Coaching Change...

Well, yesterday I talked about who should be NHL MVP, and today we will focus on the coach of the year candidates. At least in my little mind. This is always an interesting choice because its tough to judge who deserves it and how much coaching they truly had to do. The teams at the top are usually so laydened with talent that while coaching is key, they have the tools at their disposal to more easily accomplish their goals. Though if we look no further than my Sens, we can see this is not always a recipe for success. So, should this be held against them? I think yes to a certain extent. Its a lot easier to win fifty games in Detroit than Edmonton. Which is where my nominations will start. Mac T as Cragin MacTavish is known is a long standing coach and has taken an young, and very injury riddled team to near playoff contention. At the start of this season and especially with last seasons collapse at the end it would be hard to imagine them being in this situation, but there they are. A very hard working and gritty team, just as their coach used to be and in the very difficult North West division and Western conference this is not easy to do without a lot of talent. The same argument should be made for the Great One. Wayne Gretzky has taken a team very similar to Edmonton in that they are very young and short on big names and lead them almost to playoff contention. This is a wonderful feather in his cap and proves to the naysayers that great players can indeed coach. In the East - John Paddock - OK that was cruel, but there are several candidates worthy of this cause as well. Bruce Boudreau has taken a meager Capitals team to the verge of a playoff spot which is no small feat after a terrible start to the year and a lineup that falls off quickly after its top five players. However they play hard and well together which will make you look good no matter how much talent you have and has result in success on the ice and perhaps for the man leading the way. Also in the east, Claude Julien and Tom Renney deserve some cu dos because though the Rangers were poised to have a good season they weren't until recently and he now has them fighting for the conference lead so that is a very deserving feat. In Boston injuries and poor goal tending, sorry but Tim Thomas is praised constantly for little or no reason - an All star?! - but I digress. Juien has them set to make the playoffs and this hard working bunch are one of the better defensive teams when they play their game. So now that these men have been praised, we will have to wait and see who gets one last victory at years end.