[News] Oilers to name Todd McLellan head coach

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Weitz

The 2 people in charge of hockey related decisions have changed. How is that not changed?

Sure MacT is still there doing god knows what, and Lowe still works with the business side, but to think there isn't going to be change or those 2 will have a big say in anything is terribly naive.

I would argue the other way, if anyone believes that Mac-T still in operations, and Lowe still on the business idea, don't have the ear of their biggest fans and won't have their sticky little hands over decisions, then they are being terribly naïve.



I wonder if Chia will be able to speak clearly while Mac-T chugs a glass of water at a press conference.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Except management has changed.

I would suspect a big Culture change in Edmonton.

A manager has changed, not management. They added Nicholson and Chiarelii, who left?

San Jose, and Tim Burke, have consistently been one of the best drafting teams in the NHL (2005-2012, 13 players with over 100 NHL GP). McClellan consistently had a lot to work with beyond their core.

Until they initiate an organizational enema and purge a nepotistic scouting staff that drafts ex-Oiler offspring and players from the Oil kings, at best they go sideways and are no longer a complete & consistent bottom feeder.

They have approximately 3 years to figure this out for any hope to start drafting players capable of becoming anything that resembles an elite team.

How good of a coach Mclellan may be is irrelevant when Mitch Moroz & David Musil are selected early in the 2nd round.

[handgroen]

i really thought that the babcock domino was going to have to fall before mclellan made a choice. i mean wouldn't the red wings be mclellan's preference if babcock does in fact go elsewhere?

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by dino7c

SJ underachieved for a decade under this guy...not sure why he is the second coming of Scotty Bowman

That's garbage. The team was one of the best each year. Not easy to win in this league. I'm a flames fan living down here and say objectively that SJ was a solid team year in and year out for a long time.

[dustygoon]

Best part is after trying to put together a decent team for years, they have had to rely on dumb luck to save themselves from eternal ineptness. Any success they have from here on in will have an asterisk because of that lottery.

And so what if they have a Crosby. They don't have a Malkin. They don't have anything close to a letang. And they sure as shinguard don't have a fleury. And it appears you need more than those four to get out of the first round let alone win something.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

That's garbage. The team was one of the best each year. Not easy to win in this league. I'm a flames fan living down here and say objectively that SJ was a solid team year in and year out for a long time.

I'm not saying he's going to be good or bad, but did their record really change after McLellan got there? I don't think he made a difference, not a substantial one anyways.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I'm not saying he's going to be good or bad, but did their record really change after McLellan got there? I don't think he made a difference, not a substantial one anyways.

Ya. What does 10 year streak of making the playoffs matter anyway. 2nd only to red wings. They were making playoffs way before Todd got there.

Yes I know his win percent is close to Ron Wilson but TM is a top coach

[Cole436]

This is a great hire for Edmonton.

I think anyone would have to be incredibly naive to think that Lowe or MacT will have any say in the hockey ops at all anymore. Chiarelli wouldn't have taken this job unless he had complete autonomy in it.

This is the beginning of a big culture change in Edmonton and it wouldn't surprise me to see a lot of that team gone very quickly, including guys like Hall.

[Enoch Root]

As far as culture change goes, certainly Chiarelli and McLellan (presumably) will be trying to change/improve the culture. But the problem is that the culture issues are in the room - and they are deeply rooted. These players have survived 6 or 7 coaches already, and I would think they expect they'll survive the next one too.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

As far as culture change goes, certainly Chiarelli and McLellan (presumably) will be trying to change/improve the culture. But the problem is that the culture issues are in the room - and they are deeply rooted. These players have survived 6 or 7 coaches already, and I would think they expect they'll survive the next one too.

I am going to be interested to see what happens when the first losing streak hits. Are the same guys who fold it up early going to stick it out? Or are they going to give up again when the going gets tough?

That is character/culture that didn't change in Calgary until the team was wholesale nuked and reset. Lots of players up North have been around a long time and told winning isn't everything.

[Buff]

Wait... maybe they are going to announce that they just narrowly missed out on the McLellan sweepstakes and will continue to do their due diligence to hire a new coach?

[DarkSaturn]

Originally Posted by troutman

Can he teach Hall to pass, back-check and not turnover the puck?

Hall was top 10 in league assists 1 season ago. He is a far more complete player than he was in his first 2 years in the league.

McLellan bringing structure will help. Sucks in the short term for Nelson, who did a good job patching things up after the damage Eakin did. Nelson will find another job out there.

[Bingo]

I'm with Weitz on this one, their management has changed.

Chiarelli is in charge, he now has his own head coach. MacTavish and Lowe are still there sure, but only in ceremony and to avoid firing old cup winners. I think Nicholson has made sure they've both been neutered.

Flames / Oilers battles will now come back to on ice talent, and away from Oiler management circus, those funny days are dead

[dammage79]

Yup. let the hate flow through you. Edmonton is doing a lot of right things. The on ice BoA hopefully is about the get bloody again.

[Enoch Root]

There is a difference between skepticism and hate.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Whether TM is awesome or simply adequate, he might be literally the first NHL coach most of the young oilers have ever had. And Chiarelli the first NHL GM they've ever had. And Mcjesus will have no oiler stink and want to be more than just a 6x6 toe drag specialist.

The players will follow. They won't be a good team on the ice overnight but the oilers are a whole lot better organization.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm with Weitz on this one, their management has changed.

Chiarelli is in charge, he now has his own head coach. MacTavish and Lowe are still there sure, but only in ceremony and to avoid firing old cup winners. I think Nicholson has made sure they've both been neutered.

Flames / Oilers battles will now come back to on ice talent, and away from Oiler management circus, those funny days are dead

Although I do believe change has happened... I still refuse to raise my hopes.

Does that fool me once/twice quote have 6-7 iterations?

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

They won't be a good team on the ice overnight but the oilers are a whole lot better organization.

This captures it for me. I'm not delusional enough to think they'll be in the playoffs next year. But I don't think it's too much to ask that their last meaningful game of the season isn't played before final cuts are made.

Focus on the proper process and the results will eventually follow. The organization is finally doing things in a coherent, professional way and after a near decade of defeat, ineptitude, and unintended comedy, I'm hopeful that better days are finally on the way.

I always said the Oilers were going nowhere until they took away Lowe's keys to the building. They may not have taken away all of the keys, but seeing him hand over the keys to the hockey ops. dept. might be the closest we get. And that's good enough for now.

[kmart]

I would caution that the Oilers have turned it around.

Last time the Oilers brought winning experience it was Pat Quinn and Tom Renny running the bench. Last time the Sharks let a coach go was Ron Wilson and he took the Sharks to the playoffs in every year he was behind the bench, except for the first year when he took over for Sutter, of course Wilson struggled mightily in Toronto. Nothing is certain in this league and past results don't prove anything.

There are a lot more variables to consider, Oilers have a extremely short window. Within 3 years they better hope McDavid is Crosby, and Nurse and Klefbom are top 4 defenceman before they have to pay them on RFA deals. They are facing salary cap hell with those three 6 million dollar deals. If I were them I would consider trading Hall and/or Eberle for salary cap flexibility very soon.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I would argue the other way, if anyone believes that Mac-T still in operations, and Lowe still on the business idea, don't have the ear of their biggest fans and won't have their sticky little hands over decisions, then they are being terribly naïve.



I wonder if Chia will be able to speak clearly while Mac-T chugs a glass of water at a press conference.

No way.

Bob Nicholson and Peter Chiarelli (and by association Todd McClellan) would never agree to be "yes" men for Darryl Katz...and that's what would have to happen in your scenario. All those guys are far far too respected in the hockey business to have to be bagmen for anyone...they are just too good at their jobs.

That doesn't mean all will be right in Edmonton any time soon...this is just another part of another rebuid, but at least you can be guaranteed there is a plan and a consensus among 3 non-traditional Oiler loyalists as to how to change things.

I bet everyone not named McDavid is available in the right deal. Things are changing...it will take a good while to get there, but I have no doubt that thing will finally get turned around.....and that's OK. It would be great to get the BOA back in a meaningful way.