearly that trancended to his relationship with management. No need to be an ass kisser, but you can't be a know-it-all either. Nolan isn't as good as he thinks he is.
If you wanted a leader that isn't an ass kisser, than John Tortorella would have been a great choice. He isn't afraid to speak his mind and sit his top players if they aren't working hard.
Good luck to Maurice
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 14:15 — HockeydogI watched the press conference on the 'Canes website.
Maurice does come off a little older and wiser. Plus having Ron Francis behind the bench and on the ice for practice can't be a bad thing. I'm just trying to be optimistic here.
I guess we'll see
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 14:05 — Canes73I'm on the fence on this one. It's one of those things where maybe any change is a good change. I still like this team. Hopefully this is the shake up they need.
Now if Maurice comes in here and tries to implement his old style of play, we're in serious trouble, but if he does what he says and keeps an up-tempo style while adding more attention to defence to reduce the odd man rushes and sloppy give-aways, this team might turn around. At least there is no long-term commitment to PM so if he isn't able to get a stronger effort out of these guys then hopefully JR is smart enough to find the right coach this summer along with making a few major players moves as well.
Wait and see...
A couple of things: With
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 13:19 — CharlotteCaniacA couple of things:
With regard to the comment that Ted Nolan would have been a better option, I have to disagree. Nolan has twice been fired now due to "philosophical differences". It is clear that he does not respect upper management enough to get out there and do his job.
Secondly, I am no Maurice fan, but after his time with the Marlies and Maple Leafs, he did become a coach that employed a more aggressive style as opposed to the boring dump-and-chase that went on while he was with the Hurricanes.
I don't think any of us are stupid enough to believe that this will be a "one and done" thing for Maurice. Rutherford clearly has an affinity for the guy which just baffles me, and if Maurice has even marginal success I'm sure we will see him signed to a multi-year deal.
What really confuses me is that Rutherford came out yesterday and said that special teams were losing us hockey games, yet he brings back a coach who for years had some of the worst power-play success in the league. How in the world is this supposed to correct the problem?
Additionally, Francis was a great player in his time, but it wasn't until he retired that the team really started to turn around. He was the leader on the ice of some of those awful games that Maurice coached. I'm not convinced that he is going to solve the issues either. Any word on who he will be replacing? McCarthy? Rowe?
Finally, this recycling program that Rutherford has going on is becoming ridiculous. Every time you have a coaching change you hear how great the guy getting fired was, but the fact that they are running a "business" and have to do what is in the best interest of the "business". These friendships, bonds, or whatever you want to call them that Rutherford has toward certain people completely defies the "business" mentality. I have yet to see one of these moves work out in the best interest of the team, long or short term. It is great that an employer wants to be loyal, but in the sports world you have to WIN GAMES and WIN THE FANS. Today's developments have negatively impacted both the games and the fans, and I doubt I will be proven wrong.
Not excited
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 12:54 — caneshockeyfanGreat column, Luke. A couple things. I don't think any Canes fans with memories of Maurice are going to be terribly excited by his hiring. I've seen some complaints about the dump-and-chase style the Canes have been playing; I doubt Maurice is going to do anything to change that. He'll probably get a more consistent effort out of the team, but he's likely to piss a few players off along the way. For a couple years now we've had players saying they loved playing for this franchise; here's hoping that sentiment remains. This feels like more of a segue into moving Francis into the top coaching spot. The team may have been better off just doing that now.
JR
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 12:31 — DelvinJR is bringing in a man that will do everything JR wants him to do. Bad move.
Great column, Luke
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 12:28 — PDS2006A painful day. It was obvious that this team had quit playing for Peter. And today we hear some of the old bugaboos that Laviolette was accused of (long shifts, failure to adjust when the "New NHL" became the "Retro NHL").
I was glad to hear someone finally admit that the way the game is played and called has noticeably changed since 2006.
So we turn to another coach who lost thist team, not four years ago. One only hopes that Maurice has learned a lot since then. I like him, but he needs to show he knows how to succeed in the game today.
Finally, twice in four years our players have quit on their coach. There has to be some accountability in the locker room among the players. Granted, there are a lot of new faces, but some old ones too. Our team leadership needs to look in the mirror and ask themselves some hard questions.
Two things- I never wanted
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 11:53 — James_Two things- I never wanted Laviolette fired. That sentiment changed this season. For the first time since 2004, I've recently gotten sick of watching and going to Canes games. Same results and same luckluster effect. That said, even as I was starting to want him fired, I still wasn't happy at all to see the news.
And THAT said, I can't BELIEVE Rutherford now turns to Paul Maurice. This in my mind is a horrible decision. There are plenty of good coaches out there (Ted Nolan for one) but Rutherford has to chose someone he likes and feels comfortable with. Reminds me of him giving Tanabe and Babchuk "second chances" and we all know how well one of those experiments turned out.
....when it comes to 'second
Wed, 12/03/2008 - 14:01 — beachsth....when it comes to 'second chance' experiments turning sour....don't forget Vasicek...