A Small Change That Could Yield Big Results
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 11:00 AM EDT
55 comments
When the Capitals and assistant coach Jay Leach parted ways back in late May, the Caps didn't name a replacement for nearly a month. As it turns out, the team didn't have need for an extended search, it just had to wait for the Hershey Bears to finish their Calder Cup championship run.
Once the partying in Chocolatetown died down a bit, the Caps promoted Hershey head coach Bob Woods to Bruce Boudreau's bench in Washington, where Boudreau and Woods will reprise the roles they played in Hershey in 2005-06, another championship season for the Bears.
Woods and Boudreau have obvious chemistry and a fantastic working relationship. And the hiring is a clear sign of Boudreau continuing to put his stamp on the organization. But will the change make much of a difference on the ice for a much-maligned defense corps? If you ask some of the players who had a chance to play for both men, they sure think so.
"Jay was a lot more old school," Mike Green told me. "He’s been in the League a long time and the game’s changed a little bit. With Bob here, he’s more aware of the way it’s changed and how guys should play and he encourages us to get into the play, to make plays, to make passes. It’s a lot different.... I know Bob from when we won the Cup in Hershey and he was great for my development."
I told Green that sounded similar to the change from Glen Hanlon to Boudreau in that the new coach is the type to let him play his game, make his mistakes, etc., and the Norris finalist agreed. "Yeah, and I think that it’ll be good for everybody."
Jeff Schultz had similar praise for Woods ability to bring along a young defenseman. "Playing for Woody down in Hershey I learned so much, being my first year of professional hockey. He’s not afraid to show you your mistakes – he’s there to help you improve. It's the same with Jay Leach, just maybe their teaching methods were a little bit different. Jay tried to show you your mistakes using a computer and then he’d just let you go back out there and try to fix them yourself. With Woody, he’s more hands-on. He’ll keep putting that message in your ear until eventually you get it right."
Karl Alzner echoed that sentiment, noting (with typical humility at the outset), "If I’m here, it will help me a lot. I got to go through a little bit with [Woods] and he was very open with me last year telling me what I did well, what I needed to work on, so it’s a good relationship that we have."
Everyone I talked to had nothing but good things to say about Leach as a person, and went out of their way to mention it. But when Tyler Sloan says that Leach has "spent a lot of time in the game, but it’s good to have Woody here," and the ever-diplomatic Alzner refers to the "different perspectives on the game" Leach and Woods have in that "Leachy had coached for a long time, been around the game a lot," it's pretty clear that the change is a welcome one from the players' point of view, or at least the younger defensemen. And given the age and experience of this blueline, that's most of 'em.
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And this is the main reason why I have been advocating not going out and getting a stud veteran defenseman in the offseason. Let’s see what Woody can do for the existing D and whether he can get these guys working together; that leaves whatever cap and contract flexibility we may have for a deal at the deadline. It’s hard to predict in the fall what you’ll need in the spring, and I wouldn’t want to get caught out with no room to move at the deadline for something we need like we did last year.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 15, 2009 11:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I knew you would be all over this.
A man must have a code.
by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 15, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 15, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
isn’t that the definition of science? re-worked, slightly, of course.
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, in science you generally go into a repeat experiment expecting it to work the same way but not surprised when it doesn’t. (My college degree is in microbiology, I’m well familiar.)
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 15, 2009 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
JOKE! :-)
Science can lead to unexpected insanity.
But this is off-topic. JP’s gonna Woods me, again.
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Science can also lead to expected insanity, too :)
Heh.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 15, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
… which is why I’m a strict creationist.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I, for one, understand their preference for having a favorite teacher over a good one. I’m surprised they were so candid.
by Hunky Dory on Sep 15, 2009 11:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Where’d you get that Woods isn’t a good one?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Leach is the “good one” in that comment.
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not inferring that Woods isn’t good.
At least, that’s how I read that.
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dunno – I read it as one is the fave, the other is good, mostly mutually exclusive. Sorry if that wasn’t the intent.
I think that Woods is the favorite teacher because he’s a good one, at least for these guys, so I don’t think it’s a preference of “favorite” over “a good one” at all (though I think they’d all agree that Jay’s “a good one”).
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by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And it would be implying, not inferring. :)
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wonders, DMG, or blunders?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
BTW, I know I’m really late to make this comment, but I inferred. He implied.
:-)
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
jeez, man, your gonna give yourself a headache! They thought Leach was a good teacher. He might be no better a teacher than Woods, but Woods is a favorite teacher for some (those interviewed). Didn’t you have a favorite teacher? One that wasn’t better in everyones eyes, just yours and like minded peoples? I understand that they feel more comfortable/perform better for one teacher than another.
by Hunky Dory on Sep 15, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I’m surprised at the candor in these comments as well. While they took care to apply some window dressing to their assessment (sp?) of Leach, reading between the lines the message that I got was, “We didn’t like Leach all that much.”
Or so I inferred ;)
by fat_daddyo on Sep 15, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought it was more “need” rather than “like.”
They didn’t need Leach, anymore.
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love the “Leach has been in the game for a while” comments. Yes, and so what? It screams “I didn’t like Leach but I don’t want to say anything bad.” I mean that’s the best you can say for him, that he’s a veteran coach? Good stuff.
by LSF76 on Sep 15, 2009 12:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Reading between the lines just a tiny bit, it’s clear that Woods is a little easier on the guys when they make mistakes. It’s not necessarily the “right” way to coach, nor is the opposite necessarily the “wrong” way, but for guys who at times seem to struggle with confidence, I think they might flourish a bit more under this type of teacher. And to me, that means Jurcina and Schultz.
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by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
All coaches seem to get tuned out eventually. Witness the change from Michelle Therien to Dan Bylsma up in P-burgh.
Maybe we can catch a some of that magic, writ smaller of course, on the blueline. That would be real welcome.
by fat_daddyo on Sep 15, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And to me, that means Jurcina and Schultz.
No kidding. I can see how those guys (Schultz specifically) would benefit from a coach that says “That’s okay. Good effort, here’s what went wrong.” The 18000 or so coaches at the VC certainly don’t pull any punches when those guys mess up (or are perceived too).
by Sct112 on Sep 15, 2009 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I read that a little differently. To me this said that while Leach has been doing this a long time, and is well respected, his style doesn’t fit the modern NHL. Green kind of summed that up with “He’s been in the League a long time and the game’s changed a little bit. With Bob here, he’s more aware of the way it’s changed and how guys should play and he encourages us to get into the play, to make plays, to make passes.” Leach was old school and this offense team’s game play isn’t…the two styles didn’t mesh.
I also thought that Schultz had an interesting take. Yes, both coaches will show you your mistakes, but Leach would leave it at that and expect you to fix it. Woods would take the time to discuss the mistake, and work with that player specifically to fix the problem and make the right decision in the future. Sounds like Woods is much more experienced with the young players still learning the game, while Leach was used to working with vets who knew how to fix their own problems after being showed what they were.
While I haven’t any knowledge about Woods, and had been taking a wait and see what happens approach to his taking over the defense, quotes like these are starting to sway me to gotsparkly’s line of thinking.
by HateOffSeason on Sep 15, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you’re spot on here as well.
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by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
>>"Reading between the lines just a tiny bit, it’s clear that Woods is a little easier on the guys when they make mistakes."
I didn’t get that at all. My impression was that the style of teaching the defense (more hands on v. computer model) and that Leach didn’t fully buy into the style of play that they were taught in Hershey. The comments are similar to the ones made by the younger players when Gabby took over from Hanlon.
by Forsch31 on Sep 15, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree with everything you say here, I think, but don’t think it addresses the point on how mistakes are handled, which I think is a difference between the two coaches. Perhaps “easier” isn’t the right word, but if one coach encourages players to play the game, that mistakes will be a part of growth and the other doesn’t want any mistakes made, there’s a difference there, and players start worrying about making any mistake.
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by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree, Boudreau’s way better for this team than Glen Hanlon.
Wait…what were we talking about?
by David M. Getz on Sep 15, 2009 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whether Leach or Woods is more responsible for Schultz’s lack of hitting.
A man must have a code.
by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 15, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
As much as it says about how the young D feel about Woods, it also speaks volumes about the type of guy Bruce is. Instead of coming in and demanding new assistants,he took his time and gave the existing guys a chance to prove themselves and then he made changes. I also think it showed a respect for guys like Leach who have been in the game a long time.
by b.orr4 on Sep 15, 2009 1:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
It might also be about keeping Woods in the fold. He has proven he knows how to win. His shot at the bigs would have been coming soon, and it wouldn’t have been with the Caps.
by Sct112 on Sep 15, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
More so than about changing to a coach the current players are much more comfortable with? I dunno.
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Uncle Ted said he had to read about the coaching change in the paper…
IS PAЯTY NOW
by Your Nation's Capital on Sep 15, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
In recent years the organization has really shown a strong sense of loyalty to their own so I think you could look at it from a number of angles and all of them pointed to keeping Woods.
A man must have a code.
by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 15, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It might also be about the relationship between Boudreau and Woods. Those two are a proven winning tandem, winning the Kelly Cup together in 1999 with the Mississippi Sea Wolves and the Calder together in 2005-2006 with Hershey.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 15, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is anyone reading watching the scrimmage right now? I heard AO scored, but not a whole lot else.
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 1:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Off topic, DP… take it to the Clips post (and you can read up on the goings on here, if the page works for you).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oops, sorry, I forgot where I was.
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No worries. I showed you what you did wrong – just try to do better next time. </Woods’d>
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does that make me Schultz, now?
by DrinkingPartner on Sep 15, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Schutlz can be your Drinking Partner when you win the Norris.
by red army line on Sep 15, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Speaking of Jeff, I was out at today’s scrimmage and while it might just be my vision, he seemed noticably bigger ( as in bulk). In fact, he seemed almost Chara-esqe in terms of size.
by b.orr4 on Sep 15, 2009 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, he does look as twig-like anymore.
by RedBirdie on Sep 15, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
When I talked to him the other day (name drop!), he mentioned that he finally has been able to put on and keep on weight, and it’s helped him a lot (contra Mike Green).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe he’s using the supplements advertised on your home page.
by b.orr4 on Sep 15, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If that’s the case, this year should be interesting.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Sep 15, 2009 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Did he say if he was gonna hit more?
A man must have a code.
by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 15, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He said he was going to hit even less but score more and have a better +/- in an effort to make more people irrationally dislike him.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Sep 15, 2009 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So… to really stick it to him… we have to like him?
A man must have a code.
by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 15, 2009 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ahh, the Larry Murphy gambit. Apparently he wants to get booed out of town and then win a bunch of Cups on other teams. And make the HOF. Sounds like a plan to me.
by LSF76 on Sep 16, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 30 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 23 |
|
Atlanta
|
18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 22 |
|
Florida
|
19 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 18 |
|
Carolina
|
21 | 4 | 12 | 5 | 13 |
(updated 11.20.2009 at 9:16 AM EST)
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