Should Hitchcock be coach of the year?

[Digityman]

Hitch is 19-5-6 since taking over the blues in early November.When he took over the Blues were 6-7.That's a dramatic change. <br><br> Some tweets about Hitchcock from CenterIcechat<br><br><br><br>here's some stats from Dominik Jansky. These numbers are from Dec 19th and they've only been winning since. <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-top: 8px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); " width="546"> <colgroup> <col width="118" /> <col width="89" /> <col width="91" /> <col width="117" /> <col width="84" /> <col width="47" /> </colgroup> <tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "> <tr height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "> <td height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " width="118"> Team</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " width="89"> Fired Coach</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " width="91"> Pre-Firing</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " width="117"> New Coach</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " width="84"> Post-Firing</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " width="47"> Diff.</td> </tr> <tr height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "> <td height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> St. Louis Blues</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Davis Payne</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 6-7-0 (.462)</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Ken Hitchcock</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 12-2-4 (.778)</td> <td align="right" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> +0.316</td> </tr> <tr height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "> <td height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Anaheim Ducks</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Randy Carlyle</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 7-13-4 (.375)</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Bruce Boudreau</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 2-5-1 (.313)</td> <td align="right" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> -0.062</td> </tr> <tr height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "> <td height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Carolina Hurricanes</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Paul Maurice</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 8-13-4 (.400)</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Kirk Muller</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 2-5-1 (.313)</td> <td align="right" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> -0.087</td> </tr> <tr height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "> <td height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Washington Capitals</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Bruce Boudreau</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 12-9-1 (.545)</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Dale Hunter</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 4-5-0 (.444)</td> <td align="right" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> -0.101</td> </tr> <tr height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "> <td height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Los Angeles Kings</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Terry Murray</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 13-12-4 (.517)</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> John Stevens*</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 1-2-0 (.333)</td> <td align="right" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> -0.184</td> </tr> <tr height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "> <td height="13" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Montreal Canadiens</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Jacques Martin</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 13-12-7 (.516)</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> Randy Cunneyworth</td> <td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> 0-1-0 (.000)</td> <td align="right" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; "> -0.516 </td> </tr> </tbody></table>What say you?

[WingNut722]

Absolutely. With all the coaching changes going on this year, Hitch is the one who's had the biggest impact. Turned a perennial cellar-dweller into a top 3 seed.

[Digityman]

They are young and have some talent. Been together for a while from what I understand.

Adding someone like Hitch is obviously working well.

[WingNut722]

With the additiona of the big names they brought in over the summer..Langenbrunner, Arnott, etc. Everyone expected them to fly out of the gate. But it took Hitch to get everyone up to their full potential.

[jammer2]

@Digityman There is an obvious lack of scoring power on the Blues. Some very good players like Oshie, Stewart (what a dissapointing season from him), Backes (probably the best of the lot), Alex Steen, the oldtimers Langenbruner and Arnott....decent players but certainly not elite. That's why their power play is bottom five in the league. The only way you win without elite firepower in this league is a very tight defensive system which relies heavily on outworking the opponents, forwards backchecking like demons, quick efficient exit from the defensive zone and holding down the shots on goal to a bare minimum. Hitch brought all 4 of these componets to the Blues. His system fit the team personnel perfectly and the Blues are close to the top of the Western Conference because of it. Hands down....Coach of the Year. I also like the way he is rotating the goalies in and out, keeping them both fresh. Not a lot of teams have two very good goalies that they can rotate like this, but come playoff time, they will both be fresh if nothing else.

[flyercanuck]

Alex Pietrangelo is quietly becoming an excellent NHL defenceman.

[yave1964]

He has to be on the short list, wouldnt be surprised if Torotella doesnt win tho, east coast biase and all.

[jammer2]

Yes, Alex and Shattenkirk are rounding into fine d-men. Gotta figure they will be cornerstones for the Blues. Alex is showing the tip of the iceberg thus far, what great vision for a youngster!

[WingNut722]

@yave1964

I don't think Torts has any shot of winning the Jack Adams award over Hitch, unless the Rangers AT LEAST make the Cup Finals. Torts is a great coach, but then so are Babcock, Quenneville, and Julien. Hitch has had the most "visible impact" for his team, and I think he'll be recognized for it.