With in-person media sessions returning this season the small talk before, during, and after press conferences has made its triumphant return. It might seem meaningless from a fan perspective but these little moments are when we in the media learn more about the humans behind the players and coaches and allow us to share some of their personalities with you.
Gerard Gallant was full of gems from his obsession with Diet Coke to his love of the Zac Brown Band to his favorite peculiar postgame snack, bologna. Like it or not, the head coach is the face of the organization, and learning more about these guys allows fans to connect with the man shown on camera more than anyone else in the organization.
The pandemic struck within months of Pete DeBoer taking over as Golden Knights head coach so those moments to this point have been few and far between, but recently we’ve been getting a peek behind what seemed to be a pretty iron clad curtain. Stay tuned throughout the rest of the season as assuredly there will be many more of these, but one jumped out at me early in camp.
That nugget is his interest in the NFL. As a lifelong hockey coach who is always working during the football season, it caught me off guard a bit that he was into football. But a comment at the media room being empty on a Raiders Sunday followed by a jab at a reporter wearing a face covering that was half New York Jets and half New York Giants (to which DeBoer said “oof, I’m sorry about that”) piqued my interest into his affinity for football.
It got me wondering, have the two coaches of Las Vegas’ major professional sports ever chatted about their experiences? It turns out they haven’t yet, but not because the hockey coach isn’t interested, in fact, quite the opposite.
I reached out because I really wanted to sit in and watch part of their training camp and how they do some of that stuff, but with COVID it just didn’t work out, but that’s on my bucket list of things I’d love to do. -Pete DeBoer
What DeBoer hopes to get out of a meeting with Super Bowl winning head coach Jon Gruden is fascinating and certainly could help the Golden Knights.
I think hockey is heading in the direction of football where coaching staffs are getting bigger, there’s more specific coaching position-wise and system-wise. I’m just interested to see how they break that out and how specific the position stuff is and how much crossover there is from the head coach. That’s where my interest lies. -DeBoer
The Golden Knights currently have seven coaches as part of their NHL staff and during Training Camp there are another four working alongside them from the Silver Knights.
Gruden is the head of a staff of 19 and has been coaching with a massive staff for multiple decades. There’s no question picking his brain could go a long way in helping DeBoer come up with some new fresh ideas.
Plus, it honestly just seems like DeBoer would enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at an NFL Training Camp the same way pretty much any football fan would.
That day seemingly will come, but until then he’ll have to rely on the wisdom another “coach” that’s become familiar to him and the world.
Ted Lasso is a version of where today’s coaching is going. It’s to an extreme but for sure there’s a message in there. -DeBoer
Start putting up the “Believe” signs!
on further review
maybe PDB will learn how to move a franchise
from Oakland, to LA, to Oakland, to LV
peripatetic is the word….. Nomads
DeBoer better worry about his own Vgk “Puck-et” list
Tim
I think were getting old and slow. I think LA, Edmonton, Vancouver, are going to give us all we can handle. You can’t knock DeBoer’s record but I liked Gallant’s style fast and loose better. Watching all three preseason games were boring at best embarrassing at worse. I realize it’s early but we have as much firepower as a 1/2 inch firecracker.
on further review
you are right about the old and slowing down
top 6 forwards=
Patch 34 in Nov, Steph 28 in April, Stone 30 in May
Marchy 31 in Dec, Wild Bill 29 in Jan, Smith 31 in April
top 4 Dmen=
Marty 35 in July, Petro 32 in Jan
McNabb 31 in Jan, and the “kid” Theo 27 next Aug
on further review
correction….Pacioretty will be 33 in Nov
vgk21
LA KINGS PROJECTED LINEUP vs. VGK on 10/1
Brown – Kopitar – Arvidsson
Kaliyev – Danault / Byfield – Kupari
Moore – Turcotte – Frk
Grundstrom – JAD – Fagemo
Anderson – Doughty
Wolanin – Clague
Bjornfot – Roy / Spence
G-Petersen
iow, more of their regulars will be in the lineup tonight
THE hockey GOD
forget the raiders and NFL (woke culture bS) , nobody with a brain watched them any more. Tuned them out when the moved to LA. They used to be great in 60s and 70s when they had great players like Jim Otto, Daryl Lamonica, Fred Bilinacoff (now there is hockey name), Pete Banazak, Tatum, Atkinson, Brown, Stabler, Cliff Branch, Hubbard.
Ever since their fans started calling themselves “raider nation’ they have turned into white trash, low life fans of ALL sports Franchise. And it’s only fitting they end up in Vegas, trash town filled with “low lifes” and degenerate gamblers (like Doc).
Pistol Pete
At times you truly do take no prisoners!
THE hockey GOD
and furthermore
his name is pronounced to rhyme like that Rocky and Bullwinkle character BORIS BADONOV, and his side kick NATASHA. That is how it was pronounced for years. You don’t all of a sudden get to change the way you pronounce your name AFTER YOU MOVE TO ANOTHER TEAM ! Any announcer who honors his wish should be MUTED with IMPUNITY !! (and so far this pre season I am sticking with Srgt. Schultz “I know nuTING, I see NUT TING. And will continue to call him Boris BADONOV until further notice.
PS this was not in reference to ‘on further review’s’ post.
goalie trade
For the majority of the prolonged Jack Eichel trade negotiations, the Sabres hadn’t been sharing medical information with other teams. However, as TSN’s Darren Dreger noted in the latest TSN Insider Trading segment, that has now changed and interested teams are now receiving Eichel’s medical information as it’s collected. It’s a small step as the stalemate continues with Eichel’s camp wanting artificial disc replacement surgery with Buffalo insisting on fusion surgery and the Sabres have the final say on the matter. It’s unknown if the exchanging of medical info will make other teams suddenly increase their offers for the disgruntled center but at least they’ll have updated information to work off of.
Vic
THG scores again…Ditto on the Raiders, and not 5 minutes ago I was thinking of Boris Badenov from my favorite cartoon. Then he tops things off with one of the greatest TV characters in history….Sgt. Schultz. Keeps my simple mind off of the news of the day and bad exhibition hockey.
THE hockey GOD
@Vic roflmao