News Article: Chiarelli: No intentions of firing McLellan

[XXIV97]

I think the difference hear is that Mactavish clearly meant what he said and was either forced to fire Eakins or somebody may have even done it for him.

I’m not saying Chiarelli isn’t being honest only that the decision to fire Mclellan is all his at this time. Two completely different situations.

A GM will never publicly tell the media that the coach is on the hot seat or on the way out before they fire them. In most cases, the GM says to buy the coach some time to maybe get on winning streak to save their season, or the coach's job. I would say that McLellan probably has 2-4 weeks before the axe falls on his head if the Oilers fail to improve. Tampa Bay and the LA Kings all showed improvement towards the end of the season to save their jobs.

 

[rboomercat90]

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like hiring a doctor to be the team physician would be a better option than a former player.

He straight up said he believes in the whole coaching staff. He had the option to bring in a vet assistant to help they current staff but doesn't want to.

Tmac won't stay without his buddies, they are a package deal.

This is why he should have been fired already.

 

[rboomercat90]

A GM will never publicly tell the media that the coach is on the hot seat or on the way out before they fire them. In most cases, the GM says to buy the coach some time to maybe get on winning streak to save their season, or the coach's job. I would say that McLellan probably has 2-4 weeks before the axe falls on his head if the Oilers fail to improve. Tampa Bay and the LA Kings all showed improvement towards the end of the season to save their jobs.

Of course you’re right. My point was Mactavish completely meant it when he said it. He wasn’t hoping it would push Eakins or buy him any time to turn it around. He had zero intention of doing it and that’s why he had to be forced.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

And yet now that they're healthy they're even worse.

Does Larsson look healthy to you? Klefbom?

 

[Jepprey]

Does Larsson look healthy to you? Klefbom?

This right here is one of the key reasons for the Oilers struggles. The top pair from last year are barely bottom pair guys right now.

Larsson is having back problems. Can't skate and shut guys down at the moment.
Klefbom is having shoulder problems. Can't shoot anymore.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Does Larsson look healthy to you? Klefbom?

No they don't. They should be pulled if they're not healthy.

 

[CornKicker]

Any GM that does not know that the NHL is ALWAYS HARDER the first season after you have found some modicum of success is damned silly.

The Oilers, with McD, Talbot, Drai, got on teams radar last season. We made a lot of teams look silly. Actually we pissed off a lot of opponents who were determined to come back and play us harder this season. The Oilers, who should never have been considered SC favorites this season with this lineup, we're unfortunately pegged that by a lot of oddsmakers which unfortunately meant we were in everybodies radar. Virtually every team in the league took us lightly last season because the Oilers were perennial jokes. Game after game last season I noted less than stellar opponent efforts by teams that were kind of surprised we could suddenly prevent GA and had goaltending. There are no surprises this season and more opponents are just grinding us down.

Look even at the last few games. Theres no way Dallas ever played us this well last season. They looked like jokes in a couple of the games. This year they are more determined. Same with LA, they were determined to come back and spank us this year. Same with Chicago. Teams took our number. Chia knew this would occur because its what does occur in the NHL. Teams correct, study film, get better. Except the Oilers don't get better, we have a worse lineup and worse play this year.

This has been a welcome to the NHL type season. Its a bit late arriving. Had the Oilers been a competent team the first year McD arrived he ad company would have had this welcome much earlier.

I agree with what you are saying 100% they should have never moved eberle for 2 reasons. 1. they do not have anyone that can replace 25Gs and 40-50As a year. 2. they should have kept him to allow JP98 to learn the game and show he can match eberles totals. It looks lik ehe can but you don't slot a player into that spot until he has proven it. I will buy the argument that they thought jokinen could play pouliots role for cheaper because that is a lesser gamble but the reality is Poo was a great complimentary player, ie he could play with any other offensive pairing you had, Mcdavid/Drai, mcdavid/JP, nuge, eberle, etc

 

[StevenF1919]

Does Larsson look healthy to you? Klefbom?

Maybe these two just aren't as good as we thought? Talbot's play last year made them look much better than they are.

 

[CycloneSweep]

The WHOLE team regressed. Chia doesn’t have a crystal ball and I would have told him but mine is in the shop. The three players you listed have not played as well as last year. I agree with you that teams would know to take us serious this year. But everyone including the Toronto media expected us to go far.

You should ALWAYS expect some regression from some players. True he couldn't expect everyone too but he didn't improve the roster in anyway shape or form. He made the roster worse and then the team regressed. If he brought in a temp for Sekera and maybe found a pretty decent Eberle replacement and the team still regressed like it did then people wouldn't be mad at him. The fact that he made the team worse and we regressed so hard is why we are mad

 

[CycloneSweep]

Maybe these two just aren't as good as we thought? Talbot's play last year made them look much better than they are.

Klefbom maybe.

Larsson is having his probably worst NHL season. He is usually substantially better than this. Even was so in Jersey.

 

[StevenF1919]

Klefbom maybe.

Larsson is having his probably worst NHL season. He is usually substantially better than this. Even was so in Jersey.

Larsson is better than this but honestly not by much. He was still prone to boneheaded mistakes and missed coverage last year but was bailed out by elite goaltending like Klefbom.

 

[justafan22]

And with this:



I doubt we see anything until April.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Guess we just have to live with the worst PK of all time.

Wonder how bad it gets

 

[GMofOilers]

I voted a while ago 2 seasons, but every loss that comes our way changes things. If things continue after the break on our little home stand it will be hard not to fire TM.

 

[frag2]

I voted a while ago 2 seasons, but every loss that comes our way changes things. If things continue after the break on our little home stand it will be hard not to fire TM.

I still think something might happen during bye week or all star break

 

[Digger12]

The key points about Shannon's tweet are the phrases "at this point" and "for the time being". If the Oilers keep getting lit up night after night, I don't think for a second that the team will wallow in it and do nothing.

It doesn't necessarily mean that what they choose to do will please the fanbase, mind you...but I think even this management group is congnizant of the fact that all it would take is for the McDavid camp to become disenchanted enough to not-so-quietly submit a trade request to a team that's not going to fritter away his best years, for this situation to truly become Armageddon.

THEN watch the bodies hit the floor.

 

[Little Fury]

And with this:



I doubt we see anything until April.

Bye bye Nuge.

 

[FlameChampion]

I dont know what people expected, its a generic response.

I generally like TM, though I think he is pretty stubborn regarding the use of some players (but most coaches are like that tbh). I dont really get the special teams though, thats something that coaches are directly responsible for.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

The more interesting part for me here is that fact Chai actually name-dropped Pearn.

A GM is never going to throw his coach under the bus, so that part's just window dressing; but the fact he outlined outside candidates shows there's fire behind the smoke.

I'd imagine TMac was the one to veto bringing Pearn in, who else would? But I wonder how long he can maintain that before getting overridden. Also what happens at that point? TMac strikes me as a professional, but how does he act after his friends get fired/demoted? And how much drama behind the bench does that cause?

 

[Stoneman89]

And with this:



I doubt we see anything until April.

You won't have to wait that long. I would say the TD, but it could even be as soon as their mandated break coming up after 3 more games. I'm referring to player movement of course.

 

[StevenF1919]

Bye bye Nuge.

You're gonna really like Cody Ceci though.

 

[Cloned]

Chia has two big moves left before the pressure is all on him:

1) Firing the HC

and

2) The Panic Trade

We should be very worried about #2.

 

[Stoneman89]

Chia has two big moves left before the pressure is all on him:

1) Firing the HC

and

2) The Panic Trade

We should be very worried about #2.

Neither of those will happen this season. If anyone gets traded, it will be far down the list of supposed core players. Maroon (he of the expiring contract and rumoured to want big cash and long term), and Letestu (seems to have lost a gear this year) are the two prime candidates for movement I would guess. Also wouldn't be surprised if Slepy was moved.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

This org is a joke. Katz too busy trying to make friends to do anything, tmac too busy defending his atrocious assistant coaches, and chias sitting on his hands in the third “Evaluation” year of McDavids elc.

If I had any sort of willpower I’d stop watching this joke of a team. Too bad I’m all talk, just like this org.

 

[Cloned]

Neither of those will happen this season. If anyone gets traded, it will be far down the list of supposed core players. Maroon (he of the expiring contract and rumoured to want big cash and long term), and Letestu (seems to have lost a gear this year) are the two prime candidates for movement I would guess. Also wouldn't be surprised if Slepy was moved.

I'm not sure it would be any better if it happened in the offseason, or next year, or whenever.