Ironically, the guy Hitch took over from couldn't get the Blues into the playoffs at all.

And he's now a head coaching candidate again, because at least he had the decency to fail at a young age.

The Western Conference is pretty stacked. This might be the first year where you look at the Blues' exit and think that, you probably lost to a team you shouldn't have.
- johndewar

Hitchcock is a good coach, don't get me wrong.... I just don't want to recycle. And his age concerns me as well.

http://www.theglobeandmai...ial-ruin/article22138117/

Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League on the verge of financial ruin
- Flyers_01

In some ways, the problems in the KHL are symptomatic of the general problems in Russia. They throw money at the luxury, prestigious things and ignore infrastructure and other core ideals. All splash, no substance.

The conditions those players have to deal with in most of the cities is horrendous. I can't believe that anyone who has a legit opportunity to play elsewhere would actually play in the K.

Grossmann for Tarasenko?
- PLindbergh31

Yes, please

As soon as oil prices began dropping, it was only a matter of time.
- BiggE

Yeah, but they aren't dead yet. There's some misguided nationalism behind how the league is conducted, as well, so what is to stop some sort of ....wait for it......revenue sharing program in the KHL?

I mean, if ANY country should understand what revenue sharing means, it should be the former Soviet Union.

Hitchcock is a good coach, don't get me wrong.... I just don't want to recycle. And his age concerns me as well.
- PLindbergh31

I'm cool with not bringing him back, but I wouldn't be upset if they did. His age is a concern and let's face it....how's his health? I think coaching is a young man's game nowadays, even though I do think Hitch still has a good hockey mind.

Yup, I can think of 3 reasons St. Louis went out in the first round, and none could be blamed directly on Hitch.

1. They got lousy goaltending at the worst time.

2. While they are deep at center, they lack that true #1 franchise guy (Crosby, Toews, Kopitar) that most cup winners seem to have.

3. Their D, while tremedously skilled, is very soft. There was a play, and I don't remember which game, where JayBo was just pushed off the puck so easily it was pathetic. As much as we often rip guys like Grossmann, St. Louis could use 1 dman like big Nick.
- BiggE

1) their goaltending has always seemed to do that in recent years. Unfortunate.

2) Would you not consider backes as their #1 franchise center? I know he doesn't light it up points wise, but he's always good for at least 55 pts and he plays a solid 2 way game.

3) their d is really soft. The only one that has some grit to him is jackman... and how useful is he... he's like a smaller, weaker version of grossman. Pietrangelo is surprisingly soft for how big he is.

I think Hitchcock is a great coach, and a brilliant strategist. My concern with him would be his tendency to bury young players. The key with this team is going to be growing the young defensemen. I was not a fan of what Berube was doing with Ghost, as an example. He forced him to play so safe in those couple of games, that it really diminished Ghost's whole value proposition.

I want a coach that is willing to let the young players play their game, make their mistakes and grow from them, within reason of course.

Not sure Hitch is that guy.
- TheGreat28

I dunno, he's different now. He played the absolute poop out of Tarasenko/Schwartz/Lehtera this season. Allen got a lot of starts this year, too.

I'm cool with not bringing him back, but I wouldn't be upset if they did. His age is a concern and let's face it....how's his health? I think coaching is a young man's game nowadays, even though I do think Hitch still has a good hockey mind.
- johndewar

Let's say he probably won't be on the cover of Men's Health anytime soon. He looks like he snacks on sticks of butter.

I dunno, he's different now. He played the absolute poop out of Tarasenko/Schwartz/Lehtera this season. Allen got a lot of starts this year, too.
- Tomahawk

You bring up a very good point. It would be something to talk to him about, if I'm Hextall, but I could be down with Hitch if he's willing to commit to playing the young guys. And I think Hextall should be willing to commit to allow the coach he hires time to grow the roster too.

1) their goaltending has always seemed to do that in recent years. Unfortunate.

2) Would you not consider backes as their #1 franchise center? I know he doesn't light it up points wise, but he's always good for at least 55 pts and he plays a solid 2 way game.

3) their d is really soft. The only one that has some grit to him is jackman... and how useful is he... he's like a smaller, weaker version of grossman. Pietrangelo is surprisingly soft for how big he is.
- benjichronic

Nope, Backes is not a franchise center. He's a very good player and can function as a #1, but in a perfect world, he's a 2nd line center. He doesn't generate enough consistent offense to be a first line center.

You bring up a very good point. It would be something to talk to him about, if I'm Hextall, but I could be down with Hitch if he's willing to commit to playing the young guys. And I think Hextall should be willing to commit to allow the coach he hires time to grow the roster too.
- TheGreat28

My favorite thing about Hitch is that he's always looking for that next little advantage tactically... he's on the forefront of the profession, as opposed to a guy like Berube who basically just c&p's from other people's playbooks.

Let's say he probably won't be on the cover of Men's Health anytime soon. He looks like he snacks on sticks of butter.
- PLindbergh31

My favorite thing about Hitch is that he's always looking for that next little advantage tactically... he's on the forefront of the profession, as opposed to a guy like Berube who basically just c&p's from other people's playbooks.
- Tomahawk

Berube doesn't strike me as a guy savvy enough to c&p.

Berube doesn't strike me as a guy savvy enough to c&p.
- PLindbergh31

Meanwhile, in the Flyers front office:

My favorite thing about Hitch is that he's always looking for that next little advantage tactically... he's on the forefront of the profession, as opposed to a guy like Berube who basically just c&p's from other people's playbooks.
- Tomahawk

Exactly why I've always liked Hitch.

Yup.

I'm sure positional/organizational need figures gets included into the ranking calculus... just depends on how heavily they decide to weight it.

Like in 2013, it was huge... its debatable whether or not they jump up to take Morin if they aren't fresh off losing Pronger forever. Like if it's Kimmo that goes down, BPA might have ended up being Mirco Mueller or Morrissey or Pulock.
- Tomahawk

I don't think that is true at all. I don't think losing a player to injury such as Pronger is going to influence the Flyers draft ranking of players. That would be drafting by need.

I would consider it but he's not on the top of my list...If I were Hextall. Hitch was only ever able to win with multiple hall of famers on his roster. Nieuwendyk, Hull, Modono, Belfour and dont forget about Hatcher, Lehtinen, Sydor, Zubov, Verbeek, Carbonneau, I could go on and on. That team was built to win up and down the lineup.
- GOA88

Like pretty much every other team that won a Stanley Cup.

My favorite thing about Hitch is that he's always looking for that next little advantage tactically... he's on the forefront of the profession, as opposed to a guy like Berube who basically just c&p's from other people's playbooks.
- Tomahawk

The above is false on so many levels. Berube is a very strong coach tactically. His system and style of play, is on the forefront with how most good teams play, including how Hitchcock wants the Blues to play. Systems built on the forecheck, and a 200 foot puck pressure game. There isn't a coach alive today who is inventing his own system of play. The all take from the playbook of the coaches past in NHL history.

The above is false on so many levels. Berube is a very strong coach tactically. His system and style of play, is on the forefront with how most good teams play, including how Hitchcock wants the Blues to play. Systems built on the forecheck, and a 200 foot puck pressure game. There isn't a coach alive today who is inventing his own system of play. The all take from the playbook of the coaches past in NHL history.
- MJL

What you guys need is a McGuire GM / Peter De Boer combo

Risk seems a bit lower, now that the KHL is in financial turmoil w/ the fall of the Ruble.

Add to that, Provorov has a game that would translate really well to NA pros. Really polished and well-rounded... not really a guy who relies on razzle dazzle... a lot like Maatta.
- Tomahawk

Additionally, Provorov has been playing and going to school in North America since he was 14. He's already shown that he's willing to pay his dues over here. It's really a non-issue in his case to whether he's a KHL "flight risk."