Posts Tagged ‘atlanta thrashers’
Stability of Poile, Trotz has served Preds well
What’s the recipe for survival (and success) when you’re operating a small-market hockey team in a non-traditional market? I think the Preds are still searching for a complete answer when it comes to the fan base, though they’ve managed to grow a rabid, if undersized, following since their arrival in 1998.
When it comes to performance on the ice, though, Nashville has embraced one value above all else: stability. For a franchise that has had more than its share of relocation crises, it’s remarkable that general manager David Poile and head coach Barry Trotz are the only people who have ever held those positions for the team. Trotz is second only to Buffalo’s Lindy Ruff for the longest tenure in the entire league. Neither Poile nor Trotz would ever be mistaken for being flashy, and the team they have built matches the mild-mannered disposition and lunch-pail work ethic that both men espouse.
That may mean that Nashville’s squad is often lacking in the goal-scoring department (although that hasn’t been a problem of late), but it also means that the Preds have had the most playoff appearances (four) among the NHL’s most recent expansion teams.
Incidentally, the Minnesota Wild have had three postseason appearances (and an appearance in the conference finals) while only having two head coaches throughout their history. Atlanta and Columbus, on the other hand, have had a total of nine coaches and only two playoff appearances (one per team).
Tags: atlanta thrashers, barry trotz, columbus blue jackets, david poile, hockey, minnesota wild, nashville, nashville predators, nhl, tennessee
