There comes a time in the entire process in Major Junior hockey where you have to take a step back and assess the players and the system. This usually happens throughout the season or near the trade period or at the end of the season. The day of reckoning might also occur if the coaching staff is on the hot seat.
Everyone is quick to criticize the players if a team or organization is struggling or underachieving rather than perhaps looking at a system or framework that might be flawed or not geared towards the players within the organization.
Who’s to blame?
Well, that’s a great question.
How can some junior hockey teams and organizations draft players that don’t fit the framework or philosophies of the coach at the helm.
This isn’t “Moneyball,” but perhaps in some ways it might be a perfect example of not putting the players in the right situations or systems to be successful.
https://twitter.com/eags37/status/1744726813887311929?s=46&t=7xFL6DASase7-Mt33hfxFg
The Hollywood version of the Oakland Athletics amazing impromptu run or rethinking how to build a ball club is just that, a Hollywood depiction, but the drama on some junior hockey teams is no doubt similar when the players or coaches system don’t align.
In general, coaches have their system or their way of playing the game and they don’t like to deviate, or shall we say they NEVER deviate from that scheme or blueprint even if the players they have at their disposal change over time. Coaches that can adjust or fine tune their systems on the fly and adapt “to and with” their clientele will undoubtedly get the most out of their group and have the most success.
“Adapt to and with” that’s what great coaches do. Adapt, to and with, you see that’s growth. We expect players to grow and develop, but what about the coaches?
Coaches that are reluctant or hesitant to change or adapt will continue to spin their tires searching for consistency, solutions to problems they or their system creates or different “players” or line combos to try to cope with a mismatch between their clientele and system.
Then who’s to blame?
The GM, the Scouts, the Coach or the Players? Well, if the players don’t want to change or adapt to the system, then a change has to be made, but you can’t trade the entire team?
If the coach is reluctant or downright refuses to change or set players up for success then a change had to be made.
If the GM and scouting staff continue to draft and project players that don’t fit the mold of the coaching staff then ultimately a major change has to happen.
Obviously, you can blame whoever you want to blame, but it all comes down to lack of communication and a reluctance to be on the same page.
How could there be such a disconnect between management and the coach?
How could there be such a disconnect between coaches and the players?
Well, that shit happens more than you think, it’s probably happening as we speak. It’s hard to believe that organizations would be that dysfunctional, but it is what it is.
The tug of war between the system or lack of performance from players is one of the root causes for a coaching change.
You can only blame the players or the system for only so long until have you have to take a good long look in the mirror.
Player or system?
Coach or players?
GM or coach?
Just imagine if all three could communicate and get on the same page, what a difference that would make.
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