For a rookie NHL head coach, Rod Brind’Amour has proved to be a quick learner. He weathered a dreadful start with a team picked to finish near the bottom of the standings and turned them into a playoff team that has pushed the defending champions to a seventh game.
In his first playoff series as a head coach, RBA has shown a willingness to make tough decisions, recognize which players are hot and take advantage of the last-change on home-ice to get the defensive matchups he prefers.
Going with the hot hand in net
One of the first decisions facing the coach involved his goalie.