News Article: Spector: Oilers held hostage by their past

[McDNicks17]

Every now and then? From the sounds of it, it was three times in over two months. I can’t imagine why they would hire somebody and announce it publicly only for him to show up for work three times. If they were aware he was going to be around as rarely as he was then why bother announcing his hiring? Nobody would have even noticed. I’m guessing they expected more from him. It looks like Coffey was the guy I’d thought he be the day his hiring was announced. Somebody who was non committed and not much help at all. Worse than that, look at all the controversy it stirred. I wonder if they still think it was worth it.

Why wouldn't they think it was worth it? At worst, there was little gain and nothing lost.

It sounds like they hired someone to a fairly minor role and he did the job.

Do you think the team actually cares that there's people who think it was a failed experiment even though they have no idea what Coffey's job entailed or how well he did it? Or that there's people who have hilariously jumped to the conclusion that Coffey's hire is proof that Gretzky is running the show?

There's no actual controversy around the hire.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

no one is saying that at all

it's strange cause Chia said they needed a skill coach, then hire Coffey...who does a half-ass job and only shows up twice on the ice

again, maybe Coffey could only be available for that amount of time...but then wouldn't it have been better to hire someone who's willing to put more work into it?

Don't bother. He'll never say a bad word about the OBC. He thinks they should still be in control.

 

[MoneyGuy]

So at this rate we should be sitting pretty by, oh, 2022.

Is Katz selling the team, because I think that's what it will take.

 

[rboomercat90]

Why wouldn't they think it was worth it? At worst, there was little gain and nothing lost.

It sounds like they hired someone to a fairly minor role and he did the job.

Do you think the team actually cares that there's people who think it was a failed experiment even though they have no idea what Coffey's job entailed or how well he did it? Or that there's people who have hilariously jumped to the conclusion that Coffey's hire is proof that Gretzky is running the show?

There's no actual controversy around the hire.

Why wouldn't they think it was worth it? At worst, there was little gain and nothing lost.

It sounds like they hired someone to a fairly minor role and he did the job.

Do you think the team actually cares that there's people who think it was a failed experiment even though they have no idea what Coffey's job entailed or how well he did it? Or that there's people who have hilariously jumped to the conclusion that Coffey's hire is proof that Gretzky is running the show?

There's no actual controversy around the hire.

No controversy for you but I think your opinion is in the minority.

As for the hire itself, there was a lot of confusion around what his role was from the start. Nicholson and Chiarelli gave two different opinions publicly of what his job was going to be. Didn’t sound like they were on the same page. Why was that? I still don’t think they’d have bothered to announce it publicly if it was intended to be such a part time job. Howson had been back for months before they announced that.

 

[McDNicks17]

Don't bother. He'll never say a bad word about the OBC. He thinks they should still be in control.

They're hiring part-time skills coaches, (allegedly).

They've got complete control. We're doomed!

 

[bone]

No controversy for you but I think your opinion is in the minority.

As for the hire itself, there was a lot of confusion around what his role was from the start. Nicholson and Chiarelli gave two different opinions publicly of what his job was going to be. Didn’t sound like they were on the same page. Why was that? I still don’t think they’d have bothered to announce it publicly if it was intended to be such a part time job. Howson had been back for months before they announced that.

I seem to remember it going down as if they didn't want to make a deal about it. But the media started talking about it, then during a broadcast the crew kept showing him in attendance, then they announced it as one of the worst kept secrets. So perhaps it was meant to be part time until his kids team was done for the season, then he'd get more involved. Who knows.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

They're hiring part-time skills coaches, (allegedly).

They've got complete control. We're doomed!

If after ten years of historical failure you still believe that they should be in positions of power, does it matter what anyone says to try to convince you?

You will never change your mind. They can't do any worse than that.

 

[McDNicks17]

If after ten years of historical failure you still believe that they should be in positions of power, does it matter what anyone says to try to convince you?

You will never change your mind. They can't do any worse than that.

Some actual facts and use of logic would go a long way in changing my mind.

Haven't seen any of the former and very little of the latter in this thread.


I think the funniest thing in all this for me was pointed out by someone else earlier in the thread and conveniently glossed over.

Spector says the Old Boys don't like McLellan and want him gone, yet McLellan still has his job.

How much control do they have?

 

[TB12]

Oilers Upper Hierarchy Needs to be Better

Gregor recaps what a disaster management/coaching has been since Katz bought the team.

And when given a chance at the Nicholson presser to ask a question about this, Gregor asks a question about fan experience at Rogers Place.
Hard hitting journalism at its finest.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Some actual facts and use of logic would go a long way in changing my mind.

Haven't seen any of the former and very little of the latter in this thread.


I think the funniest thing in all this for me was pointed out by someone else earlier in the thread and conveniently glossed over.

Spector says the Old Boys don't like McLellan and want him gone, yet McLellan still has his job.

How much control do they have?

Like I said, if ten years of being the worst team ever isn't enough proof for you then what is?

McLellan and Woodcroft are not good coaches. They are as good as gone. I say it will happen when the playoffs end. If they aren't then they and Chia are all gone next year--except for the OBC. They'll still be here...

 

[McDNicks17]

Like I said, if ten years of being the worst team ever isn't enough proof for you then what is?

McLellan and Woodcroft are not good coaches. They are as good as gone. I say it will happen when the playoffs end. If they aren't then they and Chia are all gone next year--except for the OBC. They'll still be here...

I don't know how that even remotely proves that the Old Boys are in charge.

It proves the team still employs a handful of idiots, but beyond that?

 

[rboomercat90]

I read the Gregor article and was really surprised about what was written about Rocky Thompson. I’m an Oilers fan living in Edmonton. I read both papers as well as everything that ends up getting posted on this forum. I’m curious why our media have never promoted this guy. I don’t think I’ve read a word about him since he left the organization.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I read the Gregor article and was really surprised about what was written about Rocky Thompson. I’m an Oilers fan living in Edmonton. I read both papers as well as everything that ends up getting posted on this forum. I’m curious why our media have never promoted this guy. I don’t think I’ve read a word about him since he left the organization.

Yeah I think I heard his first big fight wss vs. Gerry fleming. Weird.

 

[joestevens29]

Yeah I think I heard his first big fight wss vs. Gerry fleming. Weird.

The problem anytime anyone posted anything positive about Thompson or Bucky, things turned negative. People didn't want to hear it. There were far too many people that wouldn't credit a goon with being a good coach so it never really got much traction on here.

If you followed the Baron's threads there was a lot of good being talked about him and it appears the guy is headed in the right direction to getting a head coaching gig in the future.

 

[joestevens29]

As for this article, not really sure what is going to happen. If PC wanted to get rid of all the ex-oilers can he? Does it really matter if Gretzky is still hanging out with Katz all the time anyway?

 

[ThePhoenixx]

As for this article, not really sure what is going to happen. If PC wanted to get rid of all the ex-oilers can he? Does it really matter if Gretzky is still hanging out with Katz all the time anyway?

Do you think MacTavish is his first choice to run the AHL team and scouting?

 

[ThePhoenixx]

I don't know how that even remotely proves that the Old Boys are in charge.

It proves the team still employs a handful of idiots, but beyond that?

You're such a good poster. Not sure why you want to pick this hill.

In the other thread "Management dysfunction", I asked you whether the OBC (One is running the AHL team, etc.) should be let go. You said you didn't know. You need more proof.

Now you rightfully call them idiots. So you are saying that you want to keep the idiots because you need more proof that they are even bigger idiots?

 

[McDNicks17]

You're such a good poster. Not sure why you want to pick this hill.

In the other thread "Management dysfunction", I asked you whether the OBC (One is running the AHL team, etc.) should be let go. You said you didn't know. You need more proof.

Now you rightfully call them idiots. So you are saying that you want to keep the idiots because you need more proof that they are even bigger idiots?

MacT was a terrible NHL GM, but I have no idea how competent he is at his current job. Hell, I don't even know what his job entails considering Bakersfield has a GM(Bill Scott) who is also the Director of Hockey Operations for the Oilers.

Same for Lowe. What does a vice-chairman on the business side even do?

My point has never been the Old Boys are/were great. It's been that the assertion that these guys are in control and that the organization is doomed until they're gone is just asinine and based on nothing but weak speculation.

 

[joestevens29]

Do you think MacTavish is his first choice to run the AHL team and scouting?

Honestly I doubt it, but at the same time I don't know that MacT is necessarily a bad pick for that job. Seems like something he should've been doing before being the GM. Optics are just bad now.

 

[joestevens29]

MacT was a terrible NHL GM, but I have no idea how competent he is at his current job. Hell, I don't even know what his job entails considering Bakersfield has a GM(Bill Scott) who is also the Director of Hockey Operations for the Oilers.

Same for Lowe. What does a vice-chairman on the business side even do?

My point has never been the Old Boys are/were great. It's been that the assertion that these guys are in control and that the organization is doomed until they're gone is just asinine and based on nothing but weak speculation.

Any of these guys whispering in Katz ears isn't good. And yes it's safe to assume at least one is doing this.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

i find the recent obc flocking (gretzky and coffey) to be pretty crappy.

Although I think "loyalty" is a decent quality and something probably quite important. I dont really see how these guys are loyal just because their glory days were in edmonton.

And really....it seems more like a bunch of alumni trying to piggy back on McDavid to get another ring associated with them and leech for their coaching/management resumes.

MacT I don't think can get a job anywhere else.

Lowe I think is probably....smart? .....probably wants people he can trust around I guess.....he technically was out of options and ideas a long time ago......right around the time they threw Souray under the bus and then fired Tom Renney via text message. (7 years ago?)

 

[thadd]

I love what our players did for us in the 80's, but I really want them as far away from our team as possible. We need proven professionals right now.

Our farm team sucks, our prospect pool is average at best, our special teams are horrible and we have missed the playoffs once again.

What are former Oilers going to do?

What did Messier actually DO with the Rangers after retiring as a player that justifies being with the Oilers for anything other than PR?

How about Wayne? Can you tell me something he actually did well while in Arizona?

And now Paul Coffey. What did he do? Where has he coached? They say he's some kind of skill development coach but I can't help but think that they're going to tell us that we've found our PP coach next season when in fact he's the last guy to choose for the job because our PP kinda sucked when we were at our best.

I'm not a Mark Spector fan, but I can't help but agree with most of what he's going on about in this article.

 

[oobga]

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Seriously took me a good 20 seconds to figure out who the guy in the middle was.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Seriously took me a good 20 seconds to figure out who the guy in the middle was.

Emilio Estevez......