SoCalSharksGirl

"I'm a Shark out of Water in San Bernardino"

Alta Loma, CA • United States • 32 Years Old • Female

Next Sharks Coach from the AHL?

So for people like me who don't know a lot about the AHL coaches out there that may possibly become the next head coach of SJ, there was an article on http://www.sharkspage.com/ that gives a breakdown of three of the top contenders in the league: Kevin Dineen, Mike Haviland, and Roy Sommer.

The one that stood out to me the most was Haviland. In the article is a link to a video of Haviland behind the bench, and I liked his interaction with the players both behind the bench and the on ice. He actively engaged the players when they were sitting on the bench, giving them feedback, ensuring that they understand the plays, and criticizing them when needed. Furthermore, he would engage the players on the ice, yelling at them to watch the other team, and to finish their checks.

Also, there is an additional post-game interview with Haviland on the Chicago site where he discusses the different players he has under him. I liked how he was both critical about his players when they needed to improve, yet gave positive notes as well. He appeared to have a good grasp on balancing between developing players who need it, and also relying on the more experienced guys to set a tone for the younger guys to follow.

On paper Dineen is the next guy that stood out. The mention of him having been respoinsible for developing players on the Pirates like Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf before they moved up to the Ducks says something about his abbility to build strong players. He has also led his team to AHLs Eastern Conference finals and the Caldre Cup play-offs. His career as a player in the NHL is impressive as well. Unfortunately, there was no video clips of him interacting with players to use as a reference like before.

Lastly, Sommer's has been with the franchise for almost the length of its existance. He has been the head coach for the Sharks AHL affiliates in Kentucky, Cleveland, and most recently Worcester. Over his time, he has coached numerous players who have spent time in the NHL, and was an Assitant to San Jose at one point. Again, there was no footage of his interactions with the players, and I have not seen any of the Worcester games, so unfortunatley I can't comment.

Of the three candidate, I would have to go with Haviland as my pick. He has the best win record, and has proven he can be successful when stepping into the position for the first time with a team. Again, I liked his interactions with the players because he seems to know when to step in, and when to leave things alone. He's been described as upfront and passionate, and I definitely feel that passion behind the bench is what was lacking from RW.

Like I noted before, I don't know much about these guys outside of what was said, but it was an informative read at the least. Please leaves comments about who you feel is the best of the three and why.

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