Player Discussion Todd McLellan

[PulYou]

To me one thing Todd is good at, is building narratives.

He can sell his ideas to media (management too?) like the one just now, that Jesse has to bully his way out there. Nobody in the media questioned it. Or according to him, there was nothing wrong with the PP, better yet with this rate there will be 82 points coming. No judgement?

Have You all heard the fairy tail "Emperor's new clothes"? I hope the management steps up, for the child in this story (the fans) has already said that "he isn't wearing anything at all"...

 

[Porkleaker]

Fire this inept piece of stupid cancer before he ruins the rest of the season, I mean look at that power play? I'm more confident in a troop of girlscouts
than i am with this bumbling moron.

UWFhUVFRUYHSggGBolGxUVITEhJSkrLi4uFx8zODMtNygtLisBCgoKDg0

 

[Aerchon]

Well I have been a supporter of his from his hire.

No more.

I find it terrible that a power play proven to be useless last year. That sorta got his PP coach fired last year. Is still being used. That's Pejorative Slured and ultimately his responsibility.

He is not good at goalie management. Getting his team ready at the starts of the game/period. His systems get overrun by pure speed still. Utilizing JP is weird.

Finally someone managed to sink it into his fat head Caguillia isn't good and that is literally the only positive change that I have seen made by the new super coaching staff all through preseason and game one.

McLellan is obviously stubborn and ineffective. It's time to move on imo. I wouldn't give him one more game with this team. Keeping him sends the message failing by repeating is acceptable. Firing him sends the message the team needs fresh minds and only accepts winning.

 

[Porkleaker]

Well I have been a supporter of his from his hire.

No more.

I find it terrible that a power play proven to be useless last year. That sorta got his PP coach fired last year. Is still being used. That's ******ed and ultimately his responsibility.

He is not good at goalie management. Getting his team ready at the starts of the game/period. His systems get overrun by pure speed still. Utilizing JP is weird.

Finally someone managed to sink it into his fat head Caguillia isn't good and that is literally the only positive change that I have seen made by the new super coaching staff all through preseason and game one.

McLellan is obviously stubborn and ineffective. It's time to move on imo. I wouldn't give him one more game with this team. Keeping him sends the message failing by repeating is acceptable. Firing him sends the message the team needs fresh minds and only accepts winning.

Wait, solve this in 1 year? I'm pretty sure that could all be solved with 1 button.
And no.ahhh aw wth...........Give it like 3 periods x 4 but any coach will be better than Todd- I 5v5vs is great but he only means hand positions. Please go away you angry ass Koala.

 

[BlackDogg]

No No No...lets just change all the ASSISTANTS again. That surely is the problem here. And will buy another year maybe.
We need 4 left handed assistants this time.

 

[RegDunlop]

Not sure if proper place to post this but if I were head coach or PO coach here's what I'd do.

First unit
McD Drai Jessi as forwards, Nuge with Bouchard / Bear / Klef manning the point.
(Yes weak defensively but we are supposed to be on offence)
And adapt as needed if that's not working adding Lucic as net front presence. Point being don't jun run the same F ing thing!

Second Unit
Either McD or Nuge depending on previous shift(s) stay on. Yamamoto (if still here), and Reider as forwards. Garrison (bomb) with Strome / Nurse on D.
Again adapt if necessary incorporating Kharia in front of net.

It's ludicrous to me (everyone beside coach?!) that the same telegraphed PP is rolled out time and again. The fact McD gets double shifted when we are down is REACTIVE coaching. I want proactive. Leave the best player in the game on the ice to dominate for entire PP. (Again according to previous shifts and length).

Any thoughts?

 

[oobga]

Not sure if proper place to post this but if I were head coach or PO coach here's what I'd do.

First unit
McD Drai Jessi as forwards, Nuge with Bouchard / Bear / Klef manning the point.
(Yes weak defensively but we are supposed to be on offence)
And adapt as needed if that's not working adding Lucic as net front presence. Point being don't jun run the same F ing thing!

Second Unit
Either McD or Nuge depending on previous shift(s) stay on. Yamamoto (if still here), and Reider as forwards. Garrison (bomb) with Strome / Nurse on D.
Again adapt if necessary incorporating Kharia in front of net.

It's ludicrous to me (everyone beside coach?!) that the same telegraphed PP is rolled out time and again. The fact McD gets double shifted when we are down is REACTIVE coaching. I want proactive. Leave the best player in the game on the ice to dominate for entire PP. (Again according to previous shifts and length).

Any thoughts?

My first thought is, this makes sense, therefore McLellan will never do it

How we hired 3 new assistant coaches, and the 1st PP unit we throw out and stick to all pre-season and in practice is EXACTLY the same thing as last year tells me this team is in more trouble than I thought. Think McLellan sets a hard line of what the units and stretgy need to be and assistants just need to deal with it and be McLellan's echo.

 

[RegDunlop]

My first thought is, this makes sense, therefore McLellan will never do it

How we hired 3 new assistant coaches, and the 1st PP unit we throw out and stick to all pre-season and in practice is EXACTLY the same thing as last year tells me this team is in more trouble than I thought. Think McLellan sets a hard line of what the units and stretgy need to be and assistants just need to deal with it and be McLellan's echo.

Absolutely concur!!
I think that's why this board is so riled up over just one game. NOTHING seems to have changed.

 

[NeverForget06]

Absolutely concur!!
I think that's why this board is so riled up over just one game. NOTHING seems to have changed.

I think so too. That performance was something we saw so many times this year. It's so disappointing that they couldn't bring a different look for even one game this season

 

[Spawn]

Tough for a coach to do his job when his GM hasn’t acquired a single legitimate offense dman going on 4 years.

Sure the power play is frustrating (although it was at ~30% in pre season and scored in the first game), but the roster is bad. There isn’t much a coach can do when we don’t have dmen who can pass the puck and don’t have wingers who can support our centres and don’t have a bottom 6 that can piss a drop.

 

[Spawn]

I think so too. That performance was something we saw so many times this year. It's so disappointing that they couldn't bring a different look for even one game this season

When the roster is essentially the same with the exceptions of a few shuffled pieces at the bottom f the roster why would you expect something different? Last year was a bad team made up of too many bad players. The team this year is even worse. We downgraded after the 2016-17 season and we downgraded from last season to this season.

This isn’t an issue with coaching. It’s an issue with incompetent management.

 

[RegDunlop]

Yeah I see the merit of your two post Spawn. But my point is he never changes anything when it's evident it's not working. The pieces may be sub par but to refuse to try anything is ridiculous

Watching Vancouver, Vegas, even Carolina (with it without Falk) whip the puck around with speed and movement tells me that it is a system, not the parts.

No doubting that ALL management is responsible for this.

 

[oobga]

When the roster is essentially the same with the exceptions of a few shuffled pieces at the bottom f the roster why would you expect something different? Last year was a bad team made up of too many bad players. The team this year is even worse. We downgraded after the 2016-17 season and we downgraded from last season to this season.

This isn’t an issue with coaching. It’s an issue with incompetent management.

McLellan has a history though of not being able to adapt or adjust. The NHL is going through a major shift right now largely thanks to analytics. McLellan build fame on stacking the top of a stacked lineup with 5+ elite players to good regular seasons and then getting his butt handed to him by superior coaches in the playoffs when line matching, getting more from depth and making adjustments become extremely important. Coaches that still push for lame stretch passes and dump and chase hockey are being replaced. This guy is turning into a fossil before our eyes, and many SJ fans called it and are now laughing.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Tough for a coach to do his job when his GM hasn’t acquired a single legitimate offense dman going on 4 years.

Sure the power play is frustrating (although it was at ~30% in pre season and scored in the first game), but the roster is bad. There isn’t much a coach can do when we don’t have dmen who can pass the puck and don’t have wingers who can support our centres and don’t have a bottom 6 that can piss a drop.

I know what you are getting at here Spawn but tell me with a straight face that Jesse would not be better served as a point man than in the ****ing slot on PP2. He has/had 2 RH point options in Bouchard and Bear yet he is hell bent on Oscar playing there. We've seen Stoll as the point man here, Jesse clearly has the shot, also has the speed and awareness to get back on defense and can move the puck. I guess that might take too much thinking on Todd's part and might *gasp* stop Jesse from getting a chance to bull to the net so I should know better than to even suggest it.

 

[Aerchon]

When the roster is essentially the same with the exceptions of a few shuffled pieces at the bottom f the roster why would you expect something different? Last year was a bad team made up of too many bad players. The team this year is even worse. We downgraded after the 2016-17 season and we downgraded from last season to this season.

This isn’t an issue with coaching. It’s an issue with incompetent management.

Our roster is essentially better than or equal to 2016-2017... And relatively speaking is better than many/most in the nhl. Teams like the Devils and Vegas last year are significantly worse and made the playoffs...

I know it's fun to blame Chiarelli but we have one of/the best groups of centers in the nhl. Great young winger and defense prospects. A decent mix of vets when healthy. A young promising team that last year was projected to make the finals...

 

[t0nedeff]

Tough for a coach to do his job when his GM hasn’t acquired a single legitimate offense dman going on 4 years.

Sure the power play is frustrating (although it was at ~30% in pre season and scored in the first game), but the roster is bad. There isn’t much a coach can do when we don’t have dmen who can pass the puck and don’t have wingers who can support our centres and don’t have a bottom 6 that can piss a drop.

They lost another game because of special teams. They had numerous pps in the first and got squat out of it not even a single scoring chance outside of Mcdavid doing his usual speed past people and set someone up off the rush its ludicrous not to blame the coach at this point.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Our roster is essentially better than or equal to 2016-2017... And relatively speaking is better than many/most in the nhl. Teams like the Devils and Vegas last year are significantly worse and made the playoffs...

I know it's fun to blame Chiarelli but we have one of/the best groups of centers in the nhl. Great young winger and defense prospects. A decent mix of vets when healthy. A young promising team that last year was projected to make the finals...

Chia is not without faults however it is very clear to me that Todd isn't getting the most out of his team. The players should shoulder some of the blame but the coach should have a leash about as short as an ant at this point.

 

[oobga]

Chia is not without faults however it is very clear to me that Todd isn't getting the most out of his team. The players should shoulder some of the blame but the coach should have a leash about as short as an ant at this point.

It's the classic OIlers conundrum. GM is not good, coach is not good. GM is in tight with the not good other managers that are in Katz's ear. What's the only path to improving this team? Can't trust the GM with any more trades. GM replacement is likely another oilers buddy, maybe Howson is in line next. For sure none of Lowe/Nicholson will ever go. Coach again I guess At least there is a shot there to get a better fit on the bench.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

It's the classic OIlers conundrum. GM is not good, coach is not good. GM is in tight with the not good other managers that are in Katz's ear. What's the only path to improving this team? Can't trust the GM with any more trades. GM replacement is likely another oilers buddy, maybe Howson is in line next. For sure none of Lowe/Nicholson will ever go. Coach again I guess At least there is a shot there to get a better fit on the bench.

If we get a good coach it would be huge especially since our drafting seems to be improving.

 

[Aerrol]

It's the classic OIlers conundrum. GM is not good, coach is not good. GM is in tight with the not good other managers that are in Katz's ear. What's the only path to improving this team? Can't trust the GM with any more trades. GM replacement is likely another oilers buddy, maybe Howson is in line next. For sure none of Lowe/Nicholson will ever go. Coach again I guess At least there is a shot there to get a better fit on the bench.

I'm still mildly hopefully that Quenneville might be let go and he's open to one last gig. But other than that, not sure who I'd want at this point. Laviolette would be nice but he's not getting fired until at earliest next offseason.

 

[RegDunlop]

I know what you are getting at here Spawn but tell me with a straight face that Jesse would not be better served as a point man than in the ****ing slot on PP2. He has/had 2 RH point options in Bouchard and Bear yet he is hell bent on Oscar playing there. We've seen Stoll as the point man here, Jesse clearly has the shot, also has the speed and awareness to get back on defense and can move the puck. I guess that might take too much thinking on Todd's part and might *gasp* stop Jesse from getting a chance to bull to the net so I should know better than to even suggest it.

Well said.

The problem I am finding is that there are so many things to repair. When you post a good opinion of your assessment like this, it only makes you realize that you can go on and on - to the next problem, player, coach's decision, game, etc.

I mean outside of McD, Drai, Nuge, and some promises, there are so many holes to plug on this ship that we don't even know if it's seaworthy.

 

[BlackDogg]

If we get a good coach it would be huge especially since our drafting seems to be improving.

I'm all for changing coaches immediately and giving Chia a short least for the rest of the year as well if it doesn't start to improve under a new coach. I still can't believe Tmac is still here after last year. We went through this last year - he'll be gone by American Thanksgiving, he'll be gone by Christmas, etc. etc.

Has he even figured out that he has one timeout per game this year yet?

 

[Soundwave]

Chia is not without faults however it is very clear to me that Todd isn't getting the most out of his team. The players should shoulder some of the blame but the coach should have a leash about as short as an ant at this point.

Which coach would get great production from that 2nd line and that 2nd D pairing?

Team is built horrendously.

 

[GameChanger]

This may look childish and I'm no coach, but I guess the recipe for a good coach is quite easy on the paper, maybe something like:

1. Recognize what winning hockey is now and what it will be in a couple of years. The old school hockey is not gonna get one far, instead the players should play a fast and brave enough game where the defenders support forwards and the other way around.

2. Help with building the team that fits that view (e.g. defenders that are good enough with the puck)

3. Let the players make mistakes, but expect them to learn from this. Let them enjoy the game and give some offensive freedom, as this will also develop skills that will help in the spring and later on.

4. Look at the best PP's in the NHL and see if you have similar pieces so you can build from that. Don't forget the importance of good shooters and movement on the PP. Study different PK's and find plan B and C for them. Usually movement and maybe two shooters is the key as it forces some room if done correctly. Fix the PK as well, if it doesn't work just do something about it instead of banging your head against the wall.

5. Make sure you utilize the players in a way that makes the most out of them. Different players have different tools so the way you use them makes a huge difference in the end result.

6. Make sure you do proper linematching when necessary.

7. Prepare the team well for the beginning of the game and other periods.

Like I wrote these are mainly pretty basic things, but TM seems to have trouble with pretty much all of them. I think the Oilers give too much advantage to the others as there are plenty of smart coaches that utilize many of the things I mentioned and many more I don't realize.

 

[nabob]

We have a coach that plays his players to their weaknesses instead of their strengths. No roster is going to be perfect. It’s up to the coaching staff to gameplan and build a system that fits the players he has. The roster that New Jersey put out there had 1/2 the talent that our roster did, but their coach did a 10x better job in designing a system and implementing strategies that could expose our weaknesses. They picked apart our PK way too easily, the only time our PP showed any life was one amazing rush by Connor, and he’s very hard to deal with on the rush.

The problem isn’t the roster. It’s a coach who won’t let the assistant who is a PP guru, coach the PP. It is a coach who insists on running the same systems that were easily picked apart last year. It’s a coach who is constsantly reactive and caught with his hands in his pockets when his team gets outplayed at the start of every game and every period. It’s a coach who would have been fired by any other club in the league after the disgrace of last season.