[News] Eakins fired. MacTavish interim head coach. Presser 11:45am

[Hockeyguy15]

It kind of makes sense, none of their young guys got any experience in the AHL and maybe should have. You can't send them all down so you do the next best thing and bring in your AHL coach. Savvy move, I like it.

[Locke]

Anyone want to know why no one will take the Edmonton Oilers Head Coaching gig?

Craig MacTavish - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again until the Edmonton Oilers. Again.

Tom Renney - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again.

Pat Quinn (RIP) - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again.

Ralph Krueger - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again. Had to leave the continent to get work.

Dallas Eakins - Fired. The jury is still out, obviously, but whats the likelihood that he ever gets another NHL job?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by dammage79

You don't think anyone will want to coach Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel?

Not if you also have to coach Hall, Eberle, Yakupov, Schultz....

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by dammage79

You don't think anyone will want to coach Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel?

You think anyone will want to be remembered as the guy who ruined McDavid or Eichel by coaching them according to Lowe and MacTavish’s orders?

Five coaches in a row have done nothing, zilch, zip, nada, and bupkis (in that order) to develop the Oilers’ young so-called stars. That includes good and experienced coaches like Quinn and Renney as well as a rookie goofball like Eakins. Methinks the plan is being laid down by a higher authority than the coach.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Locke

Anyone want to know why no one will take the Edmonton Oilers Head Coaching gig?

Craig MacTavish - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again until the Edmonton Oilers. Again.

Tom Renney - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again.

Pat Quinn (RIP) - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again.

Ralph Krueger - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again. Had to leave the continent to get work.

Dallas Eakins - Fired. The jury is still out, obviously, but whats the likelihood that he ever gets another NHL job?

Are Brent Sutter or Mike Keenan available?

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Are Brent Sutter or Mike Keenan available?

Not qualified. Won their Stanley Cups for the wrong teams.

[GioforPM]

Nelson has at least coached the top of the Oiler roster, except Yak, Perron, Pouliot and Draisaitl I think.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Are Brent Sutter or Mike Keenan available?

Mike Keenan is not going to leave his comfy Siberian Gulag and the Gagarin Cup to go to some craphole like Edmonton.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by sevenarms

There's not a single NHL coach who will go to that circus.

I have a hard time believing Keenan wouldn't be on the first plane back from Russia if any North American hockey team offered him a head coaching job.

After the Flames fired Sutter, it almost seemed like Brent was expecting to be the Oilers HC as well.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Locke

Anyone want to know why no one will take the Edmonton Oilers Head Coaching gig?

Craig MacTavish - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again until the Edmonton Oilers. Again.

Tom Renney - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again.

Pat Quinn (RIP) - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again.

Ralph Krueger - Fired. Never coached another NHL team ever again. Had to leave the continent to get work.

Dallas Eakins - Fired. The jury is still out, obviously, but whats the likelihood that he ever gets another NHL job?

Do not lump this guy in with the rest of them. This guy lit a fire under their asses and actually had them playing better, and got canned for it. He is now the Chairman of Southampton in the EPL and doing an amazing job in an incredibly short amount of time. It is the Oilers loss and they're choking on their mistake right now.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Do not lump this guy in with the rest of them. This guy lit a fire under their asses and actually had them playing better, and got canned for it. He is now the Chairman of Southampton in the EPL and doing an amazing job in an incredibly short amount of time. It is the Oilers loss and they're choking on their mistake right now.

The only coach to get the Oilers out of the bottom 3 in the NHL over the last five seasons.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Do not lump this guy in with the rest of them. This guy lit a fire under their asses and actually had them playing better, and got canned for it. He is now the Chairman of Southampton in the EPL and doing an amazing job in an incredibly short amount of time. It is the Oilers loss and they're choking on their mistake right now.

While Kruger is the best of the bunch I do think his time in Edmonton is overstated. Kruger had the Oilers in a playoff spot, then the team totally collapsed going on a losing streak and leading to the press conference leading to the firing of Tambellini and the hiring of MacTavish ("If there was ever a concern"). A lockout shortened season really didn't allow that team to go full Oilers. The tail spin towards the end was probably only the start.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Do not lump this guy in with the rest of them. This guy lit a fire under their asses and actually had them playing better, and got canned for it. He is now the Chairman of Southampton in the EPL and doing an amazing job in an incredibly short amount of time. It is the Oilers loss and they're choking on their mistake right now.

I understand all that, my point was why no established coaches would take the Oilers job, its because that job is the Last Chance Saloon.

No one recovers in the NHL after working for the Oilers.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Well, it does make sense that they are bringing in Nelson. I am sure they are waiting to see whom else becomes available between now and the off-season. I don't think there are any really fantastic candidates out there at the moment, unless Bylsma is a guy you think can turn that club around.

Really surprised they made this move now. Thought for sure they were just very content with riding this season out for McDavid.

Looking at the standings... They are dead last in the league with no games in hand against the teams ahead of them. Within a few days they will have a 7 point cushion for a bottom two finish. Plus Carolina is a team in the east so they have a much better chance of improving in the standings than the oilers do. The oilers have all but assured themselves a dead last finish this year.

[Erick Estrada]

The best part about MacT behind the bench as there will be no shortage of excitement. He always loved his lunch bucket player so expect a couple of grinders to be promoted to top 6 roles at times. Also expect the goaltenders to rotate in and out of his doghouse.


Also it's pretty obvious that one of the following is true;

1. They were not interested in Dan Bylsma
2. They were interested in Dan Bylsma but he wasn't interested in the job as they would be announcing him today if there was mutual interest.

[Ashasx]

How ridiculous is it that the Oilers are essentially letting Nelson coach on a tryout basis?

Like, this isn't even pre-season. These are real games that fans pay big money to attend. And the Oilers are just having tryouts? Midseason?

The Oilers may not be directly trying to tank, but their actions certainly aren't conducive to winning.

And to think they are actually going to get McDavid or Eichel. Just ridiculous. Angering and frustrating.

[btimbit]

Soo... Nelson is the interim head coach but MacT will be there to pull his strings?

[Igster]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Soo... Nelson is the interim head coach but MacT will be there to pull his strings?

Yes, just like Lowe and MacT.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Nelson has at least coached the top of the Oiler roster, except Yak, Perron, Pouliot and Draisaitl I think.

Didn't they have a pretty mediocre record in those 34 games despite having a team stacked with talent?

It's one thing to coach guys who know they'll only be there part time. Now he's dealing with guys who know they aren't going anywhere.

[bob-loblaw]

I think in the press conference he mentioned about talking to Bob regarding the changes. What happened to talking with Kevin? Is he even around anymore? Why didn't the media jump all over that?