It’s That Time Again

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Can someone post where he ranks for wins among NHL coaches since entering the league?

I can't imagine an argument for a better coach being available.

 

[tardigrade81]

Every young Oilers head coach who gets a taste of success in the playoffs and then figures he can "take it easy on the boys in preseason". Team then proceeds to play pre-season hockey for the next 8 weeks.

Knob fell into the same trap as Woodcroft, hook, line, and sinker.

He also can't help the goalie situation. It is hard to win games when your goalie gives up saves a high school kid should make. Lots of things have gone wrong but changing coaches isn't going to solve it.

 

[Stoneman89]

Well I think it’s that time again. Whatever secret sauce Kris Knoblauch had last year has run out and he has no answer. Special teams are at or near the bottom of the league as is goal scoring, goaltending and defence are not good enough. What say you?

I say we've had enough of coaching changes. Can't be doing this year after year after year. This group needs to pull their heads out of their asses or face the consequences of missing the playoffs, or worse. Not even a consideration in my mind.

 

[Stoneman89]

My only wish is Bowman is fired and never finds another job in the NHL again. His indefensible moves when the offer sheets came in sank this season thus far. The guy is an idiot. There is no defending the amount of stupid you have to be to not match neither and go get minor league turds as replacements

He's not the one that gave one goal scorer Arvidsson a 2 year deal for 4 mill each, and another to Skinner for 3 mill. Those 2 deals pus others given to other unproductive souls on this team, plus Campbell's buyout and Nurse's ridiculous contract basically hamstrung any GM that came into this org. If you're mad at him for what happened in Chicago, that's fine and up to you, but he was really put in an already impossible situation when he came here.

Maybe an assistant coach change but first I'd like to see more speed and physicality added to the lineup.

Not sure about the speed, there was a bunch on here who said we were plenty fast out there.

 

[GOilers88]

You start selling core players before you fire another coach.

If the leadership group on this team needs a new coach every year to get their heads straight, then just trade McDrai now and get it over with.

 

[brentashton]

You start selling core players before you fire another coach.

If the leadership group on this team needs a new coach every year to get their heads straight, then just trade McDrai now and get it over with.

I mean, as harsh as that sounds, that’s what it comes down to, right? As I said earlier, at some point it’s not a coaching issue anymore.

We’re past that point.

Thats said, I have belief this group can figure it out and still has potential to be a championship team with a few player changes and players getting it right. But this is the season they have to do that. If not, an interesting dismantle will commence I believe.

 

[TheNumber4]

My only wish is Bowman is fired and never finds another job in the NHL again. His indefensible moves when the offer sheets came in sank this season thus far. The guy is an idiot. There is no defending the amount of stupid you have to be to not match neither and go get minor league turds as replacements

I think not retaining Broberg and Holloway was a mistake. A huge mistake on the Broberg front. I might be the only one that thinks letting Mcleod go was a mistake too but that’ll depend on Savoies progress.

But I find it hard to blame Bowman exclusively. So many wheels were in motion that lead to losing those were done by Holland and then JJ. This whole offseason of not having a GM and not having a long term plan is also to blame. We had no plan and teams took advantage of that.

Which is why I wanted Holland to stay on as an advisor in some capacity with JJ and new GM being the main hockey ops guys.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You start selling core players before you fire another coach.

If the leadership group on this team needs a new coach every year to get their heads straight, then just trade McDrai now and get it over with.

The core of the club that went to one game away from SC have figured it out fine. But like any players or team they know that the task is herculean and in WC is never repeated the next year. I don't get all the leadership commentary or that theres some kind of flaw in the core other than Nurse. What we have here as per usual is a lack of contribution through the lineup. Like I said in another post today Knights have 7 players with 4 or more goals in lineup. We have 1. Knights have a dozen players with 3 goals already.

Knights have several players that have scored several goals. For us its just Draisaitl.

The leadership of McDrai is actually pretty amazing to have drug the team through so many series wins in recent seasons. I do mean drag each playoffs very few are earnestly in the hunt. Last season it was 5 players hauling this team all the way. year before it was 4.

Look at the Knights roster and every player is solid and has a role. Not at all the case with this bargain basement roster.

I think not retaining Broberg and Holloway was a mistake. A huge mistake on the Broberg front. I might be the only one that thinks letting Mcleod go was a mistake too but that’ll depend on Savoies progress.

But I find it hard to blame Bowman exclusively. So many wheels were in motion that lead to losing those were done by Holland and then JJ. This whole offseason of not having a GM and not having a long term plan is also to blame. We had no plan and teams took advantage of that.

Which is why I wanted Holland to stay on as an advisor in some capacity with JJ and new GM being the main hockey ops guys.

No, not the only one.

Agreed with all.

 

[Spawn]

I don’t want a coach that puts no value on hitting and intimidation, like has any NHL coach ever stated this and kept his job? My guess is a big fat NOPE.

Did Kris Knoblauch say this? Or did he say something different with far more context and nuance?

 

[McFlash97]

End of the day, Bowman should have and was capable of matching at least 1 offer sheet. His ego and lack of fundamental player talent evaluation led him to match neither and really fxxxx up our chemistry. Holloway and Draisaitl had something going on that second line. Really gave us some exhuberance that you just don't see with Skinner or Arvidsson, if it was Broberg, he made Nurse look good just by his mobility, size and hockey IQ alone.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Barely a year and people are already turning on the coach. If only they directed their ire to off ice personnel that's been here longer with repeated failures.

 

[barry halls]

They need an injection of energy whether that be a new coach or new players. They have low energy, no passion, no fun, they’re the most boring team in the league. Over the years they’ve moved on from beloved “glue guys” like Barrie, Ceci, Yams, McLeod, etc. without considering you need people in the room to keep the mood light and fun. This stretches all the way back to guys lamenting the loss of Matt Hendricks for what he brought to the room.

I imagine being in a locker room dominated by McDavid and Draisaitl, guys who are all-business with a propensity for snapping on teammates, probably feels as fun as a funeral when things aren’t going great. You can get mired in that energy, becoming uptight and afraid of making mistakes, throwing you off your game. Fun is part of the equation of winning.

I don’t think Knoblauch is THE problem but certainly their uninspired play could partially be a reflection of a completely vanilla and emotionless coach.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Barely a year and people are already turning on the coach. If only they directed their ire to off ice personnel that's been here longer with repeated failures.

While I agree it’s a team composition issue over coaching, Jeff Jackson was here barely 15 minutes before Knoblauch and as such had no previous failures. Bowman was hired long after Knobluach.

So to whom are you referring to exactly that would be particularly responsible? The shuttle bus driver? The team chef? The equipment manager just hit 1500 games, maybe it’s him?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

While I agree it’s a team composition issue over coaching, Jeff Jackson was here barely 15 minutes before Knoblauch and as such had no previous failures. Bowman was hired long after Knobluach.

So to whom are you referring to exactly that would be particularly responsible? The shuttle bus driver? The team chef? The equipment manager just hit 1500 games, maybe it’s him?

Come on man, you know exactly who I'm talking about.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Come on man, you know exactly who I'm talking about.

Actually I have no clue. Nobody else created this team other than JJ and SB. KH and his offspring have departed.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Actually I have no clue. Nobody else created this team other than JJ and SB. KH and his offspring have departed.

Fine, I'll give you a hint. After every loss the goaltending is put on blast.

 

[brentashton]

Actually I have no clue. Nobody else created this team other than JJ and SB. KH and his offspring have departed.

C’mon 5, we all know this is evil stan Bowman’s fault.




/s

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Fine, I'll give you a hint. After every loss the goaltending is put on blast.

Your blaming Schwartz for an entire teams incapabilities?

That’s quite an over reach. I agree it’s past due for a change in the goalie coach realm but that’s a microcosm of the problem afflicting the Oilers.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Your blaming Schwartz for an entire teams incapabilities?

That’s quite an over reach. I agree it’s past due for a change in the goalie coach realm but that’s a microcosm of the problem afflicting the Oilers.

Think of it this way. The team needs a jolt, and it's long overdue. And if the goaltending continues to be substandard then you can plan accordingly.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Think of it this way. The team needs a jolt, and it's long overdue. And if the goaltending continues to be substandard then you can plan accordingly.

That won’t help the team score, play with passion, fix the PP, close the seams on the PK, generate speed or fill the gaping hole(s) on D.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

That won’t help the team score, play with passion, fix the PP, close the seams on the PK, generate speed or fill the gaping hole(s) on D.

Then what would you recommend? We have neither the assets nor cap space to acquire anything significant, and nobody is going to want our players at their lowest value at this point of the season.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

terrible thread

we've had enough coaching changes to last a lifetime...everyone knows this is on the players

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Then what would you recommend? We have neither the assets nor cap space to acquire anything significant, and nobody is going to want our players at their lowest value at this point of the season.

Oh by all means fire Schwartz, you won’t get an argument from me. But that isn’t solving the problem insofar as I see it.

What do I recommend? Well at this point there’s not a lot we realistically can do other than to see if the team plays its way out of this malaise. Perhaps at the TDL and with Kanes return it spurs positive change.

Changing the coach isn’t the answer either and if it is make sure whoever it is only gets a contract until the end of the season as it’s clear then that this highly paid leadership group are the worse coach killers ever employed by a pro hockey team.

 

[Soundwave]

They need an injection of energy whether that be a new coach or new players. They have low energy, no passion, no fun, they’re the most boring team in the league. Over the years they’ve moved on from beloved “glue guys” like Barrie, Ceci, Yams, McLeod, etc. without considering you need people in the room to keep the mood light and fun. This stretches all the way back to guys lamenting the loss of Matt Hendricks for what he brought to the room.

I imagine being in a locker room dominated by McDavid and Draisaitl, guys who are all-business with a propensity for snapping on teammates, probably feels as fun as a funeral when things aren’t going great. You can get mired in that energy, becoming uptight and afraid of making mistakes, throwing you off your game. Fun is part of the equation of winning.

I don’t think Knoblauch is THE problem but certainly their uninspired play could partially be a reflection of a completely vanilla and emotionless coach.

Probably some truth to this.

This team is always uptight when big expectations are placed on them.