Why Are Most NHL Head Coaches Canadian?
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- May 9, 2014
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Language whilst a minor issue with the ‘team’ it’ll be more of an issue with those running the teams as will the cultural background. Given the multi-cultural nature of the actual rosters it’s not going to be much of an issue between coach and players. If you look at football (soccer) in the PL most of the mangers have English as their second language. It’s just not an issue.
So the language/culture side of things will be a much bigger factor with the GM/President/Owner side of things. The game is insular enough as it is, which is why there are so many retreads. They’d rather employ people they know and are familiar with than go outside that comfort zone. TMac getting interviewed by Toronto being a perfect example of that. It’s part of the same mindset that keeps the game so white and middle class. They are scared to evolve.
Technically European elite league is more than a high enough standard to qualify someone to coach in the AHL. There will some coaches that could step straight in, no doubt.
So the language/culture side of things will be a much bigger factor with the GM/President/Owner side of things. The game is insular enough as it is, which is why there are so many retreads. They’d rather employ people they know and are familiar with than go outside that comfort zone. TMac getting interviewed by Toronto being a perfect example of that. It’s part of the same mindset that keeps the game so white and middle class. They are scared to evolve.
Technically European elite league is more than a high enough standard to qualify someone to coach in the AHL. There will some coaches that could step straight in, no doubt.
huge amounts of nepotism imo. But also I feel coaching careers in the US are more lucrative to go other sports. NHL coaching has such a high turnover rate for so little reward and job security.
Coaches hire assistants, assistants are usually people they know especially at lower levels. Canadian junior hockey is an obvious stepping stone. USA is producing a better system at the junior level and will see the fruits of that labor.
For Euros, uprooting your life in your 30s to pursue coaching overseas isn't that easy - that leads to euro coaches unable to get past the original gatekeep. Then you have the uncertainty from GMs putting their job on the line to hire someone they aren't so familiar with to coach a style that may not translate from the differences in the game from Europe to NA.
Hopefully we can get more diversity (ha, I mean in terms of hockey thought) in the coaching pool by getting some ideas from the European pool.
For Euros, uprooting your life in your 30s to pursue coaching overseas isn't that easy - that leads to euro coaches unable to get past the original gatekeep. Then you have the uncertainty from GMs putting their job on the line to hire someone they aren't so familiar with to coach a style that may not translate from the differences in the game from Europe to NA.
Hopefully we can get more diversity (ha, I mean in terms of hockey thought) in the coaching pool by getting some ideas from the European pool.
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