Bring On Messier

[Crabapple]

Bylsma or bust

 

[Worraps]

Given that I'm not a big Bylsma fan and there aren't a lot of other "real coaches" available, I'm at the point where I'd support bringing in Messier, if only to force Eakins out and put pressure on Lowe.

I'm not going to lie, part of me is intoxicated with the idea of Messier grabbing Nikitin by the throat and telling him that if he doesn't start playing harder, he's going to send him back to Russia in a box.

 

[PaPaDee]

Yeah let's move another person into HC that has zero experience/success in the role. It's the Oiler way.

 

[missinthejets]

the only sensible option is to fire Eakins and put a strictly placeholder coach in for the remainder of the season and then see who is avaiable in the offseason.

Firing a coach midseason I don't think is generally a move that does much to help you, but in this case I think Eakins is so out of his element it has potential to do lasting harm to this team and it's players so he needs to go for the good of the teams future not because it will help them get into the playoffs.

 

[MessierII]

Fire Eakins give the team to Ramsay and see what happens in the summer.

 

[misfit]

Did I miss something? Since when was Messier ever rumoured to be the next HC?

 

[Mcnofool6110]

Did I miss something? Since when was Messier ever rumoured to be the next HC?

Since, oh, 1979.

 

[JoeCool16]

If Messier is the next coach, I will never watch the Oilers again (unless they sack every single member of management, so ... yeah, never).

They'll all die from old age eventually...

Did I miss something? Since when was Messier ever rumoured to be the next HC?

Some dodgy rumours last week suggested that if the Oilers hadn't had their short win streak, the plan was to sack Eakins immediately and replace him with Messier. I don't even remember where it was from... not Eklund, but someone less than reliable, IIRC.

 

[rboomercat90]

They'll all die from old age eventually...



Some dodgy rumours last week suggested that if the Oilers hadn't had their short win streak, the plan was to sack Eakins immediately and replace him with Messier. I don't even remember where it was from... not Eklund, but someone less than reliable, IIRC.

I think it came from Steve Simmoms.

 

[TheSpecialist]

I think it came from Steve Simmoms.

Elliott Freidman

 

[ManofSteel55]

If they were serious about making an impact, fire Eakins and name Ramsay as interim for the rest of the season. Then go big game hunting in the off season. Offer Babcock or another good coach fired because they lost the first round input in roster decisions and a truckload of money. Basically make him an offer he cannot refuse.

If they were serious, go one step further. Can Lowe (yes, I know it won't happen), make Messier interim President of Hockey Operations, offer Babcock either that role, or GM (his choice), and then put Ramsay as interim head coach until Babcock brings in whoever he wants. Babcock won't come here to coach. I think he wants a promotion, and knows he won't get it in Detroit. Offer him upper management, the guy actually knows how to win in this century, something our management can not claim.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I have a feeling we see Brent Sutter here

This would shock me. He seems content building his WHL team in Red Deer, especially now that we are getting the Memorial Cup.

 

[Beerfish]

How about we don't bring on Messier or MacT or Huddy or Ron Lowe or Craig Simpson or Eddy Mio or Dave Drayden or Jim Harrison and look outside the iron oil drop curtain for a coach.

 

[Joey Moss]

No, don't bring in Messier. Bring in someone who has coached a game in the NHL please.

 

[Diamondillium]

Can we get Gretzky as the 2C?

 

[Suxnet]

If they were serious, go one step further. Can Lowe (yes, I know it won't happen), make Messier interim President of Hockey Operations, offer Babcock either that role, or GM (his choice), and then put Ramsay as interim head coach until Babcock brings in whoever he wants. Babcock won't come here to coach. I think he wants a promotion, and knows he won't get it in Detroit. Offer him upper management, the guy actually knows how to win in this century, something our management can not claim.

Nicholson and Lowe have worked with Babcock during their time with Hockey Canada, so they probably know him well. I think if he wants more control, they'll give it to him for sure.

 

[TheGuyInTheChair]

Please kill me if they bring in another inexperience Oiler.

 

[Seedling]

Just finish the year off by promoting Nelson. He's already loved by the players and if he does a good job then you keep him around. If he does a poor job you can always hire one of the many coaches looking for work in the off season. Eakins needs to go, he has zero respect from the fan base, media and it seems the players as well.

Bingo.

 

[redgrant]

I actually think Messier would be a worse coach than Gretzky in Phoenix. Im not even sure how thats possible but Im sure hed find a way.

 

[stratedge]

Can't we have a REAL NHL coach please? One with actual experience? I'd rather just bring back Krueger. Letting him go was a mistake.

It's hard to try to argue that Krueger would have been a great coach, but the curiosity of what this team would be like if he was still here in his 3rd season kills me. He used the basic, tried and true defensive approach and that's all this team needs, nothing more nothing less.

 

[stratedge]

What's Messier even been doing the last decade? Anything remotely resembling hockey?

 

[The Batman]

What's Messier even been doing the last decade? Anything remotely resembling hockey?

Well recently he's been in all the GameCentre ads and shown he likes to be in front of a camera which I'm sure hasn't slipped MacT's notice.

 

[rboomercat90]

Elliott Freidman

If it was Freidman people would have treated it seriously. Because it was Simmons it was joked about.
This was pretty much a dead issue until the team started losing again and it kind of grew legs on here when people started speculating Eakins would be fired if they lose to Buffalo tonight.

 

[Stat Guy]

The next coach HAS to be an experienced coaching vet.
No projects, potential, or projected "next big thing"...it has to without fail be an established NHL coach.
Every smart hockey mind, and most of the dumb ones would agree.
So I give Messier a 99.9% chance of being hired by this gong show squad.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Shouldn't Messier be like... you know... actually coaching somewhere right now if he's going to be even semi-qualified to coach an NHL team?