Today's TSN Hockeynation Poll

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Who is the NHL's best coach from the Ottawa Area?

Pat Burns 39%
Bob Hartley 26%
Claude Julien 6%
Jacques Martin 29%

Just saw this slate put up between periods of the Sens/Thrashers game.
Go Burnsie.

Not surprised to see Hartley getting the respect he deserves. The guy may stifle some of the younger, more offensively gifted players (Tanguay) but he does a great job in terms of turning a team's focus from offense to defense. It's pretty cool.

Also good to see Burnsy getting credit for what he does.

Not surprised to see Hartley getting the respect he deserves. The guy may stifle some of the younger, more offensively gifted players (Tanguay) but he does a great job in terms of turning a team's focus from offense to defense. It's pretty cool.

Also good to see Burnsy getting credit for what he does.
Hartley coaches Atlanta. ;)

Hartley coaches Atlanta. ;)

Yyyyyes, but when he was in Colorado, his main problem was dealing with youngsters like Tanguay. Now that he's gone, Tanguay is flourishing again because he's got a designated role on the team.

Yyyyyes, but when he was in Colorado, his main problem was dealing with youngsters like Tanguay. Now that he's gone, Tanguay is flourishing again because he's got a designated role on the team.
Don't feel bad I haven't got the slighest clue what team Claude Julien coaches.

Anybody??? :dunno:

Don't feel bad I haven't got the slighest clue what team Claude Julien coaches.

Anybody??? :dunno:

http://www.canadiens.com/eng/team/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsCoaches.cfm

http://www.canadiens.com/eng/team/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsCoaches.cfm
******* are you seriuos he's the Habs coach!?!?!

I feel shame. :shakehead

Not surprised to see Hartley getting the respect he deserves. The guy may stifle some of the younger, more offensively gifted players (Tanguay) but he does a great job in terms of turning a team's focus from offense to defense. It's pretty cool.

Also good to see Burnsy getting credit for what he does.
What about Kovalchuk? I'd say he's pretty young.

What about Kovalchuk? I'd say he's pretty young.

Maybe I should have been more detailed in what I said.

Hartley is known for not giving defining roles to his younger players. When a player has no actual role, he goes through the motions and his development generally slows or comes to a halt.

Alex Tanguay was not given a role when Hartley coached. Nobody knew if he was supposed to be a two way forward, an offensive forward, a checking forward, etc. He didn't know either. Hartley rarely defines roles for guys that he can't relate to (see: young guys).

Had Tanguay had a defined role before Hartley came to Colorado, things would have been smoother. He did not though and suffered for it.

Kovalchuk is twice the offensive talent that Tanguay is and has been the go to guy since he came to Atlanta. Hartley would have had a tough time messing up a guy like Kovalchuk. Ilya's role is set in stone. He's a sniper with Pinocchio's nose for the net.

Hartley is just giving Ilya a huge boost in defensive skill and has done nothing to slow him down. There are other young players in Atlanta who will tire of Hartley in short time. Either that or Hartley will adapt to the group of players around him and learn to deal with them.

Molson Canadian Stat of the day courtesy of TSN:


The New Jersey Devils have lost only two road games this season, fewest in the NHL. That record will be tested this week as Saturday nights win in Pittsburgh was the first of a four-game road trip for New Jersey.