[Brooks] This is what I would do. I would ask Blues GM Doug Armstrong for permission to talk to senior consultant Larry Robinson and offer the Great No. 19 million$ to spend a month tutoring K’Andre Miller. Why is it that every young defenseman–including Fox–has regressed under Phil Housley?
January 8, 2025
[Brooks] This is what I would do. I would ask Blues GM Doug Armstrong for permission to talk to senior consultant Larry Robinson and offer the Great No. 19 million$ to spend a month tutoring K’Andre Miller. Why is it that every young defenseman–including Fox–has regressed under Phil Housley?
15 comments
Like a clock that is right twice a day, or a squirrel that finds a nut, Brooksie actually has a correct take here.
Everyone shitting on Key while the ENTIRE D corps has regressed under Housley.
Fire Phil
Phil Housley out here stealing a living
I think it’s fair to criticize Housley for what can only be described as a collapse of our defensive play, the thing he’s responsible for. This sub got on Lindy Ruff’s ass big time when he was running the D, and we were overjoyed when he left to coach the Devils. After he left, we’ve only seen more of the same from Lindy Ruff teams—bad defense.
It really should be no surprise considering Housley’s coaching track record. But at the same time, the defense hasn’t been that great through 3 coaching regimes now. The best it looked was when Jacques Martin took over the D for Quinn’s last season, and even then, it still looked a little rough.
Imo the players share the brunt of the responsibility at this point (they’ve kinda lost the ability to claim benefit of the doubt), but I also think it’s fair for fans and media to start being critical of specific coaches on the staff (and the coaching staff as a whole). I feel like Laviolette will survive the offseason, so it’s hard to say, but Brooks is right in that every single defenseman looks worse this year than in prior seasons.
I don’t agree that Fox has regressed as much as he’s been paired with anchors and dealt with injuries. He’s still a top 5 D in the league and you could argue all the way up to 2 with how he’s better than everyone in the top 5 other than Makar defensively
i mean first of all, the personnel in the D corps is bad because they’re [primarily just bad players](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GfgQpNRXYAAfC3X?format=jpg&name=900×900). the Rangers are currently icing an AHL defenseman and about 4 3rd pair D men. they’re also currently benching one of the 3 best defensemen they have, and they’re forcing each of their top 2 defensemen to carry deadweight to mediocrity and it’s not working (in fact, it’s making both of them worse)
the problem with Phil Housley is the pair combos. i mean, look at [this chart](https://hockeyviz.com/fixedImg/defenderCombos/2425/NYR/wrap) and take note of which pairs are being used and which ones aren’t used, and also take note of when in the season these pairs were used. the one in the top right hasn’t been used since NYR was 12-4-1 and 1st in the division
and then of course, there’s Adam Fox, and the reason Fox has regressed under Housley is because Housley is forcing Adam Fox to try to play with Ryan Lindgren and we’ve known for years that this makes him not only worse but a literal bad defenseman. Fox needs Miller to play well and the team doesn’t get it, so they’re just gonna keep losing:
Fox with Lindgren 5v5: +42 shot attempts, +2 shots, +21 chances, -3 high-dangers, -2 goals, 49% xGF%
Fox with Miller 5v5: +120 shot attempts, +56 shots, +81 chances, +27 high-dangers, +6 goals, 64% xGF%
the problems for NYR are right there in front of them and they’re so conspicuous, even at the most basic shot/goal differential. Adam Fox is literally a minus when he plays with Ryan Lindgren and the team is pretending like that’s fine and has nothing to do with Lindgren
NYR could fix their problems by just running 79/23, 6/17, and 18/4. but instead, just like with Kakko, they’re scapegoating the wrong players and they’re going to learn the hard way
“You’d probably would be beaten up at a bus stop”- John Tortorella
Housley was an offensive defenseman when he played. He probably only knows how to coach one way and it does not work in today’s NHL. A change in the defensive scheme would definitely help.
I’m not sure the solution is hiring someone pushing what. 80 as the solution of playing modern hockey
Phil Housley? Mr “97pts -15 season” Housley? Gee I wonder
my primary issue with players at the NYR organization is that by time guys reach this level, they should have access to the absolute best resources they’ll ever have access to and yet they still find ways to under perform. It comes down to pure mismanagement from the top down and they really need to get a grip on that. Someone whose in charge needs to be hard on everyone between them all the way down to the players and make sure they’re getting the resources they need to fix their issues. If they don’t know their issues they need to invest more in performance analytics and then fix them.
It’s not just Housley, it’s Lavi’s 1-3-1 that the Rangers can’t execute properly. I’ve heard many times now that Lavi’s system is unique compared to other coaches, and this will effect the defense. Both need to go.
Fox is exhausted thanks to his partners. Guy is worn out already. Its bullshit
Thank you. I cannot for the life of me figure out why housley is still here.
![[Brooks] This is what I would do. I would ask Blues GM Doug Armstrong for permission to talk to senior consultant Larry Robinson and offer the Great No. 19 million$ to spend a month tutoring K'Andre Miller. Why is it that every young defenseman--including Fox--has regressed under Phil Housley?](https://www.rawchili.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/jMt2DJcl8FOcenDEA4nyg_89nMipqXgF-_vS86X79ng.jpg)
15 comments
Like a clock that is right twice a day, or a squirrel that finds a nut, Brooksie actually has a correct take here.
Everyone shitting on Key while the ENTIRE D corps has regressed under Housley.
Fire Phil
Phil Housley out here stealing a living
I think it’s fair to criticize Housley for what can only be described as a collapse of our defensive play, the thing he’s responsible for. This sub got on Lindy Ruff’s ass big time when he was running the D, and we were overjoyed when he left to coach the Devils. After he left, we’ve only seen more of the same from Lindy Ruff teams—bad defense.
It really should be no surprise considering Housley’s coaching track record. But at the same time, the defense hasn’t been that great through 3 coaching regimes now. The best it looked was when Jacques Martin took over the D for Quinn’s last season, and even then, it still looked a little rough.
Imo the players share the brunt of the responsibility at this point (they’ve kinda lost the ability to claim benefit of the doubt), but I also think it’s fair for fans and media to start being critical of specific coaches on the staff (and the coaching staff as a whole). I feel like Laviolette will survive the offseason, so it’s hard to say, but Brooks is right in that every single defenseman looks worse this year than in prior seasons.
I don’t agree that Fox has regressed as much as he’s been paired with anchors and dealt with injuries. He’s still a top 5 D in the league and you could argue all the way up to 2 with how he’s better than everyone in the top 5 other than Makar defensively
i mean first of all, the personnel in the D corps is bad because they’re [primarily just bad players](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GfgQpNRXYAAfC3X?format=jpg&name=900×900). the Rangers are currently icing an AHL defenseman and about 4 3rd pair D men. they’re also currently benching one of the 3 best defensemen they have, and they’re forcing each of their top 2 defensemen to carry deadweight to mediocrity and it’s not working (in fact, it’s making both of them worse)
the problem with Phil Housley is the pair combos. i mean, look at [this chart](https://hockeyviz.com/fixedImg/defenderCombos/2425/NYR/wrap) and take note of which pairs are being used and which ones aren’t used, and also take note of when in the season these pairs were used. the one in the top right hasn’t been used since NYR was 12-4-1 and 1st in the division
and then of course, there’s Adam Fox, and the reason Fox has regressed under Housley is because Housley is forcing Adam Fox to try to play with Ryan Lindgren and we’ve known for years that this makes him not only worse but a literal bad defenseman. Fox needs Miller to play well and the team doesn’t get it, so they’re just gonna keep losing:
Fox with Lindgren 5v5: +42 shot attempts, +2 shots, +21 chances, -3 high-dangers, -2 goals, 49% xGF%
Fox with Miller 5v5: +120 shot attempts, +56 shots, +81 chances, +27 high-dangers, +6 goals, 64% xGF%
the problems for NYR are right there in front of them and they’re so conspicuous, even at the most basic shot/goal differential. Adam Fox is literally a minus when he plays with Ryan Lindgren and the team is pretending like that’s fine and has nothing to do with Lindgren
NYR could fix their problems by just running 79/23, 6/17, and 18/4. but instead, just like with Kakko, they’re scapegoating the wrong players and they’re going to learn the hard way
“You’d probably would be beaten up at a bus stop”- John Tortorella
Housley was an offensive defenseman when he played. He probably only knows how to coach one way and it does not work in today’s NHL. A change in the defensive scheme would definitely help.
I’m not sure the solution is hiring someone pushing what. 80 as the solution of playing modern hockey
Phil Housley? Mr “97pts -15 season” Housley? Gee I wonder
my primary issue with players at the NYR organization is that by time guys reach this level, they should have access to the absolute best resources they’ll ever have access to and yet they still find ways to under perform. It comes down to pure mismanagement from the top down and they really need to get a grip on that. Someone whose in charge needs to be hard on everyone between them all the way down to the players and make sure they’re getting the resources they need to fix their issues. If they don’t know their issues they need to invest more in performance analytics and then fix them.
It’s not just Housley, it’s Lavi’s 1-3-1 that the Rangers can’t execute properly. I’ve heard many times now that Lavi’s system is unique compared to other coaches, and this will effect the defense. Both need to go.
Fox is exhausted thanks to his partners. Guy is worn out already. Its bullshit
Thank you. I cannot for the life of me figure out why housley is still here.