Proposal: Immature losses under Woodcroft mounting.

[Messier11]

Since Woodcroft took over, the Oilers are:

-- The 4th-best team in the NHL (ahead of Tampa)
-- The #1 team in the Western Conference (ahead of Colorado)
-- #2 in the NHL in regulation wins (behind only Boston)
-- #1 in the NHL in offense
-- #1 in the NHL in Power-play and net Power-play
-- the fourth-last team standing in the 2022 playoffs, their best showing in sixteen years
(-- 6th worst in overtime losses. The Oilers suck at earning loser points, something the Flames specialize in.)

Collective opinion of fans on here:

FIRE THE COACH!!!

Mark Twain: " There are lies, damn lies, and then there are statistics."

Eff Woodcroft. Hasn't been able to coach the team out of bad habits all yr. Further, his in game management is atrocious. Cases in point? Maybe when McKinnon scores right away in third period of that game, he calls a time out to mess with Colorado's momentum. Not to chide the team, but to mess with Colorado. The guy doesn't get it. Secondly, Skinner plays a wicked game in Pittsburgh but still has to insist on alternating and going to Campbell. I am sorry, but completely buttf$%k stupid. Campbell IS NOT the answer, at least until we get a real goal coach. But every one in OEG has a hard on for our "Schwartzie." Had this game gone to Skinner, I think there would be about 40 less pages on the Oilers section of HF Boards.

No matter how you cut it, this season is on a teeter totter, leaning more towards clusterf$%k. Holland is a moron this year with his wasting of cap space. Woodcroft cannot get what he needs out of his players. And yes, I know Kane was injured, blah blah blah. Tough. His job as coach is to get the most out of his players. Neither he nor Manson have been able to do that. We are where we are because of 4-5 guys who are having lights out performances.

Watching McDavid's post game interview was probably the most dejected I have seen him. I truly admire his skill and even more so his ability to not reveal any anger he may be feeling towards team mates (Soups, Nurse, Ceci, Bouch) who are not doing their jobs properly.

I agree fully that it's the players themselves who are lazy and unmotivated, and that's been the case with this organization for 20 years running. But we saw last year what a late coach firing can do for a few months, and lots of teams have won the Cup after doing so. Who's more likely to win a Cup, unproven Woody or Trotz? Give me the best man available, I don't care if it's an unconventional approach. Are we going to trade Draisaitl's lazy ass? Nope, nor should we...unfortunately for coaches they are easy to fire and easily replaced.

I would 110% fire Woodcroft and bring in Barry Trotz. Bonus is Trotz reportedly brings in his own goal coach.

 

[Mr Positive]

There may be merits to firing him but it's just not happening unless we miss the playoffs, or bomb out of them. Just like hoping Campbell gets traded, it's not happening. I prefer to spend my brainpower on the things that actually can change.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

There may be merits to firing him but it's just not happening unless we miss the playoffs, or bomb out of them. Just like hoping Campbell gets traded, it's not happening. I prefer to spend my brainpower on the things that actually can change.

This team is literally the hockey team equivalent of Groundhog Day.

Holland isn’t trading Nurse, Campbell, Ceci - hell he can’t even trade PJ. So what’s there to discuss when literally nothing ever changes and fans for years have been able to predict with frightening accuracy how this team will perform under certain conditions and against certain teams. ( vs backup goalies, vs very weak teams, playing at certain times of day or in certain buildings Dallas/Minny)

You must sit and stare into space with a blank expression and zero thoughts a lot when it comes to discussing this team then.

Seriously though discussing the flaws of the team and coaching is high on the list.

 

[Ibanez]

There may be merits to firing him but it's just not happening unless we miss the playoffs, or bomb out of them. Just like hoping Campbell gets traded, it's not happening. I prefer to spend my brainpower on the things that actually can change.

Yes. I don’t think we are missing the playoffs so Holland And Woody are back next year for sure.

If we did miss. Holland is gone and so is the coach.

But playoffs are highly likely

 

[MessierII]

Does any team like their coach?

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Does any team like their coach?

Carolina. Rangers. Tampa. Montreal. Buffalo. Boston. Devils love Ruff now “Sorry Lindy” lol. LA loves TMac. Colorado. Arizona - Tourigny is creating minor miracles with that sad sack loser of a franchise. Eakins - He is the perfect tank coach haha.

 

[Mr Positive]

Carolina. Rangers. Tampa. Montreal. Buffalo. Boston. Devils love Ruff now “Sorry Lindy” lol. LA loves TMac. Colorado. Arizona - Tourigny is creating minor miracles with that sad sack loser of a franchise. Eakins - He is the perfect tank coach haha.

I'd even say Oiler fans like their coach. There is a segment that doesn't like him. I see their points but to me it seems hard to really make that call as long as the roster is flawed particularly on D. It's quite telling to me that numerous coaches have fallen into the same traps. I don't see someone like Trotz coming in and turning the Oilers into a strong defensive team, or "starting on time". He would bring respect and so if he told Holland that we needed a certain kind of player, Holland would take that more seriously.

 

[Mr Positive]

This team is literally the hockey team equivalent of Groundhog Day.

Holland isn’t trading Nurse, Campbell, Ceci - hell he can’t even trade PJ. So what’s there to discuss when literally nothing ever changes and fans for years have been able to predict with frightening accuracy how this team will perform under certain conditions and against certain teams. ( vs backup goalies, vs very weak teams, playing at certain times of day or in certain buildings Dallas/Minny)

You must sit and stare into space with a blank expression and zero thoughts a lot when it comes to discussing this team then.

Seriously though discussing the flaws of the team and coaching is high on the list.

This would only be true if I thought the team had unsolvable problems that were so bad that the team has no hope. I can imagine Woodcroft winning a cup with us. I can imagine Nurse winning it as our #1. I can imagine our goalie tandem doing it too.

All teams are flawed now. There are no super teams any more. I think we are not a true contender, but the moves we need to do are very doable and that's what I'm focused on.

Getting Karlsson is such a move and there is lots of smoke out there that the trade is on the table if we want it, but isn't the right price, which I can respect. Same with Chychrun.

Hockey is such a chaotic sport that even if we added a 2nd pairing quality guy I would be really curious about what the cascading effect would be. Look what adding a fairly regular crease clearing D in Desharnais did. This is a very exciting time

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

This would only be true if I thought the team had unsolvable problems that were so bad that the team has no hope. I can imagine Woodcroft winning a cup with us. I can imagine Nurse winning it as our #1. I can imagine our goalie tandem doing it too.

All teams are flawed now. There are no super teams any more. I think we are not a true contender, but the moves we need to do are very doable and that's what I'm focused on.

Getting Karlsson is such a move and there is lots of smoke out there that the trade is on the table if we want it, but isn't the right price, which I can respect. Same with Chychrun.

Hockey is such a chaotic sport that even if we added a 2nd pairing quality guy I would be really curious about what the cascading effect would be. Look what adding a fairly regular crease clearing D in Desharnais did. This is a very exciting time

For sure all teams are flawed. I’m not on the bash Nurse train btw but people talk about trading him which isn’t happening.

I can’t imagine this team getting past the 1st or 2nd round with this D and goaltending or coaching. If it happens I will be properly ecstatic and will gladly eat my words.

I’m not a Woody fan and believe he isn’t the right coach for a team with our specific flaws. Cup winning Washington resembles this team and the coach that took them over the top was Trotz.

 

[MoneyGuy]

I'm pretty sure Woodcroft has the best record of all coaches since he has been coaching the Oilers the team is also number 1 in offense during this time as well, and considering the goaltending and defense he has had to work with I would say some of you people expectations are seriously puzzling

This terrible thread is terrible. The guy is doing well with a lineup with a couple of big holes. I don’t know what some of you expect.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I don’t know what some of you expect.

To win the Stanley Cup, plain and simple. When you have the 3rd-best player since the WHA merger in his prime leading your team, this is the expectation. Every other coach in the conference besides Colorado would trade rosters with Woody in a millisecond, despite the flaws present in said roster.

 

[3IR]

I’m blown away every time this thread is bumped. Since woody took over were one of the best teams in the league, despite him being a rookie coach still in his first full season.

He has flaws, and I definitely criticize him for his game choices, but I’m willing to give some leeway to the rookie coach who’s got a better record than any coach I can remember in his first full season, and is likely only going to get better as he gets more experienced.

So tired of recycling the old has been coaches and expecting different results than what got them fired in the first place.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

This terrible thread is terrible. The guy is doing well with a lineup with a couple of big holes. I don’t know what some of you expect.

Tell me again how many games we’ve blown / given away because his team has been woefully unprepared, used a breakout that has former NHL players scratching their heads, player deployments that aren’t working, and has us playing the most immature game in 5 years.

McDavid is having the best offensive season in 30+ years. Hyman, RNH and Draisaitl all on pace to blow away career highs.

Yet the team can’t keep the puck out of their net and it’s not all on the goalies and routinely play like their hair is on fire in their own zone pointing to a significant lack of structure.

The division / conference is weak as hell yet were barely in playoff contention.

Woody is the wrong guy. Trotz is the right guy.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I’m blown away every time this thread is bumped. Since woody took over were one of the best teams in the league, despite him being a rookie coach still in his first full season.

He has flaws, and I definitely criticize him for his game choices, but I’m willing to give some leeway to the rookie coach who’s got a better record than any coach I can remember in his first full season, and is likely only going to get better as he gets more experienced.

So tired of recycling the old has been coaches and expecting different results than what got them fired in the first place.

“Best record” means nothing. The reality is the Oilers are barely clinging to a playoff spot with a God-like season from 97. You or I could coach the Oilers to this mediocre record in a weak division with McDavid going supernova and career years from a number of star players. We have to score 5 goals to win a game.

There is no learning time or leeway left. McDavid and Draisaitl are on the tail end years of their deals. Time to make it happen is now.

Trotz isn’t any old recycled coach. He took an offence only Caps team reluctant to play defence with a loaded top 6, middling bottom 6, ok goaltending and a mush mash D corps, had the stars buy in and won a cup. Sound like a team you know?

Let Woody cut his teeth with the Ducks or Sharks. The window is open for the Oilers now, and the guy that’s supposed to coach our way through it can’t plot a breakout to save his life.

Wrong coach for this team.

 

[McTonyBrar]

In Oil Country, every coach is the wrong hire unless its themselves behind the bench. What a joke

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

In Oil Country, every coach is the wrong hire unless its themselves behind the bench. What a joke

TMac was good. He was fired because Chia was in job saving mode. I was always behind him.

I had no issues with Tippett till it appeared the season was about to be lost but resisted the calls for his firing for months.

So not sure what you’re getting at.

 

[Oilhawks]

TMac was good. He was fired because Chia was in job saving mode. I was always behind him.

I had no issues with Tippett till it appeared the season was about to be lost but resisted the calls for his firing for months.

So not sure what you’re getting at.

No, he wasn’t.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

No, he wasn’t.

I’ll respectfully disagree.

 

[Oilhawks]

I’ll respectfully disagree.

He had one of the most stacked rosters in modern hockey with the Sharks and perennially failed with them. Some can call them “chokers” but that’s also on the coach. DeBoer took his team further than he ever did and their window was already closing

With the Oilers, he made mind boggling roster decisions here and while Chiarelli screwed him, he did himself no favours. Guy could never win a challenge and if Talbot wasn’t god mode probably wouldn’t have made it out of the first round.

Absolute rose coloured glasses with this guy.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

He had one of the most stacked rosters in modern hockey with the Sharks and perennially failed with them. Some can call them “chokers” but that’s also on the coach. DeBoer took his team further than he ever did and their window was already closing

With the Oilers, he made mind boggling roster decisions here and while Chiarelli screwed him, he did himself no favours. Guy could never win a challenge and if Talbot wasn’t god mode probably wouldn’t have made it out of the first round.

Absolute rose coloured glasses with this guy.

Bear in mind he had to get through an even better team that won 2 cups in LA at the time. He nearly took us out last year without Doughty and a host of other injuries. The Oilers needed a record breaking performance by McDavid. He stole our lunch money in yet another of the many embarrassing immature losses in January where their PP picked apart our PK with ease.

He has a Kings team with poor goaltending playing well this season. If we play LA this year in Round 1 I have serious doubts we beat them this time.

TMac is a good coach. He had junk to work with here and was forced to play players that weren’t NHL ready.

 

[Oilhawks]

Bear in mind he had to get through an even better team that won 2 cups in LA at the time. He nearly took us out last year without Doughty and a host of other injuries. The Oilers needed a record breaking performance by McDavid. He stole our lunch money in yet another of the many embarrassing immature losses in January where their PP picked apart our PK with ease.

He has a Kings team with poor goaltending playing well this season. If we play LA this year in Round 1 I have serious doubts we beat them this time.

TMac is a good coach. He had junk to work with here and was forced to play players that weren’t NHL ready.

Yes, and they had the powerhouse Hawks in the way as well. That LA team was one of the lowest scoring cup winners I can think of. It was shocking in a modern league and outside of that Blues cup (though I seem to recall them scoring much better), I doubt we see it that often. However, the Sharks were good enough to win at least one of the times against LA. The reverse sweep in 2014 never ever should have happened and is a massive coaching failure.

I don’t think coaching has much to do with LA beating the Oilers this year. They have a well-constructed roster (horrid goaltending aside but even the Oilers one with worse D can overcome that) that is able to counter high octane offense with obstruction heavy hockey and helped along with somewhat lax officiating to this style of hockey. They get away with tons of junk and dirty trash play and they did on the playoffs as well, anyhow I digress a bit there but is certainly a part of the factor.

Chiarelli was worse but McLellan is a vanilla coach that is not worthy of much praise. He’s no Coach Q, Trotz, vintage Hitchcock etc that were actual difference makers. Hell, I think Tippett was a better coach and his greatest success was getting carried by Vezina calibre Smith that one time. I think he could have done better in Dallas but he was still quite green as a coach, at least.

 

[Cloned]

Re: TMac

I made fun of Koala a lot, but I think what people sometimes forget is that coaches can get better too, not just players.

I think he’s gotten better as a coach since his Oilers days.

 

[Oilhawks]

Re: TMac

I made fun of Koala a lot, but I think what people sometimes forget is that coaches can get better too, not just players.

I think he’s gotten better as a coach since his Oilers days.

Maybe. It only took him wasting the Sharks cup contending years and getting Chiarelli’d to look good again on a balanced Kings roster.

 

[North Cole]

Tell me again how many games we’ve blown / given away because his team has been woefully unprepared, used a breakout that has former NHL players scratching their heads, player deployments that aren’t working, and has us playing the most immature game in 5 years.

McDavid is having the best offensive season in 30+ years. Hyman, RNH and Draisaitl all on pace to blow away career highs.

Yet the team can’t keep the puck out of their net and it’s not all on the goalies and routinely play like their hair is on fire in their own zone pointing to a significant lack of structure.

The division / conference is weak as hell yet were barely in playoff contention.

Woody is the wrong guy. Trotz is the right guy.

Trotz ain't coming here, even if we fire woody.

 

[Cloned]

Maybe. It only took him wasting the Sharks cup contending years and getting Chiarelli’d to look good again on a balanced Kings roster.

I think he’s combined what he did well (strong system play) with the newer popular tactics (aggressive pressing and shot generation). Not a perfect coach by any means, but he’s better than he used to be when he was in favour of a more passive approach.