Will Russell Make it to Xmas?

[purpleflash]

What are the chances of him making it the whole year if the Moose aren't where they are expected to be at Xmas time?

[fireball]

Stupid staement on your part! Russell isn't going anywhere this upcoming season, maybe if the Mooseheads flop this season you might see a change in 2008-09 season,maybe.

[CrazyJoeDavola]

fireball said:

Stupid staement on your part! Russell isn't going anywhere this upcoming season, maybe if the Mooseheads flop this season you might see a change in 2008-09 season,maybe.

Thats not a stupid comment... if the team struggles out of the gate, as it did last year, it makes complete sense to wonder if Cam would or would not be replaced seeing as this is a "go for it" year.

Personally I doubt the team struggles enough that he would be replaced.

[MikeC]

Sure, any coach of a team in last place has to be concerned a bit about his job. So if the Mooseheads are struggling mightily, it wouldn't surprise me.

I do think the Mooseheads will have to be doing much worse than they were in 04 when MacKenzie got canned.

But like Magroin said, I don't expect them to struggle.

[chsb]

If there is a weak link....there it is!

[Smiley]

chsb said:

If there is a weak link....there it is!

Ugh. Russell is not the weak link. Russell did a pretty good job last season (especially the second half). The team and the players improved throughout the season, two of his players were 1st round NHL picks. His team finished the season extremely hot, won a playoff round and were the only team in the Q to beat Lewiston.

The weak link on the Moose has been talked about all summer, it's not the coaching. It's the goaltending!

[CrazyJoeDavola]

smiley said:

chsb said:

If there is a weak link....there it is!

Ugh. Russell is not the weak link. Russell did a pretty good job last season (especially the second half). The team and the players improved throughout the season, two of his players were 1st round NHL picks. His team finished the season extremely hot, won a playoff round and were the only team in the Q to beat Lewiston.

The weak link on the Moose has been talked about all summer, it's not the coaching. It's the goaltending!

I agree, Russell improved quite a bit as the season went on. Some of the vets in the first half just were not getting the job done and were unhappy due to it. Russell panicked as a coach a bit on some nights, calling out his players on rinkrant from time to time, which is not a good thing IMO. He will need to be careful with that, as its a fine line between motivating and alienating.

I think the roster he finished up with was a team of guys who bought into what he preached. He seems brutally honest and some guys likely get intimidated by that style.

[shootout]

Was Russell in net? I have to be honest here, I think when we talk about goaltending, we need to talk specifics. I for one thought Yetman did an admirable job as he was here for half a season. Pair him with Pelletier and the problem will be resolved. For a rookie to have all of that fired upon him, I thought he did extremely well.

Pelletier, if it is indeed true that he will be here, would be a huge addition along with Yetman. This time, I am assuming Kennedy will be the odd man out.

[sharrow]

If we get a solid goaltender and a #2 d-man, Russell won,t have to worry about his job and neither will Marcel. As Sutter once said all great teams begin in the nets ( still can't believe we drafted 3 straight goaltenders from Newfoundland ) UNBIELABLE !!!!!!!!!

[i4c]

Is Russell still a minority owner of the team?

[fireball]

Why are some people talking about Cam Russell losing his job! The man is not going anywhere soon. You ''people'' must live a boring life with nothing else to talk or think about other than Russell leaving,get a life !

[SteveUL]

smiley said:

chsb said:

If there is a weak link....there it is!

Ugh. Russell is not the weak link. Russell did a pretty good job last season (especially the second half). The team and the players improved throughout the season, two of his players were 1st round NHL picks. His team finished the season extremely hot, won a playoff round and were the only team in the Q to beat Lewiston.

The weak link on the Moose has been talked about all summer, it's not the coaching. It's the goaltending!

I wouldn't call him a weak link ... but he may be what holds you back from a championship if you solve your goaltending issue ... and I assume you will. Russell has done nothing that shows he is a good coach ... nothing whatsoever. I'm not saying he isn't a good coach ... just that he hasn't proven anything to anybody.

You beat Moncton ... big deal ... everybody was beating Moncton in the 2nd half ... you were the only team to beat Lewiston ... does that make you better than CB and VD ? Victoriaville beat Moncton in Round 1 last year ... all that was was a wakeup call to tell the team to take each and every opponent seriously and play each game as if it was the final ... same for Lewiston.

Russell may be like Pascal Vincent ... unable to put his team over the top. We won't know until he gets there (or doesn't) ... but Cam Russell isn't mentioned when we talk of the top coaches in the Q ... only because he hasn't done anything to prove he does or does not belong. That doesn't mean he can't hold you back though.

[Gman]

steveul said:

smiley said:

Ugh. Russell is not the weak link. Russell did a pretty good job last season (especially the second half). The team and the players improved throughout the season, two of his players were 1st round NHL picks. His team finished the season extremely hot, won a playoff round and were the only team in the Q to beat Lewiston.

The weak link on the Moose has been talked about all summer, it's not the coaching. It's the goaltending!

I wouldn't call him a weak link ... but he may be what holds you back from a championship if you solve your goaltending issue ... and I assume you will. Russell has done nothing that shows he is a good coach ... nothing whatsoever. I'm not saying he isn't a good coach ... just that he hasn't proven anything to anybody.

You beat Moncton ... big deal ... everybody was beating Moncton in the 2nd half ... you were the only team to beat Lewiston ... does that make you better than CB and VD ? Victoriaville beat Moncton in Round 1 last year ... all that was was a wakeup call to tell the team to take each and every opponent seriously and play each game as if it was the final ... same for Lewiston.

Russell may be like Pascal Vincent ... unable to put his team over the top. We won't know until he gets there (or doesn't) ... but Cam Russell isn't mentioned when we talk of the top coaches in the Q ... only because he hasn't done anything to prove he does or does not belong. That doesn't mean he can't hold you back though.

Wow- that's pretty harsh.

Let me ask you this: Do you think Cam Russell was a good coach in the playoffs? Simple yes or no will do fine, although if you say no, I would be interested to know your reasons.

I'm going to answer my own question and say yes.

If I had to pick anything to be concerned about, it was reliance on one line (it's no secret that he couldn't get the most out of Hillier-Swan), and inability to adapt to the other team's changes (especially when Moncton changed their PK strategy and the Moose looked lost)

[SteveUL]

gman said:

steveul said:

I wouldn't call him a weak link ... but he may be what holds you back from a championship if you solve your goaltending issue ... and I assume you will. Russell has done nothing that shows he is a good coach ... nothing whatsoever. I'm not saying he isn't a good coach ... just that he hasn't proven anything to anybody.

You beat Moncton ... big deal ... everybody was beating Moncton in the 2nd half ... you were the only team to beat Lewiston ... does that make you better than CB and VD ? Victoriaville beat Moncton in Round 1 last year ... all that was was a wakeup call to tell the team to take each and every opponent seriously and play each game as if it was the final ... same for Lewiston.

Russell may be like Pascal Vincent ... unable to put his team over the top. We won't know until he gets there (or doesn't) ... but Cam Russell isn't mentioned when we talk of the top coaches in the Q ... only because he hasn't done anything to prove he does or does not belong. That doesn't mean he can't hold you back though.

Wow- that's pretty harsh.

Let me ask you this: Do you think Cam Russell was a good coach in the playoffs? Simple yes or no will do fine, although if you say no, I would be interested to know your reasons.

I'm going to answer my own question and say yes.

If I had to pick anything to be concerned about, it was reliance on one line (it's no secret that he couldn't get the most out of Hillier-Swan), and inability to adapt to the other team's changes (especially when Moncton changed their PK strategy and the Moose looked lost)

If Moncton gets average goaltending you don't win that series ... if Moncton gets the typical goaltending they had seen all year from Sniderman/Riopel they win that series ... but they were brutal. Halifax was the better skilled team ... carried the play in most games ... never really outplayed in any game. I'm not sure how that series win by Halifax has anything to do with Russell at all. Did he Coach poorly ... no ... did he do anything that made the difference in the series ... no.

Against Lewiston he was supposed to lose against the superior team and he did ... similar to the year before when MacAdam lost to Moncton ... put up a good showing against a superior opponent but ultimately overmatched. Was Macadam a good Coach in the Q ? ... nope ... he didn't even want to be there and you could tell. Russel wants to be there ... but he isn't any better than Macadam at this point. He simply has not had his opportunity to prove his value yet.

Russell just hasn't proven anything yet to anybody ... we don't know if he is a good coach.

[Smiley]

steveul said:

gman said:

Wow- that's pretty harsh.

Let me ask you this: Do you think Cam Russell was a good coach in the playoffs? Simple yes or no will do fine, although if you say no, I would be interested to know your reasons.

I'm going to answer my own question and say yes.

If I had to pick anything to be concerned about, it was reliance on one line (it's no secret that he couldn't get the most out of Hillier-Swan), and inability to adapt to the other team's changes (especially when Moncton changed their PK strategy and the Moose looked lost)

If Moncton gets average goaltending you don't win that series ... if Moncton gets the typical goaltending they had seen all year from Sniderman/Riopel they win that series ... but they were brutal. Halifax was the better skilled team ... carried the play in most games ... never really outplayed in any game. I'm not sure how that series win by Halifax has anything to do with Russell at all. Did he Coach poorly ... no ... did he do anything that made the difference in the series ... no.

Against Lewiston he was supposed to lose against the superior team and he did ... similar to the year before when MacAdam lost to Moncton ... put up a good showing against a superior opponent but ultimately overmatched. Was Macadam a good Coach in the Q ? ... nope ... he didn't even want to be there and you could tell. Russel wants to be there ... but he isn't any better than Macadam at this point. He simply has not had his opportunity to prove his value yet.

Russell just hasn't proven anything yet to anybody ... we don't know if he is a good coach.

I agree with what you are saying. You are not saying Russell is a bad coach, just that he hasn't proven anything yet. No one can really say that he is a good or bad coach. He is an inexperienced head coach. This is an important season for him.

But I disagree with chsb saying he is the weak link. Because right now he is not the weak link. The goaltending is the question mark and weaker link right now. Yetman did a better job than Kennedy, but against Moncton Yetman was horrible in some games. Halifax should have beat Moncton easier than they did...Halifax was on fire in the regular season stretch, while Moncton was on a downward spiral.