Redblacks move quickly to land LaPolice
Ottawa set to name Blue Bombers’ offensive co-ordinator as team’s new head coach
OTTAWA — Fresh off a Grey Cup win, the guy they call LaPo will be the next Ottawa Redblacks head coach.
The Redblacks will introduce former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice as their new coach at a press conference on Monday. While not confirmed, it’s likely LaPolice will also be Ottawa’s offensive co-ordinator.
“I am thrilled to be a part of the Redblacks organization and RNation,” said LaPolice. “I can’t wait to get to work and start competing for championships in Ottawa.”
The Redblacks, who lost their head coach when Rick Campbell quit early last month, interviewed LaPolice Thursday. It seems likely the team felt it needed to move ahead swiftly with a decision with the Edmonton Eskimos also in the market for a new head coach and LaPolice on their list of candidates as well.
It’s believed Redblacks special teams co-ordinator Bob Dyce, Calgary Stampeders special teams co-ordinator/ assistant head coach Mark Kilam and quarterbacks coach Ryan Dinwiddie, TSN panelist Mike Benevides, Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington and Saskatchewan Roughriders offensive co-ordinator Stephen McAdoo were among the other candidates interviewed by Ottawa.
It’s believed that had Campbell finished the final year of his contract in Ottawa, the Redblacks would have added Dinwiddie as their offensive co-ordinator. It makes sense that Campbell, who was named Lions head coach Monday, will bring in Dinwiddie as his offensive co-ordinator with the Lions.
LaPolice was a head coach in Winnipeg from 2010-12. After the Bombers finished with a 4-14 record in 2010, they got to the Grey Cup in 2011 (with a 10-8 record). He was fired as the team’s head coach when the Bombers started 2012 with a 2-6 record.
What LaPolice has done as an offensive co-ordinator in Winnipeg is very impressive. Last season, the Bombers had three different starting quarterbacks — Matt Nichols began as the starter before a shoulder injury knocked him out in mid-August. Up next was Chris Streveler, who added a running dimension to the attack. The Bombers picked up Zach Collaros in an early October deal and the veteran led the team to a decisive 33-12 win over the TigerCats in the Grey Cup.
With an average of 24.6 offensive points per game, the Bombers ranked third in the CFL (Ottawa was last at 15.8).
With 45 offensive touchdowns, Winnipeg was behind just Montreal and Hamilton (who each had 50). Ottawa scored just 20 offensive touchdowns.
The Bombers scored 508 points in 2019, the Redblacks had just 312.
LaPolice’s offence had the benefit of superstar running back Andrew Harris wreaking havoc on opposing defences.
But no question, his offensive game-planning and preparation has given him a reputation as one of the league’s best playcallers.
Once LaPolice settles into his new job, he’ll look to put together a coaching staff. Benevides, who was head coach of B.C. from 2012-14 when the Lions had a 33-21 record and was also defensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach with Edmonton during the 2016-17 seasons, could be a guy that comes under consideration to be the Redblacks’ defensive co-ordinator.
As a hockey coach, Ralph Krueger is like the iconic sheriff Andy Taylor from Mayberry on the old Andy Griffith TV show — likable, straight-shooter, also able to get the town folk to listen to what he says.
You have to look long and hard to find any player who’s had trouble with Krueger.
In his coaching days in Germany, with the Swiss national team, certainly here with Edmonton Oilers during that 2012-2013 lockout season when they came close to the playoffs, the kids not only loved him but played hard and well for him.
It’s much the same story in Buffalo now.
“Every time I run into an Oiler ... Taylor Hall a few days ago against New Jersey, or
Jeff Petry (Montreal) or Jordan Eberle (Islanders), or if I see Sam Gagner and Nuge (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) (Sunday) at the rink, there’s always hugs and smiles and laughing,” said the Sabres coach.
“We went through a pretty intense time together here and that connection is still extremely strong.”
You don’t always find a symbiotic relationship between player and coach, but Krueger has always seemed more like an all-knowing, all-caring dad.
“Super-positive guy but he’ll hold you accountable. He’s a good teacher, obviously, a very intelligent guy. Shows that when goes to Europe and manages a soccer team. He just knows sports. I really enjoyed my time with Ralph,” said Nugent-Hopkins. “He’s obviously young at heart. How old is he? He’s 60? I would have thought he’s younger than that because of his attitude, such an upbeat guy. We had a bit of a good run that year (2013-2014). He definitely held us in the fight until the end.”
“One hundred per cent I needed the Oiler experience to prove I could be a head coach in the National Hockey League,” said Krueger, who was Tom Renney’s right-hand man for two years, then moved up when Renney wasn’t rehired by then-general manager Steve Tambellini. “I’m so grateful to the organization for bringing me into the fold and I think back with nothing but pleasure those three years in Edmonton. Absolutely zero bitterness. I dealt with it (being let go by Craig MacTavish) pretty positively when it happened.”
MacTavish’s mistake was letting Krueger go for Dallas Eakins, who was a good man in over his head in his first NHL head-coaching job.
The Southampton soccer shift was a quixotic story, but that’s who he is, an adventurer at heart. There was also the side trip to be head coach of the stars from Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, France at the 2016 World
Cup where he got the World Team to the final against Canada, coaching a just-starting-to-bloom Leon Draisaitl.
“If I hadn’t done that project I don’t know if I’d be here today. It was an opportunity to stay hot within the hockey environment, with top players ... (Anze) Kopitar, (Zdeno) Chara, (Marian) Gaborik, (Jaro) Halak, Mark Streit, so many players who made me feel comfortable. It was just like coming home,” said Krueger, who says he saw the genius of Draisaitl back then.
“We went through some growing pains with Leon, but he scored a hat-trick against Sweden in an exhibition game and when he stepped up to score the overtime (tournament) winner against the Czechs, that moment confirmed his potential.
“People thought I was insane to put Leon out there for a defensive zone faceoff, but I thought it was better he win the draw in our end and after a bit of a broken play he winds up with a breakaway. Just how Leon dealt with it all, how cool he was, we were sitting in the room afterwards and (assistant coach) Paul Maurice and I saw a whole different level with Leon. He grew tons in that tournament. So, no, I’m not surprised what he is now.”
Draisaitl heaped praise on Kreuger the day before their first NHL meeting.
“I only had a short time with him at the World Cup, but he’s a great communicator,” said the NHL’s leading scorer. “He’s someone you want to play for. At the time I wasn’t at the level I am now. I was a work in progress and I learned a lot from Ralph and the players I was around. It was such a great experience.
“Ralph has that positive mentality and it’s really calming to a lot of players and team. Nothing but good things to say about Ralph."
Krueger is a people person, but was more involved with the business end of things with his soccer club.
Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford reportedly made a coaching offer that Krueger turned down while he was at Southampton before Rutherford hired Mike Johnston.
Then this summer, the New York Rangers contacted him about their president’s job that went to John Davidson. That seemed Krueger’s next career NHL path. But now he’s coaching again in Buffalo.
“When I had my conversations with (Sabres GM Jason) Botterill, I knew that I hadn’t done coaching for a while,” said Krueger. “But realized it’s my life’s calling. I wasn’t sure how quickly it would all come back to me but I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s intense and all teams go through learning curves and ups and downs. I’m really embracing this process.”