Wayne Gretzky the Coach and Executive

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DavidPratt_
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Wayne Gretzky the Coach and Executive

Post by DavidPratt_ »

I have the absolute utmost respect for Wayne Gretzky and his many accomplishments. Having said that, I have often questioned Wayne's judgement around the players and people he chooses to join his hockey organization.

After 10 games, the Phoenix Coyotes have only won 2 games. 2 games!Why? Perhaps it was picking up an old and injured Jeremy Roenick. Or another old and injured guy - Owen Nolan. Perhaps a slow Georges Laraque? Maybe old crony Rick Tocchet can come back after he deals with his legal issues. Of course, Gretzky can always rely on his old goalie Curtis Joseph. Joseph will be tutored by Gretzky's buddy Grant Fuhr instead of hockey goalie coach guru Benot Allaire who was allowed to leave a few seasons ago so Allaire could tutor Henrik Lundquist in New York.

This team has few prospects but a lot of old friends. Maybe that's the problem. Come to think of it, maybe that's why Team Canada didn't win a medal at the last Winter Olympics.


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Post by UK Canuck »

i thinky your right in everything you say- maybe he'll get pat quinn as his assistant coach next :twisted:
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Re: Wayne Gretzky the Coach and Executive

Post by Nanaimo_Nuck »

DavidPratt_ wrote:I have the absolute utmost respect for Wayne Gretzky and his many accomplishments. Having said that, I have often questioned Wayne's judgement around the players and people he chooses to join his hockey organization.

After 10 games, the Phoenix Coyotes have only won 2 games. 2 games!Why? Perhaps it was picking up an old and injured Jeremy Roenick. Or another old and injured guy - Owen Nolan. Perhaps a slow Georges Laraque? Maybe old crony Rick Tocchet can come back after he deals with his legal issues. Of course, Gretzky can always rely on his old goalie Curtis Joseph. Joseph will be tutored by Gretzky's buddy Grant Fuhr instead of hockey goalie coach guru Benot Allaire who was allowed to leave a few seasons ago so Allaire could tutor Henrik Lundquist in New York.

This team has few prospects but a lot of old friends. Maybe that's the problem. Come to think of it, maybe that's why Team Canada didn't win a medal at the last Winter Olympics.


dp
Funny thing is, my father and I were having this same discussion a few weeks ago. And while team canada was losing.
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Post by UK Canuck »

he should of took crosby.
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Post by tantalum »

I think a lot of it is the bunch of friends thing. Gretzky, Barnett and friends. I'm not sure guys like Nolan or Roenick or Jovanovski can put out the necessary effort with their friend behind the bench. That and I'm not sure Roenick and Nolan are even capable of playing beyond a 4th line level at this stage in their careers.

Bad signings. Old players on the downslope of careers. Primadonna attitudes (Comrie, Laraque...). Too many friends. A few players comfortable with the multi-year big money deal they aren't playing hard the first years of the deal (Jovanovski, Morris, Boynton). It just totals up to one big mess...and I think many people predicted it once they went out and got Roenick and Nolan.

The sad sad thing for Coyotes fans is this though: In order to try to right the ship they have to make some deals. But Jovanovski is untradeable with a big 5 years deal and crap play thus far. Morris is pretty much untradeable with a big 3 year deal and crap play. Boynton may have a bit of value but his $3 mil dollar multiyear deal probably kills it. The only players they have to trade are the pending UFAs in Doan and Nagy. And really those are the last guys they'd probably want to trade and instead work towards signing an extension. But it isn't to be. I believe neither player was interested in signing an extension in the summer and I don't blame them. And to make matters worse Doan left last nights game with a back injury! The coyotes are a team in trouble and it is going to be very hard for a good GM to turn it around let alone a GM who has thus far proven himself to be one of the worst in the league (atleast IMO).
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Post by Linden Is God »

Why do we care? It's just further proof that Gretzky is not all he's cracked up to be. I always thought that he was just a "pretty face" for Team Canada when he was appinted as GM 2 Olympics ago. He was an amazing player, but qute frankly I can't see why the rest of the country continued to have a love affair with him after, thinking he was still God's gift to hockey after the fact he finished playing. I enjoy seeing him faulter in Phoenix because I was never a fan of his and it improves the Canucks chances at the playoffs.
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Post by tantalum »

Linden Is God wrote:Why do we care? It's just further proof that Gretzky is not all he's cracked up to be. I always thought that he was just a "pretty face" for Team Canada when he was appinted as GM 2 Olympics ago. He was an amazing player, but qute frankly I can't see why the rest of the country continued to have a love affair with him after, thinking he was still God's gift to hockey after the fact he finished playing. I enjoy seeing him faulter in Phoenix because I was never a fan of his and it improves the Canucks chances at the playoffs.
Gretzky isn't GM of the Coyotes. As Gm of Team Canada he assembled a pretty good management team that picked one very very good Olympic team and another not so good one. You can't win them all.

As coach it remains to be seen but he certainyl has the knowledge to succeed at it. but he needed to start smaller I think. He needs to coach guys who aren't his friends. Guys he hasn't had a beer with but would instead inspire.
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Post by Linden Is God »

tantalum wrote:
Linden Is God wrote:Why do we care? It's just further proof that Gretzky is not all he's cracked up to be. I always thought that he was just a "pretty face" for Team Canada when he was appinted as GM 2 Olympics ago. He was an amazing player, but qute frankly I can't see why the rest of the country continued to have a love affair with him after, thinking he was still God's gift to hockey after the fact he finished playing. I enjoy seeing him faulter in Phoenix because I was never a fan of his and it improves the Canucks chances at the playoffs.
Gretzky isn't GM of the Coyotes. As Gm of Team Canada he assembled a pretty good management team that picked one very very good Olympic team and another not so good one. You can't win them all.

As coach it remains to be seen but he certainyl has the knowledge to succeed at it. but he needed to start smaller I think. He needs to coach guys who aren't his friends. Guys he hasn't had a beer with but would instead inspire.
I never said he was GM of Phoenix. I was talking about him being GM for Team Canada. I believed he was there for the star power and not his knowledge. I see the way he's coaching and Phoenix and am more convinced that he is not all what he's cracked up to be.
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Post by tuzzi44 »

Coyotes are in our conference.... Sorry Mr. Gretzky, but i would prefer to see then lose!!!! 8-)

His bad choices are better for us in the long run guys.... one less team to worry about making a playoff run :lol:
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Post by Meerschaum »

All I know is that I can't wait for the 'Nucks to get a couple of games at home against the 'Yotes and Kings. :lol:
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Post by tantalum »

Linden Is God wrote: I never said he was GM of Phoenix. I was talking about him being GM for Team Canada. I believed he was there for the star power and not his knowledge. I see the way he's coaching and Phoenix and am more convinced that he is not all what he's cracked up to be.
But as GM of canada he assembled one absolutely great Olympic team. As much as everyone likes to say it that wasn't an easy task...as the second time around showed. Both coaching achievements and GM achievements have to be considered separately. As GM of Team Canada he brought home 1 gold medal in two tries. That is a good accomplishment.

As a first year coach he led an essentially poor Coyote roster to a 81 point season...it wasn't a complete disaster by any stretch. This year yes they have had trouble but for goodness sakes to take 90 game of coaching and procliam a guy as overrated is quite the joke. It sounds like the standard misguided Gretzky dislike. There are a heck of a lot of bad bad coaches out there if you that standard.
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Post by MarkMM »

tantalum wrote:
Linden Is God wrote: I never said he was GM of Phoenix. I was talking about him being GM for Team Canada. I believed he was there for the star power and not his knowledge. I see the way he's coaching and Phoenix and am more convinced that he is not all what he's cracked up to be.
But as GM of canada he assembled one absolutely great Olympic team. As much as everyone likes to say it that wasn't an easy task...as the second time around showed. Both coaching achievements and GM achievements have to be considered separately. As GM of Team Canada he brought home 1 gold medal in two tries. That is a good accomplishment.

As a first year coach he led an essentially poor Coyote roster to a 81 point season...it wasn't a complete disaster by any stretch. This year yes they have had trouble but for goodness sakes to take 90 game of coaching and procliam a guy as overrated is quite the joke. It sounds like the standard misguided Gretzky dislike. There are a heck of a lot of bad bad coaches out there if you that standard.
Yeah, too early to tell, but it doesn't look good. Still, even smart people can make bad decisions, so I wouldn't call him overrated just yet, even if this turns out poorly, it'll come down to how he learns his lessons.
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Post by Linden Is God »

tantalum wrote:
Linden Is God wrote: I never said he was GM of Phoenix. I was talking about him being GM for Team Canada. I believed he was there for the star power and not his knowledge. I see the way he's coaching and Phoenix and am more convinced that he is not all what he's cracked up to be.
But as GM of canada he assembled one absolutely great Olympic team. As much as everyone likes to say it that wasn't an easy task...as the second time around showed. Both coaching achievements and GM achievements have to be considered separately. As GM of Team Canada he brought home 1 gold medal in two tries. That is a good accomplishment.

As a first year coach he led an essentially poor Coyote roster to a 81 point season...it wasn't a complete disaster by any stretch. This year yes they have had trouble but for goodness sakes to take 90 game of coaching and procliam a guy as overrated is quite the joke. It sounds like the standard misguided Gretzky dislike. There are a heck of a lot of bad bad coaches out there if you that standard.
But see, I think he wasn't the architectof that gold medal team. I think it was Low and Tambellini that were really the genius' behind it. Plus I'm a jerk and enjoy seeing him fail.
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Post by DavidPratt_ »

tantalum wrote:Gretzky isn't GM of the Coyotes. As Gm of Team Canada he assembled a pretty good management team that picked one very very good Olympic team and another not so good one. You can't win them all.

As coach it remains to be seen but he certainyl has the knowledge to succeed at it. but he needed to start smaller I think. He needs to coach guys who aren't his friends. Guys he hasn't had a beer with but would instead inspire.
Gretzky isn't the GM, but come on. You don't think he has influence with the Coyotes GM, Michael Barnett (Gretzky's former agent) when it come to choosing players for the team?

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Post by randymeeks »

Gretzky isn't the GM, but come on. You don't think he has influence with the Coyotes GM, Michael Barnett (Gretzky's former agent) when it come to choosing players for the team?

Don't think for a second that Gretzky didn't have a say in what players were acquired. Look at Jovanovski. Just the kind of player Gretzky would love.

As far as him being g.m. of Team Canada, it's far easier to be successful as g.m. for Team Canada than it is for him to be successful with Phoenix in the NHL.

Gretzky opting to coach was a disaster waiting to happen and it appears that the disaster is happening. I remember during the summer some analysts on The Score were talking about how strong the Coyote line-up now was. :roll:
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