How Different would things have been

[wbon22]

Has everyone seen that Nashville suspended two players IN THE PLAYOFFS for violating the team curfew? And these were not 4th line pine brothers. Radulov and SK (I can't begin to spell, haven't had coffee) are top two line and PP regulars. Trotz called for them to be suspended when it was clear that they had violated the team's curfew when in Phoenix.

Can you imagine how different the history of the Flyers had been willing to pull the trigger on Carter and Richards (and Lupul and Upshal)? In Nashville it was a coaches call, not the GM, that the players be suspended. One wonders if Stevens, or Hitch, or Lavvy had tried to suspend any of the above for a game if there was a push back from above?

Just an interesting turn of events, and one that is refreshing to see a coach who actually holds players accountable for their off ice crap. Imagine how whiney Richards would have been, or sulky Carter would have been, if Stevens came out and said he was suspending them for a game, or two, for being out carousing at all hours the night before a big game?

 

[TOX1]

I love this move. Seriously....out till 4am partying?? lol Stupid Commies.

 

[TOX1]

...and Richards would have gone off on a tirade with the press telling everyone how it's either -

A) None of our business.

B) It somehow wasn't his fault.

C) Everyone is making it out to be a bigger deal than it is/was.

Loved the player....disliked the person. Good riddance to both of them.

 

[lasgop8]

...and Richards would have gone off on a tirade with the press telling everyone how it's either -

A) None of our business.

B) It somehow wasn't his fault.

C) Everyone is making it out to be a bigger deal than it is/was.

Loved the player....disliked the person. Good riddance to both of them.

Tox this says it all about the captain's time in Philly.

 

[dspice07]

stevens was a bad coach to bring these guys up with. never instilled a sense of accountability in any of the young players that came up with him through the phantoms.

 

[awaz]

stevens was a bad coach to bring these guys up with. never instilled a sense of accountability in any of the young players that came up with him through the phantoms.

it's a cycle.. it always is.. player friendly coaches can only go so far with a group, then they bring in the disciplinarian to get them to the next level.. if the team responds poorly, another player friendly coach is brought in

happens all the time.. flyers with stevens/lava (and further back, hitch).. the pens did the same thing.. eddie o to therrien to bylsma.. i dont really know any other teams coaching tree well enough, but i assume its similar with other teams too

i really disliked stevens, i dont like statuesque coaches, i like the fire.. but stevens did do a hell of a job.. he took a team that wasn't supremely talented to the ECF on the back of marty biron.. and IMO, that run was 95% coaching.. that system worked perfectly that season

 

[dspice07]

it's a cycle.. it always is.. player friendly coaches can only go so far with a group, then they bring in the disciplinarian to get them to the next level.. if the team responds poorly, another player friendly coach is brought in

happens all the time.. flyers with stevens/lava (and further back, hitch).. the pens did the same thing.. eddie o to therrien to bylsma.. i dont really know any other teams coaching tree well enough, but i assume its similar with other teams too

i really disliked stevens, i dont like statuesque coaches, i like the fire.. but stevens did do a hell of a job.. he took a team that wasn't supremely talented to the ECF on the back of marty biron.. and IMO, that run was 95% coaching.. that system worked perfectly that season

not hating on stevens coaching that year, just saying it set the foundation for the downfall of mike richards here in philly ha

 

[wbon22]

I think it also raises the question of how much were the coaches hands tied when it came to disciplining the players? Hitch was booted because the team stunk and the young players (read Richards and Carter) didn't like how he heald them accountable.

I am really glad to see a franchise hold it's players accountable the way Nashville did. It is too bad it is in the playoffs, but you reprimand when the issue arrises and not later.

 

[fanwagon]

I love the message this sends. These are NHL players making big dollars. Save the bs till the offseason. (for Nashville, it might not even be that far away...)

 

[ProppRules]

I liked having Stevens coach that group of young players. And when they got rid of him, it was time for him to go. Byt even if you diesagree with me on Stevens efficacy, you can't blame the coach for their off-ice antics. They are highly paid young MEN, and need to be acountable on their own.