Paul Maurice to coach Jets

[ThomasTomasz]

The Winnipeg Jets have fired Claude Noel amid his third season, seven months after signing their head coach to an extension.

The Jets have hired former Carolina coach Paul Maurice as Noel's replacement, the team said Sunday in a news release.

Winnipeg had signed Claude Noel to a one-year contract extension in June after a season in which it failed to make the playoffs.
The team also fired assistant coach Perry Pearn.

The Jets dropped to 19-23-5 after a loss Saturday to the Blue Jackets and were in third-to-last place in the Western Conference.

They have lost five straight games and 11 of their last 16.

Winnipeg had signed Noel to a one-year contract extension in June after a season in which the team failed to make the playoffs.

The Jets went 24-21-3 and finished ninth in the Eastern Conference last season.

Noel coached the Jets to a 37-35-10 record in 2011-12, the club's first season in Winnipeg after relocating from Atlanta. They switched to the West this season as the NHL realigned its divisions and conferences.

Before moving to Winnipeg, Noel spent four seasons in Columbus as an assistant and was head coach for the final 24 games of the 2009-10 season after Ken Hitchcock was fired.

The Jets franchise hasn't been to the playoffs since the 2006-07 season, when the Thrashers were swept by the Rangers.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/1...-dismiss-coach-claude-noel-hires-paul-maurice

 

[Ravin]

Coach isn't the issue. The Atlanta Thrashers are the issue.

They need to do something with that team, and shake up the roster. They have a pretty solid defence with Bogosian, Byfuglien and Enstrom, but after that, not much else. They have a lot of pieces, and that is about it.

Frolik, Ladd, Little, Setoguchi and Wheeler are good players, but not getting it done. Kane isn't an elite player. He is good, but his attitude overshadows a lot of what he does.

Prospect wise, Jacob Trouba will turn into a great defencemen, so no issue with that at all. The pick of Mark Scheifele was just wrong for the Jets. He was ranked out of the top 10, and they passed on played like Sean Couturier, Dougie Hamilton and Sven Baertschi in favour of him. I don't see him turning into an elite centre, and to me, was not the right pick. Couturier should have been the guy they went for. Big centre with lots of upside.

 

[sraczk2011]

Winnipeg won't be good until they get a NHL caliber goaltender. Pavelec has been consistently terrible for most of his career.

 

[Ravin]

Winnipeg won't be good until they get a NHL caliber goaltender. Pavelec has been consistently terrible for most of his career.

I would actually disagree. He isn't obviously one of the most elite goalies in the league, but the guy is forced to play just way to much hockey because the team doesn't have a suitable back up goalie. Look at his numbers:

This year 35 games (Jets have played 47)
Lock out short season, 48 games. He appeared in 44.
Year prior 82 game season, he played in 68.

You go look around the league at goalies who play that much, and most of them have a good team in front of them, or they are considered an elite goalie. The Jets need a suitable back up who can do a good 60/40 split with him. He faces so much rubber, as well, always in the top 10 it seems for goalies in shots, that you again, you can't fault him for giving up goalies.

If the Jets ran a duel goalie system like the Blues, I bet you would see a few more wins. I'm not saying they become a cup contender or anything, but they win a few more. It would be interesting to see what Pavelec could do with a decent team in front of him that isn't giving up a terrible amount of shots per game. Unfortunately for him, he has been with the Thrashers/Jets team all his career which lends people to believe he is a terrible goalie. Can't help playing for a stinker of a franchise, nor should the buck be passed to him. If it wasn't for him, the Jets would be even worse.

 

[Madman55]

I've been saying for most of this season Montoya should have gotten more starts. I'm not a fan of Pavelec at all, however I do think that if he could play 50-60 games a year instead of 65-70 he could be a much better goalie, and With Montoya's play this year I think that is a definite possibility.

Kane and Byfuglien can go. I wouldn't be surprised if there are problems in the room and Kane is the primary reason why.

Regarding Noel, I think it's ridiculous how Cheveldayoff said right from day one of becoming the Jets GM that it would be a five year rebuild before notable progress was made but he only gave Noel 2.5 years of the supposed 'rebuild'.