Today's question
With the Kings facing the Coyotes twice in the next three days, today's question is: Is Wayne Gretzky a good coach? A NHL-caliber coach? Or does he suffer from the same thing that guys like Magic Johnson suffered from, the idea that his expectations are too high for players who aren't as good as he was on the ice?
Some will look at his record over the last two seasons (not good) and some will look at the players he's had on the roster (also not good). What have you seen?
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J.P. Hoornstra writes about NHL and IHL hockey for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. He welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
E-mail J.P. at jp.hoornstra@inlandnewspapers.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews
.com.
Vincent Bonsignore is a sports columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News. E-mail Vinny at vincent.bonsignore
@dailynews.com.
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I've seen average to below average goaltending, some spectacular defensemen and some overrated ones. Also, some way over the hill forwards. I've seen an inability to capitalize on special teams (24th - PP and 29th - PK) and I see a bunch of kids that were put in a position to fail right from the start.
Whereas I am excited about some of their up and coming kids (Mueller, Yandle, and even Lisin, if he decides to come back...) I don't see many coaches making this team that much better than they are now.
Similarly to the Kings, some stability in goal might help.
The Blues had a worse team and look at what AM has been able to do with them - Wayne is a horrible coach - he has no idea how to motivate his players and that's been proven by their record on the ice - poor Shane Doan - what was he thinking resigning?
He is not a good coach period.
Best coaches are always the grinder type players guys who don't have the skill but have the knowledge of the game and whats needed both in terms of X's and O's and leadership vocally.
Who was the most successful coach who also had great success as a player?
I look at guys like Mike Scossia in Baseball as an excellent example of what a coach should be he has always been a student of the game and knew what it took to win, he was an average player statistically, but possessed great leadership.
I think Marty McSorely would be a much better coach then Gretzky even though he never coached, players of lower skill know they have to work hard to make it and can bring that out in others.
Gretz as a coach is a great player. Not all of the problems the Coyotes have had the past two seasons are completely his fault.
Some of that blame lays to GM Mike Barnett. The constant job of bringing in old free agents (who probably shoulda retired first) has not helped this team.
I know they think they need to sell this team in the desert, but watching retreads can't help things. Building a young, exciting team will. And I don't think Gretz is the person for that job.