At What Level Should The Axe Fall?

[Consultant]

Another loss to the Canucks on Wednesday and someone has to take the fall.
The Oilers are a ship on fire right now, corsi this or progress that, we are in last place in our conference, again, right at the f$&*king bottom, again.
MacT said he would be bold, if he doesn't fire Eakins soon (baring a real turnaround) then I will officially cast my ballot against him as well. No more of this, fire Eakins now and lets hire someone like Blasma before he gets snatched up by Toronto. If MacT or Lowe sits idle and watches this car crash then they must go too. 18 games in is plenty.

 

[guymez]

While I kind of agree with what you're saying (especially the center deal as I've been harping on this for awhile), I don't get why they can't be drivers. Anyone can go to the net. We've seen the odd greasy goal from this bunch. The problem is they don't shoot. They always look for the perfect pass instead of getting it to the net.

I think the right coach could encourage this team to drive to the net, and to hit bodies, and do all those little things.

But there's just far too many things wrong with this franchise and I don't think it's ever going to recover. Everything from the owner on down is just wrong.

I think he reason why you aren't seeing consistency in the greasy areas with this bunch is because that simply isn't who they are as players.

Its like asking Schultz or Eberle to be greasy players...not going to happen. They may be greasy once in a while but they cant do it consistently because its just not who they are as players.

A coach cant turn players into something they aren't.

A roster cant be coached into balance.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I think he reason why you aren't seeing consistency in the greasy areas with this bunch is because that simply isn't who they are as players.

Its like asking Schultz or Eberle to be greasy players...not going to happen. They may be greasy once in a while but they cant do it consistently because its just not who they are as players.

A coach cant turn players into something they aren't.

A roster cant be coached into balance.

I guess but we've also seen a lot of regression. I remember RNH was a driver and a shooter in his rookie season.

 

[guymez]

I guess but we've also seen a lot of regression. I remember RNH was a driver and a shooter in his rookie season.

I think RNH is a much better player now than he ever has been. I dont ever see him making some of the plays he is making now. He is playing as big and as confident as I have ever seen him.

Yakupov is better as well.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I think RNH is a much better player now than he ever has been. I dont ever see him making some of the plays he is making now. He is playing as big and as confident as I have ever seen him.

Yakupov is better as well.

This is true. In fact I think all of the "four" are performing well this year. The problem is that almost everyone else is useless.

Perron in particular looks like half the player he was last year.

 

[Soundwave]

I think RNH is a much better player now than he ever has been. I dont ever see him making some of the plays he is making now. He is playing as big and as confident as I have ever seen him.

Yakupov is better as well.

I think this will be RNH's breakout year.

Next year for Yak if he continues to work at it.

 

[guymez]

I think this will be RNH's breakout year.

Next year for Yak if he continues to work at it.

I agree.

I also think the team would be foolish to trade Schultz. He has only played 140 NHL games so there is a strong possibility he will improve a lot defensively and offensively over the next 2 seasons.

Keep him and find out what his ceiling is.

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

I think all of you Tier 2 and Tier 3 Fans need to shoulder most of the blame...

 

[Wheathead]

All need to go, but at different times.

Lowe needs to go now.

Eakins needs to go if the team continues to suck.

MacT needs to go if we're drafting top 3 at the end of the year.

 

[Halibut]

Another loss to the Canucks on Wednesday and someone has to take the fall.
The Oilers are a ship on fire right now, corsi this or progress that, we are in last place in our conference, again, right at the f$&*king bottom, again.
MacT said he would be bold, if he doesn't fire Eakins soon (baring a real turnaround) then I will officially cast my ballot against him as well. No more of this, fire Eakins now and lets hire someone like Blasma before he gets snatched up by Toronto. If MacT or Lowe sits idle and watches this car crash then they must go too. 18 games in is plenty.

There's no pressure for them to make a change at this point. This season is lost and it was probably lost before it began with the moves made in the offseason or rather the lack of the necessary moves. They are still playing for the future, they still believe in the "process". The only thing that will make them rethink it is if tickets stop selling. If they're looking at a brand new building and it only being half full then Katz will have to act, until then they're happy with the status quo. I think the much talked about "losing culture" starts with ownership and management.

 

[joestevens29]

I was going to say Eakins and Lowe, but just went with Eakins. I don't even know if Lowe does anything other than get a pay cheque so I really don't care.

I do think Eakins is a better coach than what we are seeing and given a better team I could see him have success, but his lack of ability to develop a system to work to the strengths of this team should be his demise.

Button and Gregor talked last Friday about Slats and how there isn't too many guys like him that have the mentality of coaching offense. This team wants to be built like the team of the 80's then get them a coach that allows them to maximize their offensive ability.

I would be fine with this team's gaa if it meant that we were seeing some of those good old 5-3 or 6-4 games. And yes we'd lose some games, but at least we'd be playing to this team's strengths.

 

[joestevens29]

There's no pressure for them to make a change at this point. This season is lost and it was probably lost before it began with the moves made in the offseason or rather the lack of the necessary moves. They are still playing for the future, they still believe in the "process". The only thing that will make them rethink it is if tickets stop selling. If they're looking at a brand new building and it only being half full then Katz will have to act, until then they're happy with the status quo. I think the much talked about "losing culture" starts with ownership and management.

So the answer is to continue to have this coaching staff all year and then fire them after the season only to have a new coach have to come in and start from scratch yet again?

You get that new coach in now and use the rest of the season as your training camp so that you aren't sitting here next November wondering why the team can't figure out the new systems yet.

 

[Halibut]

So the answer is to continue to have this coaching staff all year and then fire them after the season only to have a new coach have to come in and start from scratch yet again?

You get that new coach in now and use the rest of the season as your training camp so that you aren't sitting here next November wondering why the team can't figure out the new systems yet.

Oh no, not at all. The answer is to burn the organization to the ground and fire everyone who's had a part in running it for the past bunch of years. Lowe, MacT, Howson, Eakins, all of them. The thing is it wont happen. Katz is incredibly patient with the old-boys club and will let them wallow in mediocrity as long as the team is selling out.