It Was A Long Time Ago

Joe Nieuwendyk's first major decision as GM of the Dallas Star was, to put it mildly, a bit curious.

Tabbing Marc Crawford to be the club's new head coach just one day after officially firing Dave Tippett - hmmm, any possibility Crawford was talking to the Stars while Tippett still had the job? - doesn't exactly put a progressive new face on the Dallas franchise.

While young still at 48, Crawford has that odour of "yesterday's man" about him.

Yes, he won a Stanley Cup with Colorado, but that was 13 years ago. His one shot at Olympic glory in 1998 did not exactly leave him bathed in brilliance, whether it was making sure his own goalie, Patrick Roy, played all the games or leaving Wayne Gretzky on the bench for the decisive shootout against the Czechs.

In Vancouver, Crawford's teams were talented but terribly undisciplined, good in the regular season but flops in the playoffs. His role in the Todd Bertuzzi/Steve Moore affair has yet to be uncovered completely, but he was there on the bench when the dirty deed was done.

As head coach in L.A., Crawford was a failure, winning 59 of 164 games. Interestingly, Terry Murray took over this season and immediately the Kings were an improved, more structured and more competitive team.

This season, Crawford was a crime against television as a Hockey Night in Canada analyst, holding his punches at every turn as he tried to keep himself a candidate for another NHL coaching position.

Frankly, Dave Tippett is a better coach, and he'll find another job soon. Minnesota and New Jersey should take a hard look at him.

Crawford clearly sold Nieuwendyk on something. Maybe it was grainy old tapes of how successful he was when given a loaded roster with which to work.

Comments

[Graham Loughton]

Meowww Damien.

Two things:

1. It has become normal MO in the NHL to use a re-tread, with a dubious record (insert P Quinn), rather than a new guy. So what's the surprise.
2. Crawford has really had hair.

[ostrich_lover]

Why don't you mention in the story that Dallas is a hockey market that is probly sick of a boring defencsive and Crawford was hired b/c hes known as an offensive coach. Clearly Tippet is a dump and chaser who plays a tight defensive game. Sure it may win more games- but when you have Ribero Richards and Zubov, why not open it up. Crawford seems the perfect fit, despite the fact you seem to think he should be banned from hockey for telling Bertuzzi to do what coaches have told guys to do for years before and since. Get over the Moore incident, Crawford isn't "yesterdays man", if Anything Crawford was a forward thinking coach who fits perfectly into the "new" nhl and tippet is a dinosaur. Which is exactly why he wont be hired in minnesota, who also wanna score more.
Ps. how do i become a hockey reporter? (im working on a masters english and am a qualified writer)

[chris]

I do hope you were being ironic in calling yourself a qualified writer who's working on a masters degree in English, ostrich_lover. Because your grammar and writing skills are atrocious. Which, by your post, is on par with your thought process.

[mario]

Let's keep it to hockey fella's ......

But seriously, the new guy in charge as GM is not going to take a large leap with his first hire. You go with what you know. It is like taking the best available player in the draft, when Nieuwendyk has some seasoning under his belt then he can make a bold move. Crawford is a good choice.... He is someone who is proven, his room should respect, and is looking for an in back to coaching.... Can't see a problem there.

Mario

[Steve C.]

A 'crime against television'?, 'holding his punches?...one wonders what you've been watching Damien. Perhaps you are too used to watching the NBC feed (you know, because of your inferiority complex) - that does seem more your speed.

I more expected you to rip Crawford a new one for his very OPEN stance on fighting...he is hardly pulling punches. Crawford is lightyears beyond Millen for his hockey analysis but yet Millen gets the top job.

He will do just fine with the Stars, they need some more character there. Joe has made a good choice.

[nat turner]

Crawford has one constancy - goon hockey. Before there was the Betuzzi incident, there was the Claude Lemieux check from behind on Kris Draper during the Avalanche-Detroit Stanley Cup series. never forget the scene of Crawford dissing Scotty Bowman - guy's totally classless.

[ostrich_lover]

I would love for the guy who knocked my post to post his views on the situation or explain how i am wrong, in any way. If anything I gave a more insightful look into the hiring of Crawford in 50 words than Cox did in a whole article he got paid to write.

[A-Mar]

in his analysis he would never overtly criticize anything... compare that to Mike Milbury or John Tortorella and you see what Damien means by 'holding his punches'

[grcooley]

Knee-jerk analysis

When was the last time the Kings made the playoffs under anyone? Murray's a good coach, no doubt, but he had players a year more mature and better goaltending

which goalie did the Canucks have to combat Roy and the Avs and Hasek, Turco, etc... that's more on the GM than the coach

[Conn Smythe]

I do hope you were being ironic in calling yourself a qualified writer who's working on a masters degree in English, ostrich_lover. Because your grammar and writing skills are atrocious. Which, by your post, is on par with your thought process.

Thanks for offering absolutely nothing to the article or conversation, chris...

'Yes, he won a Stanley Cup with Colorado, but that was 13 years ago'...I'm not sure that has any bearing or relevance on how he will do as a coach with Dallas, nor do I see what him being behind the bench for the Bertuzzi incident has to do with the coaching decision. Nice try to blame him for the 1998 Olympic lose, though, ya, what a dumb moving keeping a HOF goalie in net for Team Canada.

[Robert Buckler]

You can't blame Marc Crawford for the Kings, because not even Scotty Bowman could turn that team into a winner. I thought it was interesting how much worse Vancouver got after Crawford left. He's not an amazing hire, but who else would you have?

[Bill Hunt]

Who would you suggest, Damien? And pardon me if I accept Niewendyk's judgement. He's a guy who won Stanley Cups as a player, worked under many good coaches, is hailed as a bright young executive, has worked as a player under Crawford and seen how he works on a day-to-day basis. With no disrespect intended, you're a writer who knows it all. But you have never been there, never done it, never even seen it done correctly, having worked only in Toronto and watched the sad sack Leafs stumble for 42 years and counting.
Crawford was a candidate in two other places. He has a winning record over 13 seasons in the league. Apparently, people in the industry still respect what he can bring to a team

[Librarian Mike]

Wow. People really like to rip on you Damian. I totally agree with you about Crawford. I'm an Oilers fan, and I was so relieved that they didn't go with him. I think the lasting image I will have of this guy is the smirk he had on his face when Bertuzzi crippled Moore. As far as I'm concerned it's a travesty that either of those guys are even allowed in NHL arenas after that.

[JethroQWalrusTT]

Too bad Demeaning Cox didn't volunteer to become LA's coach. His expertise and insight would make them a lock for the cup for years to come.

Lucky for Toronto readers that he chose us over them! Yay.

[chris]

"Thanks for offering absolutely nothing to the article or conversation, chris..."

You're welcome, Connie baby. Nothing satisfies me more than sticking it to pigheaded hockeypucks, like you and ostrich_lover, who think they know more about the game than an award winning writer like Damien. Now run along and get over yourselves.

[jboy]

Crawford has always been a jerk - Joe you're starting your GM career on the wrong path. Your first move and the whole league is looking at you strangely.

I'm sure Modano is impressed

Oh well, only Dallas so who cares