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

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I don't believe any player or coach go into a game with the intention of losing. However... It was painfully obvious to absolutely everyone that this team was not good enough. This was apparent to most of us before the season even started but it was no doubt 100% obvious 20 games into the season. At that point... When management and ownership remains idle and does nothing, THAT'S tanking. They knew as well as everyone that they could not make the playoffs but were afraid to make any kind of move that might spark the team. That included trades, firings, benching top players.... Anything. Cause anything like that might spark the team into maybe winning a few games. Suddenly they would be sitting 5th or 6th from the bottom and out of the McDavid/Eichel guarantee.

So management waited until now... The oilers are dead last in the league with no games in hand on the teams above them in the standings. They are about to play 8 straight games against western conference opponents and within a few days will have a 7 point cushion for a 29th/30th overall position. This firing is meant to look like management is doing something but they have all but assured themselves a bottom 2 finish. In fact, dead last is almost as certain with how bad they are and how little change they will do to the team the rest of the season. Plus Carolina is in the east, has 2 games in hand, more wins, and is much more likely to have a better record for the rest of the year than the oilers.

This is the most blatant tank job anyone has seen since 83-84 where it was practically revealed as an intended tank within the organization. Worst part is that everyone seems to be ok with it. Fans and media alike. I mean... Even Don Cherry said on HNIC that it's ok... That they'll get McDavid and it will be fine!! Unbelievable!!

Sure the fans moan at the games but we all know that all will be forgiven when they get a top two pick. Management will even pretend this was all part of the plan. They'll then trade away eberle and/or yakupov before the draft... Pretending it's a bold move. Get some B level veteran defencemen, another unproven goalie, and call it a day. The media and fans will drink it up all over again and call them the next powerhouse team of the league. It's disgusting that everyone seems fine with a team tanking for these kids. The team plays with no pride cause they know it too. I wish the league would step in and do something to stop this. I know that's impossible and won't happen without catching management actually saying out loud that they are losing intentionally.

My hope lies in McDavid and Eichel both coming forward before the draft and saying they refuse to sign with the oilers. That would be some real karma.

Except you fail to grasp that essentially doing anything now will just cause more harm in the future.

Who do you trade? The core is the right answer. What are you going to get for them at this under these circumstances? Nothing of value.

You need to wait till the off season and let it all die down and hope you can trade and Eberle or a Hall and get some value for it.

You obviously have no idea how Edmonton fans feel with your last few statements.

[ernie]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Lots they could do. Including firing Eakins a month ago, while there was still time to make a difference. They could have benched players. They should have traded one of the core to shake things up. Of course they won't get full value, but sometimes you have to make changes, if only to get more value out of everyone else.

Sitting around and doing nothing for 2 solid months is not incompetence, it is intentional.

Any other organization and I'd agree but the Oilers firmly believed (and I think still believe) that they are a good team on paper. Despite evidence to the contrary and despite not actually filling any of the holes they've had for years they believe that. They are spending to the cap because of that belief.

No I chalk it up to incompetence. The GM was unable to address the lineup because of incompetence. he has known the team was swirling the drain and he was trying to make deals but refuses to budge off his asking prices. There is holding out for a good deal and then there is over valuing what you have and not recognizing the situation. That's incompetence. He couldn't address the coaching staff any earlier because he already used that bullet with his inappropriate use of Skype.

No I'd love to jump on the intentional tank band wagon but it is outright incompetence. But honestly, now that they are where they are an intentional tank from this point on is a valid strategy. However, given the incompetence of the Oilers that tank may end up in McDavid or Eichel but it will also end up with trade demands from core players and they will set themselves even further back.

Good thing they are going to tutor an AHL coach because there is a pretty darn good chance that next year he's going to be coaching a large number of the same AHL players he coached this year.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Weitz

You are not "paraphrasing" you are saying what you wanted to hear.

The gist was there are issues throughout the organization and everything was going to go under investigation.

He did say Eakins was his guy and now he is fired. Right move? Yes. Right timing and follow up hiring/interim coach? Not likely.

But to say he claimed everything was fine and nothing would change is just wrong.

But they were visually better!!

What part of: "I wont root out the core because it doesnt need to be rooted out, it needs to grow together" doesnt scream "NO CHANGES" to you?

Again, paraphrasing, obviously. Sure, he didnt say 'everything is okay' because he knew he'd be slaughtered for uttering those words so he muttered some other nonsense about being visually better, but he was pretty clear that no changes were coming.

Then they won a game and things were great.

Then they lost a few more and even after MacT's bumbling presser he couldnt hold the crapship together and Eakins had to take his big bite of crap sandwich.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Some day soon, I guarantee that we're going to hear the story of that disaster in Edmonton right from Eakin's mouth. I mean I doubt that he see's an NHL coaching gig for a long time. But when that contract expires, he's gonna vent.

When Edmonton is done paying him for the next 2.5 years and he needs an injection of cash that man is going to write a book and its going to be a must-read.

I'll bet LaForge and Lowe got an ironclad gag order on him for as long as legally possible.

[StrykerSteve]

Eakins has to be the happiest guy on the planet today. He gets out of that circus and he continues to get paid.

Oh, Edmonton.

[Fire]

I bet Eakins is going to enjoy Christmas a whole lot more knowing he's no longer the head coach for the Oilers. It must be a huge weight off his shoulders. He can also start planning on moving out of that dump of a city.

[4oh3]

Today's updated shot of Rexall.

[Finger Cookin]

The definitive list of sad Dallas Eakins headlines
By NBC ProHockeyTalk @ProHockeyTalk
It's a big list.
View on web

Originally Posted by NBC ProHockeyTalk

Leading off, we have the “Dallas Eakins is quite upset” category:

Video: Dallas Eakins calls today the ‘worst day’

‘Depressed’ Eakins ‘didn’t even leave the house’ after blowout loss to Calgary

Eakins: ‘I’ve had enough misery already’

Coach Eakins happy for Scrivens, ‘mad’ at Oilers

Then, the “angry fans chucked their jerseys” list:

It happened again: Oilers fan throws jersey on the ice in lopsided loss to Flames

Oilers lose, disgruntled fan tosses jersey on the ice – again

‘They’re a quitter’ — Eakins rips fan who threw Oilers jersey on ice

Next, it’s Dallas Eakins vs. his players:

Hall, Eakins try to defuse water-bottle throwing incident

Eakins: ‘If you play scared in this league, you’re going to get killed’

Belov left Oilers for KHL because he didn’t want to play for Eakins

Eakins wants Bryzgalov to watch his body language

Oilers coach Eakins says bad habits have to ‘die’

Eakins to Yakupov: ‘You’ve got to earn it’

And finally, this:

Dallas Eakins: Stars show Oilers ‘our diapers do stink’

Seems like a fitting way to end things.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Except you fail to grasp that essentially doing anything now will just cause more harm in the future.



Who do you trade? The core is the right answer. What are you going to get for them at this under these circumstances? Nothing of value.



You need to wait till the off season and let it all die down and hope you can trade and Eberle or a Hall and get some value for it.



You obviously have no idea how Edmonton fans feel with your last few statements.

I know oiler fans all too well. I've heard all the "I'm done" statements by oilers fans and how they are fed up. But I guarantee all that will be forgotten when they draft McDavid/Eichel. Guaranteed. This is a team and fanbase with zero humility... Despite the fact they have been humbled more than anyone else. Don't be fooled into feeling sorry for oilers fans or believe them when they say they've had enough. They will come back to the well next season as if it was all part of the plan.

Even worse... If the flames finish the season with anything less than a Stanley cup... Oiler fans will brag about how they get a generational prospect while the flames get a mediocre pick. You know it and I know it.

As for trading the core players... Management continues to overvalue those players and expect to get more than they are worth in a trade. I understand that trade value tends to increase in the offseason but I'm just frustrated by the system itself. That it seems acceptable for a "professional" sports franchise to give up on a season after the first month. Make no mistake... Management and consequently the players have given up on the season. And everyone seems to accept the fact that the team should just stay down... Tap out. Cause that's how they can get McDavid/Eichel.

That's why it sucks that the league did not implement a rule last year to make it so no team could pick 1st overall more than once every 3-4 years. Or something to that extent.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I know oiler fans all too well. I've heard all the "I'm done" statements by oilers fans and how they are fed up. But I guarantee all that will be forgotten when they draft McDavid/Eichel. Guaranteed. .

Yup all will be forgiven at the hundreds of draft parties around the city where the men folk gather round the 13 inch black and white T.V.'s while they snack on sardines and Costco crackers and government cheese. Whilst the woman folk gather in the kitchen to talk about the latest in sweat pant fabric styles and zip up mono colored pants suits. The children gather in the pillowed up playroom downstairs and practice counting to 1 and reciting the first letter of the Alphabet. Waiting for Mactavish to stride up to the podium with an arrogant grin on his face while he announces "With the first overall pick the Edmonton Oilers are proud to select and ruin . . . . "

Then next year about the same time we'll be having this same conversation.

[bob-loblaw]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Derek Van Diest @SUNdvandiest
Eakins offended some players with letter warning them to be in shape when they came to camp in first year. Got off on wrong foot...

You would be offended too if you had to get it from a super mailbox. That's quite a walk for some of the Oilers, plus half got lost and couldn't find their way back home. Then, they couldn't figure out how to open the letter with their phone.

[Robbob]

They just don't get it. When management sits at a press conference and declares every team would gladly trade rosters and then that roster us the worst I the league only shows how out to lunch they are.

[bob-loblaw]

Gino Reda ‏@GinoRedaTSN 6m6 minutes ago

My Favorite tweet of the day RT @neekers_92: Since Nov. 9, Oilers have had more press conferences (2) than wins (1).

[PeteMoss]

Don't think its been said - but what kind of amateur hour move is this co-coaching thing? I'm pretty sure this Nelson guy can handle the job without MacTavish hanging around for a month like a chaperone.

Does he have to wear an 'in training' name tag on his suit?

[4X4]

I'm sure it's already been said somewhere in this thread, but this will probably be the first time in history where a guy had better throw his old organization under the bus if he expects to ever get another job.

[Hugh Jahrmes]

Originally Posted by ernie

Any other organization and I'd agree but the Oilers firmly believed (and I think still believe) that they are a good team on paper.

Pretty sure you could substitute "paper" with "Mexican super meth", because that's what they'd have to be on to believe that squad is doing anything.

[Hugh Jahrmes]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Yup all will be forgiven at the hundreds of draft parties around the city where the men folk gather round the 13 inch black and white T.V.'s while they snack on sardines and Costco crackers and government cheese.

You just made me feel like crap for marvelling at what I felt was a wonderful selection of assorted tasty looking and (according to the packaging) guilt free snack options. Their rice crackers are delicious

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Don't think its been said - but what kind of amateur hour move is this co-coaching thing? I'm pretty sure this Nelson guy can handle the job without MacTavish hanging around for a month like a chaperone.

Does he have to wear an 'in training' name tag on his suit?

I think it's a first? It does save him the hassle of interviewing coaches from outside the organization. His ego is too frail to handle something like that right now.

[Dion]

From HF.....

[#-3]

I am on the fence if this is a good thing as a Flames fan.

While its a sad day that thee Oilers have lost canned a coach who was obviously incapable of leading this team in any way.

But on the other had I am encouraged that this management team has enough rope to make these changes still, yet are still not addressing the on ice structural issues with this team. Lowe for Life, don't really care which Oil alum croonie he has under him.