Proposal: Ralph Krueger as an Associate Coach

Trafalgar Sadge Law

Registered User
Nov 8, 2007
11,538
7,033
Anyone else want Ralph Krueger back as an associate coach focusing on special teams? The guy at least knows how a power play and a penalty kill work unlike Keith Acton, who puts players in positions where even I know they don't belong, see: Yakupov, Nail. Not to mention jettisoning Keith means Will goes with him.
 
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guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
34,567
15,155
Kruger would never take the position and the optics would look terrible.
 

Starbuds

You like muscles?
Mar 28, 2010
2,805
48
That would be nice. Won't happen though. Can't embarrass a guy like that and ask for him to come back.
 

fancy dan

too many losing
Jun 21, 2011
1,028
428
yes. i feel like the rhetoric around eakins is the exact same as it was last year for krueger.
 

CanadianSuperPromise

Registered User
Aug 21, 2012
2,584
15
I want him back as a head coach, at least until Eakins can get his head wrapped around this team.

Let's look at the facts:

Last year Krueger:

- did not have a training camp
- had only 48 games to prove himself
- PRV instead of Perron
- Whitney instead of Belov
- Horcoff instead of Gordon
- Belanger instead of say Arcobello
- injured RNH
- injured Eberle
- Tambo
- Condensed, Squished Schedule
- Green rookies in crucial spots.


And we still almost made the playoffs, could've made it if it wasn't for the lack of heart this team has.
 
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StoveTopStauffer

Registered User
Apr 6, 2012
5,914
1,962
Kruger should have never been fired and Eakins should have been brought on as the associate coach.

Associate coach of fruit trays and sometimes fitness buff.


On a serious note, Acton is a horrendous coach so far if he is the one most involved with the pp.
 

StoveTopStauffer

Registered User
Apr 6, 2012
5,914
1,962
A smart coach would be studying the special teams videos from last year and finding a way to extrapolate information to make his own system better overall. But boy I didn't think it was quite this bad. I mean this is going back to basics.
 
Jun 22, 2009
2,290
0
I really despised the style the Oilers played under Krueger but I thought firing him after 48 games and bringing in another rookie coach was beyond stupid.
 

Mr Forever

The Oilers :(
Nov 18, 2010
13,283
1
COLLEGE
In hindsight, Kreuger should have been kept on and Eakins could have been made as an associate. Then again, removing a coach is fairly common when a new GM comes in and we weren't thrilled with him last year at all. He sure as hell didn't hold players accountable.
 

Bank Shot

Registered User
Jan 18, 2006
11,730
7,525
A smart coach would be studying the special teams videos from last year and finding a way to extrapolate information to make his own system better overall. But boy I didn't think it was quite this bad. I mean this is going back to basics.

I think some of it is the lack of quality PK personal provided by management.

Out-Horcoff, Petrell, Belanger. Those guys were all quality PKers. They replaced Horcoff with Gordon, but didn't find adequate replacements for the others.

This season Eakins hasn't been using Smyth or Jones at all and they were useful pieces in a strong PK last year. Instead he's using poor performers like Acton, Eberle, and Arcobello.

That could be a bigger part of the puzzle then the systems.
 
Oct 30, 2011
7,526
3
seems extremely unlikely that they would bring him back(and that he would even consider it)

and I don't want to cater to players that liked Krueger.

that's a step in the wrong direction

I don't think Keith Acton is the end-all be-all of associate coaches though, that's for sure.
 

Burnt Biscuits

Registered User
May 2, 2010
9,279
3,412
In hindsight, Kreuger should have been kept on and Eakins could have been made as an associate. Then again, removing a coach is fairly common when a new GM comes in and we weren't thrilled with him last year at all. He sure as hell didn't hold players accountable.
I don't think Eakins and Krueger would of meshed well, they have very different coaching philosophy's. Mac T was right Eakins is more of a head coach kind of guy, I think Ralph being the associate would work better than the opposite, he's a little more of the positive upbeat guy, who could pick up the pieces of the guys Eakin's is a bit harder on (like Yakupov for example).
 

oilinblood

Registered User
Aug 8, 2009
4,906
0
i would think Eakins needs a competent staff around him. It is one thing i have felt since he decided to keep everyone around. To me Kreuger, as others have stated, was a good systems guy and what you would want from an assistant coach. It would not be good to demote a coach so a clean break is fine, and best, but Eakins really needs a better staff around him.

I dont think Eakins is the problem. Ever since the Eakins hiring... i have felt MacT wished he had had control before Kreugers placement. There was something he said in the interviews that led me to believe MacT never thought Kreuger was a head coach but that was the organizations fault and not Ralphs. From my point of view the handling of Kreuger was intelligent. ou cant demote the guy and have him work under another coach...ESPECIALLY A ROOKIE NHL Head coach he can perhaps undermine out of spite. It wouldnt be healthy to ANYONE.

I think the organization better, or Eakins better, start looking for better assistants who can do what assistants are supposed to do; take their units and bond and coddle while imlementing the systems plays of head coach, focussing solely on their responsibilities.
 

Broilers

Registered User
May 31, 2007
1,504
64
Bakersfield
I dont think Eakins is the problem. Ever since the Eakins hiring...

Eakins is not going to be here next season if he will not get close to 86-90 pts season. Which is in my opinion still reachable target. It is not reasonable to think that Oilers will make play offs.
 

nullterm

Registered User
Dec 8, 2007
2,559
0
Port Moody, BC
Eakins is not going to be here next season if he will not get close to 86-90 pts season. Which is in my opinion still reachable target. It is not reasonable to think that Oilers will make play offs.

Mark Messier is currently "special advisor." We'll see how long that title lasts. Oilers brass love to cut off outsiders and replace with their boy.
 

Quinteoilers

Registered User
Jan 7, 2012
612
24
RK should have never been head coach in the first place. His niche is PP and PK. Just like in football there are fantastic AC and DC but terrible HC. After renney was fired, a veteran HC should have been brought in. And Eakins should have been brought into the fold this year to strengthen the coaching.
 

AJGass4

Registered User
Aug 19, 2011
954
0
Neither Eakins or Krueger would agree to being assistant coaches. It was all or nothing and that's why he isn't here any longer.

Don't remember where I read it but I did. Eakins is an arrogant little thing so I suppose MacT liked his attitude more.

Funny, he slams Yak and he has the same type of personality.
 

Wheathead

Formally a McRib
Apr 4, 2008
4,635
5
Saskatoon
People really think we'll fire another coach if the Oilers don't make the playoffs? That's insane. Step away from the glue.

Eakins will be given the chance to develop as a coach. We don't need the club to learn yet another system under another coach.
 

Stoneman89

Registered User
Feb 8, 2008
28,398
23,886
People really think we'll fire another coach if the Oilers don't make the playoffs? That's insane. Step away from the glue.

Eakins will be given the chance to develop as a coach. We don't need the club to learn yet another system under another coach.

Never say never with this oerganization. They've done some pretty amazingly stupid things for a long time.

For the record, I thought Krueger got the short end of the stick last year, for reasons that were stated in excellent point form. But with a new GM, he is going to pick his own guy. I only hope Eakins learns to adapt and is given a better chance to succeed than Krueger was ever given.

And finally, to answer the question, Krueger would never come back here as an assistant after the way things went down, and the Oilers under MacT would never bring him back. To this point, he's remained classy and refused to gloat over their demise, while he remains competent enough to be on the payroll of Team Canada.
 

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