News Article: Spector: Oilers held hostage by their past

[McDNicks17]

I read it as the Oilers forcing coaches upon McLellan
Specifically hiring an OBC member

That's a theory based entirely on Spector's wildly incorrect interpretation of Coffey's job.

 

[syz]

Even when he's on to something Spector is hard to take seriously. Guy seems like a certified idiot.

 

[Cloned]

lol, "The Red Wine Summits."

Is this real life?

 

[Soundwave]

I’ve been trying to explain this to him all year to no avail, maybe you’ll have better luck.

Why even bother then. We can't have good management no matter what is your point? Then move the team to Seattle and just get it over with.

 

[Frank the Tank]

It honestly reads like some desperate defense of McLellan.

Spector is basically trying to blame the coaching train wreck on a part time skills development coach.

Is Todd the only guy left in the organization that will actually talk to him?

I don't think he is defending McLellan. It's clear who's the target of the article with the "red wine" comment and stating that the Coffey hiring came from above Chiarelli.

He's taking a shot at Gretzky, which is a valid take on the situation.

 

[Soundwave]

No, he's not. It's clear who's the target of the article with the "red wine" comment and stating that the Coffey hiring came from above Chiarelli.

He's taking a shot at Gretzky, which is a valid take on the situation.

And did Wayne Gretzky make the Reinhart, Hall, and Lucic deals?

 

[KarmaPolice]

I tried to read it.

Kind of scanned through......rhetorical questions? What's up with that?

Couldn't finish. (insert Oilers PP joke).

and yet.....clickbait achieved.

and what's with the title.....?

Mr. Show was the best. Have no opinion on the article.

 

[Del Preston]

OBC vs Chiarelli/McLellan, with Nicholson caught in the middle

 

[Frank the Tank]

And did Wayne Gretzky make the Reinhart, Hall, and Lucic deals?

Call me crazy... but there can be more than one person at fault when an organization flounders. It's not an either/or situation.

 

[McDNicks17]

I don't think he is defending McLellan. It's clear who's the target of the article with the "red wine" comment and stating that the Coffey hiring came from above Chiarelli.

He's taking a shot at Gretzky, which is a valid take on the situation.

It would be valid if Spector presented any kind of facts to support it.

 

[Mr Positive]

My issue with Coffey’s hire (when it was announced) was how committed he was to the job. He’s an ex player that’s been out of the game for almost twenty years and his reason for that was pretty much because he had better things to do. According to Spector, he still had better things to do and wasn’t around much.

Coffey was a brutal hire, maybe the worst one yet just because he isn’t willing to pour his soul into it like pretty much anyone else would. You could easily make a case for Ranford as he got into coaching pretty quickly after he stopped playing. He’s committed. I’m not familiar with what Roloson has done so I can’t comment on him, but there’s no defending Coffey’s approach to the job and calling it a good hire,

it's not like every organization has a certain set number of slots to fill. Different orgs not only have different numbers of scouts, but different amounts of skills coaches, people who analyze video, or even high level decision makers. Bringing in Coffey was a good idea imo because he wasn't blocking anyone else more committed from taking the job or anything. Sure, Ranford was very committed to being a skills coach early on, but there's nothing to suggest it is required that they get into that field early on.

From the sound of it, Coffey was only ever brought in for him to dip his toes into a role like this (and some say he might not have even been paid). Coffey is a fairly good coach-prospect, but the next step for him would be to take a bigger role and be on the job full time.

 

[Frank the Tank]

It would be valid if Spector presented any kind of facts to support it.

Fair enough, but Nicholson did state today that Gretzky and Lowe are still involved in hockey decisions (as vice chairs).

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Refreshing article. After watching two utterly useless press conference held my our garbage management team. It's nice to see at least one media member write something that isn't full of softballs.

 

[rboomercat90]

And did Wayne Gretzky make the Reinhart, Hall, and Lucic deals?

No, Chiarelli did (probably) and that’s on him. The two things aren’t related but they show a bigger problem than who the GM is right now. It shows the organization has people employed in positions without accountability that are making important decisions. It creates a toxic atmosphere for everybody working there as they could be undermined at any time.

 

[rboomercat90]

OBC vs Chiarelli/McLellan, with Nicholson caught in the middle

Who could have predicted this might happen when the old group got to stick around?

 

[SomeDudeOTI]

What is he even talking about in regards to Coffey?

The Coffey hire was a failed experiment? He didn't put in enough time to succeed? A skills development coach is supposed to come to the rink early and pour over film?

That article reads more like some gossip column than actual journalism.

One word...
Spector.

 

[McDNicks17]

Fair enough, but Nicholson did state today that Gretzky and Lowe are still involved in hockey decisions (as vice chairs).

I understand that, but I don't like how Spector is stating it like fact.

Chia said he had been looking to add a skills coach for awhile and he and McLellan made the decision together to hire Coffey. Seems pretty believable and a little elaborate if he was trying to pretend like it wasn't forced on him.

Spector then basically extrapolates the entire basis for this article off that one flimsy assumption.


It's just a shame that some people will eat this stuff up.

This article is filled with speculation, feigned insider information and hypothetical questions while being completely devoid of any facts. Slap a clickbaity title on it and you get what these people try to pass off as "journalism" nowadays.

 

[rboomercat90]

Why even bother then. We can't have good management no matter what is your point? .

Yeah, that’s my point. Until Katz decides he wants to run a real hockey team this is what it is. It sucks. I’ve been an Oiler fan since the WHA days. I hate this.

 

[rboomercat90]

it's not like every organization has a certain set number of slots to fill. Different orgs not only have different numbers of scouts, but different amounts of skills coaches, people who analyze video, or even high level decision makers. Bringing in Coffey was a good idea imo because he wasn't blocking anyone else more committed from taking the job or anything. Sure, Ranford was very committed to being a skills coach early on, but there's nothing to suggest it is required that they get into that field early on.

From the sound of it, Coffey was only ever brought in for him to dip his toes into a role like this (and some say he might not have even been paid). Coffey is a fairly good coach-prospect, but the next step for him would be to take a bigger role and be on the job full time.

Considering Coffey’s history, that might be too big a step for him.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Spector putting his balls on the table.

 

[rboomercat90]

I understand that, but I don't like how Spector is stating it like fact.

Chia said he had been looking to add a skills coach for awhile and he and McLellan made the decision together to hire Coffey. Seems pretty believable and a little elaborate if he was trying to pretend like it wasn't forced on him.

Spector then basically extrapolates the entire basis for this article off that one flimsy assumption.

Spector seems pretty sure Coffey’s hire wasn’t made by Chiarelli or Mclellan. Before I read this article he was on Primetime Sports today telling Bob Mccown that he was going “on the record” stating that hiring came from above Chiarelli/Mclellan. That’s a pretty bold statement to make on a national tv forum if it’s not true. That’s why I’m choosing to believe what he’s saying. Gotta think there’d be serious repercussions for him if it wasn’t.

 

[I am the Liquor]

There's a real easy way to solve this, and since Bobby Burgers is so busy "evaluating" why doesn't he evaluate something useful. Anyone who was involved in or pushed for any of the following moves:

1.) Trading the 16/33rd picks for Griffin Reinhart

2.) Trading Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson

3.) Signing Milan Lucic to a $42 million dollar 7 year contract

Anyone and everyone that was in on those moves should be fired.

I got Chia and Bob Green out, who else? Why don't you ****ing do your job Nicholson and "evaluate" that, instead of getting razzle dazzled by "plans".

Maybe you could write him a letter?

 

[MoontoScott]

Interesting article. Absolutely terribly written, but interesting to see him out what a lot of people behind the scenes have been talking about. Perhaps part of Chia's weird conference is him knowing that his fate is in the control of the Mad King and his drunk advisers.

That's an interesting way of putting it and probably correct. This whole thing is looking a bit like the "Mad King" and a dozen advisers who are all vying for position to the detriment of the organization.

The problem I have with Spector's article is that I am sure nobody forced Chia's hand in the bad trades or the ridiculous Lucic signing. That was his doing, not Gretzky's or Coffey's.

What a mess and no signs of a large broom.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Not exactly shocking. Frustrating certainly. Has to be challenging when you’re Bob Nicholson or Chiarelli and guys like Gretzky and Lowe can go over your head anytime they want.

Reminds me of the old WWF days when HHH, Shawn Michaels, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman formed the Kliq. No matter what management did, they were always on top calling the shots for things like booking and champions.

Spector is a garbage writer though. Did he write this in NotePad on a first generation tablet? Ugh.

 

[Soundwave]

The article isn't even really saying what some people are inferring if you read it. Spector makes no bones that Chia has made terrible moves and has to wear the goat horns. If you're hoping for a "Chia is actually smart, he's just being undercut by other people", that's not what he's saying:

Yet, at the same time as team CEO Bob Nicholson was throwing his support behind beleaguered general manager Peter Chiarelli on Thursday, the accountants at Ernst and Young were tallying NHL Awards ballots that could well give Taylor Hall the Hart Trophy and Mathew Barzal the Calder — two players that Chiarelli, frankly, blew it on.

But what happens when the GM ruptures the roster with bad moves and unused cap space? Or when players the GM signed have off or injured years?
Are the coaches on the hook for that, too?

Very unambiguous that Spector is putting Chiarelli on blast.

The second half of the article seems to turn into some kind of bizarre passive aggressive defence of Todd McLellan though I think by implying that Coffey was forced onto him ... but really ... we're gonna blame Paul Coffey for a big chunk of this mess?

Dude was here for maybe three practises tops. Making him the scapegoat is pretty convenient.