Coaching from the Front Office
It’s a rare occurrence, especially within an organization as tightly run as the Philadelphia Flyers, that a general manager publicly criticizes his head coach. However, this is exactly what was reported by Tim Panaccio on Wednesday, June 17, 2009.
General Manager Paul Holmgren, addressing the media two days before the NHL rookie draft, laid all of his cards on the table. Ever the plain dealer, Holmgren told the media that he wants to see a changed team hit the ice next season; one with an amped up energy level, and a “hunt-the puck” attitude.
Holmgren further revealed that he has had discussions to this effect with Flyers coach John Stevens, who, in his first full season, coached the Flyers to the Eastern Conference Finals, but saw his team trounced in this year’s first round by the Stanley Cup champion Penguins.
Speaking somewhat out of the schoolyard, Holmgren revealed to the media that he told Stevens: “I want us [the Flyers] to be more aggressive.” Holmgren continued, “I talked to John right after the season … The next time we met, I wanted him to come back and show me how we’re going be more aggressive.”
Judging by Holmgren’s draft day blockbuster, acquiring Chris Pronger from Anaheim (perhaps more importantly, while also shedding Joffrey Lupul), as well as the Flyers’ recent free agency maneuvers , it seems that perhaps Holmgren didn’t approve of Stevens’ homework, after all. In fact, the team that Holmgren has assembled falls in line with exactly the kind of team he told the media he intended to ice in his June press conference.
A GM molding a team after his own intentions isn’t news. What is fascinating about the recent turn of events surrounding the Flyers organization is that Holmgren is coaching, in effect, from his perch in the front office.
In order to understand Holmgren’s tactic, it is first necessary to dissect what a “hunt-the puck” system means. Of course, every offensive system has its own peculiarities, but in its purest form, Holmgren’s system is simple: the puck is dumped into the opposing team’s zone, followed closely by a banger-type player on the forecheck. The banger does his best to wrest possession of the puck, or ties up the opponent until help arrives with the second man in. Once possession is gained, either the banger or his teammate passes the puck to the trailing man, usually a sniper, who has set himself up in the slot.
Since this type of offensive scheme involves two types of players, bangers and snipers (I’m using the term sniper to loosely signify a predominantly goal-scoring forward), we can examine the current Flyers lineup to see how Holmgren has been coaching the Flyers, in a very real sense, from the front office.
To present the possible line combinations that Holmgren Stevens might use, I’ll politely borrow from Mike Barr, founder and former owner of the excellent Flyers forum www.orangeandblack.net. Barr imagines the Flyers’ primary lines will be constructed as follows:
1) Gagne-Richards-JVR/FA Signing
2) Hartnell-Carter-Powe
3) Carcillo-Giroux-Briere
4) Cote-Laperriere-Asham
Of course there are no guarantees that these line combinations will remain throughout the season (or that JVR will even make it out of camp), but as I will also point out, most combinations will fit Holmgren’s “hunt-the-puck” system. Here’s how:
1) The puck gets dumped into the zone. JVR or Richards crashes into the zone with one or the other closely following. Gagne sets up office in the slot or at the red dots.
2) The puck gets dumped into the zone. Powe or Hartnell crashes into the zone with one or the other closely following. Carter sets up office in the slot or at the red dots.
3) The puck gets dumped into the zone. Giroux or Carcillo crashes into the zone with one or the other closely following. Briere sets up office in the slot or at the red dots.
4) Checking line (but not a bad checking line) that will probably just crash the net.
It’s clear that Holmgren has indelibly stamped his “hunt-the puck” system all over the 2009-2010 Philadelphia Flyers. Interestingly, Holmgren’s coaching strategy is also plain to see in the players that he has let go in the offseason.
Mike Knuble was the most significant Flyers forward to be lost to free agency, but where would he fit in Holmgren’s new system? Knuble was famous for parking himself in front of the net, and scoring his 30+ goals a season through deflections or by utilizing his quick hands in tight situations. He was never known for his work along the short-boards, and he was too slow for the forecheck. Holmgren knew that Knuble wouldn’t fit into his new coaching scheme, and therefore didn’t match the Capitals’ offer.
Joffrey Lupul. Lupul was shipped off to Anaheim in the Chris Pronger draft-day clearance sale. His loss, once again, was no big deal for General Manager/coach Paul Holmgren, because his main skill, as a sniper, is already well represented in the new-look Flyers. Why did he send Lupul and not another one of the Flyers’ snipers? The answer lies in the second part of Holmgren’s new technique, his reliance upon high energy and aggressive players. Lupul had the skill to round out either the first or second line on the Flyers, but his lackadaisical attitude, streaky scoring and poor off-ice demeanor all contributed the end of his tenure in Philadelphia.
So what does this all mean for the Philadelphia Flyers? Well, first of all, it’s been a heck-of-a long time since the Flyers have had a real team identity. Since making it to the ECF in the 2007-2008 season, they’ve played with a chip on their shoulder, but that can’t be counted as a true team identity. Holmgren’s is a tough, physical system to play throughout the grueling 82-game season, but if the Flyers can persevere, they stand a chance at having a very successful season.
Finally, Holmgren taking the reins when it comes to the Flyers offensive system can’t bode well for John Stevens. As I said previously, it is the coach that typically implements the offensive scheme, and to have a GM publicly declaring his own system over that of the coach makes it seem that Stevens’ job could be in jeopardy. Should the Flyers not excel with the lineup and coaching strategy that Holmgren has put into place, expect Holmgren to stop coaching from the front office, and resume coaching from behind the bench.
