AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > January > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHartley’s work gets top marks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
There must be nicer things to say about Bob Hartley than the fact he currently ranks as the most successful coach of Atlanta’s pro sports teams. Consider the field: One guy is out of a job (Jim Mora). One guy is in last place (Mike Woodson). One guy is coming off the franchise’s first losing season in 16 years (Bobby Cox).
Hartley? His team has a division lead and ranks second in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. “Playoffs” looks to be a new word in the city’s vocabulary. He has turned a one-way superstar (Ilya Kovalchuk) into a responsible player. Kovalchuk was smiling the other morning despite having scored only three goals (one an empty-netter) in a span of 13 games.
“Before Bob,” Kovalchuk said, “it was like we were just like playing games for fun. We weren’t really going for the playoffs. It wasn’t too much fun for me.”
There are nice things to say about Bob Hartley.
Ask Scotty Bowman.
“He’s not one of these guys who just parachuted in,” said Bowman, the retired nine-time Stanley Cup winner, who opposed Hartley in several Detroit-Colorado playoff series. “He worked his way up. The one thing I found out about him is he knew how to get an edge. He knew matchups. He knew when to have certain guys on the ice.”
The Thrashers have made the turn into the second half of the season, and they have not turned downward. Credit Hartley. He’s one reason Bowman, generally recognized as the greatest coach in NHL history, listed the Thrashers among his top five picks to win the Cup this season (see today’s “Gimme 5”).
When Bowman’s praise was relayed to Hartley, it was as if Joe DiMaggio had just told a Little Leaguer, “Nice swing.”
Hartley grew up a Montreal Canadiens fan when Bowman was behind the bench and winning Cups. The two first met when Bowman was with the Red Wings and Hartley was coaching one of the Wings’ top prospects, Martin Lapointe, in Laval, Quebec. Then Hartley worked his way up with the Avalanche.
“When I was in Colorado, I was coaching against my idol,” he said. “It was strange because he was my favorite, but in those series he was my No. 1 enemy. The first time I faced him in a playoff series, he beat me in the first two games but then we won the next four. After the game, I was almost too shy to shake his hand. I didn’t know what he would say to me. I didn’t know what to say to him. But he told me he was very proud of me, that I had done a good job.”
That might seem kind of mushy for one coach to be so glowing of another. But it speaks to Bowman’s place in NHL history. When the Thrashers were in Montreal earlier this season, Hartley lit up when Bowman stopped by and told him how impressed he was with the team.
The Thrashers’ coach cherishes a picture of he and Bowman posing in front of the Stanley Cup in a Toronto steakhouse. “It’s the best picture I own,” Hartley said. “If my house was on fire, I would go back in just to save that picture.”
Hartley coached a Stanley Cup winner in Colorado. He is still waiting to coach a playoff game in Atlanta. It nearly happened a year ago, when the Thrashers survived a slow start and goalie injuries to work their way back into the race. But then the team lost seven straight in January and early February and dropped back into a hole. Hartley took it personally.
“I still don’t know what happened,” he said. “During those seven games, I tried everything. I yelled. I screamed. I hugged. I made changes. Our game was simply not there. I pressed all the buttons, but I couldn’t find the right one.”
There have been a few bumps this season, most notably four- and five-game losing streaks. But each slide has been answered with a winning streak.
Hartley’s work with Kovalchuk parallels Bowman’s with Steve Yzerman, who broke into the league as a scoring whiz but became a well-rounded player and key to Stanley Cup teams. “There are some nights in the playoffs when your team is not going to be able to score four goals,” Bowman said. “You have to teach guys how to do the little things and play well defensively. Bob is doing that in Atlanta.”
High praise, from the highest of sources.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Thrashers / NHL
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By Pinball34
January 6, 2007 03:06 AM | Link to this
Schultz…I didn’t think you had this in you. Not one rip?…Atlanta is lucky to have this guy. I’d like to see Hartley try to light a fire under the Hawks.
By Football only
January 6, 2007 10:05 AM | Link to this
Hockey is stupid. Don’t write about it. Pucks suck.
By Dogleg
January 6, 2007 10:07 AM | Link to this
The best coach in Atlanta is akin to being the best downhill skier in Kansas.
By Brian
January 6, 2007 04:19 PM | Link to this
FYI - Philips Arena was sold out last night…
By Bring Reeves Back!
January 6, 2007 06:00 PM | Link to this
Go Thrashers!
By Bring Reeves Back!
January 6, 2007 06:00 PM | Link to this
Go Thrashers!
By Bring Reeves Back!
January 6, 2007 06:00 PM | Link to this
Go Thrashers!
By Ryder
January 6, 2007 08:27 PM | Link to this
Bring Reeves back, only hit the post button once please, though I do like your enthusiasm!
Football only, you’re wrong. You are the one who sucks. Please join the rest of the human race who are currently watching an in-season sport like hockey. Thank you, and get a life.
Atlanta needs to continue this push in the second half. We will know for sure if this team is built for the playoff, or will even be in the playoffs after Feb. 22. They have a ton of road games coming up and need to show that they learned from last year. Let’s do it Thrashers!
Thank you Jeff for being the first AJC columnist in history to give credit to an Atlanta coach with no sarcasm involved.
By Rawhide
January 6, 2007 08:57 PM | Link to this
You have to cut Football Only, and those of his ilk a little slack….you see, he lacks the mental ability to follow any sport that does not give him 45 seconds between plays in order to keep up.
Now, casting aside the mental midget,….
These Thrashers are playing not only like a playoff contending team, they are playing like a team seriously making a Stanley Cup run, (hint for Football Only: Stanley Cup is NOT the protective gear your hunting buddy wears,…around his head).
The reason the Blue Crew is so HOT is because of Hartley. This man has a great work ethic and it rubs off on his players. It is a stark contrast to what we witnessed over in the dome the past few NFL seasons.
One of the best examples of Bob’s character is when, a couple years ago when his team was faltering down the stretch he was aked if it was because his team was tired. He responded about how weak an excuse that was. These were professional players who are chatered to, fed the best food, slept in the nicest hotels, flew chartered jets. These guys were not waking at the crack of dawn and going into work at the factory. If they were tired, they were in the wrong line of work.
A very refreshing view from someone in his position.
My sons attend his camps. He is one ice coaching the youths, not pawning it off on assistance. At the open house, he recognized my oldest and pulled him over to him, calling him by name.
Hartley is great for our team, awesome for our city and we are lucky to have him.
GO THRASHERS!!!
By LAC
January 6, 2007 10:33 PM | Link to this
Rawhide is 100% correct, who gives a crap about those losers at the Georgia Dome, I throw away their tickets when given them, same for the national BORING assoc.
Bob Hartley is THE best coach/manager in town…sorry BC, but you are on the downturn, let’s HOPE we can get some scoring and win, win, win…
BTW… Can The big dog READ ?????