Under the previous regime of Iron Mike, the chief complaint from players, privately, rested with the allocation of ice time. When the big names faltered, Keenan -- a true believer in riding his stars --threw them right back on the ice.

''After talking to Brent briefly on the phone after he was hired, it sounds like he's going to be the right type of guy and the right coach for our team," said defenceman Robyn Regehr. "He's going to hold everyone accountable, no matter who you are.