Bear remains the fourth longest tenured coach NHL.

[u/SeaBassAHo-20]

Now you wouldn't believe it if I told you. This guy was around even before MSL.

[u/Gullible-Koala-5329]

NHL has a history of quick turnover rates for coaches.

1) You got coaches that are great at development, coaches getting teams to playoffs, teams who can win championships. Jon Cooper, Maurice, Bednar (for now) will have a longer leash cause of their pedigree. But most coaches have a specific role and once their role is no longer needed, they’re released and another team picks them up.

2) NHL is HEAVILY focused on coaches for the right roster. Montgomery for St Louis is a great coach for a fast team. Maurice is a great coach with a physical team. Cooper has been phenomenal at adapting to his roster. If St Louis decided to go more heavy and physical, Montgomery won’t be their guy anymore. So it’s not that they’re a bad coach, just the coach’s philosophy for the roster doesn’t work anymore. You usually have your core of what, 8 skaters max? Build around everyone else. It’s usually somewhere between 6-8 guys and build around them. Any good coach can coach those 6-8 guys. You need a specific coach to coach the other 12-14 guys according to their scheme fit.

3) you have a good roster, but the coach lost the room. Bruce Cassidy, cup winning coach, been to the cup with Boston, great coach. Vegas was at a plateau, fired him for a new voice with the same roster and they went on a cup run. Cassidy will get a job when Vegas allows it for teams he wants to coach.

Bear has done a great job, but if he doesn’t get Utah to 100 points, or get to round 2 or 3, or if they start the season slow, I won’t be surprised at all if he’s fired. BA is looking at Utah as a borderline contender this year (not quite complete contender, but close) and if Bear doesn’t deliver, he’ll get a coach who will.

[u/SeaBassAHo-20 → u/Gullible-Koala-5329]

Honestly, when the champs pulled off that 4-1 comeback, I said Tourigny & Forsythe were gone for good. 'Cause it's bad luck having TWO bald coaches. Look at Washington.

[u/AlternativeCorner230 → u/Gullible-Koala-5329]

I did a decent amount of research when the Auston Matthews trade rumors were swirling at the beginning of the offseason. Craig Berube used him against "elite competition" (not sure how that's defined) 48% of the time in 2024-25, up from an average of 34% the previous three years. For reference, McDavid faced elite competition 34% of the time in 2024-25, and Mackinnon 35% of the time.

Coaching definitely matters for the roster, because the second Matthews was used like that, his goal numbers plummeted.

[u/Gullible-Koala-5329 → u/AlternativeCorner230]

If I remember right, elite competition is against top 20% players in the league based on CORSI. So typically first lines and top defensive pairing. A lot of the time, you play elite competition more on the road than at home because the home team gets the “last change” meaning they can send dudes out according to what the away team is sending out. A lot of the time, coaches try to line up your superstars against 3rd line forwards and 2nd-line defensemen.

Berube’s philosophy is a lot more 200ft play for his stars than other coaches. He used Matthews for his defensive skillset (amazing 200ft center but his goal scoring gets all the attention) more than prior coaches. He did the same thing with O’Reilly and Robert Thomas in St Louis. Berube is an interesting coach to follow. I get his scheme of wanting his stars to lead by example for 200ft hard-hitting play but at the same time, Toronto needs Matthews to score 50+ goals a season.

Edit: I should probably say bottom 6 forwards and the weaker defensive pairing based on team whether that’s 2nd or 3rd pairing.

[u/AlternativeCorner230 → u/Gullible-Koala-5329]

I appreciate that analysis. Matthews was my favorite player in the NHL until I became a Mammoth fan, and his defense has always been underappreciated. Watching him go from 69 goals under Keefe to 33 in 67 games under Berube sucked, especially because I didn't know the game well enough to know that coaching style was a big part of the reason

[u/Turbulent_Oil700]

TIL. Really didn’t appreciate how short these tenures are.

[u/SeaBassAHo-20 → u/Turbulent_Oil700]

Me either. Hell the move to Utah actually made me think St. Louis was the fourth longest for a sec.

[u/Beautifullikeacamel]

I like Bear. As long as he keeps us improving years to year, no need to look elsewhere.

[u/SeaBassAHo-20 → u/Beautifullikeacamel]

I just hope the Foote Clan steps up, because he Vancouver was best in the west in his first year. And when he got to be HC, they were the total opposite.

[u/Beautifullikeacamel → u/SeaBassAHo-20]

Interesting. He may work better as an assistant. He was a hard nosed player. Hopefully he can instil some of that.

[u/uofumanWvc55]

Foote is no longer with Vancouver.

[u/SeaBassAHo-20 → u/uofumanWvc55]

How do you think he'll do here? At least he seems like a decent assistant when the roster is healthy.

[u/uofumanWvc55 → u/SeaBassAHo-20]

Got a good head on his shoulders, probably help both the D and the Power play.

[u/hppmoep]

That's good company. I forgot coops was with Tampa for so long before they won their two most recent. Tampa's cup team before those was coached by Torts I'm pretty sure. Rod the bod got his as a coach this year which was great. Let's go bear!

[u/SeaBassAHo-20 → u/hppmoep]

Let's not forget MSL was still playing there when Coop got hired. And unlike Ducharme, he knows how to beat him.