Puck Daddy and the Pensblog aren't digging Barry Melrose's performance in this here interview with Ron MacLean on the CBC:
Mixed feelings here. It was a mistake to hire Melrose, a mistake made by management and ownership. Puck Daddy is right to note Barry's cringe-inducing "forced cool" in this interview (Sinatra? "My Way?" Really?). But Barry's not wrong to attack the ownership and management. They've made some hideous decisions (Dan Boyle, Radim Vrbata), and the poor play of the Lightning this year is primarily to due to their silly trades and signings. Melrose certainly didn't help the situation, but he more than likely wasn't the main problem. We'll see what happens, I reckon.
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7 comments:
Maybe there is something wrong with me (check that, I'm quite positive there is something wrong with me) but I loved the interview.
I saw nothing wrong with what Barry said. Everyone knows what kind of coach he is and what to expect. He is old school. Skate hard, check, block shots, and fight.
Guys like Vinny, St. Louis and Baby Stamkos don't want to do that. And no, YOU SHOULD NOT give ice time to a guy just because he is a #1 pick. You earn ice time, plain and simple.
Strangely enough, Barry makes the same point I did in the podcast about how goshdarned old the Lightning are. Roberts and Recchi, etc...
Bitchin'.
I can understand the ice time thing, but maybe he should of just given Stamkos the chance. Again though, I understand because our Bryan Little started on the third I think and he worked for being a top six. I just don't like the Sinatra reference, a little lame. It's kinda hard to compare yourself to the Chairman of the Board. Melrose is Old School, but I don't think Tampa has the kind of players that are old time hockey i.e Vrbata, Mighty Mouse, and Stamkos.
I think Monsieur is exactly right. Barry's style just doesn't suit players like Vinny and St. Louis.
You'd think he would've at least taken the (seemingly) elementary step of breaking up the MVP Line and making Prospal center the 2nd line and giving Stamkos a chance as a winger. Apparently that's exactly what the new guy did in the last practice...
And yes, the Chairman of the Board reference was blasphemous.
Why then, did the owners hire Barry, knowing his coaching style, and then acquire players that don't fit that style?
It is all their fault, and not so much Barry's in my mind...
Oh it's totally Koules's fault in the end. They're fools.
Now I know how the Denver Broncos feel having the Oakland Raiders in their division. Guys, lets enjoy this mess we call the Lightning and thank God they are in our division. One less team we have to worry about.
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