Ding Dong, the Crow is Dead!

“Greatness is more than potential. It is the execution of that potential. Beyond
the raw talent. You need the appropriate training. You need the discipline. You
need the inspiration. You need the drive.”

--Eric A. Burns

What a great surprise to get wonderful hockey news in the middle of June! At a time that Lakers vs. Celtics news is dominating the sports airwaves, the devoted enclave that is LA King Fan just secured a nugget of joy. After two awful years on the ice, the Kings fired Marc Crawford. Just typing that sentence brought a smile to my face. I feel no ill-will to Coach Crawford (the person); I just have greater feelings for the Kings (the organization). It’s not personal, its business.

I’m not sure that anyone saw this coming. Some of us have our hopes, but the common assumption was that Crawford would start the season with a short leash. If it was around Christmas and the Kings were in the same situation they were in last year, he’d be replaced. Instead, Dean Lombardi said that he looked at the team, the direction of the organization, and decided that the time to make a change was now.

After reading an interview with the GM, it sounds like there was a meeting with the ownership where they reiterated their desire to stay the course and build from within. Going further, it sounds like the Kings want to “let the kids play” sooner, rather than later. Already building a strong young nucleus, it’s realistic to imagine 3-4 rookies breaking into the line-up next year. Since a larger percentage of the NHL roster is going to be made up of players that are 2-3 years removed from Manchester, it’s going to be extremely important to find a coach that can help develop the younger players as they mature into their potential.

According to Lombardi, the most important qualities the next King coach will need to possess are trust and communication. While not openly stating that Crawford would not be able to continue to communicate with the younger players, it inferred that there were doubts moving forward (especially if they chose to go younger, not older). Crawford’s supporters are quick to point out that the development of players such as Dustin Brown and Patrick O’Sullivan have reached or exceeded any expectations. Detractors are quick with the rebuttal that the talented players are growing at the expected rate as they gained maturity with increased ice-time. Even if one was to make arguments for either side, I truly believe that this discussion is missing the point.

The problem with the Kings product over the last 2 years is that there has been no recognizable defensive system. How are defensemen supposed to grow individually if there’s no system to grow into? More importantly, how are ANY of the goaltending prospects supposed to thrive if they are promoted to the NHL, only to have defenseman running around in front of them? I’m a strong believer in putting people in a position to succeed, and as evidence by Jonathan Bernier’s stint at the beginning of 2007; the Kings were failing their prospects in this area. It’s understandable that there will be lapses with younger players at the position (especially defenseman), but their lapses should be within a system and not individual error with no built in safety net. When a Detroit Red Wing defender is beaten off the puck, he always has a second wave of support. When a King defender is beaten off the puck, there’s always too much time and space for the opponent to capitalize. Regardless of players, this is a coaching problem.

With the removal of a coach, the knee-jerk reaction is to speculate as to who will be the replacement. While the timing is out of the ordinary (season ticket renewals due by Friday the 13th and the draft the following week), Lombardi has already clearly stated that the coach of the future is a pivotal decision for the franchise and he will not rush to judgment. He’s openly expressed that his goal is to have a coach by July when the Kings have their prospect camp; as well as stating that it’s irrelevant if there’s a coach in place by Draft Day because they do not have any responsibilities other than meeting the kid. With this mindset, it’s clear that Crawford wasn’t released in favor of any specific candidate that has recently become available.

With the young players in the pipeline getting a chance to perform on the NHL stage, its imperative that the future coach’s strong suit is his teaching ability. Two of the names that are getting thrown around are John Tortorella and Paul Maurice (formerly of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs respectively). Both of these coaches have deficiencies—some shared and some unrelated. Both coaches saw young goaltenders with potential become completely ineffective under their watchful eye. John Graham was thrown to the wolves in Tampa. Neither Vesa Toskula nor Andrew Raycroft was able to live up to expectations in Toronto while Maurice was behind the bench. With Jonathan Bernier waiting in the wings (as well as Quick, Ersberg, Zatkoff, and Rowat), finding a head coach that is good with young goaltenders is incredibly important. It’s always nice to find a coach with experience, but it’s crucial to remember that the experience should be GOOD experience.

All things considered, this is the time to go with a young coach. Unfortunately, the reality is the Kings are not in the position to be worried about a leader with experience in the playoffs. The organization needs someone that can help build from within, develop the talent, and finally get the defense to start playing like a team. Once a system is in place that inherently protects each player by providing a back-up in the form of a teammate, the young players will be able to build confidence while learning at the NHL level.

Two intriguing candidates for the job are Craig Hartsburg and Mark Morris. Hartsburg, who most recently coached in the NHL with Anaheim, is currently coaching at Sault Ste. Marie in the Ontario Hockey League. He’s been successful in grooming players in the Canadian Junior league to the point that he’s been the head coach for Canada at the World Junior Championships. Over the past three years, he has won three gold medals, including two as head coach. If rookie development and production are the traits Lombardi is looking for, Hartsburg would be an excellent choice.

Another man with potential behind the bench is the Manchester Monarchs head coach, Mark Morris. The Kings’ affiliate was able to make the playoffs this year, despite a roster loaded with younger players. Even with their first round exit against Providence, the Monarch’s late season charge was looked at as the next step in the development of many of the organizations important prospects. As he’s built a relationship with players hopefully destined for the NHL, there’s a feeling among some that he would be the logical choice to continue the prospects’ growth.

No matter who is chosen to lead the Kings into this next stage of their rebuilding process, its clear that growth is expected on all levels. The first stage of the rebuilding process was to tear out the existing structure and lay a solid foundation for the future. Now it is important for the next coaching staff to build on the foundation. Growth in confidence, growth in development, and growth in the win column; if each of these expectations is satisfied, then Lombardi’s choice will be deemed a success.

Otherwise, the natives could get restless.