It certainly wasn't surprising that players needed time to adjust to Suhonen's style. Traditionally, it takes a half-season for any coach to put his stamp on a team. And remember that Suhonen and Ivan Hlinka of the Pittsburgh Penguins are the first two Europeans given the reins of a NHL club. Suhonen had to be feeling the pressure. He had been an assistant coach with Toronto and Winnipeg before getting his chance, but there's a world of difference between being an assistant and being the boss.
Assistant coaches can be chummy with players.
Nobody ever blames an assistant coach for a team's failure. Suhonen made mistakes early. Some wondered what he was thinking. He made a public comment suggesting that his team wasn't much better than an expansion team. Now that the team is winning, the likable Suhonen's style seems quite entertaining to watch.