Todd Nelson report card
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Mr Positive
Cap Crunch Incoming
- Nov 20, 2013
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B+
Pros:
Cons:
edit: and to be clear, this is very early. For all we know the wheels could fall off, and the team psyche is fragile. Our GM says that the improvement is more about personnel than coaching (although maybe 1% of fans believe that)
Pros:
- 8-8-2 (vs 7-22-7)
- new lines of chemistry emerging (eg Schultz-Klefbom)
- revitalized play of individuals (eg Eberle)
- better player usage (eg Yakupov)
Cons:
- team still lacks identity
- difficult time adjusting to injuries
edit: and to be clear, this is very early. For all we know the wheels could fall off, and the team psyche is fragile. Our GM says that the improvement is more about personnel than coaching (although maybe 1% of fans believe that)
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ohheyhemsky
Regehr DooDoo
It's really hard to tell. The team isn't giving up as much as it has this last decade which was a huge issue. No heart or effort for most of the games in the season.
Also, the team seems genuinely happier to play under him. We're seeing great play out of Yakupov and Eberle under Nelson, and Klefbom has evolved as well. It's been a pleasant surprise.
GF and GA are better, and his win record in 12 games was better than Eakins in 30. The systems are better, and actually work in the NHL as opposed to never released version of AHL 2k6 strategies that Eakins tried to administer. Seriously, Eakins was the worst thing to happen to NHL coaching in decades.
That said, you still see a lot of stink in their play. A lot of dysfunctional play and old issues that we saw under Eakins. That may be due to the "Eakins," rubbing off or it may just be that the players still aren't good enough.
There's been an improvement, but I can confidently speak for the rest of HFOil when I say that an incontinent, blind monkey could do a better job than good ole' Dallas.
Also, the team seems genuinely happier to play under him. We're seeing great play out of Yakupov and Eberle under Nelson, and Klefbom has evolved as well. It's been a pleasant surprise.
GF and GA are better, and his win record in 12 games was better than Eakins in 30. The systems are better, and actually work in the NHL as opposed to never released version of AHL 2k6 strategies that Eakins tried to administer. Seriously, Eakins was the worst thing to happen to NHL coaching in decades.
That said, you still see a lot of stink in their play. A lot of dysfunctional play and old issues that we saw under Eakins. That may be due to the "Eakins," rubbing off or it may just be that the players still aren't good enough.
There's been an improvement, but I can confidently speak for the rest of HFOil when I say that an incontinent, blind monkey could do a better job than good ole' Dallas.
Whiston532
Registered User
He's turned what was being at times considered an all-time worst team into a near .500 team.
Much remains to be seen if he can be great. But he's showing he's atleast an actual NHL coach. Which this team was lacking.
Much remains to be seen if he can be great. But he's showing he's atleast an actual NHL coach. Which this team was lacking.
Shootout wins have inflated his record but he clearly has the Oilers playing better than the ridiculous mess they were under Eakins.
Mr Positive
Cap Crunch Incoming
- Nov 20, 2013
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True, but even if it were 4-8-6 instead (all SO lost), we still battled back in those SO games in order to reach that point. Like the Sharks game, where we were leading by two to start the third when we lost Hall and Pouliot (our top six LWers), and then the Sharks took the lead, but we came back to tie it. Off the cuff I would say all our SO wins were like that. Eakins era was just like that except for the part where we came back. We also had regulation wins against the Hawks and Islanders, not just Buffalo. Our worst losses were against the Leafs and Pens, but in general we've looked better in our losses. Based on the other pluses for Nelson, I would still give him his same score, or at least still a B.
He has been great. He rarely makes decisions that leave you scratching your head like Eakins did.
Skeptics will chalk it up to the new coach effect but you can tell even by the post game interviews, it isn't as toxic now as it was with Eakins. You don't see players calling each other out in post game scrums etc..
Guys like Klefbom and Lander are having success under him as he coached them in OKC. If it wasn't for all of the injuries I think his record would be even better.
I'd be ok with giving him another year if their isn't a better coach willing to come here.
Skeptics will chalk it up to the new coach effect but you can tell even by the post game interviews, it isn't as toxic now as it was with Eakins. You don't see players calling each other out in post game scrums etc..
Guys like Klefbom and Lander are having success under him as he coached them in OKC. If it wasn't for all of the injuries I think his record would be even better.
I'd be ok with giving him another year if their isn't a better coach willing to come here.
1989
Registered User
- Aug 3, 2010
- 10,475
- 4,140
Pros:
- 8-8-2 (vs 7-22-7)
- new lines of chemistry emerging (eg Schultz-Klefbom)
- revitalized play of individuals (eg Eberle)
- better player usage (eg Yakupov)
- IS ACTUALLY REALLY NOT DALLAS EAKINS, FOR REAL.
Cons:
- team still lacks identity
- difficult time adjusting to injuries
edit: and to be clear, this is very early. For all we know the wheels could fall off, and the team psyche is fragile. Our GM says that the improvement is more about personnel than coaching (although maybe 1% of fans believe that)
Would have honestly thought that one of the "pros" was just the literal, statistical fact that Nelson isn't Eakins.
So I fixed it for you.
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oilers_guy_eddie
Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!?
In love? I said the Oilers need an experienced NHL coach, I was never in love with Nelson. I think, as a whole, the Oilers fan base was in love with the idea of getting Eakins out of here.
That being said, he has done a decent job fixing what Dallas Eakins destroyed. Coming off having the worst coach in franchise history, there was nowhere to go but up and Nelson has been fine.
Shanahanigans
Registered User
- Jun 16, 2011
- 2,516
- 2,591
Impressive seeing as how he only has 2 top 6 forwards with Perron gone and Hall and Pouliot injured. Check out the Oilers roster, its horrendous from top to bottom. Genuinely impressed that he is getting them to around .500 hockey. But we have to see how long its gonna last. Strong possibility its just a mirage. All the pressure is off and the team is playing for nothing. We'll see his real worth next October.
KaseMeOutside
Based
- Oct 18, 2011
- 44,274
- 10,193
janecky
Registered User
Pretty embarrassing for MacTavish to still be trying to justify his Eakins mistake. He cited even Lander when he made his point about Nelson having better playing personnel available. Eakins had Perron and a healthy Hall, but I guess those are marginal players. MacTavish is a bullshipper, plain and simple. The real difference is that Nelson is getting more out of players like Lander than Eakins ever could. Eakins was bad for the organization, not only weren't the results there but a lot of players stagnated or even regressed on his watch. That the GM is saying that junk in the media doesn't really make me optimistic about the Oilers' future.
oilers_guy_eddie
Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!?
Schultz in particular looks a lot better since Nelson took over. It's scary that we've gone from trying to develop players as we were before Eakins arrived, to at this point trying to salvage them.
It's hard to know what to make Of MacTavish's comments. Is he really that delusional, or is he just saying that crap to try to justify keeping Eakins as long as he did?
And if he's convinced that his roster moves are what has made the difference, why didn't he do it sooner? He added two guys who were on waivers, one AHL call-up, and a guy the Penguins threw in to the Perron trade. Wow. Bold moves, Craig. The only thing preventing him from doing this stuff sooner was his refusal to admit that he was wrong to go into the season with Marco Arco and Draisaitl as our #2 and #3 centers. His own big fat ego prevented him from improving that situation sooner, just as his ego was what made him cling to the Dallas Eakins experiment for as long as he did. Too proud to admit that his one real "bold move" was an unmitigated disaster.
oil Leaks
The Ultimate Decoy
- Jul 5, 2011
- 3,818
- 3,561
oXo Cube
Power Play Merchant
It's hard to argue about how good Nelson is one way or the other considering that he is replacing the equivalent of a blind orangutan.
Also he has a C level suit game. Needs to stop wearing extremely ugly ties.
Also he has a C level suit game. Needs to stop wearing extremely ugly ties.
Aceboogie
Registered User
- Aug 25, 2012
- 32,649
- 3,896
B or so.
Underlying numbers are below 50% CF and inflated PDO, so bit of luck getting him to .500. However hes gotten wins without Hall and Pouliot.
The biggest impact is that players that faltered under Eakins are excelling under him.
J. Schultz looks good again and putting up good numbers
Klefbom looks like a stud and a bluechip young D
Eberle looks elite
Yakupov looks engerized and pretty good
I wanted him back in the day over Eakins, but hes a really good coach. He doesn't support the tank and will coach to a .500 record the rest of the way out
Underlying numbers are below 50% CF and inflated PDO, so bit of luck getting him to .500. However hes gotten wins without Hall and Pouliot.
The biggest impact is that players that faltered under Eakins are excelling under him.
J. Schultz looks good again and putting up good numbers
Klefbom looks like a stud and a bluechip young D
Eberle looks elite
Yakupov looks engerized and pretty good
I wanted him back in the day over Eakins, but hes a really good coach. He doesn't support the tank and will coach to a .500 record the rest of the way out
The Nuge
Some say…
He's been great. I'd agree with the B+ assessment. He actually understands that when someone makes a mistake, you can't bench them for the rest of the game, and when someone is having a good game, they should get more minutes. It's crazy to think that that's an exciting concept for us, but Eakins refused to adjust.
Aceboogie
Registered User
- Aug 25, 2012
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Eakins has one of the lowest PDOs in the league, he was very unlucky. I am not saying we should have kept Eakins, as it was apparent he couldnt develop players. But Nelsons numbers are indicative of a playoff team... yet. I think once he gets 30 games with the core he can develop them into a solid team who can play in all 3 zones.
He did great things in OKC and developed some players exceling on the Oilers now (Lander, Klefbom) and potentially in the future (Yakimov, Davidson, Marincin, Parakian)
MikeModano9
Registered User
You know what I like about having Nelson. The post game interviews don't just spew arrogance and spite like Eakins. Those post game interviews with Eakins were down right embarrassing.
Unlimited Chequing
Christian Yellow
Is the general consensus among Oilers fans that they'd be okay with him coming back another year? Just as a peripheral watcher, the teams seems to be playing noticeably better since he took over. I mean, let's be realistic. Babcock is NOT going to Edmonton next season.
You guys who actually believe shooting % and save % are just blind luck make me shake my head. Corsi + PDO is the stupidest coaching philosophy the Oilers have ever had, Eakins is the poster boy for how dumb "advanced" stats really are.
Aceboogie
Registered User
- Aug 25, 2012
- 32,649
- 3,896
I think right now its in the air. While he is coaching well and players are progressing under him, he is still untested. the Oilers need vet presence in a bad way. Although he has a good chink of games remaining to be judged on. Byslma might be available but if Nelson has chemistry with the players by seasons end, id keep him. Might like Cooper in Tampa. Started out in the AHL, did very well with Tampas farm team and then become the NHL coach for all those guys. You are right about Babcock but sometimes $$$ talks
Its very real and has been proven multiple times. There is extreme rare cases of teams or players being able to consistently shoot above the mean, or have team sv % above the mean for multiple seasons. I don't think Eakins was a horrendous as his record indicated, but he was very poor with player development and handling, and that was the biggest issue
