Confirmed with Link: Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson fired - no more Woody during NNN - Kris Knoblauch hired, Coffey as assistant

[RegDunlop]

I agree with this.
The disconnect between what the players say and what happens on the ice is staggering.

We are also on the same page with Woodcroft. He is a good coach and it wouldnt surprise me at all if he got another NHL head coaching job this season.
Watching this teams play in their own zone this season has been like nothing I can recall in the last 10 years at least. It was deplorable and I think that blame falls almost entirely on the players.
Now its possible that Woodcroft was bogging down the players with too much focus on systems play and not enough on allowing them to just play. So maybe thats what caused some of the tentative decision making by the players. Its like they were overthinking and not just playing.
I am open to that possibility and that maybe that helped play a role in letting Woodcroft go.
Its possible.

I maintain though that this was an opportunity for Jackson to get his man in the coaching chair.
This wasnt a Holland decision.
Whether or not the change in coach was justified will be revealed in the coming months.
I like Knoblauch a lot so please dont interpret my posts as having anything at all to do with Knoblauch.
To be honest (based on everything I have heard) I think that he has the potential to be a much better fit for this team than Woodcroft.

I absolutely do not like how this was handled and I especially dont like the optics of forcing Coffey on Knoblauch (at this point its obvious why this happened) and having Coffey on the bench.
I also dont like the nonsense game the Org is playing by parading around the paper tiger GM like he is legitimate.
Too many really bad looks on this team right now.

Well said my friend.
Echo

 

[FlameChampion]

I have a question

Isn't being an agent a bit of a 'conflict of interest' if employed by a team? Especially in JJs position?

Didn't Burke have to give up his clients when he went to Van?

I don’t think hes an agent anymore. Someone else took over the Wasserman Group (on whatever their name is).

 

[Hairy Apparatus]

the game plan should be and should have been puck possesion 70% of the game, you have elite offensive players and a deadly PP. give them the best chance to create those opportunities and draw penalties. then you have puck dogs like kane, hyman, foegle, holloway let them create turnovers and split the skill up and score goals. win 6-4 eff defence lol

the first time one of your star players slacks a back check sit them. it will show everyone else you are holding them accountable

yea, if he implements that stuff I think a lot of that will come naturally. I am really excited, I think itll be like the 15-16 pens, just with a worse breakout which i hope they can work on.

 

[RegDunlop]

I don’t think hes an agent anymore. Someone else took over the Wasserman Group (on whatever their name is).

Ahh
Thank you

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

Here's my assessment: Knoblauch, Gully and Stuart will run the bench. Coffey will be there for pointers, a fresh voice and a good communicator. Kind of sounds like that from Gregor.

I would like to add one bit: Coffey will be there for Timmies Runs as well

I kind of like that. I’ve said recently that I think Katz would be smart to have basically a coaches council, a couple retired coaches who aren’t really suitable to be head coaches today but still have a wealth of experience and knowledge. Don’t have them in the players faces every day, or even the coaches, but let them observe and offer advice.

Holland should have been fired upwards, have him recruit these types of older guys who he knows well, but stay out of the day to day decisions.

Kind of like how an org might have analytics offering information to the GM or scouts, but for coaches. I’d do exactly the same with goaltending, have multiple coaches and a former goalie or two around.

Coffey if he’s not too involved could be valuable. I wouldn’t want him to be the Xs and Os guy, just offer some sagely advice to players, support them and KK.

 

[WaitingForUser]

I wonder if Coffey can teach our d guys to move the puck up quickly?

 

[3IR]

Another reason this decision reflects so poorly on the organization.

Hiring Mcdavids agent as the CEO of hockey ops was a little odd.
Paying so much for "former teammate" Brown, was a bit worrisome with how high the risk was.
Hiring his Jr Coach as a midseason panic hire while also committing multiple years to him, but not allowing him to bring in his own guys is incredibly questionable when it comes to qualifications and due diligence.

Add in rumors of Mcdavid not wanting to play with certain players in the past as a factor in why they were never on the same line, and it's easy to see why fans might connect some dots here and think Mcdavid is the one running the show.

All they had to do was surround him with a proper team. Holland was given the reigns with McDavid and Draisaitl signed long term, which is probably the best position any GM has ever come into when it comes to being able to build a competitive team, and then he went and somehow spent every bit of cap we have, while the D and Goaltending continued to sink us.

All Mcdavid wants is to win, and this team knows it can't do that, so they're trying to keep him around with familiarity, and if it seems weird to us as fans, I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Mcdavid, who clearly doesn't want people thinking he's calling the shots.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Perhaps the team should look like it’s more concerned with winning games than being scared that McDavid is going to leave.

 

[McTonyBrar]

if we implement the 1-2-2, I think this team will be in a way better spot. The stuff woody was doing was pretty archaic on the forecheck, and did not let our team be dynamic at all.

Also, the knob was talking about simplyfying the system, this is perfect!! I think if we can make the defense super simple and only make em make short passes, like the d zone they hopefully play according to this video, we will be in a super good spot!

Most importantly, if the man can make drai and mcdavid just gah dayum backcheck and forecheck hard, we will be back on top.


I hope he tries the kids out more ... Does not seem to be the way he coaches according to others though

We should know though that he won't implement everything right away. He said he's going to do it slowly because he's taking the team over in season not during training camp. So let's not expect huge change right away

 

[oldtimersask]

I wonder if Coffey can teach our d guys to move the puck up quickly?

With how fast the game is, it seems like something that's looked over is the mental fortitude or capability to be able to make those quick stretch passes. For anyone who's played at ANY level of hockey whether it be mens league or pro, you know that when you're on the ice the game's way faster. Now imagine how fast it is at the NHL level. You get the puck and someone's immediately on you most of the time, especially bearing down on our D on the forecheck while they're trying to make a play.

The game was way slower even a decade or two ago, in comparison Coffey had all the time in the world to make the outlet passes he was incredible at. That's not a knock on him either, he was the best in the entire league at it.

Point is, when you have players who can't even tie Coffey's skates playing D for you, in a league that has keyed in and is getting close to perfecting the thwarting of offensive systems, not to mention the incredible pace every play has now, it's understandable that the amount of players who CAN think the game fast enough to make these quick passes begins to SHRINK, not GROW. The human brain does not evolve faster than the current NHL meta, that's for sure.

The further the defensive schemes are perfected over the years, the wider the gap between the players who are brilliant enough to still overcome it, and the many who could have overcome it a decade ago, but are simply not capable now due to the aforementioned speed increase and stylistic changes to the sport.

It's a real interesting topic I'd like to explore more. What I think of it at the moment as it relates to our club is that not a single Dman on our roster can make the lauded quick outlet pass we so desire. They can get 80% of the way there but it's often not enough. We see them attempt to and often peel back to reset with our forwards skidding their tires at the opponents blueline trying to turn back and regroup. That is one of the most frustrating parts of our team game. As we spoke about in the 'Around the League' thread yesterday, Montreal does a great job of giving their D more time through the neutral zone to make these passes. Our forwards are not giving our D enough time. There's a serious disjointment on the ice, a reflection of the management in some way.

 

[brentashton]

I think all these conspiracy theories for why Coffey was hired are really silly.

I'd say the simplest explanation is likely the right one and that's where the hell do you find an assistant coach mid-way through the season?

Coffey straight up said they looked for awhile and he was the last resort haha.

I’m not sure Coffey had to be the last resort unless you wanted him to be. For crissakes, they plucked a head coach out of an another team‘s AHL farm team mid season on 2 days notice. Believe what you like. I’m not buying it.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

The optics of it all say otherwise, but this could be Jackson's doing on his own trying to keep the superstar content, but it could very well backfire.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I agree with this.
The disconnect between what the players say and what happens on the ice is staggering.

We are also on the same page with Woodcroft. He is a good coach and it wouldnt surprise me at all if he got another NHL head coaching job this season.
Watching this teams play in their own zone this season has been like nothing I can recall in the last 10 years at least. It was deplorable and I think that blame falls almost entirely on the players.
Now its possible that Woodcroft was bogging down the players with too much focus on systems play and not enough on allowing them to just play. So maybe thats what caused some of the tentative decision making by the players. Its like they were overthinking and not just playing.
I am open to that possibility and that maybe that helped play a role in letting Woodcroft go.
Its possible.

I maintain though that this was an opportunity for Jackson to get his man in the coaching chair.
This wasnt a Holland decision.
Whether or not the change in coach was justified will be revealed in the coming months.
I like Knoblauch a lot so please dont interpret my posts as having anything at all to do with Knoblauch.
To be honest (based on everything I have heard) I think that he has the potential to be a much better fit for this team than Woodcroft.

I absolutely do not like how this was handled and I especially dont like the optics of forcing Coffey on Knoblauch (at this point its obvious why this happened) and having Coffey on the bench.
I also dont like the nonsense game the Org is playing by parading around the paper tiger GM like he is legitimate.
Too many really bad looks on this team right now.

It's overwhelmingly on the players. Just watch their goaltending follies and repeating mistakes that crush them. But Woodcroft hasn't had any answers - roll out an ineffective Stack Line; cut ice-time for young green bananas (aka don't trust them); and muddle the change over to systems play. He's coached himself into a corner unable to cajole positive impact in a team deflated by goaltending and critical moment bad decisions.

Of course it was Jeff Jackson's choice. He's had to step into day-to-day with crisis management while working with a Hall of Fame GM who is not going to be renewed. However both Jackson and Holland spoke highly of their direct interactions with KK over years. Holland through a specific hiring process. So I happen to believe there is comfort and agreement on the choice. Holland's autonomy is gone, however, there is value in having his experience to guide a new boss and his due diligence through his deep relationships with league GM's will be important to shake out prospective roster changes via trade. Jackson will make the call but great value to have Holland grind out the potential moves.

It's a hard reality hiring personnel from other organizations a month into the NHL season. The last Oilers coaching change had a built in system option with Woodcroft and Manson. Not so this spin.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Sad times when people opt for tinfoil hat conspiracy over McDavid's credibility and actions consistent throughout his hockey life.

 

[McTonyBrar]

If this is true then Katz was an idiot to bring in JJ. JJ was an idiot to accept (he should have a good idea on how McDavid ticks). And JJ is a further idiot by hiring McDavids junior coach.

Just bizarre.

That's also Spector.

 

[TheNumber4]

Yeh no shit. And Oilers fans are stupid enough to put this on him. How f***in dumb I swear people want the decade of darkness back asap.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

I suspect a Spector will push this narrative. I’m about to get conspiratorial. Holland is getting pushed out, Spector is Hollands little butt sniffer. This is Spector essentially defending Holland. Oh you don’t like the move? It was JJ and McDavid pulling the strings guys!

Right before the season started Spector was out golfing with Holland. I bet Holland was feeling very insecure about JJ and maybe found himself a slimy little ally.

 

[soothsayer]

Sorry, where was this being mentioned in the media?

 

[GOilers88]

Yeh no shit. And Oilers fans are stupid enough to put this on him. How f***in dumb I swear people want the decade of darkness back asap.

Regardless of whether it's on him or not, it's going to be a narrative that starts distracting from the team all year unless they win.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Yeh no shit. And Oilers fans are stupid enough to put this on him. How f***in dumb I swear people want the decade of darkness back asap.

Oiler fans are worse than leaf fans when things go south.

 

[Spawn]

I think all these conspiracy theories for why Coffey was hired are really silly.

I'd say the simplest explanation is likely the right one and that's where the hell do you find an assistant coach mid-way through the season?

Coffey straight up said they looked for awhile and he was the last resort haha.

That's absurd. Teams fire and hire coaches, even assistant coaches, mid season all the time. The Oilers did last time when they hired Woodcroft. They brought in Manson to be an assistant right along with him.

 

[rielledup]

I see people talking about how much worse they are defensively but don't you think that might have something to do with woodcroft changing the system right before the season? The roster is very similar to last season, there's no reason they should be this much worse defensively.

 

[McDNicks17]

That's absurd. Teams fire and hire coaches, even assistant coaches, mid season all the time. The Oilers did last time when they hired Woodcroft. They brought in Manson to be an assistant right along with him.

Because Woodcroft and Manson are a package deal hence both of them being fired together too.

What other assistant has been hired mid-season? Especially one without any ties to the head coach being hired.

 

[Tarus]

This decision doesn't feel right, seems quite rooted in fear, especially after listening to McDavid today... KK might be swimming over his head. I like the Coffey move tho, I think that might work out well. He'll definitely add accountability.

That's a curious take considering KK has been coaching benches for decades at this point, while Coffey is openly reluctant to take on a role he states he hasn't no qualifications for.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I love when Woody got hired and was winning he was honest and refeshing.
Now that they are losing he's smug and dishonest.

Same old descriptions just rinsed and repeated

Bad take. I made a thread early last season titled Woody was the wrong coach for this team and have constantly said he’s a guy in love with his own voice, catch phrases and platitudes.

At the beginning of the season I gave him the benefit of the doubt and hoped he learned his lessons from last year and the playoffs which he clearly did not.

I was and still am a big TMac fan and have been roasted on here endlessly because of it. I supported Tippett till firing him was the only viable solution.

So your post is as ill informed and false as calling the sky green and the grass purple. If you want to skewer someones position you’d best get your facts straight about their position first.