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

[CaptainCrunch]

He'll have to be an entirely different coach. The last two coaches have been "teaching" coaches and for the most part the Oilers didn't listen to them. Now they're bringing in an inexperienced AHL guy?

I don't know, I think they need a veteran coach to crack the whip a bit and build a winning culture.

A big part of the problem is with all of the first round draft picks their lineup is top heavy on forwards who for the most part are small and weak, and the rest of their lineup sucks terribly.

I think Eakins has his work cut out for a team that seems to enjoy its low expectation culture.

[d_phaneuf]

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.

Stevens has always been the favorite according to the media here, Eakins had an outside shot

Sacco/Gulutzan are eyed as potential Assistants

Originally Posted by kyuss275

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

yes, according to the Province

only thing that may change that, is if the Pens fire Bylsma or they get a sense Tippett won't re-sign in PHX

my guess is Gillis calls the Kings around the 2nd intermission of tonights game

[Ped]

What a horribly run joke of a franchise.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

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

[Stranger]

Bob Stauffer predicted Krueger would win coach of the year in one of his first 2 seasons with the Oilers.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Stranger

Bob Stauffer predicted Krueger would win coach of the year in one of his first 2 seasons with the Oilers.

Now, we'll never get the chance to find out.

[Prairiefire]

Just curious ... has any other coach ever been fired after just 48 games ?

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

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.

Feaster and Hartely will get more than "one more season". If ownership was not willing to fire them after the awful year and screw ups they just had, i don't see ownership firing them when (as of now) the team they ice will be predicted to be bottom 2. I am not a fan of the duo, but for now i hope they can get the job done. I don't want the flames to waste 2 years only to set a new course with a new GM and coach.


As for the main topic, sadly i think the Oilers did something right.

[old-fart]

Originally Posted by Stranger

Bob Stauffer predicted Krueger would win coach of the year in one of his first 2 seasons with the Oilers.

Bob Stauffer is a perfect mouthpiece for that franchise. Guy is Peter Griffin level of smart.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Stranger

Bob Stauffer predicted Krueger would win coach of the year in one of his first 2 seasons with the Oilers.

Just think this was actually one of the closer predictions from Edmonton media over the past 6 years.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Feaster and Hartely will get more than "one more season". If ownership was not willing to fire them after the awful year and screw ups they just had, i don't see ownership firing them when (as of now) the team they ice will be predicted to be bottom 2. I am not a fan of the duo, but for now i hope they can get the job done. I don't want the flames to waste 2 years only to set a new course with a new GM and coach.


As for the main topic, sadly i think the Oilers did something right.

Time will tell and the short season really saved the team as fans didn't have to endure another 40 games of losing. I'm not so sure that an 82 game season of that garbage hockey is going to keep Hartley or Feaster employed past the 2013/2014 season. These owners are terrified of thought of 1/3 empty buildings of the late 90's and Calgary fans are too smart to fall for the Oilers approach of selling garbage over and over as "building something special". The fans will likely support a team that plays hard every night and give the fans a reason to come to the games but sitting through fire drills in the defensive zone and Flames goaltenders fishing pucks out of the net 4 or more times a night like last year gets old fast.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Prairiefire

Just curious ... has any other coach ever been fired after just 48 games ?

Barry Melrose only lasted 16 games as the coach of the gong show in Tampa when they had their crazy owners in 2008.

There have also been a lot of other "interim" coaches who only lasted a few games between coaches (like Al MacNeil's 11 games with the Flames in 2002-03 between Gilbert and Sutter), or others hired part way through a season and not brought back for the following season (like Guy Charron's 16 games with the Flames to end the 1991-92 season).

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Prairiefire

Just curious ... has any other coach ever been fired after just 48 games ?

Barry Melrose was fired by the Lightning in 2008 after only 16 games.

Dirk Graham lasted only about 60 games in the late 90s with Chicago.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Time will tell and the short season really saved the team as fans didn't have to endure another 40 games of losing. I'm not so sure that an 82 game season of that garbage hockey is going to keep Hartley or Feaster employed past the 2013/2014 season. These owners are terrified of thought of 1/3 empty buildings of the late 90's and Calgary fans are too smart to fall for the Oilers approach of selling garbage over and over as "building something special". The fans will likely support a team that plays hard every night and give the fans a reason to come to the games but sitting through fire drills in the defensive zone and Flames goaltenders fishing pucks out of the net 4 or more times a night like last year gets old fast.

Getting off the topic, but the other issue is that IMO Feaster has no problem taking "advice" from those above him in KK and the owners. It's part of the reason he got the job, and along with his well constructed words and plans that placate the owners.

At some point, Edwards has to figure that the luxury that he has the GM's ear isn't worth the other side of Feaster and his buddy Hartley, who are already clearly not in the same situation in the premise that they were hired under...is it after another crap season when the public pressure mounts? Sure. Unfortunately, the money available this year will have been spent on player with multi year deals, and the draft picks taken that were the ultimate decision of the current GM.

[minnow]

Interesting move. Could be a really good one for the Oilers.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Stranger

Bob Stauffer predicted Krueger would win coach of the year in one of his first 2 seasons with the Oilers.

Yes, but what grinds Stauffer's gears?

[trackercowe]

I love how they let Kruger hang out to dry for a couple months after the season ended, and now he might not be able to find a position prior to the start of next year. If he wasn't the right man for the job now, why did they think anything else after the season ended? Not much changed since MacT took over as GM, so they should have let Kruger go then.

I hate when teams do that type of crap. If you're going to fire someone don't make him twist in the wind for a couple months. Be honest and up front about it, and give him the best possible chance to find future employment.

The Oilers constantly fare poorly in essentially every personnel decision, and today was no different.

Eakins might be a decent hire, but he could also be the AHL flavor of the month coach just like Guy Boucher was before he went to Tampa.

[FAN]

The Oilers came out of nowhere to snag Eakins up. Seems like a desperation move considering that Eakins' availability has been there for a while.

Originally Posted by browna

Getting off the topic, but the other issue is that IMO Feaster has no problem taking "advice" from those above him in KK and the owners. It's part of the reason he got the job, and along with his well constructed words and plans that placate the owners.

At some point, Edwards has to figure that the luxury that he has the GM's ear isn't worth the other side of Feaster and his buddy Hartley, who are already clearly not in the same situation in the premise that they were hired under...is it after another crap season when the public pressure mounts?

Feaster has always shined his bosses' shoes, but this is Feaster's last kick at the can and he knows it. He totally underestimated his ability to land a GM job. He thought teams would be lining up for him considering he won a Stanley Cup. As for Edwards, he should know that as owner, he can be as involved as he wants. There are tons of GM candidates who would not dare defy their boss if it comes to that.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Prairiefire

Just curious ... has any other coach ever been fired after just 48 games ?

George Burnett with the Oilers the last lockout-shortened season. 1994-95

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

I love how they let Kruger hang out to dry for a couple months after the season ended, and now he might not be able to find a position prior to the start of next year. If he wasn't the right man for the job now, why did they think anything else after the season ended? Not much changed since MacT took over as GM, so they should have let Kruger go then.

I hate when teams do that type of crap. If you're going to fire someone don't make him twist in the wind for a couple months. Be honest and up front about it, and give him the best possible chance to find future employment.

The Oilers constantly fare poorly in essentially every personnel decision, and today was no different.

Eakins might be a decent hire, but he could also be the AHL flavor of the month coach just like Guy Boucher was before he went to Tampa.

The Oilers may have made the decision this past week. Sometimes you want to be fair to an employee and put him in a position to succeed. I am sure they go through a personnel evaluation process up and down the organization. Maybe it was a coin toss. The Oilers roster has glaring gaps for which few coaches may compensate. So maybe it took time to determine if Krueger pretty much got what he could out of them or if there was room for improvement behind the bench. Tough evaluation to make, assigning blame.