DON Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Now just need to switch-up JJD with Hal Gill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazy26 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 It's amazing how a relatively minor hire like this helps, psychologically. We needed SOME sort of change, some meaningful signal that everything isn't hunky dory in Bergevin's eyes after an all-time disastrous season. I think Brian is right and Muller is the #2. That's a consequential shake-up in the coaching dynamic. I'm also wondering whether it's effectively putting Therrien on notice. Unilingual Muller may not be a plausible candidate for the permanent head coaching job, but he certainly would be a qualified, credible mid-season replacement for MT, giving us the space to do a proper search at season's end (and also to test, perhaps, the market's willingness to tolerate unilingualism from a well-liked former Hab). This is another reason to like the move...if, as many of us have feared, Therrien has lost, or is in the process of losing, the room, we now have a go-to alternative within the system. Great move, MB CC covered basically everything I wanted to say (certainly not the first time this has happened), and I'm stoked for the same reasons. As others have mentioned, Muller's years in Montreal synced up with great powerplays for the most part; if we can even make reasonable improvements (I'm not expecting a jump back to 1st or 2nd) that could make a difference and result in a few more wins. And as a Kingston boy, I'll be ecstatic when Captain Kirk brings the Cup around my way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huzer Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Cool. Glad Kirk is back. All seems right when he's with Montreal, ha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REV-G Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Sometimes a situation looks good when you're on the outside looking in. But if you're on the inside you know and see things other people don't. For both assistants to refuse a contract offer and leave, to me that says there's something that they're not willing to live with and they both said no to what seems to be a pretty good situation long term. If for some reason you know you may not enjoy going in to work every day then most people would look elsewhere. Obviously this is just speculation but when both assistants say no to a one year deal it does look a little suspicious, to me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 According to a Habs beat reporter, Guy Boucher was originally offered the associate position if he didn't find a head coaching job. Clearly, the Habs strongly wanted to add someone with head coaching credentials to their coaching roster. This reinforces the thought that MT is effectively being put on notice. I'm curious about the level of acceptance the francophone community would have for Muller as either an interim head coach, or even as the permanent choice. There is a lot of enthusiasm for Muller here and at H I/O - he is an 'anglo' Habs hero. But does he command a similar enthusiasm among francophones - ? (I don't know - I'm honestly asking). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineral Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 "Kirk, time to start taking some French lessons. You've got 8 months or less." - Me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Very interesting take from Francois Gagnon: http://www.rds.ca/hockey/canadiens/muller-une-embauche-importante-1.3395750 On the language question in particular, he writes: "Est-ce que, au contraire, son passé de capitaine du Canadien, sa conquête de la coupe Stanley en 1993, son amour pour Montréal, le Canadien et ses fans, et surtout l’amour des partisans – des deux langues – à son endroit pourraient surmonter la barrière de la langue? Ma réponse à cette deuxième question est oui. L’entraîneur-chef du Canadien de Montréal doit parler français. C’est indéniable. Mais j’ai toujours maintenu que si un candidat comme Mike Babcock était disponible, il faudrait songer à adoucir cette règle pour des considérations sportives. J’ajouterais le nom de Muller sans retenue." Paraphrasing: he asks whether Muller's history as Habs captain, his Cup ring, his love of Montreal and its fans, and the love of those fans for him, could override the language issue. And he replies that the language requirement has always been subject to override if surpassing hockey reasons required it (e.g., if Babcock were available). Muller, he concludes, is an example of such a case. So he thinks the francophone community would accept Kirk Muller as head coach, should need require it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huzer Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Not to go down the rabbit hole of language debate, but I'd say an anglo coach will be tolerated until the first slump, regardless of pedigree. I don't believe that Muller, for instance, would have survived last season's debacle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehjay Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 IMO as long as French Canadians are represented on the team and the team is winning. The (FC) fans (mostly media) will forgive what ever position in team doesn't speak french (captain, coach, GM, owner...). Did Scotty or Hector speak french? 1 of the BIG 3 probably didn't, picked it up maybe? What about Bob when he was cap'tn and 2 busted shoulders?? Did it stop Peanut from getting FLEECED? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbhatt Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Clearly, the Habs strongly wanted to add someone with head coaching credentials to their coaching roster. This reinforces the thought that MT is effectively being put on notice. I'm curious about the level of acceptance the francophone community would have for Muller as either an interim head coach, or even as the permanent choice. There is a lot of enthusiasm for Muller here and at H I/O - he is an 'anglo' Habs hero. But does he command a similar enthusiasm among francophones - ? (I don't know - I'm honestly asking). A fan would have to be a special kind of a-hole to reject someone with Kirk Muller's credentials solely on the basis of language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Toe Blake and Scotty Bowman both spoke french. Dick Irvin didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stogey24 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 So Therrien says it was his idea to give Muller the call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehjay Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Toe Blake and Scotty Bowman both spoke french. Dick Irvin didn't. I didn't know that, makes me fool off the jump but I will stick with the bulk of the point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habs rule Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 So Therrien says it was his idea to give Muller the call. Holy crap then he finally did something I agree with. I think it was Guy Carbonneau who said " if we win the cup the fans don't care if the coach speaks Chinese." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I wonder if there is even one HabFan who dosent like this move? Skillsy is (was) at Brossard today, sign him up also! Move JJD to some player development or scouting role. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I wonder if there is even one HabFan who dosent like this move? Skillsy is (was) at Brossard today, sign him up also! Move JJD to some player development or scouting role. I don't see that happening. Gill hates Therrien back from their Pittsburgh days, there's no way he's signing up to work with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nihilz Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Muller said Subban has already called him and Muller noted "I'm excited to work with him again." I kinda doubt Habs PP will get any worse this coming season, given the players Muller has to work with and his track record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neech Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Subban 20g 70 pts this year book it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 So Therrien says it was his idea to give Muller the call. Yeah, and Hillary Clinton says it was her idea for Bernie Sanders to run for the Democratic nomination. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 habsrule stop posting for CC! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 habsrule stop posting for CC! Actually, I read in The Globe where Muller himself said that Therrien was one of the first to contact him after he hit the market, that that MT was very convincing. Perhaps my initial dismissal was wrong. I still find it hard to believe that Therrien would enthusiastically recruit the man who represents his obvious successor (at least as interim head coach), however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 I still find it hard to believe that Therrien would enthusiastically recruit the man who represents his obvious successor (at least as interim head coach), however. The other way to look at it is that bringing in a better assistant should help the team win more. If the team wins more, Therrien won't have to worry about being replaced by Muller or anyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Bob McKenzie seemed to have similar take on both Muller and Crawford situations, that both hires shouldn't be seen as threat to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 The other way to look at it is that bringing in a better assistant should help the team win more. If the team wins more, Therrien won't have to worry about being replaced by Muller or anyone else. It's a fair point. Therrien may well be looking at next season and understanding that with Price back, this team will return to the top-10 in the NHL, and his job will be secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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