FOF: Is Bryan Trottier the Real Deal?

The Rangers Coaching Forum at MSG

I got the chance to head over to the Theater at Madison Square Garden to hear new coach Bryan Trottier address a host of questions for two hours. There was certainly a wealth of topics brought up, so I’ve categorized this report into three different categories:

- Review of Bryan Trottier
- His Review of Players for 2002
- Team Philosophy

Bryan Trottier

Bryan Trottier

Gallagher

The first impression did not instill confidence. The guy is Gallagher. Seriously. Same voice, same face, same mustache, same mannerisms.

But every impression after that first one was absolutely stellar. Folks, we’ve got ourselves a damn good coach. The best way to explain it is, well … let me try this way:

We have approached every coach since Mike Keenan with the same philosophy. We want to believe, and we give the new guy a chance. But underneath that opportunity rests a simple feeling that the coach needs to prove that he knows at least as much about NY hockey as we do. They talk a good ‘cliché’ game and then wilt when attention to detail is needed.

Well, after two hours, I left feeling that Bryan Trottier knows more about the game of hockey than I ever will. His depth of knowledge had the perfect blend of simplicity and sophistication. He seems to have a genuine understanding for every layer in the game. Let me give you examples:

Someone asked what his plan was to reduce the number of shots that Mike Richter faces on a daily basis. His response was that the number of shots on goal are not as important as the second and third chances that come from rebounds. Defensemen should not back up to block shots at every opportunity, but rather need to let the goalie see the shot and be accountable for their positioning for the rebound.

Someone mentioned that the real Ranger tradition is too much passing on the power play. Trots said sardonically, “But passing looks good, eh?” He then explained how looking good in hockey is often an obstacle to success. Slower shots from the point are easier to deflect than blistering slap shots. And there is a time to shoot to score, and there are other times to shoot for rebounds.

He put forward poignant answers to even the most mundane questions. He talked about the intimidation factor of being a visiting team walking from the Pennsylvania Hotel to MSG, using his personal experience. He talked about his tutelage under Scotty Bowman, and how it’s important to have systems that can be tweaked based on opponent, player feedback, and game situations.

There is a quality about Trottier that is the complete opposite of other coaches that have burned in the NY spotlight. Ron Low simply was overwhelmed by the experience. John Muckler didn’t want to tend to coaching details as he was too busy battling Neil Smith over player evaluations. Colin Campbell was too busy being defensive about the public’s (correct) perception of him.

But Trottier has the calm persona of a man who knows exactly what lies ahead of him, and the drive to do precisely what is necessary for success. He seems to have reflected on every perspective – from the fan, to star players, to fourth liners, to prospects, and to coaches. I can see what Sather was talking about when Trots apparently answered his questionnaire with in-depth, hand-written responses.

When asked what he’ll do differently than other coaches, his response was perfect. He looked the man in the eye, and promised that he would give his complete effort, that he would get in players’ faces if they don’t accept accountability, and then he paused and seemed to reflect on the normalcy of his words and said … “I’ll just have to prove it.”

The Players

Goaltending.

He expects to give Blackburn between 30-35 starts this season, including more on home ice. Richter will get the rest of the workload. Two questions were brought up about Richter’s passing ability, or rather his lack of it. Expect Mike to get some ribbing in the dressing room for that one.

Defense.

Trots claims that spots 5-7 are open, but hearing him talk about Sly Lefevbre about 25 times, I’m saying that only slots 6-7 are open. Getting looks at those spots will be Kloucek, Karpa, Purinton, Lintner and Tjutin.

My gut says that it will be Lefevbre and Kloucek on the third d-pair, with Purinton and Karpa having the best chance for the seventh slot. Trots did say that management wants him to take a look at Lintner. Note that Mottau’s name did not come up.

By the way, look for Malakhov to have a big season. Trots talked about improving Vlad’s physical play and, if he does on a consistent basis, watch out league.

Forward.

This represents the biggest area of opportunity and flexibility. Trots explained how ice time needed to have a value, and that spots on the wing represented the biggest chance for people to get ice time.

Eric Lindros and Pavel Bure. What do you need to know? He's excited.

Bobby Holik. He talked about the player's competitive streak, and how he's already looking forward to battling the Devils. He sees Holik's versatility as a tremendous asset - he can defend top players, play on the penalty kill, stand in front on the power play, and disrupt opponent goalies and players.

Sandy McCarthy. The big guy will get a real opportunity on the top two lines. While he will be given a chance to play with Lindros and Bure, Trots seemed to be keen on him riding shotgun to Bobby Holik. Trots unprompted put forward that Sandy needs to remember his primary role (read: intimidation and fighting) and not see himself as a fancy 50-goal scorer.

Kids. The two kids that will get legit looks in training camps are Jamie Lundmark and Rico Fata. Fata needs to use his speed effectively while Jamie needs to show the proper determination to succeed in the NHL. No other Hartford forward seemed to be in line for a position.

Messier. Trots claimed that Messier admitted that he played in some games last season that he should not have. Underneath his words, you can hear that Trots understands that Mess can either be a significant ally as he was under Mike Keenan, or a combustible presence. But I got the sense that Trots will not bow to Messier if, rather when, his play is a detriment to the team.

Team Philosophy

Team Style. Trots will employ a 1-2-2 aggressive approach focused on puck possession. He wants play to be in the opposition zone as much as possible. However, he does not want to be overly aggressive when the other team has the puck. At that point, he expects the team to regroup in a cohesive system and employ some semblance of a trap, depending on the opposition.

Power Play. He will install a motion power play as opposed a perimeter power play. His expectation is to put traffic in front of the net and have defensemen, not forwards, at the point on the power play.

Penalty Kill. He didn’t go into too much detail about PK, but did say that Nick Fotiu was working with coaching staff on faceoff plays so that on-ice players work as a group.

Philosophy. Trots articulated that players tend to get more conservative as they age, which is a tact he wants to change. He will encourage playing on the edge without a fear of being reckless, as long as players understand that they need to regroup. He gave example of Paul Coffey, who would lead a rush behind the opposition net, and if the puck was turned over he’d make certain he regrouped in the zone with as much effort as he had in the offensive zone.

Conclusion

There is no way this article will convince you that Trots is legit; not after the past five years. You will each need to jump in line at your convenience. But count me as a firm supporter of Bryan Trottier, and a believer that he will be a successful Ranger coach for years to come.

-Gabe

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