When the Bruins announced the hiring of Robbie Ftorek on May 9, 2001, shortly after they finished out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season, some of the players came into the FleetCenter to get a look at and listen to their new coach.

	Ftorek tempered his intensity from his Jersey days and helped the Bruins to the top of the Eastern Conference.

After all, Ftorek was to be their third coach in less than a year, and his reputation -- he was fired by the Devils with eight games left in the 1999-2000 season -- proceeded him.

While speculation about his dismissal ranged from his overbearing intensity to his alienation of certain players, Boston management felt his credentials would be instrumental in turning the franchise around and opted for Ftorek over assistant coach Peter Laviolette. While Laviolette went on to guide the Islanders to their first playoff appearance in eight years, the Bruins appearance as the No. 1 seed in the postseason goes a long way in proving management's decision was the right one.

If some of the Bruins were uncertain what they were getting when Ftorek came to town, they certainly learned quickly.

"He's very positive, he's by far the most positive coach I've played for," said goalie Byron Dafoe, who had a career year in terms of victories with 35. "When things aren't going well, rather than dwelling on the negative, he tries to find the positive and learn from the negative. He's not a ranter or a raver, he doesn't throw things around. It makes it fun to come to the rink. Not once did we have to come in walking on eggshells. That to me shows the respect he has for the players and it goes hand in hand."

Granted, Ftorek has had what his two predecessors didn't -- a healthy Dafoe, a group of talented forwards full of character and determination, and a steady defensive corps. It also didn't hurt that general manager Mike O'Connell went out and signed forwards Martin Lapointe and Rob Zamuner and defenseman Sean O'Donnell. Add the influence of de facto captain Bill Guerin, Brian Rolston and Don Sweeney and Ftorek's job may have been easier than one given to Pat Burns and Mike Keenan before him.

And it could simply be that Ftorek, who is widely regarded as the greatest high school player in the history of Massachusetts, has been the right coach for the right mix of players.

"His knowledge of the game is right up there with anyone in the league and his passion for the game, everyone sees that," said the netminder. "You can tell, he definitely played the game at a high level because it still comes through. It's good, I think that motivates guys and rubs off on guys. He's fit perfectly with the guys in here. He deserves a lot of credit. He's been dealt a great hockey team to work with as far as the players and the type of guys in the room but you have to give him credit as far as keeping it together all year through the highs and lows and through some key injuries in a city that can be pretty tough on coaches. I think he's come through with flying colors. With a team that has a lot of leadership, he's allowed guys to step up.

"We don't have a captain and he's allowed guys to show leadership when needed and he's stepped back and allowed the players to take control at times. I think that's important. He's gained a ton of respect from the players in this room, which is a credit to him."

When Ftorek talks, his players listen -- but he also listens to them, which isn't always the case in pro sports. The coach has an open-door policy, and if anyone in the dressing room has a solution for a problem they might be having, he is all ears.

"No one is afraid to go up to him and say, 'Let's try doing this to make it better,' and he'll try it," said Dafoe. "If it doesn't work, that's fine. As a player, you have to totally respect that. Ultimately, we're the ones who have to apply it. It's in the best interests of everyone. I have nothing but good things to say about Robbie. I'm eager to see how he steps his coaching to the next level, as we have to step up our game to the next level for the playoffs."

	“	No one is afraid to go up to him and say, 'Let's try doing this to make it better,' and he'll try it. If it doesn't work, that's fine. As a player, you have to totally respect that. ”
		— Byron Dafoe, Bruins goaltender

Of all the Bruins, Rolston has the most experience playing for Ftorek. He played for him in Albany -- New Jersey's American Hockey League affiliate -- in 1993-94 and 1994-95 and then again when both were with the Devils in 1998-99 and part of 1999-2000 before Rolston was dealt to Colorado. He said he's seen some changes in Ftorek, but not a great many.

"He may have mellowed a bit over the years but as far as his passion for the game, nothing has changed in that [regard]," said Rolston. "He really relies on his assistants here, too, and that's something in the past maybe he didn't as much. Jimmy [Hughes and Wayne Cashman] have done a great job as well. He came in with a great system and all the way around, it's helped the defensemen have a good year, he's let the forwards play wide open yet disciplined and you've seen a lot of guys have their best years."

If there is one area where Ftorek has changed, it's his intensity. Rolston said he's calmed down a little bit.

"He was so intense about the game that maybe it was a little too much," he said. "It wasn't for me, necessarily, but it's been said about him before. He gets so intense about the game, but he's definitely mellowed. He's never been a guy to be out there yelling at players. I don't think he yelled at us once this year. We had enough mature and character guys in here to respond to the way he treated us. He treated us like men all year. I think that was a great thing for a team full of character players."

To a man, the Bruins say it has been fun to come to the rink. Granted, winning has a lot to do with that, but even when they struggled at times, Ftorek was never about punishing anyone or putting them down. He would use video to illustrate examples he was talking about -- letting the truth speak for itself -- and would point out how they could improve and he would emphasize what he would like to see more of.

"I think he did a great job with us," said Rolston. "He came into a team that was young and needed teaching and that's where he thrives, when he's teaching. He implemented a system and it's a system everybody took to. It was a perfect fit for us this year."

O'Connell said he did his homework before hiring Ftorek, and he hasn't been disappointed. O'Connell credits Ftorek's knowledge of the game, his experience and his style as reasons the team finished at the top of the Eastern Conference.

"I think he's been the ideal guy for this team," said O'Connell. "He's very easy to talk to. He's open to suggestions. He asks some interesting questions. He looks like he listens to his players and what they want. I feel once you stop asking the people around you what you think, you're not using all the resources around you. He's always looking for a better way."

For 24-year-old defenseman Kyle McLaren, Ftorek is the fourth NHL coach he's had in his career. He said all of them have been unique in their own way.

"Each one brings out different qualities," said McLaren. "Robbie has been very straightforward. He's hard on you when he thinks you need it. I don't know if he's the easiest, but he's definitely a guy that if you have problems, you can talk to. He's a teacher on the ice and he's also a disciplinarian. He brings a lot of qualities to this team."

And players never have to worry where they stand with Ftorek. Unlike some coaches who are prone to head games, Ftorek doesn't leave anything to interpretation.

"The good, the bad or the ugly," said McLaren, "he's always the guy to give you the straightforward answer no matter what."

Nancy Marrapese-Burrell of the Boston Globe is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.