Fire Knoblauch

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Firing the coach every two seasons is not a recipe for success. Knoblauch's body of work from last year has earned him a longer leash. There's reason to be frustrated with him but look at this crappy roster and tell me anyone could do better. This team is about as good as it was during the Dave Tippett years and we all know how those went. Last year had a ton of things go right for the team that just aren't there now. Them rushing Ekholm back, the lackluster deadline (Walman looks like an Oiler acquisition alright), and basically everything they've done this season has made the team go backwards.

Katz needs to have a good long look at this team and decide if he's more interested in turning a profit or winning a Cup. But he's a billionaire so we already know what that answer is. What a useless asshole.

 

[Canovin]

Firing the coach every two seasons is not a recipe for success. Knoblauch's body of work from last year has earned him a longer leash. There's reason to be frustrated with him but look at this crappy roster and tell me anyone could do better. This team is about as good as it was during the Dave Tippett years and we all know how those went. Last year had a ton of things go right for the team that just aren't there now. Them rushing Ekholm back, the lackluster deadline (Walman looks like an Oiler acquisition alright), and basically everything they've done this season has made the team go backwards.

Katz needs to have a good long look at this team and decide if he's more interested in turning a profit or winning a Cup. But he's a billionaire so we already know what that answer is. What a useless asshole.

The moment Katz sells the team, you either see McDrai get traded via Doncic style or you see the Oilers get relocated. He's not the problem

 

[94 Oil Drops]

The players aside from a select few need to grow up and play playoff hockey. I get that we are all furious and running on emotions right now but firing the coach (again) won't do anything. Jackson and Bowman are to blame. This whole mess is their fault! They let our younger, faster players go in exchange for older, slower players who are over the hill. They also didn't get another goalie.

Knoblauch has made mistakes this playoffs for sure but would you expect a carpenter to build something of good quality if his suppliers gave him badly rotten wood?

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

It's clear that the advanced stats guys were right and the Oilers were primed to go on a run last year regardless of coach (they "looked" much better than the results they were getting with Woody)

Maybe one that knows when to pull a f***ing goalie, for one

You mean you don’t pull the smiling sieve after 5 while he’s getting destroyed by the other teams fans and there’s 9 minutes left in the game and your down by 3?

I thought that was the perfect time to change the tone of the game and mount another stirring comeback.

(Voice dripping with sarcasm)

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The moment Katz sells the team, you either see McDrai get traded via Doncic style or you see the Oilers get relocated. He's not the problem

From day one Katz was more interested in hanging out with his heroes than building a championship hockey team. Let's not forget he held the city hostage for money and threatened to move the team. The guy is scum.

Since he was made the owner, who have the Oilers hired that you can honestly say "Wow, that was a really good hire!"? We have a den of snakes that will cover their asses over some truly heinous things (If Bob "The smartest man in hockey" Nicholson is still with the org that's all you need to know).

I could care less if he built an arena. Any owner can do that. Money does not make you a good owner, it just makes you rich. The team came as close to a Stanley Cup win when Katz wasn't here as they did when he was. Only that team had a much lower salary cap to deal with and no generational talents on the roster.

 

[Canovin]

From day one Katz was more interested in hanging out with his heroes than building a championship hockey team. Let's not forget he held the city hostage for money and threatened to move the team. The guy is scum.

Since he was made the owner, who have the Oilers hired that you can honestly say "Wow, that was a really good hire!"? We have a den of snakes that will cover their asses over some truly heinous things (If Bob "The smartest man in hockey" Nicholson is still with the org that's all you need to know).

I could care less if he built an arena. Any owner can do that. Money does not make you a good owner, it just makes you rich. The team came as close to a Stanley Cup win when Katz wasn't here as they did when he was. Only that team had a much lower salary cap to deal with and no generational talents on the roster.

I guarantee you the moment he sells the team, it will be even worse. The guy is trying. He's just a fan with a truckload of money and has no idea who to hire and ends up hiring the wrong guys.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I guarantee you the moment he sells the team, it will be even worse. The guy is trying. He's just a fan with a truckload of money and has no idea who to hire and ends up hiring the wrong guys.

Trying? This is trying? Consistently hiring bozos that no other org would touch? He was more than happy to let the team drown for years because he knew the fans would eat up false hope and still pay for tickets. Only a miracle saved his franchise from being the worst in hockey. Katz is utter poison. He has two top tier players that any team would kill for and hasn't delivered a Stanley Cup. And he never will.

Without McDavid this team is just the Canadian Buffalo Sabres.

 

[FlameChampion]

Hes been dissapointing this year.

I’d still like to be on a fly on the wall to see how decisions are made on this team. Schwartz and the goaltending continues to be a debockle.

I’ve seen Knoblauch do things that he said were against his philosophy when he first joined. I can’t help but think hes being micromanaged to some degree.

I think the organization is a complete mess this year from top down. The organization has problems.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Hes been dissapointing this year.

I’d still like to be on a fly on the wall to see how decisions are made on this team. Schwartz and the goaltending continues to be a debockle.

I’ve seen Knoblauch do things that he said were against his philosophy when he first joined. I can’t help but think hes being micromanaged to some degree.

I think the organization is a complete mess this year from top down. The organization has problems.

I totally agree with the bolded. He seems to have done a 180 since last year, which leads me to believe there's something going on in the background regarding his decisions.

 

[Mez]

There are probably 10+ things to blame before the coach.

 

[Little Fury]

The moment Katz sells the team, you either see McDrai get traded via Doncic style or you see the Oilers get relocated. He's not the problem

You know what? Good. Do it. Put us out of our misery.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

You know what? Good. Do it. Put us out of our misery.

The Vegas Knights were an expansion team and built a SC contender far faster than our lottery win ridden carcass, because they prioritized winning over making friends and hiring buddies. And if someone wasn't good enough for the team they were gone regardless of how "well-liked" they were or whatever braindead excuse our losers invent.

 

[MikeS24]

The Vegas Knights were an expansion team and built a SC contender far faster than our lottery win ridden carcass, because they prioritized winning over making friends and hiring buddies. And if someone wasn't good enough for the team they were gone regardless of how "well-liked" they were or whatever braindead excuse our losers invent.

But the smart people here said if EDM does this, nobody will ever sign here.

 

[Canovin]

You know what? Good. Do it. Put us out of our misery.

You can do that by cheering for another team?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

But the smart people here said if EDM does this, nobody will ever sign here.

The real Stanley Cup is the friends we hired along the way.

You can do that by cheering for another team?

Katz has made this team unlikeable. Honestly, a fresh franchise might have a better shot at a Cup than this one.

 

[FunkyChicken]

He certainly like to handcuff himself before games.
Dressing Brown in game one.
Starting Stu and scratching Jeff Skinner in game two.

 

[TB12]

Coach Knoblauch is a great coach. You have had bad GM's, an owner who doesn't have deep pockets, and a soft team. Fast, yes. Two superstars, yes. But if you look at teams that have won, depth and great goaltending is the factor. The Oilers have neither. KK can't make chicken soup out of chicken soup.

I don't care enough to debate you, random guy, but Katz not having deep pockets might be one of the stupidest things I have ever read on here.

Also, if he can't make chicken soup out of chicken soup then he's got some bigger problems as well.

What an all around terrible post by you lol

 

[Little Fury]

The Vegas Knights were an expansion team and built a SC contender far faster than our lottery win ridden carcass, because they prioritized winning over making friends and hiring buddies. And if someone wasn't good enough for the team they were gone regardless of how "well-liked" they were or whatever braindead excuse our losers invent.

It's wild how there are so many points in the last 20 years where you can see exactly where they took a wrong turn, but I think having Zito on the hook and dropping him the second Old Dutch became available probably cost us a couple of Cups.

 

[Little Fury]

You can do that by cheering for another team?

Why should I change, they're the ones who suck.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

It's wild how there are so many points in the last 20 years where you can see exactly where they took a wrong turn, but I think having Zito on the hook and dropping him the second Old Dutch became available probably cost us a couple of Cups.

Fully agreed. They tried to take the easy path again and it led to a dead end. That they hired Bowman shows they haven't learned a thing.

 

[Little Fury]

Fully agreed. They tried to take the easy path again and it led to a dead end. That they hired Bowman shows they haven't learned a thing.

Chiarelli, Holland, Bowman, all products of the exact same process and rationale, which makes me wonder if Katz is the guy making these calls.

 

[Gnome17]

Its so hard to know how much having success with a new coach is actually due to what the new coach brings, and what is just a general sense of urgency from the team.

Knoblauch came in, the ship righted itself and they reached the finals and I thought yeah, he is probably doing a good job, without really caring too much about any of his coaching choices.

Now after a full season, basically week by week he has lost me just a little bit more, a little bit more. Ive never in my life seen a coach juggle lines the way he does. I was okay with it the first half of the season, gotta see what works, but no matter what he has just kept juggling lines, changing things, never letting players settle in I feel.

The way he treated J Skinner. Not taking the McDavid line off after they tied it in game 1. Playing S Skinner over Pickard despite it being quite clear the team plays better infront of Pickard. Playing Nurse with Bouchard even though Bouchard - Walman and Nurse - Kulak has looked better in every way.

I also struggle to see how he motivates guys, maybe he is a completely different guy away from media but from everything ive seen he seems extremely mellow, shy and almost like he doesn't want to be in front of people. I have a hard time seeing him being able to pull a veteran group in the right direction, easier with juniors for him I think.

TLDR yeah im totally fine with him going. I will say though that changing the coach every other year is a massive failure as well.

 

[russ99]

Maybe bring in Messier...?

Scotty Bowman's still alive somewhere in Florida.

But seriously, they're not firing the coach after this season, no matter what. What would be good is if the org fired themselves.

Either do it after the season with lots of candidates or sometime next season after another tailspin, with a problem finding a good replacement, pick your poison.

There was already conflict between Bowman and Knoblauch this season. I can't see why they wouldn't make a change, other than wait until McDavid is signed before dismissing his junior coach with some grace.

We can't go into next season with the same coach, much the same roster and same problems, something has to be done.

Ideally we need a total 360 in coaching philosophy. Cohesion, simple repeatable smart habits, build the team concept from the back as selling out for McDrai out of desparation isn't sustainable, more physicality and real accountability.

A Bruins-like team mentality with McDavid and Draisaitl at the top and capable goaltending would be a really tough out.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

Coach Knoblauch is a great coach. You have had bad GM's, an owner who doesn't have deep pockets, and a soft team. Fast, yes. Two superstars, yes. But if you look at teams that have won, depth and great goaltending is the factor. The Oilers have neither. KK can't make chicken soup out of chicken soup.

I guess you are one of his parents

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Coach Knoblauch is a great coach. You have had bad GM's, an owner who doesn't have deep pockets, and a soft team. Fast, yes. Two superstars, yes. But if you look at teams that have won, depth and great goaltending is the factor. The Oilers have neither. KK can't make chicken soup out of chicken soup.

An owner that doesn't have deep pockets? Are you even an Oilers fan with this BS take?