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Sunny Start for New Stars Coach Marc Crawford

Marc Crawford

They have a lot going on in Los Angeles, what with the Dodgers going out and the Angels following closely behind. Doesn’t appear the local papers or web sites are taking much notice of Stars coach Marc Crawford making his first return to Staples Center following his inglorious run as coach of the L.A. Kings.

It has been about a month since Crawford called together his first Stars training camp. It was no secret that Joe Nieuwendyk sought a tougher edge, a louder voice when hiring Crawford to replace Dave Tippett.

What did the players hear about their new coach? “That he was pretty tough and pretty demanding and likes to lose his mind once in a while,” Mike Ribeiro said with a laugh. And so far? “I think he’s trying to get not too emotional either way, after a big win or after a big loss,” Stephane Robidas said. “Sometimes he’ll snap on the bench, but that’s part of who he is. He’s a guy who’s trying to keep everybody honest. We knew he was going to be tough that way. I think so far he’s been really good for us.”

Crawford said early this week that he has tried to adapt to the Stars’ organization more so than the converse, which was the path taken in Los Angeles. There has been a certain continuity in the House of Gainey, passed on to Doug Armstrong and now to Nieuwendyk.

“Everybody kind of does things the Stars way,” Crawford said. “I think it’s a better way to go than doing it the other way. The other way’s a lot of work when you’re changing it. The only guys that stayed [in LA] were the broadcasters.”

Said Brenden Morrow: “We know how competitive the guy is when he’s out there in morning skate and wanting to compete in drills. I don’t think that surprises anyone, but I don’t think you see that a lot out of coaches – practicing with his guys, the type of emotion he has.”

Crawford has never been out of work long through an NHL coaching career that began with Quebec in 1994-95 – he had to wait a few months for the first lockout to end to make his debut. The longest was one full season last year, when he did TV. As he explained recently upon returning to his adopted home of Vancouver, his yearning for an NHL job was reaffirmed when he saw how miserable Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish was after a loss.

The fire that helps ignite players can also work the way. He was gone from Colorado only two seasons after winning a Stanley Cup. He stayed six full seasons in Vancouver, won one playoff series and there was the ugly Todd Bertuzzi-Steve Moore incident and subsequent legal case that’s still ongoing. The L.A. stop lasted only two years. North of the border, some fans can’t forget Team Canada’s poor 1998 Olympic performance under his watch. Crawford is one of five NHL coaches making at least four stops, one of 12 who has coached in the league at least 10 seasons (only Lindy Ruff has done it without changing addresses).

On the current Stars roster, only new backup goalie Alex Auld has much of a history with “Crow,” he was called in Vancouver – five seasons with the Canucks. Auld said Crawford is a little different but “it’s kind of hard to put my finger on it.”

“I think all the stuff that makes him such a successful coach is the same – his passion, his intensity, his preparation,” Auld said. “People learn from their experience. … he jokes around a little more, which I think is good.”

Said Crawford in response: “Maybe I’m a funnier guy now.”

Ribeiro thinks so: “Sarcastic comments that he likes to make. It’s been good. I think his speeches before games are pretty good.”

(Now, he’s not in the category of Ron Wilson, who evoked the memory of Crazy Horse while coaching Washington during the Stanley Cup Finals.)

“Actually, I’ve done more of them,” Crawford said. “That’s one change.”

As Elliott Pap mentioned in his recent Vancouver Sun story, there is a history of “Summer Crow” and “Winter Crow” based on the coach’s moods. Having gained points in all five road games following Wednesday night’s win at Anaheim, it’s still summer as far as the Stars are concerned.