Aeros hire Kevin Constantine to coach Aeros...MVN Article

LemaireisGOD · 05-30-2007, 10:05 PM

The State of Hockey News | MVN - Most Valuable Network » Blog Archive » Aeros bring in Kevin Constantine to be their new head coach

Aeros bring in Kevin Constantine to be their new head coach

By Derek Felska | May 30th, 2007

The Houston Aeros, the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate has another reason to be excited when it was announced Kevin Constantine is going to be their new head coach. Constantine has spent the past four seasons as the coach of the highly successful Everett Silvertips in the Western Hockey League. Constantine has been a coach in the USHL, IHL, and the NHL (San Jose, Pittsburgh, and New Jersey). He coached the Silvertips to an impressive 54-15-1-2 record this season. He is known for coaching a responsible defensive system; emphasizing his players play a two-way game. Sound familliar?

This might have been the primary reason the Wild and former Aeros head coach Rob Daum mutually agreed to part ways. Daum played a more aggressive two-man forechecking system, whereas Constantine coached teams typically employ the trapping style the Wild use. The team also seemed to have issues with how Daum was teaching and developing the Wild’s prospects; where the organization felt the prospects were not being taught what they needed to be. On the otherhand Constantine is known as a great teacher of the game, a perfect trait in a farm-team coach. It certainly didn’t help Daum’s cause when he could never seem to provide the Wild with a player to help fill in the void when injuries seemed to pile up. Farm-teams can be a source of strength or a place of weakness, and last season it was a definate sore spot for the Wild.

A man known to demand perfection, Constantine was disciplined with a $5,000 fine and a 4-game suspension earlier this season by the WHL after he forced his team to keep its gear on a four-hour bus ride after they had a late-game collapse. It is doubtful that would go over well in the AHL, but it is good to know he isn’t afraid to discipline the team. Wild players could definately attest to Lemaire’s discipline measures whenever they put up a lackluster effort. Bringing in a coach like Constantine is a step in the right direction towards having a farm-team that can possibly used as a source for help when injuries become an issue.

Monkey Beast · 07-04-2007, 01:24 AM

I'm not a fan of KC but when the Wild came into the NHL I thought he would be your first coach. It won't surprise me if he becomes your second coach when Lemaire(sp) retires.

LemaireisGOD · 07-10-2007, 07:13 PM

Everett always had little trouble beating Spokane when he was there...so I wouldn't expect you to like him. He could very well be the Wild's next coach in training as the philosophies are rather similar. I think he'll be good to have in our farm system. I liked Todd McLellan when he was there, but he went on to bigger and better things with the Red Wings. I know that Constantine will do better than Daum did. GO WILD!!!

05-30-2007, 10:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
LemaireisGOD Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 504	Aeros hire Kevin Constantine to coach Aeros...MVN Article The State of Hockey News \| MVN - Most Valuable Network » Blog Archive » Aeros bring in Kevin Constantine to be their new head coach Aeros bring in Kevin Constantine to be their new head coach By Derek Felska \| May 30th, 2007 The Houston Aeros, the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate has another reason to be excited when it was announced Kevin Constantine is going to be their new head coach. Constantine has spent the past four seasons as the coach of the highly successful Everett Silvertips in the Western Hockey League. Constantine has been a coach in the USHL, IHL, and the NHL (San Jose, Pittsburgh, and New Jersey). He coached the Silvertips to an impressive 54-15-1-2 record this season. He is known for coaching a responsible defensive system; emphasizing his players play a two-way game. Sound familliar? This might have been the primary reason the Wild and former Aeros head coach Rob Daum mutually agreed to part ways. Daum played a more aggressive two-man forechecking system, whereas Constantine coached teams typically employ the trapping style the Wild use. The team also seemed to have issues with how Daum was teaching and developing the Wild’s prospects; where the organization felt the prospects were not being taught what they needed to be. On the otherhand Constantine is known as a great teacher of the game, a perfect trait in a farm-team coach. It certainly didn’t help Daum’s cause when he could never seem to provide the Wild with a player to help fill in the void when injuries seemed to pile up. Farm-teams can be a source of strength or a place of weakness, and last season it was a definate sore spot for the Wild. A man known to demand perfection, Constantine was disciplined with a $5,000 fine and a 4-game suspension earlier this season by the WHL after he forced his team to keep its gear on a four-hour bus ride after they had a late-game collapse. It is doubtful that would go over well in the AHL, but it is good to know he isn’t afraid to discipline the team. Wild players could definately attest to Lemaire’s discipline measures whenever they put up a lackluster effort. Bringing in a coach like Constantine is a step in the right direction towards having a farm-team that can possibly used as a source for help when injuries become an issue. __________________ "Why mess around with PT Boats when you can have a Destroyer?" ~ Al Strachan (Hockey Night in Canada)

07-10-2007, 07:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
LemaireisGOD Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 504	Everett always had little trouble beating Spokane when he was there...so I wouldn't expect you to like him. He could very well be the Wild's next coach in training as the philosophies are rather similar. I think he'll be good to have in our farm system. I liked Todd McLellan when he was there, but he went on to bigger and better things with the Red Wings. I know that Constantine will do better than Daum did. GO WILD!!! __________________ "Why mess around with PT Boats when you can have a Destroyer?" ~ Al Strachan (Hockey Night in Canada)

07-04-2007, 01:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
Monkey Beast Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Spokane Valley, WA Posts: 83	I'm not a fan of KC but when the Wild came into the NHL I thought he would be your first coach. It won't surprise me if he becomes your second coach when Lemaire(sp) retires.