Article: Dean Evason's Firing Was About More Than Dean Evason

[Tony Abbott]

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[jessail]

I’m hearing nothing good about Hynes. I really question if he be the spark for this team / KK97.

[joebou15]

Makes you think about how Tim Army was scapegoated in Iowa and Brett McLean is struggling there too. Methinks Guerin is not great at evaluating coaches.

[mnfaninnc]

I just can't imagine that this is all about #97. I think he genuinely likes it in MN. We are a mid market team that has fans like a large market team. Kaprizov gets to stay somewhat hidden (he doesn't like to do interviews), but still enjoy the big crowds. This place is perfect for him.....if we're winning.

If the rumor of John Hynes is correct, has Hynes won in the postseason? And, as I look across the interwebs to look it up, indeed, Hynes is the guy. 

Here is what I found:

Quote

In 602 NHL games over nine seasons with the Devils and Predators, Hynes is 284-255-63 (.524 points percentage) with a 4-15 playoff record and no rounds won.

At the time of Evason's hiring, this was actually a better postseason record than he had.

Now, looking closer at his record, this will be the best roster Hynes has had. He previously coached in NJ and Nashville. The good news is that the above statistics are only for the NHL. Evason's record also included the A where Hynes has seen success in the postseason. 

He is also coming from under the Penguins coaching tree having been part of their A franchise. I would have to believe that he overlapped with Guerin during this time, and it appears that Hynes also prefers the gritty play. 

[mnfaninnc]

3 minutes ago, joebou15 said:

Makes you think about how Tim Army was scapegoated in Iowa and Brett McLean is struggling there too. Methinks Guerin is not great at evaluating coaches.

I realize Brett McLean is struggling there, but to be perfectly blunt, his D corps has been all very young, especially when the leader of the group, Dakota Mermis was up with the big club. That will cause anyone to struggle, and if you look at McIntyre's line, I believe that's where the struggle is. 

Hopefully John Hynes believes in practicing. I'd think the Wild will be doing a lot of it!

[Dean]

Good job wild making some desperately needed changes! Good luck to the new head coach. John I believe. I definitely will give him time to install his systems and coaching style. Hope it works for him. 
     However IMO his tenure will be short. I believe this team will eat coaches till the extensions play out.  Taking the tool of accountability away from the coach with no move clause means the players now run the show. Bill and the coach are at the mercy of the players. They don’t run anything the players do. So I expect the players will run him out of town as well . Just a matter of time. 
    If the coach is HYNES  I wish him well. He was coach of Nashville last year. They were built like we are now. Lots of vets on bad contracts. From the little I paid attention to preds, it didn’t seem like he was able to motivate there vets enough to keep his job. Those same vets were traded to Colorado and Dallas and have  seemed to find new life this year. So I’m not sure what to make of his time in Nashville but will give him a chance. It really comes down to what the no move players think and do. 
     One other comment I’ll make is for all the fan fare about our prospects, nothing has been proven yet. I’m excited for all of them but realistically they are a long way from saying our future is bright. Cross reference our prospects with Chicagos prospects. Look at all the picks they still have to make.  I bet Chicago s future is much brighter than ours and we are in same division. Hopefully Judd hits on all his picks an I’m wrong. Chicago is building a powerhouse.  We are doing Fletcher 2.0 . Young guns with old vets . It may or may not work. 

[MacGyver]

Yep Hynes is another Guerin buddy. A coaching change always seems to bring a spark regardless of who it is. Who knows how happy Kaprizov is or isn't here. I do know this. He has always been an elite player on an elite team and has always been on a winning path. This is a new experience for him and I doubt he is enjoying it. Kaprizov did not come over here to play for the Minnesota Wild. He had no choice in that he came over here to win a Stanley Cup and probably more than one. About the only thing not on his resume.  

I always felt this was a stepping stone for him and now that he is experiencing the losing culture my guess is he is already looking towards the exit. His agent is going to make negotiations very difficult either way. 

Teams will be coming to call you can bet on that but he would do himself a favor to get out of this funk and start carrying this team to keep his stock value up. 

[mnfaninnc]

I do have some good news about Hynes. He has plenty of experience coaching the kids. Perhaps he will be more willing to give some of our highly touted prospects a chance? 

[mnfaninnc]

6 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

I always felt this was a stepping stone for him and now that he is experiencing the losing culture my guess is he is already looking towards the exit. His agent is going to make negotiations very difficult either way. 

What about his comment to Yurov: "I'm waiting for you?" That sounds like someone committed to the team. I think he wants it built into a juggernaut. 

[Lovehockey]

Kaprisov bought the apartment in downtown Minneapolis last summer. Don’t know if this is any indication. On the other side if I would be him I would leave. And agree with Tony 100% that nothing will stop his request for trade after this season. Hard to say if he likes Minnesota or not but there is nothing to like about the team as it is now. And there is no indication that BG is capable of making team better. Each of his f..:ing moves so far are complete disaster 

[MacGyver]

7 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

What about his comment to Yurov: "I'm waiting for you?" That sounds like someone committed to the team. I think he wants it built into a juggernaut. 

Perhaps your right. But that would equal Kaprizov dictating the roster lineup which I think Guerin would be perfectly willing to do if it kept him here. That is not a good way to run a team. In fact a very bad way. Prospects are prospects and until they step foot on the NHl ice you never know what you got. If Kaprizov himself don't step up soon you could say the NHL has caught up to him and he is just another damn good player on a mediocre team.  As he has already shown Kaprizov likes to let his agent do all the talking when the time comes. 

Edited November 28, 2023 by MacGyver

[Dean]

You can’t build a juggernaut with 20 th overalls 

[mnfaninnc]

2 minutes ago, Dean said:

You can’t build a juggernaut with 20 th overalls

This is not true. However, it is much more difficult to do it that way.

[Pewterschmidt]

Dean got the hook sooner than I expected.  Thought he had until Jan to right the ship.  
I think what sink Dean was that it was becoming a national story (not 1-2 MN hockey writers and reusse) how badly Dean was getting out coached.  It was such common knowledge that it was hurting the Wild brand (Jersey sales, tickets, etc) and that gets Leo’s attention.  I think the whispers are getting louder about Guerin’s old core extensions and that got Guerin’s attention. Must change headline, said Guerin.
 

 I agree with prior post that this core will chew up coaches, and that’s probably why we get journeyman Hynes and not a bigger name.  Change should give core a boost for 10-15 games until this group goes full mojo again in February

 #never go full mojo

Edited November 28, 2023 by Pewterschmidt

[mnfaninnc]

4 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

 I agree with prior post that this core will chew up coaches, and that’s probably why we get journeyman Hynes and not a bigger name

Going outside of the organization and not the interim route in season makes for very slim pickin's. I'd say that since Hynes and Guerin are familiar with each other, this may have been the next in line instead of Sully. Sadly for us, Sully didn't get fired.

[mnfaninnc]

So, there was one more firing too, Bob Woods. What do you guys think about that?

I'd say someone with more credibility needs to move into the position. Woods is a Boudreau confidant. Stevens, when he was here, had the room.

[Dean]

It didn’t work for Fletcher. Who built a Stanley cup winner by drafting one 20 th overall per year? You believe what you want . Chicago is doing it right . We are not ! It was perfect time to accumulate high draft picks during buyouts by selling ufa s at deadline. Not grifting off fans and writing stories about things that are years away . Especially when a team in your division is already started to see there picks on ice and has tons more.  Prospects are nothing till they prove it in nhl. Bedard is better than Rossi . There young stud d man is already better than any  d prospect we have.  Every year we trot out a kid Chicago will have a better one 
 

[Up North Guy]

15 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Going outside of the organization and not the interim route in season makes for very slim pickin's. I'd say that since Hynes and Guerin are familiar with each other, this may have been the next in line instead of Sully. Sadly for us, Sully didn't get fired.

Perhaps it could be that Hynes is a stop gap coach. I don't think that will be the case but who knows.

[mnfaninnc]

I just think if you hit right, that's how you build. Most of it is luck, but if you can hit 3 to 4 guys within a 3 year period, you have a pretty good chance of being a contender. By hitting, I don't mean a superstar, they just need to play a significant role for the team.

[mnfaninnc]

1 minute ago, Up North Guy said:

Perhaps it could be that Hynes is a stop gap coach. I don't think that will be the case but who knows.

According to the Tenneseean, Trotz recommended Hynes for another shot, and he cleaned up a bunch of stuff for the Preds. I'm not sure what that was, but he was given 3 invitations in 4 years, and the year he missed, Forsberg was hurt for a good portion of it.

[mnfaninnc]

So, the Blues are up next. It seems like a lot of guys are gripping their sticks too tight. There are 2 ways to loosen that up.

1. Score a lot of goals with everyone getting into the act
2. Having a boys will be boys game where the bell rings a lot and there are lots of majors handed out

Chances of scoring a lot of goals on the Blues? Probably fairly small.

Chances of finding a dance partner? Probably fairly good. 

If the scoring doesn't come early, I'd suggest making good use of the time and start dropping the mitts! A total meltdown game isn't out of realm of possibilities. It will loosen everyone up. And, we've got crazy eyes who can lead us!

[Beast]

Hynes?  They finally do something, and that’s the answer?  Was Bruce Boudreau busy? 

I’m to the point where I don’t care about Kaprisov staying. We’ve done nothing with him.  We’re not doing anything with him anytime soon.  Guerin is botching moves left and right.  We’re trying to kick the can down the road, and we suck at it.  It’s like a drug addict “chasing the dragon.”  It’s over.  

Fire Guerin.  Find a GM that knows what he’s doing and isn’t playing early 90s fantasy hockey. Trade Kaprisov for a haul, and anyone else we can (anyone Guerin didn’t inexplicably hand a freaking no-move clause).  Rip the bandaid off and rebuild this thing.  

[Dango]

I will be interesting to see what the new coaches approach is with line combos etc , if he just plays it safe and  mirrors the previous regime or if he needs to make a contrast .   

[joebou15]

1 hour ago, Dean said:

You can’t build a juggernaut with 20 th overalls 

Not true, but you can't do it it with a bunch of guys over 30 with zero flexibility.

[mnfaninnc]

11 minutes ago, joebou15 said:

Not true, but you can't do it it with a bunch of guys over 30 with zero flexibility.

This is also true, unless those guys are just placeholders. Placeholders generally don't have 4 year contracts and designations though.