This is a reply of a message that was originally posted to
Olympuck. I thought it might also have some interest to Hockey-lers...
 
 
> 2)  What is Coach Taylor's relationship with Yale (maybe some Hockey-Lers
> in the East can answer this)?  As I understand it, he is on a leave-of-
> absense for this year, and can return to Yale in the future.  Will that
> be this year (for the post-season tournaments) or next season?
>
> 3)  Did anyone else see his comments about a job in the NHL?  I don't have
> the exact quote in front of me, but the general tenor was: I've coached in
> college, I've coached at the Olympics, now I deserve a shot in the NHL.
> What do others feel about this?  I thought the criteria was SUCCESS at the
> lower levels; Taylor's record at Yale and the Olympics does not indicate
> that he is ready for the next step.
 
        Taylor is on a one year leave-of-absense. Dan Poliziani was the
interim coach in his stead. I have heard nothing about Taylor not going
back, and assume that he will, next year. (Nest year, even if Yale had
made the ECAC playoffs).
 
        About a job in the NHL: I question that quote. Two years ago,
Taylor's stock was *much much* higher. It was then that you heard rumors
about him jumping to the next level. It was my understanding that there
were jobs that were his if he wanted them. He did not and he chose to come
back to Yale. I don't see him going to the NHL now.
 
        For one thing, after Team USAs atrcious performance, who would
hire him? When I came to Yale four years ago, all I heard was how Taylor
was an amazing coach; how well respected he was in the profession. After
watching the team for four years, talking to players and fans, I do not
understand where those accolades came from. IMO, Taylor has always been a
poor on-ice strategist. I think that Team USAs showing only lends more
evidence to that opinion. I thought for awhile that Taylor must be great
in the locker room and have a good rapport with his players, but all
things that I have heard have been to the contrary. (I'm sure there are
former players who think Taylor is great. I'm not disputing that, and I
have never been in the locker room. It is just that I have never heard
anything positive, and if I hear anything, after some prodding, it is
usually negative.)
 
        His record at Yale has been average and I can only
speak to the last three years. In two of those three years, however, he
had *good* teams. Yale was picked low in the pre-season polls but both of
those teams had some real talent. In both of those years (especially last
year) the team's ultimate performance was very disappointing. While people
on the outside looking in may want to credit Taylor for a masterful job of
coaching, my view was that through serendipity Yale found itself with
players, and Taylor undercoached them to poor finishes. Yale was top ten
at several points last year. We finished the year fourth in the ECAC,
beaten by Cornell in the playoffs. That team could, and should, have gone
farther.
 
        While I could be proven wrong tomorrow, I don't believe Taylor
will go the the NHL. I don't think he's good enough and I don't think he
will be given a shot. If he really wanted to, he had his chance two years
ago. On the heels of this Olympic debacle, I think he will quietly return
to Yale next year.
 
--
7000 miles. 10 days. 26 states. 1 cop.                   Rob Callum
Des Moines to New York.                 [log in to unmask]
Sault Ste. Marie to New Orleans.
                   --11 June to 20 June 1993.