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

[Oilhawks]

I also just saw that John Lennon assassinated

Really? I'd just heard about Lincoln.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

Honestly, if Woody had just kept things more simple, more focused, and more adaptable, he'd probably still be here IMO. But I wonder if some of the success went to his head early (not to mention the powerplay masking a lot of deficiencies).

When Woodcroft first became coach he was all of those things. He said right away they’re simplifying the defensive game plan, not gonna overload the players. It worked really well. He seemed like he could get creative too unlike Mclellen and Tippett. But eventually it seemed he just became stubborn, like refusing to make adjustments against Vegas and then failing to implement new systems this season.

Lots of parallels between the two coaches first seasons. I hope Knoblauch gets better results in the playoffs, we’re about to see.

 

[tiger_80]

I agree.
Although I will say that this really didnt get exploited until the later rounds of the playoffs so that made it diffiuclt for Woody and Manson to implement adjustments. The other side of that is that maybe they were just not able to adjust to what vegas was doing.
Which is why they made the effort to instill a new system to start the season.

Just like in the playoffs they failed to successfully impliment the system changes to start the season.
Major red flag.

Looking back I think that playoff round against Vegas had to be a major mark against Woody/Manson and was a big part of why he was fired.
The slow start to the season just sealed their fate.
Managements confidence in Woody had to have been shaken from last seasons playoffs and when you couple that with the really bad start to the season they really had no choice but to make the coaching change. Even if the team did turn things around what level of confidecne did Management have for Woody to make successful adjustments as the season rolled forward?

Woody had to go.

Woody does not know!

 

[Mcnofool6110]

Paul Coffey is gonna have so much fun with the defence of this team.

Is his advice to Bouchard going to be, "Be me?"

I underestimated the power of this advice.

4 more wins away.

Give 'em hell in the cup finals, lads.

 

[guymez]

Interesting stats for Dallas coach Peter DeBoer a coach that some think is an elite coach.
Since 2019 he has coached his team (3 different teams) to the Western Conference Final 5 times as a Head Coach. All very good teams. Thats an accomplishment but what happened when he got his team there?
Lost all 5.
The other season his team (Vegas) missed the playoffs.

Interesting to note that the PP was a primary reason why his teams lost all of those WCF games.
Here were his teams PP percentages....

2019 Sharks 2/13 = 15%
2020 Vegas 2/22 = 14%
2021 Vegas 0/15 = 0%
2023 Stars 3/11 = 27%
2024 Stars 0/14 = 0%

So his average PP% over that time was....11% and in 4 of those 5 playoff seasons he failed to adjust to what the PK was successful at doing.
No exception this playoffs (year 5 for DeBoer in the WCF) as DeBoer and his assistants were schooled by the Oilers coaches...the Oilers were 100% on the PK.

I find that interesting.

 

[WaitingForUser]

When Woodcroft first became coach he was all of those things. He said right away they’re simplifying the defensive game plan, not gonna overload the players. It worked really well. He seemed like he could get creative too unlike Mclellen and Tippett. But eventually it seemed he just became stubborn, like refusing to make adjustments against Vegas and then failing to implement new systems this season.

Lots of parallels between the two coaches first seasons. I hope Knoblauch gets better results in the playoffs, we’re about to see.

I guess we found out

 

[Mr Positive]

When Woodcroft first became coach he was all of those things. He said right away they’re simplifying the defensive game plan, not gonna overload the players. It worked really well. He seemed like he could get creative too unlike Mclellen and Tippett. But eventually it seemed he just became stubborn, like refusing to make adjustments against Vegas and then failing to implement new systems this season.

Lots of parallels between the two coaches first seasons. I hope Knoblauch gets better results in the playoffs, we’re about to see.

The entire org decided they wanted to go to a zone D system. Woody just couldn't do it, and was fired after the team won a couple games, going back to man on man

Knoblauch was known as a zone D coach. He has implemented it really well. I don't see this as a flash in the pan.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

This post by the poster was fun too:

I'm so over the Oilers at this point. It's just not worth it. Coffey isn't even in the top 1000 hires available for coach or GM and shouldn't touch an NHL bench after getting fired for slurs. Knoblauch is a good, but offensive coach, with no pro experience and was hired based on Jackson's...

This isn't my post that is quoted here, but I acknowledge the 180. Can you acknowledge how it looked?

History, plus dynasty player being special envoy to the owner, after McDavid's agent took over the team, and when they hired McDavid's junior coach. And Coffey did lose his last job for making slurs on-ice, there is risk, it showed incredibly bad judgement on a lesser stage


It's crazy, not just that it worked. Have you 180ed on Skinner?

 

[Pavel10]

It's amazing looking back just one year. The subtle change by Knob of having skinner sit a game woodcroft completed refused to do. Who knows what happens if he gets the reset then.

 

[Drivesaitl]

This isn't my post that is quoted here, but I acknowledge the 180. Can you acknowledge how it looked?

History, plus dynasty player being special envoy to the owner, after McDavid's agent took over the team, and when they hired McDavid's junior coach. And Coffey did lose his last job for making slurs on-ice, there is risk, it showed incredibly bad judgement on a lesser stage


It's crazy, not just that it worked. Have you 180ed on Skinner?

You made the post Nov 12, in this thread. What do you mean that isn't your post? lol

 

[rboomercat90]

When I saw this thread get bumped I thought it would be fun giving it a re-read. I was wrong. Most uncomfortable thread I’ve seen. Pretty much all of us had posts in here we’re not proud of or at the very least have done a 180 on. At least it’s clear now that a coaching change was needed and the Oilers did the right thing making it.

 

[Heavy Dee]

I wonder if Woodcroft is going to make time to watch the final?

 

[guymez]

It's amazing looking back just one year. The subtle change by Knob of having skinner sit a game woodcroft completed refused to do. Who knows what happens if he gets the reset then.

Good point.
Not only did he sit Skinner but he knew enough to bring him back when he did.

 

[Mr Positive]

I wonder if Woodcroft is going to make time to watch the final?

He'll be too busy watching other teams

 

[SavoieSeason]

Damn. Must feel bad to be Woodcroft

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

You made the post Nov 12, in this thread. What do you mean that isn't your post? lol

When I was making my post, it wouldn't quote my words, just the other part, it showed up properly when I posted, and I didn't realize to correct. I was quoting the nov 12 the post.


As great as Coffey has done, if the road to the top is the owners ears it's still not good.

 

[timekeep]

I wonder if Woodcroft is going to make time to watch the final?

Heard he is making veggie trays to take to the Eakins home to catch the NBA finals. Apparently they are studying the defenses of the championship teams.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

“It is always darkest just before the day dawneth.”
- Thomas Fuller (and maybe Ken Holland lol)

Fun to revisit this thread with this team playing hockey in June and on the cusp of the Stanley Cup Final Game 1.

 

[OilerTyler]

It's amazing looking back just one year. The subtle change by Knob of having skinner sit a game woodcroft completed refused to do. Who knows what happens if he gets the reset then.

To be fair to Woodcroft, he didn't have a Pickard to turn to like Knoblauch did. Campbell was quite possibly the worst goalie in the entire league last season and only made it 5 games this year before being banished to the AHL forever. He was never an option to start a playoff game.

 

[Zerotonine]

To be fair to Woodcroft, he didn't have a Pickard to turn to like Knoblauch did. Campbell was quite possibly the worst goalie in the entire league last season and only made it 5 games this year before being banished to the AHL forever. He was never an option to start a playoff game.

Campbell was surprisingly good in the relief appearances in last years playoffs which makes it even more mind boggling that Campbell didn't garner at least 1 start after how well he played.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Campbell was surprisingly good in the relief appearances in last years playoffs which makes it even more mind boggling that Campbell didn't garner at least 1 start after how well he played.

It's not mind boggling at all. Campbell is not an NHL goalie and the franchise 1000% views him this way.

 

[OilerTyler]

Campbell was surprisingly good in the relief appearances in last years playoffs which makes it even more mind boggling that Campbell didn't garner at least 1 start after how well he played.

Playing relief minutes against teams trying to maintain their multiple goal lead is totally different than starting a game though. I give him full credit for his game against the Kings, but the Vegas relief appearances were just stat padding minutes. Nothing that we saw from him during the regular season showed that he was a legitimate option to start a game vs the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Especially considering how well documented his problems between his ears are.

 

[guymez]

Playing relief minutes against teams trying to maintain their multiple goal lead is totally different than starting a game though. I give him full credit for his game against the Kings, but the Vegas relief appearances were just stat padding minutes. Nothing that we saw from him during the regular season showed that he was a legitimate option to start a game vs the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Especially considering how well documented his problems between his ears are.

You really touched on the the heart of the issue with Campbell.
Imagine being a coach knowing full well that you have a player who is unstable between the ears and then still deciding to have that player determine the fortunes of the team.
Not going to happen. If a coach did that then he should be fired IMO.
Campbell screwed his opportunity with the team long before his very brief appearnace in the playoffs.

You dont undo the coaches (and the teams) lack of confidence in Campbell as an NHL goalie in a game or 2.
He needs a season and that ship has long sailed.

One of the worst UFA signings in Oilers (proabaly even NHL) history. He is the anti Zach Hyman.

IMO Campbell should never play another game for this team in the NHL. Pre-season included.
Good f**king riddance,...dont let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Campbell won the lottery with that $25M signing and he should spilt the winnings with Holland.
Then do us all a favor and call it a day in the NHL.

Nothing personal...its not Jack Campbell the person but Jack Campbell the player.
I wish him the best in his retirement on a beach in Florida.

 

[Pavel10]

To be fair to Woodcroft, he didn't have a Pickard to turn to like Knoblauch did. Campbell was quite possibly the worst goalie in the entire league last season and only made it 5 games this year before being banished to the AHL forever. He was never an option to start a playoff game.

Campbell has excellent playoff numbers Vs Vegas and stole us a rare overtime win.

Skinner was cooked. It didn't hurt to try Campbell.

 

[OilerTyler]

Campbell has excellent playoff numbers Vs Vegas and stole us a rare overtime win.

Skinner was cooked. It didn't hurt to try Campbell.

Campbell had excellent numbers against Vegas because of score effects.

Campbell was cooked from the second he put on an Oilers jersey. Keep in mind Skinner held Vegas to one goal against in two different games last playoffs. You know how many times Campbell held a playoff team to one goal or less last season? Zero.