[News] Oilers fire Krueger. Eakins to be named HC shortly

[OILFAN #81]

Canucks are interviewing Joe Sacco? Please hire him!

[Mike F]

Fun fact: Eakins and Smith were briefly teammates on the Flames in 2000-01

[browna]

The carnival music never stops up there, does it?
7 weeks ago:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/...ada-radio.html

The Oilers have nine regular-season games remaining and MacTavish said head coach Ralph Krueger’s job is safe along with that of his assistants Kelly Buchberger and Steve Smith.

...

“It would be assinine to think that the situation that we’re in has anything to do with Ralph Krueger,” MacTavish told HNIC Radio. “We have to take the responsibility ourselves … as managers to get more out of the group we have. We have to add depth to the group we have. That’s where my focus will be.”

and

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=665854

There doesn't, however, appear to be any coaching changes on the horizon in Edmonton. MacTavish offered a vote of confidence to Ralph Krueger, who is in his first year as a NHL coach.

"I think it's fair to say that there is a very remote chance that where we are right now has anything to do with coaching," he said. "What we need to do is give the coaches better tools to compete at the NHL level. For me to say it's Ralph Krueger's fault right now would be extremely shortsighted on my part."



https://twitter.com/adamcookCTV/stat...67798239592448

New Oilers G.M. Craig Mactavish says coaching is not an issue. Ralph Krueger is safe. #oilers
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11:37 AM - 15 Apr 13

[Stay Golden]

Eakins is still unproven as a HC in the NHL, still it should be an upgrade over Krueger he was just lost at times. I think Eakins will have a better grasp of the NHL game.

Personally I think there is more media hype propping up Eakens, so he helped develop their 2 top prospects Kadri and Gardiner. Wasn't that what every HC in AHL is suppose to do.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

Canucks are interviewing Joe Sacco? Please hire him!

I hope not. I would barf if the Canucks picked ahead of the Flames...

[Rejean31]

And.... like clock work the Edmonton media starts carving up Ralph Kreuger.

[OILFAN #81]

Didn't want to make a new thread on it but rumor has it that John Stevens (former Flyers coach, current Kings assistant) is a favorite now that Eakins is off the market for the Canucks coaching job.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

Didn't want to make a new thread on it but rumor has it that John Stevens (former Flyers coach, current Kings assistant) is a favorite now that Eakins is off the market for the Canucks coaching job.

From what i read Stevens has always been the favourite and Gillis is not going to hire anybody until he talks to Stevens.

[The Swedish Flame]

Your monthly reminder that the circus still is in town up north!

Loilers.

[browna]

One thing I will give MacTavish, he was honest with himself that Kruger wasn't the right coach for this team, even though he blew a bunch of smoke up Kruger and the fan's asses in the last 7 weeks of the process, and is now sticking his neck out a bit and admitted he was wrong. Better then taking a year/season to figure that out.

Can Feaster, outside of being buddies outside of hockey with him, really think that Hartley is the right coach for this team given how its changed the past 365 days? Or up the ladder, that the GM and coach are the best options for this team given all that's transpired?

Though the hastily arranged conference and no Lowe was odd.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by browna

One thing I will give MacTavish, he was honest with himself that Kruger wasn't the right coach for this team, even though he blew a bunch of smoke up Kruger and the fan's asses in the last 7 weeks of the process, and is now sticking his neck out a bit and admit he was wrong.

Can Feaster, outside of being buddies outside of hockey with him, really think that Hartley is the right coach for this team given how its changed the past 365 days? Or up the ladder, that the GM and coach are the best options for this team given all that's transpired?

Though the hastily arranged conference and no Lowe was odd.

Whether Feaster thinks Hartley is the right coach or not does not matter. He can't fire him without signing his own pink slip.

[memphusk]

When was the last time a team hired a coach that really made a difference on a rebuilding team? How long did he stick around after that?

[TurnedTheCorner]

Eagerly awaiting the "We almost hired Eakins" follow-up press conference

[browna]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Whether Feaster thinks Hartley is the right coach or not does not matter. He can't fire him without signing his own pink slip.

Right, and that self preservation is fine and anyone would do that...but this franchise, with the big decisions upcoming this year with draft picks and with money to spend shouldn't be managing based on fear that "Well, Hartley's not the right guy, so we fire Hartley and we'll have to let Feaster go (or vice versa), so let's stick with them both out of convenience and call it 'stability' and see what happens, instead of making tough decisions now".

In some cases, sure that's the best solution not change for the sake of change, but given the circumstances these guys came in, they were hired to get the last/best out of the Iginlas/Kiprusoff's, and that is now out of the picture.

The whole organization turned upside down roster wise, losing two HOF and a top 2 defenseman, and thus having a chance this offseason to move on to the next era, it seems counterproductive to let these guys stay on through this if they really aren't the best qualified or at least best qualified for the rebuild (Feaster's famous words about that), no matter how much Feaster changes his tune about being willing to do it, or, how it seems like a lot of hassle to make such large changes.

Rightly or wrongly, MacTavish wasn't fair to Krueger in the process or in general letting him go, and he acknowledged that. It may not seem "fair" to dump Hartley after one short year either, or Feaster, but IMO, its better then letting guys hired to do a different job try and change gears and wrap their head around a totally different mentality and job, and give them a bunch of rope and make a bunch of long term decisions (as well as mistakes) along the way, for the next guy to clean up in 1 or 1.5 years when the owners figure out that its taking far too long to see any results.

[you got PHANUEFED]

Eakins will be hard on the kids and make them better but man have the Oilers gone through a lot of coaches in the past few years.

[Robbob]

I think eakin will be able to transition smoothly from one ahl team to the next.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Really odd timing

Over a time when they werent playing, the coilers story has gone from
We love kruger
We sorta like him ... Need an associate coach
We don't like him. Fired and replaced.

Did mactavish always hate him, and finally decided to chart his own course?

[getbak]

My guess is that they wanted to offer Eakins the Associate Coach job, but because he was being interviewed for a Head Coach position elsewhere, the only way they could get him to sign now was to make it a full Head Coach offer in Edmonton too.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by browna

One thing I will give MacTavish, he was honest with himself that Kruger wasn't the right coach for this team, even though he blew a bunch of smoke up Kruger and the fan's asses in the last 7 weeks of the process, and is now sticking his neck out a bit and admitted he was wrong. Better then taking a year/season to figure that out.

Can Feaster, outside of being buddies outside of hockey with him, really think that Hartley is the right coach for this team given how its changed the past 365 days? Or up the ladder, that the GM and coach are the best options for this team given all that's transpired?

Though the hastily arranged conference and no Lowe was odd.

I'm okay with Hartley for one more season as he should deliver the Flames another top draft pick. In fact I'm betting on him delivering a top 3 pick next season. Flames roster is so bad right now I think it's fitting they have one of the worst head coaches in the league in Hartley. The next coaching hire of the Flames will be much more important than Hartley as he will likely be the one that will be tasked with turning around the on ice fortunes of the franchise.

On topic I think this is a good move. Kruger was not NHL material so I have to give the new GM credit for recognizing this and not wasting another season. I think Eakins may be a good coach but that Oilers roster is pretty flawed so he will have his work cut out for him.

[Fire]

Hate to say it, but a good move for the Oilers.