Michel Therrien's Firing Was the Right Decision, Not a Blame Game

Ever since Michel Therrien was replaced by Dan Bylsma late yesterday in Pittsburgh, sports analysts and talking heads have been bashing Penguins GM Ray Shero and the organization for supposedly laying all the blame on Therrien when it should be placed all over the place.

The bottom line in sports is that the man with the title of "Head Coach" must bear responsibility for his or her team's performance. 

Therrien bore that responsibility yesterday.  

Young teams similar to the Penguins often benefit from a coach who has some fire and also knows how to relate to his players.

In his time in Pittsburgh, Therrien has failed miserably in both regards.  His trademark pose, especially in games this season in which the Penguins had surrendered leads, was leaning on the bench with his head perched on his right hand.  He was silent and aloof instead of engaged and fiery.  He did not communicate.

The players also did not seem to relate well to him.  Multiple players had a beef with Therrien's style.  Jordan Staal took a feud with the coach public last season.

If your players don't like you, you usually aren't around long.  That Staal's feud came during a time when the Penguins were punishing Eastern Conference competition says a great deal.

Therrien also had a scattered approach to his lines and defense pairings, often changing them multiple times during games.  This robbed the players of a chance to gain chemistry with each other.

The lack of chemistry has resulted in a lack of production and a lack of victories.  Currently, the Pens also lack playoff positioning.

Even if the Penguins did return to the playoffs under Therrien, there is a chance they would fail to win the Stanley Cup because of his coaching style.

Last season, against the vaunted Detroit Red Wings, Therrien made no adjustments in lines or game strategy following a shutout in game one.  The result?  The Pens were shut out again in the second game, placing them firmly in a two-game hole that they were unable to climb out of during the rest of the series.

Are we supposed to blame Shero for that?  No.

The cold reality of this situation is that Therrien did not fit in Pittsburgh any more than he fit when he was coach of the Canadiens.

He looked lost this season, he looked out of ideas.  He was lethargic behind the bench and during his press conferences.  It was time for a change.

Its not all Therrien's fault.  Hockey is a team game, so everyone is to blame for this failure.  But Therrien took the fall.  He was perhaps the figurehead of the failings.  He was the replaceable part.  But most of all, he was mostly to blame.

Whether or not Dan Bylsma is the man for the job is something to be decided by the remainder of what might be a lost season.  If not, there figures to be no shortage of viable candidates to take over.