GDT: Caps @ Bruins | 10/11/14 | 7 PM | CSN

[g00n]

The thing I hate the most about Oates is the fact that we're still talking about him.

Fans talk about team history for a loooong time. Better get used to it, mate.

 

[sycamore]

Fans talk about team history for a loooong time. Better get used to it, mate.

And most especially since our history is unique: there are some teams who have failed longer than the Caps, but NONE have failed in more spectacular fashion.

 

[exwhaler]

Like others have said you pretty much nailed it Marcel. Very impressive!

Oates was terrible. And although I'm like really awesome at hyperbole in this case its not hyperbole to say that he's the worst coach I've ever seen.

Was discussing with somebody why Oates was so bad. I made a list:

1. Forced his goaltenders to play a standard approach, no matter what their abilities or strengths.
2. Got Dave Prior fired when he didn't agree with it.
3. Got rid of Tim Hunter, his only other experienced assistant coach.
4. Didn't use Dustin Penner.
5. Didn't use Martin Erat.
6. Didn't use Dimitri Orlov until his hand was forced.
7. Didn't use Eric Fehr for the entire month of November, after spending training camp and preseason converting him to third line center.
8. Kept project prospect Tom Wilson in the NHL, then didn't play him that much (season ATOI 7:56).
9. Got rid of Mathieu Perreault so Fehr--a career-long RW--could play center and he would keep Wilson.
10. Needlessly rushed Conner Carrick.
11. Needlessly played Alexander Urbom--a waiver wire defenseman he was familiar with from New Jersey--23 games with an ATOI of nearly 15 minutes, despite having the likes of Orlov, Schmidt, Schilling, Wey, and Olesky available.
12. Gave John Erskine top 4 minutes despite the fact Erskine told Oates he wasn't physically ready to play.
13. Needlessly kept 3 goaltenders until McPhee forced him to send Grubauer back to Hershey after two bad starts.
14. Had his primarily mobile defensemen play a strict system in which they had to pass the puck within four strides, rather than keep the puck and drive the play.
15. Talked up playing a possession game, but dismissed possession statistics out of hand (see his rule for blueliners).
16. Had no less than 3 players demand trades: Erat, Orlov, and Neuvirth.
17. Threw his primary goaltender--Halak--under a bus when the Capitals were trying to make the playoffs.
18. Jay Beagle: 1st line center.

All of this was on Oates. Yeah, a decent portion of things last season could be put into McPhee's lap, but Oates' personnel management with the assets he was given was an absolute disaster, either out of inexperience, incompetence, arrogance, or the combination of all. He was a self-proclaimed teacher who didn't listen to his students, and a special teams coach who couldn't manage a 5-on-5 system.

When you're doing worse than Bruce Cassidy, then "worst coach" does enter the conversation. I used to follow the Whalers, for crying out loud, and I can't recall a head coach who so thoroughly sabotaged his own team.

 

[BobRouse]

All good points ex and I'm sure we can add more to that list!

He also threw Ovechkin under the bus after the Stars game on that one play (where pretty much all 5 guys could have been blamed)

How about Ovechkin with Beagle and Crabb? Or Beagle as 1C with Ovechkin?

It did seem Oates took measures to go out of his way to hurt the team. How does a forward try and tell a goalie to change his style and then bench him when he reverts back to old habits that were effective? I've never heard of an NHL coach so audaciuos...even one who may have been a former goalie!

And to go out and try to make his GM look bad intentionally was childish (Penner and Erat). I do believe he did this consciously!

 

[txpd]

And most especially since our history is unique: there are some teams who have failed longer than the Caps, but NONE have failed in more spectacular fashion.

I think Oates is unique. What makes him memorable is that he took each player's skill strength and told him not to do that.

Holtby: Aggression. Attack the shooter. Oates told him to play deep in his net and watch the pass.

A defense corp of puck movers are told not to move the puck and jump into the play.

Ovechkin told not to hit.

I can imagine that Oates would have told Semin not to snipe.

 

[BobRouse]

I think Oates is unique. What makes him memorable is that he took each player's skill strength and told him not to do that.

Holtby: Aggression. Attack the shooter. Oates told him to play deep in his net and watch the pass.

A defense corp of puck movers are told not to move the puck and jump into the play.

Ovechkin told not to hit.

I can imagine that Oates would have told Semin not to snipe.

This is not a case like Bs fans dissing Claude Julien (like they have pretty much for 3 years now) or Pens fans blasting Bylsma for playing Glass and Adams too much.

Oates is unique for these exact reasons you point out. Its not so much about systems and distribution of ice time. Its that he actively would tell players to go away from the strengths you pointed out.

Example: He, as a player, would alter his stick alot. As the coach here he would go around giving "suggestions" to players on how to modify their own sticks.

He has done things at a fundamental micromanaging level that I've never heard a head coach do.

This is what makes us think Oates is the worst ever more than anything else.

 

[exwhaler]

Or Beagle as 1C with Ovechkin?

And to go out and try to make his GM look bad intentionally was childish (Penner and Erat). I do believe he did this consciously!

Knew I was forgetting something. Added.

And there was an obvious breakdown in communication between Oates and McPhee, which shouldn't be too surprising when people remember their history as player and GM. That's why there's a lot of speculation that, like in the hiring of Cassidy, McPhee wanted somebody else for head coach but was overruled.

 

[BobRouse]

Knew I was forgetting something. Added.

And there was an obvious breakdown in communication between Oates and McPhee, which shouldn't be too surprising when people remember their history as player and GM. That's why there's a lot of speculation that, like in the hiring of Cassidy, McPhee wanted somebody else for head coach but was overruled.

Ted really skrewed GMGM 3 times by:

1. Jagr fiasco
2. Cassidy hiring (GMGM wanted Hanlon but Ted was "blown away" by Butch)
3. Oates (which you just reminded me of)

I'm glad BMac told Ted what time it was. That is something McPhee never appeared to do. He'd just sigh and say "By your command Ted!"

Its easy to see why Oates was enabled to be such a doosh. The owner broke the chain of command thus giving Oates the audacity to pull such foolish shenanigans.

 

[OVrocks]

Ted really skrewed GMGM 3 times by:

1. Jagr fiasco
2. Cassidy hiring (GMGM wanted Hanlon but Ted was "blown away" by Butch)
3. Oates (which you just reminded me of)

I'm glad BMac told Ted what time it was. That is something McPhee never appeared to do. He'd just sigh and say "By your command Ted!"

Its easy to see why Oates was enabled to be such a doosh. The owner broke the chain of command thus giving Oates the audacity to pull such foolish shenanigans.

Yup, I really don't understand why an owner would ever overrule their GM(whom THEY hired to begin with) when it comes to picking the coach. If the GM and coach don't have a good working relationship then there's zero chance for success.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

He with the millions makes the rules...

 

[OVrocks]

He with the millions makes the rules...

Yeah, but you would think that he who made millions running a business wouldn't make a dumb business decision like that. It would be akin to hiring a VP of finance and going over his head to hire an accountant.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Wealthy businessmen presuming they know more than others....shocking!

 

[BobRouse]

Yup, I really don't understand why an owner would ever overrule their GM(whom THEY hired to begin with) when it comes to picking the coach. If the GM and coach don't have a good working relationship then there's zero chance for success.

What I find ironic is this:

Over the years Ted has taken a few veiled shots at Dan Snyder and his ownership tactics. I couldn't dig them up right now but I know he's done it a couple times or at least insinuated.

Then Ted goes out and does the very same meddling things (and it clearly didn't stop after the Jagr/Cassidy mess ups) that Snyder has been so vilified for.

I think BMac spelled it out to him that this behavior is subversively destructive and ruins the authority of those under him that make the hockey decisions.

So in a way the Oates monster is directly Ted's fault. Not only was he not GMGMs choice but Ted gave Oates the gumption to defy GMGM whenever he felt like it. Perhaps if Oates was hired by McPhee then he would have kept in line better? Or McPhee would know not to hire him due to his insubordination (that he has proven time and time again as a player in various organizations)

This behavior epic coaching suckitude shouldn't come as a shock. Oates was a consistent malcontent as a player and more than once caused locker room problems.

 

[txpd]

Knew I was forgetting something. Added.

And there was an obvious breakdown in communication between Oates and McPhee, which shouldn't be too surprising when people remember their history as player and GM. That's why there's a lot of speculation that, like in the hiring of Cassidy, McPhee wanted somebody else for head coach but was overruled.

you can make a case that the only two coaches that were McPhee's choices were in fact the two mid season changes. both of which were only temporary at the beginning.

Boudreau was interim. Hunter was only to finish out the season.

 

[stanleycaps18]

Remember, Ted inherited GMGM.

 

[Ridley Simon]

No offense (no pun)

He was the worst coach I have seen. If we didn't have Ovechkin, we would have been dead last without a doubt.

He literally damaged everything the touched, except.. the power play. The ONLY thing we had going for us.. hard to fail with the weapons we had on the man advantage.

you can make a case that the only two coaches that were McPhee's choices were in fact the two mid season changes. both of which were only temporary at the beginning.

Boudreau was interim. Hunter was only to finish out the season.

You think Hanlon was via Ted as well? Don't buy that (and he was arguably as bad as anyone. His same freaking team was .300 with him, .650 without him.....that's an abysmal understanding of how to coach your own talent)

 

[txpd]

* Leonsis inherited GMGM. That explains why he kept him so long and subverted him when he felt like it?

* I am not sure about Hanlon. I know from Ted's lips that McPhee wanted Hanlon instead of Cassidy. Whether that remained the case after Cassidy I have no info one way or the other. What I said was that you can make a case for that. There is a case for that. Its possible to likely the other way around. You can make a case for=its a possible scenaro

 

[usiel]

Knew I was forgetting something. Added.

And there was an obvious breakdown in communication between Oates and McPhee, which shouldn't be too surprising when people remember their history as player and GM. That's why there's a lot of speculation that, like in the hiring of Cassidy, McPhee wanted somebody else for head coach but was overruled.

In one of GMGMs exit interviews I got an impression that after someone asked about Oates and maybe a rift/lack of communication that there was more to the story but obviously GMGM took the high road and didn't throw anyone under the bus whether owners or coach.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Question for tomorrow is whether Trotz can keep them from being happy and satisfied with themselves after 2 reasonably good showings. That's a culture thing that's been here for a while - we have a good period or a couple of good games
and our guys want a cookie - needs to change

 

[ChibiPooky]

Question for tomorrow is whether Trotz can keep them from being happy and satisfied with themselves after 2 reasonably good showings. That's a culture thing that's been here for a while - we have a good period or a couple of good games
and our guys want a cookie - needs to change

He should bring them an actual giant cookie at the morning skate. Point clear enough?

 

[RandyHolt]

Fighting Fun Fancy Stats... ok sort of

Posters vote about big hits and all fights

http://dropyourgloves.com/fights/GameEvents.aspx?Game=493482&Fight=439798#Fight439798

 

[Hivemind]

He should bring them an actual giant cookie at the morning skate. Point clear enough?

Well, apparently giant tubs of ice cream aren't clear enough the first time...

 

[ChibiPooky]

Well, apparently giant tubs of ice cream aren't clear enough the first time...

I am on a no-chew diet after jaw surgery and a giant tub of ice cream sounds like heaven right now.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Pretty cool breakdown of Ovechkin's second goal:

http://www.japersrink.com/2014/10/1...ttered-ovechkin-goal-highlights-even-strength

 

[usiel]

I am on a no-chew diet after jaw surgery and a giant tub of ice cream sounds like heaven right now.

Hey now stop getting into fights at adult hockey PUs.