Colliton's relaxed approach to coaching sees success in first season with Hawks
After nearly two decades of watching Mike Ditka and Dave Wannstedt stomp, rant, rave, yell and scream up and down the sidelines, many Chicago Bears fans were utterly flabbergasted with how their two successors ran the team over the next 13 years.
The understated Dick Jauron and smooth-talking Lovie Smith were nothing like Ditka and Wannstedt, and although they enjoyed different levels of success, many fans never warmed to either of them.
Because - obviously - football coaches must show emotion at all times, motivate with fear and rule with an iron fist.
How else can you get pro athletes to reach their potential?
A very similar situation is playing out with the Blackhawks.
Gone is the gruff, edgy, direct - and yes, at times, emotional - Joel Quenneville. In his place sits an even-keeled, clean-cut 34-year-old from Blackie, Alberta who brings positive energy and a consistent message each and every day.
And guess what?
It's working - and better than many expected when Jeremy Colliton took over 15 games into the season.
"He's done a great job," said Patrick Kane, who set career highs in assists and points with 66 and 110. "The biggest thing is he really believes in what he's doing and the message he's sending. It starts right there with his belief. He kind of brought that belief in us too."
Colliton's belief comes from a simple philosophy: If you play the right way, form good habits and play for each other, the results will come.
He preached that in Sweden. He preached it in Rockford. And he's preaching it here.
"I'm just impressed with the consistency with his attitude," said Connor Murphy. "I remember at the beginning of the year we lost a chunk of games in a row and he never (changed) his approach to the process and to teaching. That was one thing that surprised me."
Not always calm
It's not like Colliton is never stern or critical. When things go wrong long enough, players will hear about it.
It just won't be in the form of a Bobby Knight-style tirade.
"He doesn't have to kick a garbage can over to get a response," Cody Franson said last year just after Colliton led Rockford to the Calder Cup playoffs. "He's portrayed himself in a way that when he comes in and says, 'Guys. Enough. We need to be better.' Then it's like, 'OK. He's (bleeping) serious.'
"Which is impressive because a lot of times a coach needs to get vocal or show some emotion in order to get guys to snap out of a funk."
Said Colliton: "You got to have a little juice to you. … But overall that's kind of how I want to be is don't get too high, don't get too low. Just be determined and focus on what's important right now and then when maybe it's time to show the emotion you bring it and it has more of an impact."
The closest thing we've seen to a blowup since Colliton was named coach of the Blackhawks came after a 6-5 loss in Winnipeg on Nov. 29. In the middle of a question about whether or not it's difficult to get a message across when you are new, Colliton cut the reporter off and said: "I'm not new anymore. I've been around here long enough. So it's time to react."
It took a bit longer than he probably would have liked, but they did indeed react by going 22-11-3 between Dec. 18 to March 16 to get into the playoff picture.
After a 5-2 victory over Detroit on Feb. 10 - the Hawks' seventh straight win - Colliton seemed less than pleased at the postgame podium, prompting one reporter to wonder what the heck was wrong.
Hey, coach, you are on a seven-game winning streak. Maybe crack a smile or something?
The next day he explained what his family, friends, former teammates and coaches and his current players already know - whether the world is crashing down upon him or his team is playing incredible hockey, we will always see a rock steady coach guiding the ship.
"That's why I'm here," Colliton said. "You guys were on me in the last press conference (that) I wasn't positive enough.
"When you're going through a tough stretch, you've still got to be excited to come to the rink and compete and believe you're going to come out of it. And when things are going your way - again - it's not just going to happen. We (must) make it happen."
Brave new world
Colliton's hands-on approach has been a refreshing change for many players.
He seeks their input on everything from what they are seeing during a game, what might work on the power play, how they might defend better and what kind of line combinations they should try.
He's also not going to make an example of a veteran like Brandon Saad - as Quenneville did early this season - by making him wear a white, healthy-scratch jersey at practice.
"There's a different way teaching throughout the NHL," said 39-year-old veteran Chris Kunitz. "You see that a lot in a lot of the younger teams. People are reacting to being coached in a positive way and it's bringing the best out of most people."
Said 22-year-old Dylan Strome: "He lets the guys speak when they need to speak, but when it comes down to it we listen to him. We like playing for him. He's not reaming us out or screaming or anything like that. He just knows what he expects of us and we try to implement what he says."
Toews wasn't necessarily shocked when Colliton was named to succeed Quenneville, but the Hawks' captain was impressed with how he handled himself from Day 1.
With each passing week, Colliton became more and more comfortable making in-game adjustments, reacting to what the other team is doing, as well as to who happens to be on or off for the Hawks on any given night.
"You're going to see him get better and better as a coach as time goes on," Toews said. "It's not easy for a guy to step into a position like that, and you've got to give him a lot of credit for what he's been able to do for our team this year."