Paul Coffey's top secret job with Oilers

[ForsbergForever]

In The Hockey News's recent Conversations with Legends issue, there's an interview with Paul Coffey that is frankly a pretty bizarre read from start to finish but this exchange stood out...

THN: Were you at the draft?
Coffey: Yeah, I was there. I was doing some work for the Oilers. I'm working for ownership. I got hired in January and it's been fun.
THN: What do they have you doing?
Coffey: If I told you I'd have to kill you. Everyone asks me that, and I tell them I don't need a title.
THN: Just generally speaking. You were a skills coach at one time, but are you mentoring guys? Are you an ambassador?
Coffey: If I said none of your business would that bother you?
THN: No.
Coffey: I'm not an ambassador. That's not a job. I report directly to Daryl (Katz) and it's fun. I told Daryl from Day 1 that I don't need a title.

The headline to the article even reads "...but don't ask him about his new role with the Oilers".

So what exactly is he doing that's so mysterious, procuring hookers for Katz?

Click to read more...

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

maybe he's broken new ground as a...

Coffey boy.

 

[Seattle King]

Based on the results in that organization, a smart owner would be using private consultants and advisors by now.
We already know he has people on his payroll who are consulting with his privates.

 

[SomeDude]

Isn’t Katz a fanboy for that era of Oilers players? Seems like a rich guy just paying a childhood hero to hang out with him.

 

[Rengorlex]

Yeah, probably paid to tell 80s Oilers stories and party with Katz. Terrible owner and a major reason why the organization continues to be an embarassment.

 

[HockeyVirus]

This feels like a sitcom that gets 1 season and is kinda ok but no one is sad got cancelled

 

[Enga Olly]

Clearly hired a great defenseman to teach the team to play great defense.

Can't argue with 4 cups and the great track record of old Oilers working for Edmonton. Smart move by a smart organization. Keep up the great work. May I suggest a position for Messier too - he seems like a smart guy

 

[SomeDude]

May I suggest a position for Messier too - he seems like a smart guy

Smartest guy in the room, just ask him.

 

[guzzy]

He is teaching them how to not play defence and hope you outscore your opponent.

 

[Bubbles]

Isn’t Katz a fanboy for that era of Oilers players? Seems like a rich guy just paying a childhood hero to hang out with him.

Some Oilers fans can weigh in, but didn't Katz literally hired Gretzky, Anderson and some other dynasty guys to sit around and drink wine? Wasn't called Fireside Chats or something?

 

[MarkusKetterer]

This feels like a sitcom that gets 1 season and is kinda ok but no one is sad got cancelled

It’s no Buddies with Dave Chappelle and Jim Breuer!

 

[PostBradMalone]

As said he’s being paid to be Katz’s buddy. That’s it. He offers absolutely nothing in the way of elite coaching or skills development and we’re probably better off not having him around the team on a formal basis.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Paul Coffey has always come across as an asshole.

Isn’t Katz a fanboy for that era of Oilers players? Seems like a rich guy just paying a childhood hero to hang out with him.

Oiler fans have been saying this since he took the team over.

Yeah, probably paid to tell 80s Oilers stories and party with Katz. Terrible owner and a major reason why the organization continues to be an embarassment.

partially true, the Oilers as an organization despite who owns it as always had a hard on for former player who played here during the glory years.

 

[Roof Daddy]

It’s really getting embarrassing at this point. I think the worst part is that Katz seems to think that players of this generation actually give a shit about a powerhouse team from the 80’s. Like today’s player - the ones that have had personal trainers and nutritionists since their early teens - can learn something from players that decided working out two weeks before training camp started was considered dedicated.

Guy Lafleur would smoke a dart during intermission. Mario Lemieux was allegedly a 2 pack a day smoker early in his career. Grant Fuhr would put on 20lbs in the first month of the off-season, then spend the next month trying to snort himself skinny.

Unless it’s a former player that has actually pursued coaching since their playing career ended, there is almost nothing a player from the 80’s could offer to a current player for advice.

 

[MCR74]

He is teaching them how to not play defence and hope you outscore your opponent.

I'd say this is a fair assessment.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Get him on the ice, Coach.

Can't be much worse than Nursey right?

 

[MCR74]

Get him on the ice, Coach.

Can't be much worse than Nursey right?

He'd also cost a lot less.

 

[tabness]

Paul Coffey was criminally underpaid when he actually played for the Oilers so good for him to earn some easy money

 

[MCR74]

Paul Coffey was criminally underpaid when he actually played for the Oilers so good for him to earn some easy money

Especially compared to Nurse, who is criminally overpaid.

 

[tabness]

Especially compared to Nurse, who is criminally overpaid.

lol he musta asked "can I have something like Nurse's job?"

 

[SomeDude]

Paul Coffey was criminally underpaid when he actually played for the Oilers so good for him to earn some easy money

I’m not sure if you would say it was so easy if you knew all the creepy rich guy stuff that likely goes on behind the scenes.

 

[93LEAFS]

The last thing you want if your a GM is former players having direct lines to ownership, but this seems to be what Katz bought the Oilers for. For downtown development and to hang out with dynasty Oilers players.

 

[jetsforever]

Kind of a weird response but he's still Paul Coffey so probably doesn't hurt to have him around

 

[Three On Zero]

Not really much of a secret, Katz is known for paying his childhood idols to help manage the Oilers

 

[Mez]

He's obviously an assassin...