From the category of ‘where there is smoke, there is fire’, on Friday the Carolina Hurricanes announced that Bill Peters had exercised his contract out and resigned from his coaching role with the Hurricanes. So as I said on Twitter, just like that the Kinetico Water era of Hurricanes history has come to a close.
Between a busy end of the week and the need to digest the information and figure out which of seemingly dozens of angles to discuss, I will post an article hopefully sometime on Saturday or Sunday at the latest.
Finally catching up after a busy weekend that was largely scheduled out.
Huge thanks to everyone who has already shared their thoughts on Bill Peters’ resignation.
Below are my thoughts in quick-hitter format…
Peters’ 2017-18
In simple terms, it was not good enough. Say what you want about the players he had/did not have. In terms of raw talent, one could make a case for the team being about where they landed in the standings, but here is the thing…Teams can and do surprise every year. Seven out of the 16 teams that made the 2018 playoffs were 2017 draft lottery entrants just like the Hurricanes. Not only is it possible for teams to rebound quickly, it is the norm. Was this team definitely a playoff team with another coach? No. But was it possible? Yes.
But the goaltending
The one wild card that I struggle with the most is the effect of the team’s goaltending struggles. I very much thing Peters’ made his own bed and then had to lie in it for the 2016-17 season when he rode Cam Ward right into the ground. He had a red hot goalie at the AHL level with NHL experience to boot in Michael Leighton but refused to even use him for spot starts as a backup, and he never really seemed to trust Lack enough to give him a chance. Instead, he rode Ward until he collapsed at which point the season quickly went to hell in a hand basket. But there was also an element of goalies just not being good enough, and I think that was more true for 2017-18 where Peters gave Darling every chance imaginable to right the ship and kept Ward fresh in the process. In the end, the goaltending just was not good enough again. Was Bill Peters’ success within reach with just league average goaltending? Is Bill Peters just a victim in terms of the sub-par goaltending or as head coach does he take a chunk of the blame for his management and motivation of the goalies?
Inability to get the most out of players
At the end of the day, what strikes me most as a miss for Peters was his inability to gain improvement and get the most out of a young team seemingly with upside. The team in total was no better in 2017-18 than in 2016-17.
Xs and Os versus people management
After four years, my assessment of Peters as a coach is that he was generally strong in terms of tactics, Xs and Os, etc. This shows in the Hurricanes’ dramatic improvement in terms of possession, shot and other metrics. This lines up pretty well with his anticipated strengths on the way in the door. But I think Peters fell significantly short in terms of the people management and motivation aspect of coaching. The team was meek during the times when it most needed to be fierce, and fragile when it most needed to be solid. Though there are other options too, I think one can make a strong case that this weakness was ultimately the fatal flaw of the team. The situation is an interesting one. The team seemed to add a strong candidate for a new captain to jolt the system in Justin Williams, but then went status quo. And instead of naming a captain and challenging that player to take the flag and lead, the team instead opted for a non-decision with two co-captains. And the team had Rod Brind’Amour on its coaching staff with the potential to maybe fill a void for Peters, but he always seemed relegated to a narrow, niche role. Maybe most telling was the odd exchange with Eddie Lack at the tail end of the 2016-17 season. Peters’ impromptu outlash was easily te most notable instance of him lighting a fire under a player and getting results. But rather than calculated and with purpose, the event was happenstance, awkward and maybe just inappropriate to the point where apologized.
When I combine the team’s issue with fragility and the odd sequence of events and shortcomings leadership-wise, my intuition is that Peters just is not strong in the very important people management part of the business.
An interesting look backwards
The game of chicken that seemed to transpire with owner Tom Dundon seemingly wanting Peters gone but forcing the decision on Peters to relieve himself and in the process exit the contract was an interesting conclusion to what I think is becoming a clearer timeline.
Peters seemed to lose this team during a tough stretch mid-winter. My capitulation point was the bad loss to the Wild in March that I had as closing the door on any playoff chances. I voted vociferously for Peters to be removed immediately at that point to make a statement and for Brind’Amour to be made the interim coach to try to salvage the rest of the season. Only later did Peters’ contract situation come out.
In retrospect, I think the actual behind closed doors timeline goes like this…
Tom Dundon realized that Peters lost the team just as much as anyone else. It was obvious enough and with Dundon’s propensity to talk to anyone in the organization, he no doubt had conversations to check this.
But with the season being over anyway, he saw a path to saving $1.6 million of Peters’ salary and decided to go for that and a fresh start in 2018-19.
In addition, he used the exit interviews to validate what he mostly already sensed – that the players had had enough of Peters. So he conducted the exit interviews in solo, and verified the direction he was already leaning which was to cut ties with Peters. Those player interviews yielded exactly what he expected.
The last step was to just be non-committal and force the move in the game of chicken to Peters. After being left out of the exit interviews and press conference, no way was Peters going to risk a return if just the potential to land elsewhere was there.
So in the end, Dundon got exactly what he wanted.
Upheaval? Or necessary restart?
No doubt the situation feels like it is in disarray right now with no general manager and seemingly minimal progress on that front and now a coaching vacancy as well.
But I continue to think that it is too early to say what the Tom Dundon era really looks like.
Of the many possible interpretations of what has happened, and what it means for the future, how about this very simple one…
1-Based on the 2018-19 season implosion and the eight playoff misses that preceded it, the organization was broken and needed significant change.
2-In such a situation, very reasonable is to start by changing out the senior leadership for fresh blood.
3-Right now, we are only four months into Tom Dundon’s tenure as owner, only two weeks past the end of the Carolina Hurricanes season and not really even into the NHL offseason. As such, it is premature to judge the state of Tom Dundon’s Carolina Hurricanes.
To be clear, I have some concerns with the process thus far more so than individual decisions, and I do think the potential is there that certain things turn out to be red flags. But I think it is too early to declare that the case. Rather, it is time watch and let things unfold a bit before making final judgments.
What say you Caniacs?
Feel free to add to the discussion which started over the weekend.
Free form is fine, but potential discussion points could include:
1) Thoughts on Bill Peters departure and whether a new coach is likely to be a key difference for 2018-19.
2) Thoughts on head coach options including the rumblings that Rod Brind’Amour could be considered and also Mike Vellucci in Charlotte.
3) Thoughts on the general state of the organization right now currently with vacancies at the general manager and head coach positions and some loosely-formed committee running the show at least for now.
Go Canes!
1. Move was best for everyone. Peters moved on graciously. I wish him good luck and hope he signs with Calgary so he will be in the western conference.
2. Tippett, Brindamoor, Ruff, Vellucci, etc. They all have their pluses and minuses. I will be all in for whoever is selected. My constant second guessing for 9 years has got us where we are, so it’s time to get behind the wheel and push.
3. Nothing unusual in the process of replacing the GM and coach. A common occurrence in all of sports. Maybe unusual for the Canes as we have been a “good ole boy” franchise for several years hiring our ex-players with so many titles, bringing in players with ties either to the coach (Muller-Dvorak, etc.) or to recycle names from our past (Corvo, etc.) or to hiring coaches whose only claim to fame was they played with the GM (Rutherford-Stefan, etc.). Looks like the ‘good ole boy” bandwagon might be over and the new owner is going to get serious about WINNING SOME HOCKEY GAMES and not simply maintaining a shrine to past glories. Let’s be proud of our past, but let’s also move on from it with some optimism.
I agree with Red’s comments and have little to add.
1). BP made the best choice for everyone and is a classy guy. The choice of coach will have just as much to do with future success as choice of players. I was not a fan of Peters system, the limitations frustrated over time. So I’m hopeful that the next coach will have a more creative system.
2). Based on what Dundon has said so far, Lindy Ruff is an obvious choice. His teams are tough to play against and tend to be chippy, the opposite of the canes. If my predictive skills continue to trend there is therefore no chance that Ruff will be the new HC.
3) Apparent disarray and lack of clarity always accompany transitions like this. Although it tests my patience, situation normal.
I look forward to meeting our new GM and HC!
And go Checkers!
Like I said elsewhere, I think BP made the right choice, for himself and the team, and I wish him all the best.
I also admit I won’t miss those water commercial, though Peter’s daughter looks like a sweet kid and I don’t know where they found that little kid to imitate his accent.
WRAL is pitching Rod as the ideal candidate for the next headcoach with ferver.
Rod is a great guy, but he’s been part of the problem and a good ol boy, so if he is hired part of me will be optimistic and part of me will think “business as usual”.
I am on the Ruffian bandwagon, I think Lindy might be a good coaching candidate, Filluchi has done great things down in Charlotte, and we see how successful Tampa has been by bringing up their successful AHL coach that knows how to motivate the players.
Maybe Rod can snatch a one-year “proof yourself” head coaching deal. I’d be ok with that, but not ok with a 5-year job guaranteed deal, it’s time that the organization demands success.
I’d vote for Vellucci as next HC. Maybe Rod B could cut his teeth by back-filling for Vellucci in Charlotte. TD definitely did the right thing by not firing BP; saved $1.6M and everybody’s dignity remains intact.
Bill Peters played the hand he was dealt. He repeatedly asked for more players and did not get that. The guy can coach hockey. Yet as in almost any organization without success the players began to tune him out. Perfect- no. Time to go-yes. I wish him the best except against the canes.
I think Vellucci is in a great place. His success in junior hockey makes him a great coach, teacher and motivator in Charlotte. His efforts over the last few years may impact future success in Raleigh more than anyone else.
My hope is the Canes go outside for a new GM and coach. Players, the organization, and fans need a fresh start. Sutter or Tippett would be great choices but there may be other options that become available.
I for one am not worried about the vacancies. It seems fans have wanted a shakeup for a while. I say shake it up. The previous pattern did not work. New approaches are welcome.
I am not sorry to see Peter’s leave. The players were in mutiny and only those on the inner management loop know exactly what happened. One thing is clear, Peters does not learn from his mistakes. I was floored when I heard that he plans to go back to Europe again this Fall. Amazing!
Lindy Ruff would be great for us. So would Ken Hitchcock. But let’s wait and see.
I would prefer Vellucci, especially after the past two games. Not just because the Checkers won after trailing in both playoff games, but his comments indicate that he instills belief in the players in their ability as players and as a team. He has been tough when needed (I am thinking about Gauthier sitting for quite a few games throughout the year). Mostly he has been consistent in getting his players to believe they are winners–read Saarela’s comments after Friday’s game if you haven’t yet.
Hiring Vellucci would keep the pros of RF/BP system in place, so I think Vellucci would be a smart addition given he can add his own twists and tweaks without having to uproot the entire system we’ve trained both Canes and Checkers on the last few years. Hiring from the outside means a new system and would take players some adjusting time.
All that said, will a new GM want to select Vellucci as head coach? My gut says if the GM is from the inside (Waddell) or has inside connections (Niewendyk, Kron, etc.) then perhaps. Whereas if the GM comes from the outside with no previous ties, said individual will likely have his own coaches in mind. Based on Vellucci’s success this year he may likely test his coaching value elsewhere (in which case we’d lose him unless we promote).
Too much to speculate of course, and with that there is also potential to promote Vellucci to both GM and Head Coach (in doing so adding some supporting staff to ease the burden of both roles) such as associate coach and assistant GM. This could very well be the best of both.
Final thoughts on Peters. Similar to previous coaches, his fate would have likely been better had the organization been able to obtain the right key pieces. The combination of having to clean up the Rutherford era, restock the farm and hope our top 10 draft picks could handle the rigors of top 6 so soon (in addition to not taking any risk via trade to bolster the team) was just too much to accomplish in 4 years. Sure, Peters made some questionable decisions but looking back we can’t really blame him. Some fans and media can mock the end results all they want and keep pointing at the same things like co-captains and who was on ice in OT and the Eddie Lack outlash. But I give Peters credit for taking risks in changing things up based on what HE saw. He was respectful to his players, benching them in his own way (no OT ice time for top players, 3rd line duty for Skinner due to his poor defense, etc.) and did so not to the media or fans liking.
Bottom line, we never made a trade during his tenure. Never signed a key free agent (Williams was okay but not what we needed most). Our defense blossomed quickly in his 2nd year and no veteran reinforcements were brought in. That wasn’t on Peters, it was on Francis. Not sure what lies ahead for Francis, but Peters will be coaching again very soon and likely will be successful. Good coaches will find the right environment and a way to win. Carolina wasn’t the right environment.
I really don’t understand the lauding of Bill Peters and blaming everyone and everything else but him for the Canes fortunes for the past four years. Bottom line, we were also rans for the entire time he was here. In his final year its obvious the players tuned him out. There is no need to try to rewrite history here. He was unsuccessful and rightfully he is gone. He had his chance and failed. If Cooper, Sullivan, Lindy Ruff, Dave Tippett, or any other coach you can name came here and produced the same record, they all would be gone and rightfully so. BP was given enough talent to produce a better record than he produced. He was at least part of the problem for why we stunk. Let’s wish him well, move on, and get behind whoever replaces him. If BP does well where ever he goes, good. But let’s not continue to moon over his loss or attempt to justify a lousy four year record. The franchise has always operated like a good old boys home. As fans we don’t need to help continue that image by making excuses for and lamenting the loss for anyone associated with the mess and least of all creating another good old boy. We should only be looking for positive results moving forward. No more buying in to any management continuing promises of a great day somewhere over the horizon. On the ice improvement should be the measuring stick from here on out. And that performance should include a healthy dose (90 plus points) of WINNING.
It surprises me to say this (I am not a fan of Adam Gold) but I am in the Adam Gold camp – Peters should have been fired in December. And the season was lost because he wasn’t fired then (or even in February). He had lost the team and we we lost the season because – for whatever reasons – we lose the coach. He had lost the locker room. Whereas after a bad loss in February Peters said going into the next game with the same lineup was unacceptable, playing the entire season with him as coach was unacceptable.
He had the the highest talent level of any of his teams in the past 4 years – and the worst results – few points than years 2 and 3, more blowouts (only a few of which could be fully attributed to leaky goal-minding), no desperation in the team. The team was not engaged – and it falls to management to make the change. Put this season’s loss on RF and Karmanos, then Dundon for making the wrong change in March.
I was a fan of Peters in his first two years here – what he did with an under-talented team was special. He is a talented coach and I fully expect he will be successful on future stops in his career. The team owes a lot more to him than to his predecessor. And I wish him the best.
But his time had long-since passed.
That was my freeform.
1. I think a new coach will be a difference maker for the team. But I think a new coach in the middle of last season would have been a difference maker for the season.
2. I think Rod would have been a solid choice for an interim coach if brought in late (i.e., February/March) last season for the motivational aspects. I am not convinced on his X’s and O’s nor has he ever had the chance to build his own system. I am a fan of Vellucci. But I also don’t think a retread of another NHL HC is necessarily the right things to do. And remember Dundon’s remark about not chasing free agents – why would the team want to sign a coach who has been let go elsewhere, by his perspective. It would depend on the coach, who has to be good with young players as his core.
3. I think what is unusual about the current situation is that both the HC and GM searches are ongoing at the same time. Does that mean either/or both positions are expected to be internal hires? Will a GM really accept if he has to accept the coach?
raleightj, I find myself entirely in agreement with your thoughts. Good complete writeup IMO. Will look forward to your comments when a new GM and/or coach is selected.
Thank you, RR.
Correcting a typographic omission”
“He had lost the team and we we lost the season because – for whatever reasons – we DID NOT lose the coach.”
I have a confession to make: I bought the Kinetico water system. Taste great and less filling.
I think most agree it was time for Peters to find his next job. The 4-year results were partly on him, but not all his fault. The GM is responsible for providing the right mix of players (via trade or making some moves to improve mid-season). Francis did not do such and was first to go. The players are paid millions to play hard for 60+ minutes (coaches can only motivate so far and are not on the ice). Some players will be next to go.
Firing Peters mid-season with an ownership change that was pending was never going to happen. Some can look back and think that would have been the right move, but clearly would have been the wrong move given the team would have to pay Peters next year.
We can agree to disagree on semantics, and in reality it’s all in hindsight. I think Peters was a good coach who just didn’t have enough of the right pieces under management that didn’t want to make any splashes (for right or wrong). A fresh start awaits and I’m certainly excited about Dundon and the next era. We all wanted change and we can’t be afraid of what that change will look like now. Will be nice to finally see an owner who will hold all parties accountable.
I thought BP had a real chance this year to take the team to a new level and it just didn’t happen. This was the only year of the four he coached here that we did not go on an extended run of success at some point after Thanksgiving. We just didn’t play nearly as hard as other playoff teams. One day, I hope the story comes out on how the co-captain decision went down.
I liked him as a coach and wish him the best in CGY or wherever he lands (hopefully out West somewhere).
I’m not sure Rod Brind’Amour is the right guy or even wants the job. Vellucci seems to have done well in CLT and would be my preferred internal candidate but that may not be a clean enough break with the past.
Agree with the comment that we’re only 4-months into the TD era and therefore it’s way too soon to tell what it’s going to look like. I think I said that it usually takes 90-days for anyone new coming in at a Sr. level to figure things out, and here we are 120-days in and significant action has already occured. Most of us have wanted it: big change is coming.
I think Vellucci is the solution, possibly backed up with a good tactical coach/assistant coach.
Vellucci knows the playres in Charlote, so far he has done a good job with Charlotte, it was good to see the 2 playoff wins, both where the come-from-behind gutsy variety, something we haven’t seen much of up in Raleigh in recent years. If he can follow some of his top players up I-85 and keep them going, it would be good for the team.
Though he is no stranger to the Canes organization he is not perceived as a member of the crew that has been running the show lately.
I say give Vellucci the job, offer Rod the bd a head coaching job down in Clt, bringing an experienced GM, possibly along with an assistant coach (the Canes could do with a better powerplay) and focus on getting the right players.
Apparently there are a number of good goalies over in the KHL that teams like the Islanders and Oilers are looking at. Sure it is a risk, but with the goalie supermarket shelves containing mostly ketschup, onions and expires pudding, it may be time to bring in some imported produce. We could give such a goalie the backup job hoping Darling can either recover or that person to take over. Give Ward a coaching job or a third goalie job if he agrees on a reasonable contract (I still think it may be less expensive than trying to trade Darling and retain most of his salary).
It may also be possible to trade Darling to theDucks for one of their albatross forward contracts, e.g. CoryPerry, sure it would be another couple of million dollas on the books but with a forward that could bring some grit, leadership and maybe, just maybe, could turn things around a bit out east (that being said Cory Perry is bad, I’d look at Getslav primarily).
On a related note. It seems that BP has officially taken over as the head coach of the Calgary Flames.
The Rangers have also let AV go, so the candidate pool is getting deeper.
I am not in the Velluci camp. Getting guys to do things in the minors is easy. All of them need the coach to move forward…well, most of them do. In the NHL most of the players make more money than the coach. Established NHL players do not need the coach to thrive. I believe it is a different skill set. Not to mention that Velluci hasn’t won squat yet. Winning a few playoff games is nothing special. Win the Calder Cup and then I will pay attention.
I’m more in favor of hiring an assistant or an experienced NHL coach. Most of the ex NHL head coaches out there are nothing special, IMO. I would go with a young assistant and I see none better than Rod Brind’Amour. I challenge you to name someone more respected by players than Rod Brind’Amour. Do you really think he doesn’t know systems? One of the best defensive centremen of all time doesn’t know systems? Come on.
No coach wins squat in the NHL without good players. The Canes do not have enough good players. The players that can’t score 5 on 5 do poorly on the powerplay and you want to blame a coach? Please. Derek Ryan, Viktor Rask, Elias Lindholm, and Jordan Staal have no business on a powerplay. I haven’t even started talking about the defensemen. Whoever they hire will be doomed to fail if they do not upgrade the talent on the team. Goalie. #1 centreman. Defensemen. All glaring weaknesses. Coach is only one piece of the puzzle.
I completely relate to your point about a coach does not win without good players. The Canes did not have enough good players the last 4 years, instead we had over-slotted, inconsistent and overrated players. That part is on Francis. Peters did what he could, made some decisions that some didn’t agree with, but how can you blame him? You cannot get blood from a rock, and the rock in this case are the over-slotted players we continue to hold out hope for.
Good for Peters getting the Flames gig, his eyes were wide open talking about their elite defense and top line scorers. Those guys will do well next season.
As for our team, it’s a fresh start…and I’m now looking forward to the next chapter in management.
I don’t buy the argument that Canes didn’t have talent to make playoffs—I am not saying the talent level was top third of the league but it, per se, was not the reason for missing playoffs. Preds were top of the league all year and Carolina fared quite well against them. The 3-1 and 4-0 victories over Pens occurred as Pittsburgh was starting a dominant two months.
The issue was consistency. While that is on the players it also must be considered as a coaching issue. RBA was the power play coach and it was as inconsistent as other areas. Plus if Rod was making personnel decisions then not having Zykov on first unit during his call up was a poor use of the opportunity to evaluate.
With Zykov/Necas/Foegele/Wallmark replacing Kruger/Jooris/Ryan/Stempniak there will be slightly more talent next season. The coach will succeed if he both correctly uses the players’ combined skills and gets consistent performances. In fact, the next few seasons offer the entire organization the chance to join the Nashvilles and Columbuses if the coach can use the talent pipeline in a modern system that emphasizes the players complementing each other.
I absolutely agree with ct on the matter of quality. It was our game-to-game inconsistency that did in the season from an on-ice perspective. ct is correct to look at it from a game to game perspective rather than how most players averaged out over the year. This team had the talent to make the playoffs.