Sharks hire another assistant coach

[Ray_Dogg]

Sharks Name Jim Johnson Assistant Coach - San Jose Sharks - News

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Looks like Curly and Moe are out the door and on the street selling popcorn.

 

[23sharks]

Jim Johnson

Tuesday, 07.10.2012 / 2:50 PM / News



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SAN JOSE, California -- San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson and Head Coach Todd McLellan announced today that Jim Johnson has been named as an assistant coach.

A 14-year NHL defenseman, Johnson, 49, most recently was an assistant coach on Dale Hunter’s staff with the Washington Capitals. He has also served as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 and interim head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes in 1999-2000.

Prior to arriving in Washington in 2011, Johnson was coaching for Switzerland’s HC Lugano. While working with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, he also served as the head coach for the American Hockey League’s Norfolk Admirals during the 2009-10 season and as development coach for the Lightning in 2008-09.

Johnson also spent three seasons (2000-02) as an assistant coach with the U.S. National Junior Team.

A stay-at-home defenseman in his playing days, Johnson had a standout career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent in 1985. Johnson played 829 NHL games with Pittsburgh, Minnesota/Dallas, Washington and Phoenix, posting 195 points (29 goals, 166 assists) and 1197 penalty minutes before suffering a career-ending concussion in 1997.

Johnson also represented the United States at four World Championships (1985, 1986, 1987 and 1990) and one Canada Cup (1992).

The native of New Hope, Minnesota is also a co-founder/partner in flexxCOACH along with several former NHL players and coaches. flexxCOACH delivers online coaching education programs for youth sports coaches.

 

[SJVP408]

At least he has a solid resume as an NHLer. Can't say that about the old assistants.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

DP thanks Woodcroft might stay in the Org and Shaw is sent packing.

 

[SJVP408]

So who is in charge of the forwards and PP?

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Turns out Shaw is leaving and Ricci is getting an expanded role with coaching staff but not full time.

 

[filosofy29]

So who is in charge of the forwards and PP?

That's kind of what I was wondering. TMac did in Detroit, but that was when he was an AC.

 

[SJVP408]

How's it going back to the bench or in practice with these two mugs looking at you?

 

[Cmon_WTF]

“I'm a real pressure guy. I don't think you win at this game without pressuring. And I'm a guy that really believes you've got to play a 200-foot game and it's a speed game today. And it's not only your forecheck speed, it's your backcheck speed, it's your skating speed, it's your transition speed and it's your intellectual speed. I think if you can play a speed game, you can have success. But you've got to have some structure within that speed game. That's, I think, what Dale's really trying to implement here is give these guys some structure when we don't have the puck because we know what kind of skill we have when we have the puck. It's getting it back as soon as we can and spending less time in our own end."

How new assistant coach Jim Johnson landed in Washington | WashingtonExaminer.com

This is a man after my own heart.

 

[rares]

Haha.. speed!

Wonderful. Pavelski and Clowe are probably pretty bummed right about now.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Haha.. speed!

Wonderful. Pavelski and Clowe are probably pretty bummed right about now.

Clowe definately, Pavelski probably not so much as he definately falls into the "intellectual speed" catigory.

 

[Cmon_WTF]

So who is in charge of the forwards and PP?

From the sounds of it Robinson and Johnson will handle the dmen and PK responsibilities and McLellan and Woodcroft will handle the forwards and PP.

 

[MrChangoT97]

I don't care who coaches what, I CARE about players are going to be brought in to execute the coaches plans.

 

[MrChangoT97]

I don't care who coaches what, I CARE about which players are going to be brought in to execute the coaches plans.

sometimes its easier talking than typing, ugh!

 

[Likewall32]

How new assistant coach Jim Johnson landed in Washington | WashingtonExaminer.com

This is a man after my own heart.

Oh boy lol... Not to be a dick, but I would love to see them use your formula of speed thrumps all, just to throw it in you face... again, not to be a dick, just to be a friendly game of, man your so outa you league on what your talkin bout, haha

 

[Cmon_WTF]

Oh boy lol... Not to be a dick, but I would love to see them use your formula of speed thrumps all, just to throw it in you face... again, not to be a dick, just to be a friendly game of, man your so outa you league on what your talkin bout, haha

I'm guessing you're probably drunk so I should ignore this trash but if you haven't realized yet playing a speed game has been a staple of most of the cup winners since the lock out.

Its the formula Detroit used to win the cup, Pitt, Chicago as well. LA and Boston both relied heavily on a speed game.

 

[sjrules99]

I'm guessing you're probably drunk so I should ignore this trash but if you haven't realized yet playing a speed game has been a staple of most of the cup winners since the lock out.

Its the formula Detroit used to win the cup, Pitt, Chicago as well. LA and Boston both relied heavily on a speed game.

without question, speed is key. However, each of those teams was really deep in terms of forward depth, specifically. They all got lots of contributions from 3rd liners. The kings' 3rd line had 10 goals in 20 games. That's good production. Chicago had guys like versteeg and bolland on their third line. Boston had lucic-level players as 3rd liners. Det too.

The only team that wasnt incredibly deep was pitt, but they had a unique combo of by far the two best players in the entire league. Sadly jumbo-patty is not quite at the level of sid-gino.

The sharks have consistently, year after year, lacked a threatening 3rd line.

This year, the non-top 6 F had 1 total goal.
last year, the bottom 6 as a whole had 7 goals in 18 games. Not terrible, but still a lower pace than all those other teams.

2010: 5 in 15 games for the entire bottom 6. Not gunna cut it...

Year after year, we look at other causes, but until your bottom 6 can put in goals, the top 6 will be under too much pressure and too high expectations and when they have one bad game, or even a few, the sharks are toast.

 

[SJVP408]

Regardless of player personnel, it appears the Sharks are going to shift to an up tempo style, at least defensively. This really requires depth. With Thornton, Patty, even Havlat, getting up there in age, can't expect them to skate full throttle for 82 games and remain fresh for a deep playoff run.

Some team ideologies I'd like to see changed/implemented:

- no more giving up the blueline without contesting the puck. Last year, Sharks dmen would back up and give up the defensive blueline with ease. This was just to keep the attacking forward in front of them while relying on back pressure from the Sharks forwards to force the hand of the on coming attacker. Perhaps this was also done to prevent a dump and chase, and in doing so, prevent Niemi from having to handle the puck. Something he totally sucks at. Nemo needs to handle the puck much cleaner.

- When on the rush, no more pulling up at the half boards to wait for a trailer, or to soft dump it in behind the opposing goalie to start the grinding game. Take it to the net. Even if it's an even man rush (2 on 2, 3 on 3), take it to the net and force the opposing dmen to make quick reads regarding coverage.

- More criss crossing on the rush. Again, this forces opposing dmen to make quick reads. If just one defender makes the incorrect read...good scoring chance.

- Finish the check. It's one thing to skate at a puck handler and peel off once the pass is made. It's better to finish the check to put a reminder in the opposing player's head that if he has the puck, he's going to get hit. This is an idea that the whole team must buy into. One guy on each line doing it is not good enough. I understand some guys aren't made for hitting (Pavs, Couture, Havlat), but I'd love to see a physically aggressive approach to forechecking. It doesn't even have to happen for 60 minutes a game, but for certain stretches within a game.

- Pressure defense. Larry Robinson alluded to this in the KNBR interview. "Give a good player time and he becomes a great player." Waiting around to be picked apart will get you, picked apart. Active sticks in unison and pressuring the passing option(s) before the pass is made. We all know what was happening last season as the Sharks just waited around to sweep away Niemi rebounds.

 

[RaiderZar]

Sharks Name Jim Johnson Assistant Coach - San Jose Sharks - News

They're gonna run outta room behind the bench. I would assume LR will be upstairs with Dougie, and Teh Tadd, JJ & whomever is coaching PP/forwards will be bench-side. God, I hope it's not J Woodstick.