Todd McLellan - Opinions so far

[guymez]

Its been less than a week but I think I am starting to get a good sense of Todd McLellan and what he represents.

In all honesty I can't imagine a better fit for this team at this time. Its clear so far that Todd communicates with clarity (without condescension) and he appears to coach the same way. Everything from the structure of the camp to the segregation of players to Team A and Team B to create competition.
This camp has been managed extremely well so far IMO.
This is the first camp I can think of (granted its early) that has had little to no confusion attached to it.
There is clarity in terms of team direction...clarity in terms of player assignments....clarity in terms of expectations....clarity in terms of a players status.
Clarity with virtually every aspect of this Training Camp.

Back in April there were some of us here at HF who felt that McLellan would be a better fit over Babcock. That was from a distance...now with a closer view of what Todd is all about everything that has been revealed about this man so far is rock solid.
As camp progresses this FIT really does appear to be more and more evident.


Ken Hitchcock said in an interview earlier in the summer that the most worrisome thing for him about the Oilers (this season) wasn't going to be impact of McDavid...it was going to be the impact that McLellan will have on the team.

I think Hitchcock will be proven right.

I am starting to form a serious man crush for this feisty Koala...couldn't be happier that he is the Head Coach of this team

Click to read more...

 

[Aerrol]

Far too early for me to feel comfortable saying much either way, but I definitely like what I see.

It's a weird feeling having a coach I'm actually confident in...

 

[guymez]

Far too early for me to feel comfortable saying much either way, but I definitely like what I see.

It's a weird feeling having a coach I'm actually confident in...

Its definitely very early (they havent even played a meaningful game yet ) but I think we are starting to see the arrows lining up in the right direction.

I have no trouble making an early call on Todd McLellan as HC based on what I have seen so far.

 

[Arctic Fox]

Its definitely very early (they havent even played a meaningful game yet ) but I think we are starting to see the arrows lining up in the right direction.

I have no trouble making an early call on Todd McLellan as HC based on what I have seen so far.

To me this isn't a test for McLellan as a coach. Given McLellan's track record in the NHL and at the national level, if the team can't perform with this coach you might as well sell them for picks and start another rebuild.

 

[guymez]

To me this isn't a test for McLellan as a coach. Given McLellan's track record in the NHL and at the national level, if the team can't perform with this coach you might as well sell them for picks and start another rebuild.

Fair enough. Naturally we will have a much better sense of what kind of a coach McLellan is once the season rolls into November/December.

Dont get me wrong...I am not suggesting that Todds reign will produce nothing but Rainbows and Butterflies.

I just really like what I have seen in the man himself so far and I think that will project really well as we move forward.
I suspect very strongly that there will be much more positive than negative as this season unfolds.

Maybe I like to think I am a quick study on people...alternatively I may be just a little too ramped up about the upcoming season.

Either one is possible.

 

[PersuasiveSteve]

I don't have much to say about his coaching YET.

But I do feel like this is the first time in the last 8 or 9 years where the coach can't justifiably be used as the scapegoat for the performance of the team. Just based on his previous coaching records, his experience, and the way he's handled himself and the team so far, you can tell he's pushing everyone in the right direction. Now it's just up to each team member to head towards the area they are directed to and embrace it.

They will be organized beautifully, and have excellent structure and hopefully if there are holes (which will likely happen) then we can count on Chiarelli to address the missing pieces.

 

[bzur]

I think now that we have a proper proven NHL coach it'll be time to start looking harder at the players on our squad be it positive or negative. I already have trust in what Todd can do, now it's time to shift the real focus and work towards making hard decisions in players based on this year.

I feel he is the right coach for thus ream right now.

 

[bzur]

I don't have much to say about his coaching YET.

But I do feel like this is the first time in the last 8 or 9 years where the coach can't justifiably be used as the scapegoat for the performance of the team. Just based on his previous coaching records, his experience, and the way he's handled himself and the team so far, you can tell he's pushing everyone in the right direction. Now it's just up to each team member to head towards the area they are directed to and embrace it.

They will be organized beautifully, and have excellent structure and hopefully if there are holes (which will likely happen) then we can count on Chiarelli to address the missing pieces.

I like the way you said it better. Haha

 

[The Human Torch]

It's just so refreshing and confidence-inspiring to watch a head coach not completely waste the preseason faffing about with useless ECHLers and coaches' kids and then treating the first two weeks of the regular season as training camp.

 

[Soundwave]

Cautiously optimistic, but it's all talk right now.

Need to see how he deals with the team in actual real games and whether or not he can get guys specifically like Schultz and Yakupov to improve.

 

[Bangers]

My opinion is that it's too early to have an opinion.

Still, I was one of those who thought McLellan might be a better fit than Babcock, and he's the most proven coaching hire the Oilers have ever made (well, Quinn, but the game had clearly passed him by).

I also agree that if any of the young talent fails to impress, it's now on them; if Ryan Halberle-Schultov are still playing 'me-first toe-drag hockey in December, I have no problem woth them being moved.

 

[The Human Torch]

Cautiously optimistic, but it's all talk right now.

Need to see how he deals with the team in actual real games and whether or not he can get guys specifically like Schultz and Yakupov to improve.

Bang on. Can't remember which sports writer it was but someone made an observation after the Calgary game that they saw Yakupov chase a puck hard into a corner and remarked that he was doing exactly what McLellan had called him out for not doing during his first practice session at camp. That's an early positive sign, here's hoping things like that keep happening!

 

[Jumptheshark]

Far too early for me to feel comfortable saying much either way, but I definitely like what I see.

It's a weird feeling having a coach I'm actually confident in...

one game--

the thing I do realy like--he aint ****ing around when it comes to team A and team Suck

 

[Aerrol]

Far too early for me to feel comfortable saying much either way, but I definitely like what I see.

It's a weird feeling having a coach I'm actually confident in...

I don't have much to say about his coaching YET.

It's just so refreshing and confidence-inspiring to watch a head coach not completely waste the preseason faffing about with useless ECHLers and coaches' kids and then treating the first two weeks of the regular season as training camp.

Cautiously optimistic, but it's all talk right now.

Need to see how he deals with the team in actual real games and whether or not he can get guys specifically like Schultz and Yakupov to improve.

My opinion is that it's too early to have an opinion.

Still, I was one of those who thought McLellan might be a better fit than Babcock, and he's the most proven coaching hire the Oilers have ever made (well, Quinn, but the game had clearly passed him by).

Wow, it sure seems like there is a lot of disagreement on this subject!

 

[PBandJ]

I like what I've heard. Sounds like a no nonsense coach who won't be gifting anyone anything, especially the wunderkids.

 

[Zaddy]

I love him so far.

 

[CupofOil]

The only thing that matters is results. Until they start winning consistently, this is all fluff.

I'll say one thing though. If this "core" can't get it done under this coach, I don't want to see any more coach scapegoating, it'll be blatantly obvious that this group of players will never get it done so it's put up or shut up time and I give it a 2 year window to see massive improvements. Even this year, I expect at least a 20 point improvement even with this flawed roster and just as importantly, a team that plays a more structured game and sticks up for each other.

 

[Halibut]

I'm sorry but way to early.

I'm sure if you look back there were things people liked about Eakins in his training camps, not just when he took doughnuts away from the reporters. Before we pat ourselves on the back and hand out a medal to the organization for hiring him lets see how he handles the team in actual games. Let's see how he handles the first slump, how he manages the players, see if he can get them to gel and develop chemistry particularly some of the troublesome players like Yak, what he does with the defence and goaltending.

 

[joestevens29]

Like any of the other dozen we've had lately I'll wait and see what the results are. Saying the right things really means nothing.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Well I had a higher level of confidence in him right from the start.

Krueger, Eakins and even Nelson all worried me because I felt this young team needed a more experienced coach.

I always had my doubts with Renney too. But nothing about Mclellan has me worried.

It's on the players now.

 

[Beerfish]

He's okay, but he's no Davos Ikinzom.

 

[McDrai]

Too early to tell for me but I like what I'm seeing so far. This is probably the most structured training camp I've ever seen from the Oilers. If they don't improve under a proven GM, Coach, and some key additions (McDavid, Sekera, Draisaitl, etc) then they really need to take another look at the "core".

 

[Aceboogie]

So far so good

Interested in his ystems tho. Sharks fan complained he was favouring dump and chase hockey and played vets a ton. Interesting to see if he switches that up

 

[popo]

I am starting to form a serious man crush for this feisty Koala...couldn't be happier that he is the Head Coach of this team

Great - now I will forever picture McClellan as a Koala bear. Similarly I can't help but envision a badger when I see Bruce Bodreau. And Bob McKenzie, an owl.

 

[thadd]

Well he hasn't surprised us so far and I say that's a great thing.

The lines he's started off with are pretty much the same as what we were thinking about.

He's trying to give Teddy a chance because he's on a contract year like we thought he would and if Teddy doesn't respond then he'll likely be waived.

Next is Nikitin. We knew he'd give him some minutes off the bat and we thought Nikitin would come in interested and in shape and he's totally screwing up his career.

Does Nikitin have a NTC or a NMC? If it's the later I could easily see him being waived as well because we can easily get more out of either Nurse or Reinhart.