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Behind the “Iron Mike” Keenan Curtain – the
new Panther System
With the coming of “Iron” Mike
Keenan to the sunshine of Florida, poolies need to have a general
understanding of what his coaching style and system will mean to the players
that play on the Florida Panthers.
First and foremost, brace yourself if you are an owner of a Panther playing
under Iron Mike. The luck of the draw is having a player that Keenan will
warm to. Hypothetically speaking, say its young sniper Kristian
Huselius. We guarantee you right now that if Huselieus becomes a
favorite of Keenan’s – that he will win the Calder for rookie of the
year.
Keenan’s system rewards early achievement and success and punishes the
proverbial slow starter. Perhaps no other coach in recent history has a
penchant for playing only the players he feels are “going” on any given
night. What this does is put tremendous pressure – particularly on the
forwards – to have remarkable shifts early. If not, Keenan will shorten
his bench quickly and those players will watch as their ice-time becomes
greatly reduced along with the professional happiness.
Part of the problem though is the style of play that Keenan demands. He
expects an in your face, aggressive forecheck where attackers basically try
to force the puck carrier into making mistakes. Keenan expects maximum
effort from his players. Like a scene from the movie the Untouchables,
Keenan reflects the role of Sean Connery, as the beat cop counseling Elliot
Ness, “are you prepared to play the game…when they strike back, you hit
them at the source. When they hurt one of your guys, you send one of theirs
to the morgue…!”. Keenan’s philosophy is one predicated on every
member of his team knowing their role and playing to the best, in that role.
A guy like Trevor
Linden, who, during Keenan stint in Vancouver, wore a letter and was a
team leader, was publicly humiliated and finally traded because he would not
do what Keenan thought a guy wearing a letter ought to do (i.e., fight the
guy that takes a run at your offensive weapons).
Under Keenan’s style of play goalies are very often left to their own
devices as the push to score goals will take precedence over the team’s
ability to stop them. Watch for your fave Panthers +/- to take beating on
this bad team.
This leads us to another attraction that is the Keenan Circus. Similar to
Linden in Vancouver, and even Joe
Thornton last year in Keenan’s cup of coffee in Boston, we give it
about two weeks, before Keenan separates one player from the Panther den –
and rides him publicly until he either folds like a cheap tent or finally
leaves town. Our bet is that it will be a three-dog race between Viktor
Kozlov, Olli
Jokinen and Robert
Svehla. Under-achievers all of them, Keenan is going to have some grisly
fun playing his weird psychoanalytical mind games on these poor unsuspecting
souls. Pity you the owner that has either of these players, as they may
never see much quality ice time again.
Finally…the goalies. If we were Trevor
Kidd, we’d be on the phone right now to new interim GM Chuck Fletcher
and requesting a trade out of what soon will be a recipe of saddle sores
from sitting on the bench so much. Keenan loves to go with his “guy”
between the pipes – and that goalie will see a lot of work. Yes Keenan
will try and get into that goalie’s head too – subbing the back-up so
much that there will be a worn groove in the ice where the two will beat the
same path to the bench. But if you are a back-up for Keenan, that’s pretty
much all the ice time you’ll see. Sporadic at best. The #1 guy will get
lots of minutes, and if you are Roberto
Luongo, and able to get beyond the mind games, the minutes will be of
value – just ask Ed
Belfour.
Keenan’s system of “pressure the puck” will create excitement, and
scoring chances. Problem for the Panthers is the chances will come more in
their own end than in the opposition’s. The Panthers simply do not have
the talent to compete in order to score more than the opposition while
trying to prevent them in their own end.
At the very least, from a sadistic observer’s point of view, it will
be…interesting. If you are a poolie who owns a Panther or two, pray that
your guy becomes a Keenan chosen one. If not, prep that pick for the curly
arrow as you drop him faster than Anna dumped Pavel.
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