Rumor: Paul Coffey Joining Oilers

[Shathar]

Am not sure what coffey's experience--playing in an era where 3/4's of the players on the ice were pylons--can offer a modern-day hockey player. Maybe there's a 'Hitchcock' mind / drive / analyst in there too. I hope so. Otherwise... ???

 

[MessierII]

Am not sure what coffey's experience--playing in an era where 3/4's of the players on the ice were pylons--can offer a modern-day hockey player. Maybe there's a 'Hitchcock' mind / drive / analyst in there too. I hope so. Otherwise... ???

Yeah no players from the 80’s/90’s are successful teachers of the game these days.......

 

[oobga]

Am not sure what coffey's experience--playing in an era where 3/4's of the players on the ice were pylons--can offer a modern-day hockey player. Maybe there's a 'Hitchcock' mind / drive / analyst in there too. I hope so. Otherwise... ???

You know how in a classroom there is usually at least 1 really smart kid. Maybe, just maybe, Coffey is that 1 person among the OBC


Just a side note, I wonder if the Oilers org are actually downplaying the role Coffey is going to have because they know how embarrassing it would be to say he is getting a lot of say with the team. After all the backlash and being made fun of after the hire was leaked to McKenzie, it sure quieted everything down by just saying he's a skills coach.

Principe tweeted a video of him out on the ice today chatting with Woodcroft.

 

[Fourier]

It sounds like his role is going to be on the development side with an emphasis on skills development. The focus will be on guys in BaK and in juniors. I have no issue with this.

 

[48g90a138pts]

So, to keep score. Since Coffey was apparently brought on board we have:

1) Lucic and Letestu off the 1st PP
2) Pulju is getting an english teacher

Keep it up Coffey!

3) All players are now wearing skates 2 sizes smaller.

Notice how much faster everyone looked last night? Genius!

Paul Coffey

 

[MettleMcOiler]

Welcome Back to the Oilers, Coffey!!

 

[MoneyGuy]

You know how in a classroom there is usually at least 1 really smart kid. Maybe, just maybe, Coffey is that 1 person among the OBC .

I'm sure ther are some smart people in that group but smart doesn't mean you can coach.

 

[rboomercat90]

I wonder how the fanbases of any of the other 30 NHL teams would've reacted to the news of their team bringing the 2nd highest scoring dman in NHL history onto the payroll to help teach skill development to the dman prospects under their wing. I'm betting it wouldn't be 1/10th as negative as what we're seeing here. But because it's Edmonton who did it, apparently it's solely a nepotism hiring of an uncredentialed hack who's only out to make some easy money.

It goes to show how toxic the relationship has become over time between the more passionate portion of the team's fanbase and the Boys on the Bus. Sadly, the team has done more than their fair share over the past 15 years to earn that ire.

If the Oilers can get positive results from hiring David Pelletier on to help teach skating, I don't see it as necessarily a bad thing to hire Paul Coffey to teach skills development to the young dmen just starting out their pro careers. My personal choice for such a hire would've been someone like Raymond Bourque (who had a similar role with the Bruins in '05 per Wikipedia), but he's ingrained into the Boston area with multiple activities so likely a non-starter there.

You are correct. It should be a good thing bringing former players back into the organization. I hope he makes a positive difference but there are a couple things that bother me here. The first one is that these ex Oilers haven’t been a help to the organization. The second thing is what I keep bringing up. Coffey hasn’t shown any interest in coaching professionally since he retired. Makes me question what his real motives are here. I want people who are 100% committed. I have a hard time believing he is. Hopefully I’m wrong.

 

[missinthejets]

It sounds like his role is going to be on the development side with an emphasis on skills development. The focus will be on guys in BaK and in juniors. I have no issue with this.

one of the things this team has lacked for quite a while is the ability to turn defensemen into guys who can provide offense, even guys who should have the tools to develop that side of their game never seem to get to that level, so I got no problems bringing in a specialist to try and foster some offensive ability in their D. It's very important in the NHL today to have D that can generate offense.

 

[RegDunlop]

Absolutely agree with Digger12 and rboomercat90

In fact I would love, and I'm sure many others would as well, a management consisting of what one poster stated - Lowe, MacT, Gretz, Mess, and Coff. Who wouldn't? The problem is that when tried, albeit not all of them, their arrogance, stubbornness and refusal to see that their decisions could be and were wrong, destroyed the team for a long time.
There is nothing wrong with this set up. It is indeed encouraging. But with The Oilers it is just gifted without merit or experience. You need to have some type of qualification outside of just being a good player to be able to handle these positions. Perhaps a start in lower leagues like most other teams do would be advised then I think fans would be more welcoming and less suspicious.

And for the record, I'm old enough to have just watched Bobbly Orr when I was a kid, fortunate enough to have watched Ray Boutique, but feel downright blessed to have witnessed Paul Coffey play. He remains the most beautiful fluid skater I've ever seen.

 

[McShogun99]

At least now we’re bringing in Former Oiler greats like Gretzky and Coffey. These are some of the greatest players of all time. Having them around can’t hurt.

 

[La Bamba]

I don't mind Coffey as a defence development coach... it's not like our current D coach is doing that great of a job. Maybe he can help Oscar pull his head out of his ass

 

[Canovin]

How do we make McDavid skate even faster?

Coffey: "hold my beer"

Gretzky chugs it

 

[Gret99zky]

View attachment 93625 View attachment 93625

Coffey example is the worst of Chronyism. A player that by his own admission had not visited Edmonton once by choice in the decades between his playing here and the Heritage Classic. That being the affinity and connection he had held with Edmonton, and the Edmonton Oilers. ) i.e.NONE, ZERO, NADA)Also, like all his contemporaries he was of course missing in action not contributing a dime (nor did ANY of the other Oilers alumni) or even make any appearance contribution to saving the team in the 90's.

Indeed the collective consciousness of this whole ex Oilers group was screw the team and city, its small market, if it can't exist, it can't exist.

They simply didn't care, most of them never did. Except to come back here when they needed a gig and paycheck.

This is the height and obscenity of hanger on entitlement. Guys that couldn't care if the city or team or org even still existed just ironically coming back here for some retirement coin.

makes me sick tbh

K Lowe and MacT, in their defense came here when the team needed something, to help the team. Coffey hasn't been affiliated with this team for 31yrs. Why is he here now?

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Lowe - GM
MacTavish - Assistant GM

Gretzky - Head Coach
Messier - Assistant
Coffey - Assistant

Sadly, I can almost see this happening. If anything close to this ever happens, I am out as an Oilers fan.

As much of a joke as that is, I think that’s an improvement over the current collection

 

[Bangers]

The only former Oilers I would ever like to see back in a coaching role would be:
- Weight - could be a good head coach after a few years of seasoning. Has paid his dues as an assistant and head coach.
- Ranford - proven track record as a goalie coach
- Huddy - proven track record as a D coach

 

[Mr Positive]

You are correct. It should be a good thing bringing former players back into the organization. I hope he makes a positive difference but there are a couple things that bother me here. The first one is that these ex Oilers haven’t been a help to the organization. The second thing is what I keep bringing up. Coffey hasn’t shown any interest in coaching professionally since he retired. Makes me question what his real motives are here. I want people who are 100% committed. I have a hard time believing he is. Hopefully I’m wrong.

the deciding factor here is Chia though.

He insisted on being made both President and GM just to avoid the situation he had in Boston where there were people from all angles who had authority over him in all kinds of decisions.

There's just no way he'd be okay with a situation where the owner hires a bunch of Oilers of the past, and then give them authority to affect the team however they wanted, or even to gang up to do it. I'd hope that OBC hires or non-firings are allowed to hang around and even to offer suggestions but it's all with Chia's blessing.

And for this one particular case, Coffey as a skills coach is hardly a problem.

 

[rboomercat90]

the deciding factor here is Chia though.

He insisted on being made both President and GM just to avoid the situation he had in Boston where there were people from all angles who had authority over him in all kinds of decisions.

There's just no way he'd be okay with a situation where the owner hires a bunch of Oilers of the past, and then give them authority to affect the team however they wanted, or even to gang up to do it. I'd hope that OBC hires or non-firings are allowed to hang around and even to offer suggestions but it's all with Chia's blessing.

And for this one particular case, Coffey as a skills coach is hardly a problem.

I suggested when Chiarelli was hired, after we saw Lowe and Mactavish retained, was what he was promised and what the reality of his situation actually is may be two different things. The only way we’d know for sure is if he left earlier than expected on his own accord. Coffey’s hiring seems like a decision made above his head to me. Who knows, maybe he’s just resigned himself to what the job really is because the price is right.

I’m not sure who, other than Katz and Lowe, would be interested in bringing in a 56 year old explayer with next to no professional coaching experience who just happens to be one of the boys on the bus. That it’s Paul Coffey is irrelevant. He was a phenomenal player but can he teach? We have no idea because he hasn’t shown any real interest in doing this in the 17 years since he retired. I’d rather be giving these jobs to guys who have already shown they can do them. Looks to me like this organization isn’t moving forward until all these guys are too old to actually be involved.

 

[Aerchon]

Katz has almost completed his collection.

Once he gets Kurri he will have them all laminated and hung in his new pad in LA.

 

[Mr Positive]

I suggested when Chiarelli was hired, after we saw Lowe and Mactavish retained, was what he was promised and what the reality of his situation actually is may be two different things. The only way we’d know for sure is if he left earlier than expected on his own accord. Coffey’s hiring seems like a decision made above his head to me. Who knows, maybe he’s just resigned himself to what the job really is because the price is right.

I’m not sure who, other than Katz and Lowe, would be interested in bringing in a 56 year old explayer with next to no professional coaching experience who just happens to be one of the boys on the bus. That it’s Paul Coffey is irrelevant. He was a phenomenal player but can he teach? We have no idea because he hasn’t shown any real interest in doing this in the 17 years since he retired. I’d rather be giving these jobs to guys who have already shown they can do them. Looks to me like this organization isn’t moving forward until all these guys are too old to actually be involved.

I'd only really agree with you if it were a case where Chiarelli had his candidate in mind, but Katz overruled him just to have another dynasty player on board. I doubt that's the case. Katz wants to build a winning team more than he wants to assemble the dynasty.

I can imagine that Katz partly wanted to hire Coffey just to assemble the dynasty (which has personal and professional benefits to him I'm sure), but even if it were a shallow hire, I'd also assume that Chiarelli wouldn't have an issue with. If it doesn't hurt anything to have him then why oppose it?

 

[PBandJ]

Another dynasty lackey hiring.

This organization is the worst.

 

[guymez]

I would have rather seen the team add Perry Pearn to the coaching staff but in reality this add is much ado about nothing. Its a peripheral role.
Amazing though just how much attention this has gotten. Nice little diversion for the team and its previously existing coaching staff.

 

[Spawn]

Coffey example is the worst of Chronyism. A player that by his own admission had not visited Edmonton once by choice in the decades between his playing here and the Heritage Classic. That being the affinity and connection he had held with Edmonton, and the Edmonton Oilers. ) i.e.NONE, ZERO, NADA)Also, like all his contemporaries he was of course missing in action not contributing a dime (nor did ANY of the other Oilers alumni) or even make any appearance contribution to saving the team in the 90's.

To be fair to Coffey (and most of the Oilers alumni), he was still playing NHL hockey in the 90's. Would be a bit weird for a guy playing hockey with another franchise having anything to do with the Oilers or the city of Edmonton. And there were 2 years between his retirement and the Heritage Classic. It's not like a lot of time went by where he would have been actively avoiding the city.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like the hire. But those are some odd expectations for a guy who was still playing hockey.

 

[rboomercat90]

To be fair to Coffey (and most of the Oilers alumni), he was still playing NHL hockey in the 90's. Would be a bit weird for a guy playing hockey with another franchise having anything to do with the Oilers or the city of Edmonton. And there were 2 years between his retirement and the Heritage Classic. It's not like a lot of time went by where he would have been actively avoiding the city.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like the hire. But those are some odd expectations for a guy who was still playing hockey.

I suspect Drivesatl is really thinking about Gretzky when he made that statement. That was the guy who ignored what was going on here during that time and made statements about the importance of saving hockey in the desert when he became part owner there. I understood why Gretzky said what he said back then but it really rubbed a lot of people here the wrong way. Those statements were made around the time the team was almost lost to Houston.

 

[Spawn]

I suspect Drivesatl is really thinking about Gretzky when he made that statement. That was the guy who ignored what was going on here during that time and made statements about the importance of saving hockey in the desert when he became part owner there. I understood why Gretzky said what he said back then but it really rubbed a lot of people here the wrong way. Those statements were made around the time the team was almost lost to Houston.

I was just a kid when this was all going on, but Gretzky was still playing in the NHL when Edmonton almost lost its team was he not? He didn’t become part owner of the coyotes until after?