Who do you think make the most effective or successful coaches in the NHL?

The one that brings a little bit of both because he can identify which players need tough love and which players need a hug (LOL).......seriously though.......different guys react differently, some guys need a pep talk and others need a foot up the.....yet, they have to do this without upsetting the balance of playing favourites so they need to command respect.

If I was forced to choose, I go with the stern guys because I think my favourite coaches of all time had that trait more than being a player's coach........Mike Keenan, Scotty Bowman, the Sutter boys kind of fit this mold. Yet, they will be the first to go to bat for you at the same time.

Of course they are all from that same mold.......Keenan used to tell one Sutter brother that he better go out and score or knock somebody out or HIS BROTHER would get sent down...LOL...not called "Iron Mike" for no reason!

I think the ideal coach is the stern but fair guy who can recognize what each player needs as motivation and when.

The players coach type works for a year or 2 but then they start getting taken advantage of. The stern guy can lose the room too but if he is fair and has some success on the ice he will last longer and be more effective than the players coach.

In my opinion Kennan could have been a good coach, he has all the tools but he plays to many head-games with is players to be considered fair and he usually has a limited lifespan in each city as he tends to lose the players with all his crap and head-games.

Realistically the only cup Keenan won was won by Messier, he is effective in the short term but will be hard pressed to have long-term success, he doesn't get the respect from his players that a Bowman will.

I guess the key is respect, respect the players and ensure they respect you by being tough and fair.

Bob, I don't disagree - he is a good coach but his style is condusive to a short shelf life because the abrasive attitude and head games cause him to lose the players quickly. In fact his career matches some of the "players coaches" who also have a short shelf life because of the country club mentality that takes over. He is great at coming in and cleaning up a country club. I must admit that I am surprised at what he is doing in calgary, I guess they players are scared of the alternative- Sutter.

I also think that it was easier to coach that style in the 70's and 80's when the players had less power.

For whatever reason, they see the game differently, and instead of having done things at such a high level, saw how it is done, and then are able to break it down / analyse. Here are some more descent NHL players that became good head coaches: Toe Blake, Guy Carbonneau, Ivan Hlinka, Jacques Lemaire, Larry Robinson bq - Same day as Adam Oates, but almost 2 dog years later.

I think for the Devils, a stern coach works, like Brent Sutter. He holds the players accountable for their actions and really gives it to them when they're playing badly. I've meet him before and he's super nice, but when it comes to his coaching he's tough. I think that's what the organization wanted when they fired Julien and brought in Sutter the next season. The Devils usually never have two bad games in a row, and it's because of Sutter demands better of the team after a bad loss.

What a shock! I agree with Bob!

It has to be a mix of the two. The best coaches are the one's who can identify what is necessary to motivate a player and adapt their style on a player by player basis. Some players need a kick in the rear end, some need to be left alone to work things out and others need a fatherly figure to guide them through whatever they are dealing with.

Depends on which players you got. Let's say you have a Manny Ramirez type player, you definitely want a calm, mellow coach. But if you have someone like, Yzerman, maybe a coach who will yell and drive you almost insane. It really depends on the team.

Personally, if I was a GM, I'd want a calm, mellow guy who will tell you the truth and what you need to improve but not be someone to flip out.