Anaheim Ducks – Raise, Call, Fold on Randy Carlyle

ANAHEIM, CA - DECEMBER 27: Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle talks with his players behind the bench. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - DECEMBER 27: Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle talks with his players behind the bench. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)
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The Anaheim Ducks season ended after they were on the wrong side of a four-game sweep in the playoffs. Many fans see Randy Carlyle as the cause of Anaheim’s failure.

Welcome to another edition of Anaheim Ducks Raise, Call, Fold, where our staff responds to statements about the subject. In this month’s crosshairs is Ducks Head Coach Randy Carlyle. There is quite a bit of discontent in Ducks nation about Carlyle after the Ducks were swept by San Jose in the first-round of the playoffs.

If you missed it last time, this how we do it: Raise means the contributor agrees with the statement. Fold means they disagree. Call means they feel “meh” about it.

The Pucks of a Feather staff will respond to the following four statements:

1) Randy Carlyle did a good job this season.
2) Looking back Bob Murray made the right call by re-hiring Carlyle.
3) Carlyle is a better coach than Bruce Boudreau.
4) Carlyle should be the head coach next season.

ANAHEIM, CA – JANUARY 1: Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle gestures towards linesman Lonnie Cameron
ANAHEIM, CA – JANUARY 1: Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle gestures towards linesman Lonnie Cameron /

Randy Carlyle did a good job this season.

Ciara Durant – Call. We all know I’m not the biggest fan of RC, but I have to give credit where credit is due. He coached a team plagued by injury this season to the playoffs. However, his unwillingness to utilize young players and keep the team accountable makes me a little irritated.

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Greg Johnson – Raise. I’m no Carlyle fan. But getting this team to the playoffs with the injuries they had was almost a miracle. That team the Ducks had in October and November looked like an AHL team playing against NHL teams because it almost was.

Blake Navarro – Call. He wasn’t good. But I believe injuries in this situation kinda effected what happened, at least early in the season.

Jacob Robles –  Call. I have to give him so leniency because of how many guys came and went through the lineup all season long. It’s hard to judge his choices, especially early on because there was so much juggling going on that the team chemistry was all out of whack.

Ed Stein – Raise. Sure the season didn’t end the way Ducks Nation wanted it to. Remember, Carlyle kept this team viable early in the season when Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, Hampus Lindholm, and Sami Vatanen were on the injured list.

SUNRISE, FL- General Manager Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks.
SUNRISE, FL- General Manager Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks. /

Looking back Bob Murray made the right call by re-hiring Carlyle.

Ciara Durant – Fold. RC was originally fired for a reason. I’m sure Carlyle is a respectable man, but old habits are hard to break. The evidence for that has been clear all season.

Greg Johnson – Raise. A conference final followed by a miracle. That’s not too shabby.

Blake Navarro – Fold. We’ve been down this road before. He wasn’t good at the end of the first time around, why would it be any different this time around?

Jacob Robles – Fold. The WCF appearance last season was nice and all, but his system is very outdated and can be fought against fairly easy (this postseason was a great example). His coaching isn’t necessarily bad, but it doesn’t fit the NHL anymore. It’s a fast league and it’s apparent we can’t handle that with his system.

Ed Stein – Raise. If you are going to hire a coach, a winning pedigree is a huge plus. A veteran team needed a veteran coach. There are only so many available coaches that have won a cup.

ST. PAUL, MN – FEBRUARY 17: Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle watches from the bench. Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN – FEBRUARY 17: Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle watches from the bench. Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Carlyle is a better coach than Bruce Boudreaux

Ciara Durant – Fold. I understand fans were upset by the “Game 7 curse” but, how can you deny that Bruce was a wonderful coach. He did lead the Ducks to four consecutive division titles! I think his skill set as a coach was better utilized in Anaheim than RC’s.

Greg Johnson – Call. I like Bruce, but he got out-coached too often in big games. Randy is a fossil who should retire.

Blake Navarro – Fold. I thought it was wrong to lose Bruce. I think the front office overreacted after that first round exit to Nashville.

Jacob Robles – Fold. Bruce Boudreau knows how to utilize the talent he has in front of him well. It’s unfair to judge his coaching abilities solely on playoff issues, but he seems like more of a progressive thinker. If something’s wrong, he’s not afraid to tinker with things to see if they work out. He rolls with it and Carlyle does that as well but he always seems to just revert back to something he had prior and it’s confusing.

Ed Stein – Raise. I’ve written about this before. Boudreau prooved that he can’t win when the stakes are high. He was consistently out coach by the guy behind the other bench. I don’t feel that way with Carlyle as head coach.

ST. PAUL, MN – Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle leads his team against the Minnesota Wild (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN – Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle leads his team against the Minnesota Wild (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Carlyle should be the head coach next season.

Ciara Durant – Fold. I implore the Anaheim Ducks, please do not bring back Randy Carlyle. His coaching ability no longer fits our needs. It’s time to move on and look elsewhere.

Greg Johnson – Fold. Bob Murray needs to drop the hammer on RC…now. He is an old-school coach who hasn’t kept up with the times. It’s time to start the year with our young talent up in the NHL and keep them there. Kevin Roy is a great example. He has no business still being in San Diego. Thank you for your service, Randy.

Blake Navarro – Fold. It’s time to move on. Change it up. Screw it, bring in former Mighty Duck Dan Blysma as Head Coach. Anyone but RC right now.

Jacob Robles – Call. I wouldn’t be against giving RC another chance. This early exit gives guys time to recover and prepare for next season, so we will have a much healthier roster for him to work with. With that being said, if things start to get out of hand early in the season, I think GMBM should let him go and either promote Eakins or find another coach.

Next: Ducks Get Swept by San Jose- Analysis

Ed Stein – Call. This team needs a reboot in both players and style. I’m not sure that Carlyle is the man for that. If Bob Murray wants to rely on the veteran core again, then Carlyle might stick around another year.

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