I still have high hopes for the Wild this year but when do we (as Fans) start to question Todd Richards and if he is the right guy to coach the Wild? I can't figure him out and if this was Toronto we would calling for his head. I watch the post game press confrences and I just don't see/hear a confident coach. Even if the team sucks there has to be confidence coming from the top-down. I just have this weird feeling that things are going to get sour really quick from the arena attendance to players not wanting to play for Richards.
Thoughts?
Last edited by mncdn: 10-29-2009 at 11:36 AM.
Reason: title
This isn't sending an instant message, tweeting, etc. This is a franchise that is changing it's indentity from top to bottom. I have no problem seeing what Richards can do over a full season. And, if the same problems are there at the start of next year, then I would start questioning whether or not he is the right guy for the job.
He needs guys to get his system. He needs the right players to implement that system. He currently has guys that either don't have the tools to play his sytem (speed/willingness to compete) or they are having a hard time adapting from Lemaire's system to this one.
We should be questioning leadership. I just don't see it. Maybe I am missing something. The local radio was talking this afternoon about a closed door meeting before the Nashville game. You would figure the team would come out on all cylinders. Guess not. Again I question leadership.
I see the point to wait and see how this season goes but if this keeps up Richards shouldn't be in Minnesota past the All-Star/Olympic break.
Let me put it this way. I've been a loyal Michigan fan ever since I began watching sports. For 95% of that time, it was watching Lloyd Carr take that team to the top of the Conference and even winning the National Championship in 1997. Only to watch him leave 2 years ago and a new guy, Rich Rodriquez, come in. Instead of the typical powerhouse defense and explosive run game, the new scheme is more on a mobile QB and spreading out the defense to allow for yardage. In RR's first year, that team was absolutely destroyed by every opponent (to include a warmup MAC game) because he didn't have the tools in order to make his scheme work.
In that long drawn out thing, basically what I am saying is Richards does deserve the benefit of the doubt at this point. Players like Burns, Schultz, Koivu, Harding, Backstrom, Clutterbuck, Sheppard, Pouliot, Bouchard, and even Boogaard have never played in an open minded offensive system at the NHL level. How can you literally expect them to pick up on something within even the first month of playing it? How can we expect the chemistry to begin when so many of these prolific players have been injured or are still injured??
Fletcher and Richards are doing the best they can at this point in time to try to stay competitive with so many of these players not used to what he is expecting from them. He doesn't have the fast defenscement all around he needs to forecheck in the offensive zone. he doesn't have the quick forwards to generate oddman rushes. He doesn't have a #2 Center that is actually a relevant #2 Center.
Richards AND Fletcher deserve at least 2-3 years to get this team going. This was a rebuilding year and people need to start thinking that it is as well. Just because Colorado and Phoenix are doing fantastic right now doesn't mean this team is the biggest failure of the year. I believe most Toronto fans would attest to that one.
It's too soon to question if he's the right guy, but I don't think it's unreasonable to look for a little *something* -- break a stick, yell at some guys, bench Burns after one of his screwups. Send a message.
It's too soon to question if he's the right guy, but I don't think it's unreasonable to look for a little *something* -- break a stick, yell at some guys, bench Burns after one of his screwups. Send a message.
I agree and TR did just that when he scratched Sykora this week. You got to hand it to him for that. Sykora responded out of the dog house with a goal and an assist last night ... ended up with the 1st star of the game.
I agree and TR did just that when he scratched Sykora this week. You got to hand it to him for that. Sykora responded out of the dog house with a goal and an assist last night ... ended up with the 1st star of the game.
He should of done it to Burns with the way he's been playing though too.... -10 for the year so far isn't exactly great
