[News] Oilers fire Tippett. Jay Woodcroft to be named HC

[oldschoolcalgary]

I was never worried about Holland. I was happy about it.

that was a desperate move imo; Detroit let him hang around too long because of past success. He destroyed that organization for years to come.

I expected him to do the same with the Oilers...which is happening

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by jroc

I think everyone knew Holland was a decade past his 'best before date'. I don't remember anyone being too worried about this one. More of a collective "ha ha, stupid Oilers!"

He inherited a stacked team in Detroit and had talented AGMs insulating him for a time as well. When those guys left and his stars aged out it became pretty obvious Holland was always just an empty suit. The state he left that team was incredible in just how bad it was. The talent on the team and in the system and the bad contracts wow... how did he even manage to do that? Pretty impressive how badly he destroyed that team to the degree he did. Now Edmonton pays him $10m lol. Should be a scout at best but the oilers pay him that much. Good stuff lol

[CaptainCrunch]

Spector back to his old crusty self


https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...efensive-play/

EDMONTON — Of all the reasons, some real but far more perceived, that Dave Tippett was fired on Thursday, the one that stands out the most is this:
Remember when Tippett was hired, and some people worried that bringing in a defensive-minded coach like Tippett would stifle the prized offensive savants that stocked the Oilers' top lines?
“We draft No. 1 overall for this many years, and now we’re going to bring in a defence-first guy?” they said.
“Look at his teams in Arizona,” they said. “He’ll ruin Connor McDavid!”

So what does it mean when a coach who has a proven track record of building a stout defensive spine into previous teams comes to Edmonton, and in three years has a team that gives up Grade A chances like Oprah gives out cars? Or for that matter, when Todd McLellan leaves Edmonton in failure and moves on to coach the L.A. Kings to unexpected success?
Does it mean Tippett, and fired assistant Jim Playfair, forgot everything they knew about how to coach a team to play a proper defensive NHL game? Or perhaps after most of three seasons, did a roster that could not -- or would not -- accept anything other than star-driven, stats-hungry hockey finally, stubbornly stop listening?

Darnell Nurse, their most stout, physical and best-skating defenceman, has lost the plot. He’s busy trying to score points, rather than leading his team by making Edmonton’s slot a punishing place to stand. He’s joining the rush, leaving the Evan Bouchards and Tyson Barries back to defend.
It’s time to grow up, become the leader he can be, and set the template here. Nurse starts an eight-year deal next season. Fashion your game after Shea Weber, not Cale Makar.
Connor McDavid uses his surreal speed to fly the zone and scorer highlight-reel goals, but not often enough to prevent chances in his own zone. He’s great with the puck, but without it McDavid -- who has spoken of his need to defend better, and has made strides -- still couldn’t carry Sid Crosby’s equipment bag.
He could, if he wanted to. If McDavid ever wants to win, he’d better learn to want to.
Leon Draisaitl could be the best all-around player on this team. Quite possibly the facto captain. But when a team has wild swings like the Oilers have had -- win six, lose seven, lose six, win four -- it appears rudderless.
We’re not in the room, so we don’t know for sure. But when a team is this streaky, we believe the top players (like Draisaitl) should be able to stabilize the effort. To achieve buy-in. To bring players like Jesse Puljujarvi -- who has been entirely lost for two months -- back into the fold.

But out here in the National Hockey League’s coaching graveyard -- where Woodcroft becomes the ninth head coach for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in 11 seasons as an Oiler -- we have learned a few things.
Does a new coach bring in new ideas?
Sure. They all did.
Will it end the same way for the next guy?
If the best players don’t lead the change -- buying in on trying to win a Stanley Cup, not a bunch of Harts and Art Ross’s -- it’s only a matter of time until we’re writing this same column again.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

^Wow...a salient moment in Oilers journalism. I'm stunned.

[jroc]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

He inherited a stacked team in Detroit and had talented AGMs insulating him for a time as well. When those guys left and his stars aged out it became pretty obvious Holland was always just an empty suit. The state he left that team was incredible in just how bad it was. The talent on the team and in the system and the bad contracts wow... how did he even manage to do that? Pretty impressive how badly he destroyed that team to the degree he did. Now Edmonton pays him $10m lol. Should be a scout at best but the oilers pay him that much. Good stuff lol

Hold on a second here... Does he make $10M/year, or $10M over the life of his contract!? If it's the former.... Wowza...

[Jiri Hrdina]

"has a team that gives up Grade A chances like Oprah gives out cars?"

Spec really targeting the younger demo with those 20 year old cultural references.

[powderjunkie]

While EDM's cap is a hilarious mess, this last off-season actually offered a decent opportunity to fix some things.

Instead Holland spent 26.1M (plus Bear and a 3rd) on:
Keith
Smith
Barrie
Ceci
RNH
Hyman

And all of that is locked in for at least 1 more year, when they start paying Nurse an extra 3.625M for the same results...essentially eating up their 1 expiring contract (Koskinen)

This offseason = 11.3M to sign 9 players (incl. Yamamoto and JPRV).

Though I suppose we can add 12.5M to that once Mavi requests his trade. They won't even have the cap flexibility to maximize their return!

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by jroc

Hold on a second here... Does he make $10M/year, or $10M over the life of his contract!? If it's the former.... Wowza...

$10M over the live of his contract is peanut

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by jroc

Hold on a second here... Does he make $10M/year, or $10M over the life of his contract!? If it's the former.... Wowza...

I read 10m per year

[Derek Sutton]

I can’t believe signing Evander Kane wasn’t the answer.

[Roughneck]

According to the Sporting News it's $5M/year ($25M/5 years).


https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/...n1h84kdqt97ir2

[jroc]

This also led me down a google hole: https://thehockeynews.com/news/will-...he-the-outlier

$5M/year, and at the time, the highest paid GM (maybe it still is?)

I'll say it again... Haha, stupid Oilers!

[tkflames]

What a disaster that interview is.

It is obvious there is pressure not to change the offensive focus (whether from Connor or Katz or both). In parallel he has squeezed himself into cap-hell. The middle ground between is what this interview explores in excruciating detail.

The interview needed to be:
- tippet is a great person but not happy with the results
- answers lie in the room.
-team needs to come prepares and come out stronger at the beginning of games
- team needs to tighten up defensively, when we keep the puck out of our own net we win games. The whole team needs to buy into that, that's why we are bringing in a defensive specialist


Most cliche interview in the history of hockey. However, given that ownership and players are both watching this interview...he couldn't say that for some reason. My guess is...anything to keep Connor from requesting a trade...but could also be the old boys club setting a requirement that we win 80s style...

[Reggie Dunlop]

What were they thinking when they signed Evander Kane?

No, really.

[dirk diggler]

i still feel that Keith Gretzky is the secret weapon here, once they deploy him, watch out. They are building something special up there.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by reggie dunlop

what were they thinking when they signed evander kane?

No, really.

"#### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### ####"

[Chi-Town Hustler]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

What were they thinking when they signed Evander Kane?

No, really.

Derpth, of course.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

What were they thinking when they signed Evander Kane?

No, really.

Remember that the Oilers would either draft a player if he was on the front cover of the Hockey News, or if he had a fancy youtube video showing off some stick tricks. Strategic thinking and critical thinking aren't exactly explored in the Oilers hiring process when it comes to executives.


But they clearly know winning.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Spector back to his old crusty self


https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...efensive-play/

That is a low bar to get over

Leon Draisaitl could be the best all-around player on this team.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

What were they thinking when they signed Evander Kane?

No, really.

Dink dink. Dink dink dink dink dink dink dink. Dink dink. Dink dink dink dink dink dink.