Paul Coffey's top secret job with Oilers

[jcs0218]

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.

Are you trying to say that Kevin Lowe can't teach a player how to be a winner?

 

[The Panther]

The "Old Boys' Club" issue with the Oilers pretty much ended about 4-5 (?) years ago, so I don't think that's really an issue anymore. They've long since gotten over that hump. The key moment was the severing of Kevin Lowe's degree of power over the team. (He's effectively retired now.)

Some ex-Oilers have had excellent results with the club. Lowe himself was the GM when they nearly won the Cup in 2006, but thereafter he was hobbled by his enormous ego (see: Battles with Brian Burke; the press conference from hell) and his crony-hires (see: ex-Canuck Steve Tambellini, the most baffling and pointless GM hire in Oilers' history).

Craig Simpson's (1987-1993 Oiler) brief tenure as an assistant coach was well received, and of course Charlie Huddy for several of the past dozen years was one of the more respected assistant coaches around the League (notably in Winnipeg, which had considerable success when he was around). He was one the Oilers' let get away just when they could have used him.

Craig MacTavish (latter-half dynasty player; also on great clubs in Boston and New York) was arguably the 2nd greatest coach in Oilers' history (he or John Muckler). He was hired as GM by Lowe and lasted about 15 minutes in the position. During this time, he managed to draft Draisaitl (major win) and hire Dallas Eakins (epic fail), the latter of which sealed his doom. But MacTavish is a great hockey mind and I think he probably would have had success as a GM if he hadn't hired Eakins. That was the hire from hell.

Anyway, the "Old Boys' Club" country-club atmosphere seemed to end, as I said, about 4-5 years ago and not a moment too soon. The one complete dead-weight fossil whose existence still tries the patience of the faithful fan is not an ex-dynasty Oiler but rather Bob Nicholson. I have yet to figure out what he does and he's been on the job for six years. He makes horrible speeches sometimes, to the media, at the end of seasons.

Paul Coffey, I think, is a different animal from the Gretzky-Lowe type who drinks the wine and toes the company line. Coffey has always been an outside-the-box personality who doesn't shy away from saying what he thinks, something the Oilers need more of. I was a little concerned when they hired him as a PP-consultant a few years ago (shades of "old boy syndrome" yet again), but he kept a very low profile and, after all, their PP suddenly became historically great, so no complaints! I suspect that Coffey himself is well aware of the suspicion certain fans have over his presence, so he doesn't want a title or to be a visible part of the management group (which he isn't).

 

[Three On Zero]

The "Old Boys' Club" issue with the Oilers pretty much ended about 4-5 (?) years ago, so I don't think that's really an issue anymore. They've long since gotten over that hump. The key moment was the severing of Kevin Lowe's degree of power over the team. (He's effectively retired now.)

Some ex-Oilers have had excellent results with the club. Lowe himself was the GM when they nearly won the Cup in 2006, but thereafter he was hobbled by his enormous ego (see: Battles with Brian Burke; the press conference from hell) and his crony-hires (see: ex-Canuck Steve Tambellini, the most baffling and pointless GM hire in Oilers' history).

Craig Simpson's (1987-1993 Oiler) brief tenure as an assistant coach was well received, and of course Charlie Huddy for several of the past dozen years was one of the more respected assistant coaches around the League (notably in Winnipeg, which had considerable success when he was around). He was one the Oilers' let get away just when they could have used him.

Craig MacTavish (latter-half dynasty player; also on great clubs in Boston and New York) was arguably the 2nd greatest coach in Oilers' history (he or John Muckler). He was hired as GM by Lowe and lasted about 15 minutes in the position. During this time, he managed to draft Draisaitl (major win) and hire Dallas Eakins (epic fail), the latter of which sealed his doom. But MacTavish is a great hockey mind and I think he probably would have had success as a GM if he hadn't hired Eakins. That was the hire from hell.

Anyway, the "Old Boys' Club" country-club atmosphere seemed to end, as I said, about 4-5 years ago and not a moment too soon. The one complete dead-weight fossil whose existence still tries the patience of the faithful fan is not an ex-dynasty Oiler but rather Bob Nicholson. I have yet to figure out what he does and he's been on the job for six years. He makes horrible speeches sometimes, to the media, at the end of seasons.

Paul Coffey, I think, is a different animal from the Gretzky-Lowe type who drinks the wine and toes the company line. Coffey has always been an outside-the-box personality who doesn't shy away from saying what he thinks, something the Oilers need more of. I was a little concerned when they hired him as a PP-consultant a few years ago (shades of "old boy syndrome" yet again), but he kept a very low profile and, after all, their PP suddenly became historically great, so no complaints! I suspect that Coffey himself is well aware of the suspicion certain fans have over his presence, so he doesn't want a title or to be a visible part of the management group (which he isn't).

That’s a lot of writing to try and disprove what we can all see, the “Old Boys Club” is definitely still alive and kicking within the Oilers organizations

 

[tabness]

The "Old Boys' Club" issue with the Oilers pretty much ended about 4-5 (?) years ago, so I don't think that's really an issue anymore. They've long since gotten over that hump. The key moment was the severing of Kevin Lowe's degree of power over the team. (He's effectively retired now.)

Some ex-Oilers have had excellent results with the club. Lowe himself was the GM when they nearly won the Cup in 2006, but thereafter he was hobbled by his enormous ego (see: Battles with Brian Burke; the press conference from hell) and his crony-hires (see: ex-Canuck Steve Tambellini, the most baffling and pointless GM hire in Oilers' history).

Craig Simpson's (1987-1993 Oiler) brief tenure as an assistant coach was well received, and of course Charlie Huddy for several of the past dozen years was one of the more respected assistant coaches around the League (notably in Winnipeg, which had considerable success when he was around). He was one the Oilers' let get away just when they could have used him.

Craig MacTavish (latter-half dynasty player; also on great clubs in Boston and New York) was arguably the 2nd greatest coach in Oilers' history (he or John Muckler). He was hired as GM by Lowe and lasted about 15 minutes in the position. During this time, he managed to draft Draisaitl (major win) and hire Dallas Eakins (epic fail), the latter of which sealed his doom. But MacTavish is a great hockey mind and I think he probably would have had success as a GM if he hadn't hired Eakins. That was the hire from hell.

Anyway, the "Old Boys' Club" country-club atmosphere seemed to end, as I said, about 4-5 years ago and not a moment too soon. The one complete dead-weight fossil whose existence still tries the patience of the faithful fan is not an ex-dynasty Oiler but rather Bob Nicholson. I have yet to figure out what he does and he's been on the job for six years. He makes horrible speeches sometimes, to the media, at the end of seasons.

Paul Coffey, I think, is a different animal from the Gretzky-Lowe type who drinks the wine and toes the company line. Coffey has always been an outside-the-box personality who doesn't shy away from saying what he thinks, something the Oilers need more of. I was a little concerned when they hired him as a PP-consultant a few years ago (shades of "old boy syndrome" yet again), but he kept a very low profile and, after all, their PP suddenly became historically great, so no complaints! I suspect that Coffey himself is well aware of the suspicion certain fans have over his presence, so he doesn't want a title or to be a visible part of the management group (which he isn't).

Very reasonable. Almost too reasonable... How much the Oil paying you to distract from their true goal to make Darnell Nurse the first winner of the Paul Coffey Memorial award?

 

[The Panther]

That’s a lot of writing to try and disprove what we can all see, the “Old Boys Club” is definitely still alive and kicking within the Oilers organizations

Besides Coffey (who doesn't even have a title and lives in Ontario), who else is "alive and kicking"?

 

[Canovin]

He’s the guy who gets Coffey for the team

 

[hamzarocks]

is he working on the new design for the Paul Coffee Memorial Trophy?

 

[The Panther]

He’s the guy who gets Coffey for the team

is he working on the new design for the Paul Coffee Memorial Trophy?

I believe both jokes were already made earlier on this thread.

You guys have got to be faster.

 

[hamzarocks]

I believe both jokes were already made earlier on this thread.

You guys have got to be faster.

damn it, I had thought that particular HF board's knowledge would be more obscure.

 

[Three On Zero]

damn it, I had thought that particular HF board's knowledge would be more obscure.

Helping design the Daryl Katz Excellence Award, or scheming how they can stop Ovechkin from breaking Gretzky’s record

 

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

He seem to be doing the same job as VL with the Habs

 

[Terry Yake]

so katz is paying coffey just to hangout with him?

 

[SwedishFire]

Ggofe

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

maybe they pay him to hang out with mcdavid and laugh about how much easier hockey is when you skate faster than everybody else

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Helping design the Daryl Katz Excellence Award, or scheming how they can stop Ovechkin from breaking Gretzky’s record

Man, the Oilers brass sure love their awards don't they?
I mean, their fans love the awards too, I guess since their team can't seem to get past the second round what else do they have right?

 

[The Panther]

Man, the Oilers brass sure love their awards don't they?
I mean, their fans love the awards too, I guess since their team can't seem to get past the second round what else do they have right?

Your joke might have worked if the Oilers hadn't gotten past the second round last spring.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

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.

It’s 100% this.

 

[ItWasJustified]

Coffey: If I told you I'd have to kill you.

 

[muddywaters]

Good on Coffey helping out his old team .... like to see Katz bring Ryan Smyth into the fold .

 

[Daimon]

Sinecure job.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

He's McDavid's personal psychologist, tasked with trying to keep him on the team.

 

[Coffey]

I mean, their fans love the awards too, I guess since their team can't seem to get past the second round what else do they have right?

lol Do you even watch hockey?

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

Under the radar death threat to journalist for being asked what he does for work

 

[Duder54]

As an Oilers fan, this is shocking.

Not.

 

[Number 57]

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.

I watched a documentary about the 72 Summit Series, Phil Esposito basically said they used to hang around drinking beer all summer and would use Septembre and October to get back into shape. One other guy even said NHLers back then did not hit their peak physical shape UNTIL THE PLAYOFFS lol

They said the Russians used to work out 11 months a year, that's why they were basically skating circles around team Canada in those first couple of games