Jay Woodcroft Appreciation Thread

[VainGretzky]

Although I questioned his coaching decisions here at times, he was the best coach the Oilers have had in the McDrai era, I personally think this is a mistake,but many will disagree, time will tell

 

[BudBundy]

Overall, I think it was a mistake to dump him, especiall to have Paul f***ing Coffey behind the bench. That said, Woody at the end wasnt the same quality of coach as he was at the start. He was basically doing the same dumb things Tippett was doing. Loading up McDrai and running their wheels off while refusing the play the bottom six and kids. Make no mistake, our bottom six is more talented than we’ve had for years and it’s the 6 minutes of ice time that is making them incapable of pushing a drop. He obviously didn’t handle the change to zone defence well at all because they players are just refusing to commit to anything. Or something else is going on causing this ridiculous regression. I guess we’ll see, but Knoblauch isn’t a magic wand that will make these brainless losers play a 200 foot game.

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

The team didn't quit on him.

They just couldn't find a goalie that wasn't allergic to rubber.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Sorry you had to be the latest fall guy for the org, Jay.

 

[FlameChampion]

The good news is for him, is that someone else will scoop him up.

 

[TheNumber4]

Woody got scapegoated for the failures of management in building this Roster.

The players didn’t want this. They wanted to play for Woody and were doing just that. Woodys track record suggests a successful coach that shouldn’t have been fired. Even within this losing streak there were signs what he’s doing is working and will revert back to norm like we saw with Seattle where we finally got some puck luck, Skinner finally made the saves he should have, and the D stopped trying to be Paul Coffey and simplified their games.

 

[Stoneman89]

Thankyou Jay for your 2 years and a bit of service for the organization. And also for taking the heat for my incompetence.

Signed,

Your friend Kenny

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

The Oilers management is a complete clown show. Not Woody's fault. I hope he finds his footing in another organization and enjoys success.

 

[NedPlimpton]

I have no beef with Woodcroft. think he's been good for the team and I'm sure he'll land elsewhere and continue being a good coach.

It was just one of those situations where everyone has sucked/the stake are high and he was going to be the one to go because that's often how it shakes out.

 

[rickysusedsht]

Record high season for many players, playoffs back to back, highest scoring team in the NHL despite incompetent management. Players that don't feel like showing up for 60...solution fire the coach . Sorry Jay and Dave go out with your heads high while others can hide there's in shame

 

[McFlash97]

Compared to what they hired.. it is a mistake.

 

[Mr Positive]

He seemed to do a lot of good here.

He came across as a very player oriented coach, who likely helped young guys hit their potential. We criticized him for his usage of Skinner, Holloway, and Bouchard, but in the end all these players hit their potential. I think he did good for Broberg as well, and his sluggish development is more on him.

 

[29Beast97Mode]

To quote Jay "It's a results orientated business and we're not getting results." Not just his fault but the head coach is usually the fall guy for everybody else in the organization. He'll be back in the league very soon but probably as an assistant coach.

 

[Mr Kot]

While I was a bit skepticle, he did do some good here for a few years.

Holland should have been the one to go last year.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

I will always wonder if Campbell would have gotten hot and we could have won the cup last year. We will never know. Good coach but he deserved to get fired for the playoffs last year imo

 

[brentashton]

Compared to what they hired.. it is a mistake.

Amen brother.

He seemed to do a lot of good here.

He came across as a very player oriented coach, who likely helped young guys hit their potential. We criticized him for his usage of Skinner, Holloway, and Bouchard, but in the end all these players hit their potential. I think he did good for Broberg as well, and his sluggish development is more on him.

If Skinner Bouchard andHolloway have already hit their potential, that’s just plain sad.

 

[Mr Positive]

Amen brother.


If Skinner Bouchard andHolloway have already hit their potential, that’s just plain sad.

I did write that a bit wrong. I just meant that they didn't bust. They are looking good and trending upwards. That isn't entirely normal. Young players bust all the time. The league cycles through lots of young players every year.

 

[brentashton]

I did write that a bit wrong. I just meant that they didn't bust. They are looking good and trending upwards. That isn't entirely normal. Young players bust all the time. The league cycles through lots of young players every year.

I can only respond to what I read.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

He took out a heavily favored Flames team and knocked his mentor out of the playoffs twice.

Kenny put him behind the 8-ball by not giving him a full 23 man roster to work with.

Yeah he had flaws but we all do. I genuinely feel bad for him.

 

[MoontoScott]

Thanks to JW for taking the team to the final 4 and the final 8 in successive seasons. A lot of teams in the NHL would love to be able to make that claim.

 

[Metalwood]

Outside observer here, Woodcroft was highly rated this change doesn’t seem like an upgrade - AHL coach and Paul Coffee?

What about a new goalie coach?

 

[MessierII]

Curious if Ottawa scoops him. Don’t think they’ve hired a permanent guy. Staois connection.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

He took some very flawed rosters on some good runs both regular season and playoffs, including saving our season in 2021-22. Was he perfect as a coach? No, but his record as the Oilers coach speaks for itself and it sucks that he had to be the fall guy for management's incompetence.

 

[Oilers333]

Winning at a .650 clip is pretty impressive and a lot of people outside of Oilers world are seriously questioning wtf is going on here. To be fair a lot of people inside Oilers world are wondering as well. He bungled the goalie situation in the playoffs bigtime and I wonder if that had anything to do with what has transpired the first month of this season. Its all seems a little fishy. Now Mcdavids junior coach is hired...conspiracy's are running rampant right now.

 

[MoontoScott]

Outside observer here, Woodcroft was highly rated this change doesn’t seem like an upgrade - AHL coach and Paul Coffee?

What about a new goalie coach?

I agree that its absurd to say let's fire our head coach who has had 2 playoff runs but refuse to fire a guy who has made a complete mess of the goaltending situation. Fire Woody--ok maybe its justified --but this other guy seems to have diplomatic immunity or something.