By Andrew Chernoff Canucks Banter
Dominique Ducharme—-according to Marc Antoine Godin, Senior writer at the Athletic Montréal, in his aricle “Dominique Ducharme Regrets Being Left In The Dark By New Canadiens Management“—-did not appreciate being left in the dark when the new management of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes took over control of the day-to-day operations of the Montreal Canadiens.
Godin writes in his article published in The Athletic on July 27, “Ducharme said he never had a discussion with Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes regarding how he should proceed in managing the season after a catastrophic start.”
Further, Godin writes, “The two new heads of the organization never sent that message and Ducharme says he didn’t feel he had the authority to decide on his own that winning games was no longer important. “
Further, when Martin St. Louis took over the team coaching duties, Godin believes, it was obvious that St. Louis had the ear of his bosses because after St. Louis was hired, “Players stuck in season-long slumps rose from the ashes.”
And the preceding assumption supposedly led Ducharme to feel even more strongly that the pressure of winning had changed and the players “benefitted positively from a different direction.”
Godin believes it was fact that the new Canadiens management “kept Ducharme in the dark” and further, Ducharme after that fact, Ducharme deduced “his days coaching the Canadiens were numbered”, after Gorton and Hughes were hired.
The biggest take away from the article I have, and a large criticism, is at no point does Godin record asking Ducharme why he did not make any attempt to request a sit-down with Hughes and Gorton, to discuss his future and direction of the team. Why? A seasoned reporter would have pressed Ducharme on that, The Athletic did not.
According to Godin, St.Louis received praise for his communication skills, which Ducharme was critized for lacking in his final days as head coach, as he struggled to motivate his players out of its’ inability to rise above its’ floundering, lackluster record and game play.
Godin writes, that Ducharme believes that when Marc Bergevin was fired, “the decision was already made” to fire him.
After reading the article a few times, it is at this point I am left wondering, if management was no longer interested in publicly and privately, supporting Ducharme, and Ducharme had an incling that was the case—-at any point—-why didn’t Ducharme privately or publicly raise the concern, request that sit-down with his bosses, air it all out, and determine his future and direction of the team for the remainder of the season?
Rudderless to say the least, by both the head coach, Hughes and Gorton.
An employee should always have the confidence and support of their direct authority and to leave an employee in limbo once things have changed is inexcusable, unprofessional and reprehensible.
As for Ducharme, if he thought that confidence and support for him as head coach was lacking through perception, gut feeling, belief, fact, rumor——-do something, instead of languishing in deep water.
Ducharme did not.
He did what HE felt was best—-without the confidence, direction, support or consent of his superiors.
It did not work. He does not work. Enough said.
