Robinson!?!?

[Bobs_HABit]

Sorry guys but I'm not as sold on him as some of you are. Many of you know that I don't like Therien and I want him gone, but I'm one person who still wonders about Larry's coaching ability. I know, he won a Cup and just about made it two in a row but I wonder about his coaching phylosophy. I'm not a big fan of defense, defense, defense and I wonder if that's what he would bring to the table.
Part of me thinks it would be great to have him behind the bench and leading us back to the glory days but I have to say i'm a little worried. His record in LA was pretty poor (122-161-45) and he only made the playoffs once in four seasons. They say he's a player's coach and that the players really like playing for him but you see where that's got him today.
I don't know guys I'm just thinking out loud and wondering if it's a step forward or a step sideways.

[Doc Holliday]

I fully agree here.  I feel the main reason why we'd want him is because he is a HABS legend.  While it's not a bad reason to boot, hanging number 19 to the roof of the Molson Center adresses that particular feeling in a better way then getting him in as head coach.

[Bob_in_Niagara]

Larry is too valuable to be lying around doing nothing.

He was a captain of this team and a key leadership cornerstone from our gloried past.

I say hire him immediately as an assistant coach, or, in some other capacity until Carbonneau decides if he's staying or not.

[habernac]

I also remember him saying he was more comfortable as an assistant than a head coach. He gets along well with players, where a coach usually can't get too close to the guys he has to tell what to do. If the Carbo rumours come true, Larry wouldn't be a bad pick to be an assistant in Mtl, that is, if he wants to come back.

[Boston_Habs]

I agree that Robinson has to be the right fit before we jump on the bandwagon. He can't be just a defense first coach, but rather one who embarces two-way play. He needs to be able to work with veterans and rookies alike, handle the lineup well, be a good "real time" bench coach, and most important, have the respect and support of the whole organization. I honestly don't know if Robinson is that guy; he certainly had much more to work with in NJ and his record in LA speaks for itself. However, Therrien WILL be gone next year IMO, and I'm sure that at a minimum Larry would be a significant upgrade.

[The New Guy]

I don't know if you can rate a coach based only on his teams performance.  For sure, that's a big factor, and I'd be the first one to agree that with a guy like Scotty Bowman his win-loss record speaks for itself.

But in Larry's case he's worked the extremes.  In Los Angeles he had a very weak team with little talent, and in New Jersey he had an extremely talented team with the ability to make the playoffs by themselves is push came to shove.  

As for the issue of employing him in Montreal - I say bring him in if he wants to come, even if it's only as much as an equipment manager.  Then observe how he interacts with the team and the players from there.  We know he can deal with the fishbowl, he's lived here before.  He speaks french, and is good with players - which might help some of our younger talents develop.  He is also a living legend in Montreal, moreso than even Carbonneau.  I can't say I think that brining in some of their favored sons would piss of the ghosts too much.

Whatever Savard does, he should NOT alienate Larry in any way.  The organization has done that to too many of their greatest player *cough*Lafleur*cough*.  If he comes "home" asking for a job, I say give him one.

[glow=red,2,300]Later[/glow]

[clear observer]

Guy Lafleur is an official Ambassador for the Montreal Canadiens and has been in that capacity for several years. The Canadiens organization is one that has never gone out of it's way to alienate it's players, lengendary or not.

You must be thinking of the clowns down the highway (see Dave Keon)


CO