Frozen Fantasy: Problem Coaches

Why is John Tortorella better than Michel Therrien, Mike Johnston and Jon Cooper? Three simple words.

"I screwed up."

The onion-busting coach has rep for being a blowhard, jerk and arse. He's thrown players under the bus. Plenty of times.

But earlier this month, Torts acknowledged he screwed up Brandon Saad's development when he first came to Columbus.

Say what?

Torts has been willing to pick his own moves apart in the past, but I never thought I'd ever use "self aware" to truly describe him. But I have changed my mind.

Saad started with 12 points in his first 20 games under Torts. But Torts made some adjustments and Saad jumped to 19 points in his next 23. And a berth at the All-Star Game.

So why can't other coaches do the same thing? Mike Johnston didn't figure it out. Look what it cost him. Jon Cooper isn't getting it. It's going to cost the team Steven Stamkos.

And Michel Therrien not only didn't get it with P.K. Subban this week, but he then threw fuel on the fire Friday. It's going to cost him something very, very soon, regardless of what Marc Bergevin proclaimed earlier this year.

Gulp.

Sometimes a coach can make a man. Cripes, look at what Mike Babcock does for guys (see P.A. Parenteau below). And it's obvious what Barry Trotz has done for Alexander Ovechkin.

But there are plenty of coaches who suck the life out of star players. And our fantasy rosters, simply because of their unwillingness to park their own egos.

Sidney Crosby's production has exploded since Johnston left town. But Stammer is still. And P.K. Subban has been OK this season, but not good enough to be named to Team Canada's World Cup entry.

You and I have always known that team systems have a huge impact -- both good and bad -- on fantasy production. But maybe it's actually more about a coach's ego -- and their lack of self-awareness -- than the system after all.

Now let's look at who caught my eye this week.

Mark Arcobello, RW/C, Toronto (1 percent Yahoo! owned) - Arcobello has always been able to score, but he's never really gotten a chance to show that in the NHL. Until now. He's on a three-game, four-point streak for a weak squad and is getting prime playing time under Mike Babcock. Jump on board -- Arcobello can make things happen when he gets that coveted playing time.

Mikael Backlund, C, Calgary (4 percent) - Backlund almost always ends up on this list at least once a season. And it's often in the second half. So what gives with that? He's not sexy enough to hit the radar at the start of the season -- we all tend to peg him as just another defensive-focused, third-line pivot. But Backlund's obvious offensive skills start to shine through when games get tight in the second half. He has seven points, including five goals, and a plus-7 rating in seven games heading into Saturday. I'm buying in for a short-term boost to my squad.

Charlie Coyle, RW/C, Minnesota (10 percent) - Coyle is arguably the Wild's best offensive piece and his game has actually continued to grow DESPITE the team's overall incompetence this season. He's on pace for a 25-goal season and he enters play Saturday with a three-game, three-goal streak. And he has seven points, including six goals, in his last 10 games. He won't roll this fast for the rest of the season. But the Wild have suddenly snapped to attention under John Torchetti and the extra energy in the team's game can only help an already growing Coyle. I've snagged him in my single-season Yahoo league. And I'm holding tight in one of my keeper formats. Next season, you'll be staring at a 30-35 goal, 65-point top-line right winger. File that one away.

Martin Hanzal, C, Arizona (17 percent) - Hanzal is hotter than a ghost pepper. It had taken a bit for him to get back into a groove following his return from that lower-body ouch. But he's on a three-game, seven-point streak entering Saturday and has taken Anthony Duclair and Max Domi along for the ride. Or maybe it's the other way around. In any event, big-boy Hanzal is the perfect foil for these two small wings, and he's on pace for a career season. Use him. Otherwise, someone else will.

Josh Gorges, D, Buffalo (1 percent) - I know, I know -- Gorges is an odd choice for this list. But take a look at his last four games: a goal, an assist and a plus-6 rating, with six PIM, too. Buffalo was 5-2-3 in its last 10 games heading into the weekend and that was the best record in the Atlantic over that period. I'm not kidding. The team will still struggle, but the return of Robin Lehner has given it a bit of juice. And the Sabres shown us all there's a lot more depth to that team than we all thought. Gorges can skate well enough and has the ability to get the puck up to his forwards ... when those forwards have some talent. And they sure do. Maybe there's some value here over the next while.

Noah Hanifin, D, Carolina (2 percent) - Hanifin is going to be the Canes' John Carlson in a couple of years -- big, smart and slick on his feet, and a rock in all zones. It's still hard to fathom that he made the NHL at 18 -- that only happens to the very best (think Drew Doughty and Aaron Ekblad, most recently). Hanifin has started to flex a little more offensive muscle of late and has three points and 11 shots in his last four games. Carolina has been one of the hottest teams in the East over its last 10 games. And that's giving Hanifin a little more room on the ice to show off those skates and skills. Think about this -- his production in standard Yahoo formats over the last week was better than that of Shea Weber, Dustin Byfuglien, T.J. Brodie and Kevin Shattenkirk. Yep -- there's real value in smart, short-term plays on the blue line.

Erik Haula, LW/C, Minnesota (1 percent) - Uh ... what's up the hoola hoop? He's a role player whose character and work ethic are his greatest attributes. But Haula has six points in his last six games and nine in his last baker's dozen. He's also plus-7 with 17 hits and 12 blocked shots in those 13, which thrust him into relevance in deep specialty formats. It won't last, but streaming guys on and off your roster is pretty much the only way to play catch up in Yahoo formats now. A warm Haula might just help with that.

Nino Niederreiter, RW, Minnesota (6 percent) - Niederreiter makes me pull my hair out. The guy's tools are flat-out delicious -- the hands, the speed, the size, the two-way game. But he just doesn't put those tools to work at the same time. El Nino has had a solid season on the defensive side of the puck, but his offensive game is Gravol-worthy. He does have three points and a plus-4 rating in his last three outings, though. I'm not deluding myself into thinking he's finally got his crap together. But I'm willing to take a chance. Those tools are still pretty tantalizing.

P.A. Parenteau, RW, Toronto (5 percent) - Parenteau struggled under Michel Therrien in Montreal last season (hmmmm ... trend?), but has resurrected his career under Mike Babcock. Too bad it'll likely get him a ticket out of town at the deadline. There are a lot of teams would love to have a guy who gives them solid offensive depth and defensive-neutral play at a low cap hit. A trade will drop him down a new team's lineup and lower his value overall, so consider him this week only. He's getting top-line minutes in the wake of Leo Komarov's suspension, and has a three-game, four-point streak entering Saturday.

Mike Reilly, D, Minnesota (0 percent) - Reilly spent the first 40 games of his pro career playing for John Torchetti in the AHL this season. The team struggled, but Reilly's puck-moving skills were on full display. Torchetti's confidence in the young defender now extends to the ice in Minny and Reilly now has three points -- all assists -- and a plus-2 rating in his last four games. Reilly still has a lot of learn about pro hockey, but it might not be long before Torchetti gives him more opportunities to show off that great vision and wicked shot. And that makes Reilly a potential short-term value addition to Yahoo lineups.

Back to the coaches.

I had a ton of respect for Barry Trotz before, but I have a whole lot more now. He's a true leader in his role. He has allowed Alexander Ovechkin to do what he does best -- score goals -- by not obsessing on the guy's defensive limitations. He just focused on getting that defensive side of Ovie's game to a spot where it's no longer a liability.

And it's working.

Michel Therrien's struggles in Montreal have nothing to do with P.K. Subban. He needs to turn P.K. loose to do what he does best and simply focus on managing the issues that sometimes come with those delicious forays in the offensive zone.

Jon Cooper should give pause to re-examine his loyalty to those guys who played for him in the AHL. And honestly ask if 5-foot-8 pivot Tyler Johnson is a better center than Stammer.

No offense to Johnson. I like the guy. But it seems pretty obvious to me. You?

Until next week.