News Article: Chiarelli: No intentions of firing McLellan

[Xelebes]

This is the kind of thing that a GM says before the team drops another 7-0 loss and subsequently fires the coach.

 

[ThreeOfAPerfectPair]

This is the best he can come up with? What does this guy do all day? When was the last time we got an insightful comment from this organization?

 

[belair]

HE LITERALLY SAID HE IS PLANNING ON DOING NOTHING.

He is going to move Nuge for a **** winger. Probably rotate out more 4th line guys and go trade for another Gryba and call it a day. Probably lose a few high picks along the way

I have zero faith that he can do what is needed to fix this team. Zero.

Well he actually said this...which is what I've been saying for a month...

The truth is, Edmonton’s spot near the bottom of the standings precludes Chiarelli from making a blockbuster trade. Even if there were one to be made, he would be dealing from a position of weakness the way most of his roster is performing.

“I have to have a clear head,” he said. “I have to stick with what we have in place, what we’re trying to do, for more than two months or a (bad season). But, we also owe it to our fans to make sure the team is in a position (to win), whenever that time is. I have to look at the bigger picture, but having said that, that bigger picture includes the coaching staff, the players …

Jumping the gun on anything based on a bad stretch of hockey is how you get taken to the cleaners. You're looking for a life jacket, other GMs throw you anchors.

I don't agree with sticking it out after this season with the special teams coaches if no visible improvement occurs, but I don't see the logic firing these guys today.

 

[48g90a138pts]

Chiarelli's intention is one thing. We all heard this before 10 days before Eakins was canned.

Taking the option out of bringing in help for special teams is just dumb.

What's the harm?

Don't we want to improve the special teams?

Essentially this is the same team as last year. No changes on D with the exception of Auvitu. Up front one big move still shouldn't have resulted in where we are right now. It's the players that are underachieving big time. And it's not just one or two, it's the whole team...and damn straight, coaching too.

Special teams have been probably the biggest reason of why we've dropped so hard in the standings. Big changes there "NEED" to be done. Why this coaching staff refuses to change things are beyond me completely.

At this point is it beneficial changing coaches?

Or will it do more harm than good?

Playoffs are out of reach now, barring some kind of miracle.

Now as fans we start looking at the draft lottery. Whooohooo! F**k!

 

[CycloneSweep]

Well he actually said this...which is what I've been saying for a month...



Jumping the gun on anything based on a bad stretch of hockey is how you get taken to the cleaners. You're looking for a life jacket, other GMs throw you anchors.

I don't agree with sticking it out after this season with the special teams coaches if no visible improvement occurs, but I don't see the logic firing these guys today.

He has the option to bring in a vet special teams expert on top of what we have and he straight up said nah.

He has options to help fix this mess but he just goes "we just have to work thru it". That's my issue. There are things that can be done but literally nothing is.

The PP and the PK does the exact same thing every night ,no changes.

The defensive systems look crappy, no changes. The coaching staff and gm are literally doing nothing to fix it. Just going "it'll get better just got to follow the plan" is insane.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I'm guessing he went to Todd and Todd balked at bringing in Pearn.

 

[TheRebuild]

Turns out all those Bruins and Sharks fans were right.

 

[bobbythebrain]

 

[Del Preston]

I'm guessing he went to Todd and Todd balked at bringing in Pearn.

Wouldn't want to hurt Woodcroft's or Johnson's feelings.

The worst home PK in the history of the NHL and our idiot coach wants to ride it out with just his guys. Fantastic.

 

[Mr Tadakichi]

We're f***ed.

 

[McDNicks17]

Like I said in the PGT, how arrogant and stubborn is this coaching staff?


So, the PK is almost the worst in the history of the NHL.

Should we try some different players? Nope.
Should we try a different coach? Nope.
Should we try a different system? Nope.
Would you like another assistant coach experienced with special teams brought on to help? Nope.

 

[Patch101]

Zero surprise, absolutely none. I expected it actually.
If they start the next year like this though, all bets are off.

Special teams though, that needs fixing. I'd actually see an assistant or a goalie coach shuffle before anything else.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Zero surprise, absolutely none. I expected it actually.

If they start the next year like this though, all bets are off.

The roster will be worse to start next year. McDavids contract kicks in.

 

[sailorjerry97]

are we not in the same situation dallas was in last year?? or even TB?

Dallas went from 103 pts to 79 pts last year and back towards that 100 pt team they were 2 years ago.. i guess biggest changes was that they signed some depth players (methot, pitlick, hanzal, radulove) whereas we've done nothing (plus hiring hitchcock). .. same with TB picking up some depth players (kunitz, girard and mcbain, emergence of sergachev)

basically the same group of players people were praising last year

 

[CycloneSweep]

are we not in the same situation dallas was in last year?? or even TB?

Dallas went from 103 pts to 79 pts last year and back towards that 100 pt team they were 2 years ago.. i guess biggest changes was that they signed some depth players (methot, pitlick, hanzal, radulove) whereas we've done nothing (plus hiring hitchcock). .. same with TB picking up some depth players (kunitz, girard and mcbain, emergence of sergachev)

basically the same group of players people were praising last year

Dallas changed up coaching and brought in a top 6 winger.

Tampa was super injured last year and just missed playoffs. They went and traded for a very good young d and are healthy.

All very different situations.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

the stubbornness of this organization is mindblowing.

From the players right up to the owner.

Everyone with a brain knew exactly what this team was lacking this offseason, except chia decided to stay the course with losing a ton of points, and sekera for half the year, and still hoping to improve.

He also risked cagguila, slepy, jp, khaira, pak, etc all being ready to slot in full time and contribute because of a couple good games last year.

Nobody could have expected us to be THIS bad, but we are, and something needs to change. We have a historically bad PK and a putrid PP that features one of the best players in the world. How on earth is any of this acceptable to anyone.

If this isn't a kiss of death, I'm absolutely done supporting this franchise. No more merchandise, no more tickets, nothing. If i have the urge to watch a game, theres plenty of free websites that offer that service.

Absolutely f***ing embarrassing.

 

[harpoon]

Death by a thousand cuts is such a stupid thing to say about a hockey team.
But he seems so proud of it like he made a profound and original comment or something.
This guy is an idiot. Straight up.

 

[Mowzie]

This likely just means that they're all in this together. Chiarelli will get replaces, then his replacement will bring in a coaching staff of his choosing.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

Death by a thousand cuts is such a stupid thing to say about a hockey team.
This guy is an idiot. Straight up.

Death by 1000 cuts, where every cut is him and tmac stubbornly touching the same sharp knife over and over and wondering why they won't stop bleeding.

You know what helps cuts? Band aids, maybe try throwing a few of those on these gaping wounds in the form of a trade for someone who can score of play D, or maybe in the form of shuffling the PP and PK up a bit, and not relying on letestu to be your special teams savior on both sides of the ice when he can barely function in either this year.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Death by 1000 cuts, where every cut is him and tmac stubbornly touching the same sharp knife over and over and wondering why they won't stop bleeding.

You know what helps cuts? Band aids, maybe try throwing a few of those on these gaping wounds in the form of a trade for someone who can score of play D, or maybe in the form of shuffling the PP and PK up a bit, and not relying on letestu to be your special teams savior on both sides of the ice when he can barely function in either this year.

 

[TheNumber4]

Meh not ready to blame the coach for this year either considering the shit off season Chia had. How was Tmac sposed to keep this team afloat when our average defense from last year lost Sekera and the answer was f***in Auvitu of all people.

 

[I am the Liquor]

are we not in the same situation dallas was in last year?? or even TB?

Dallas went from 103 pts to 79 pts last year and back towards that 100 pt team they were 2 years ago.. i guess biggest changes was that they signed some depth players (methot, pitlick, hanzal, radulove) whereas we've done nothing (plus hiring hitchcock). .. same with TB picking up some depth players (kunitz, girard and mcbain, emergence of sergachev)

basically the same group of players people were praising last year

They fired the coach.

 

[Soundwave]

I think the plan is to tank the season, and keeping the PP/PK accomplishes that, lol.

Seriously though Chia knows he's destroyed the team's winger/forward depth and doesn't have money to spend in the summer to upgrade it. There's no cap room for him to work with.

Getting a Brady Tkachuk or one of the top players or even lucking into Dahlin is the play now.

Chia can't improve the team in the summer and he knows it. Anyone who's really looked at the cap situation knows that, the cap needs to eventually go to $82-$83 million before they will have flexibility again.

Nurse needs a contract and that will be $3-$4 million on him, they need to keep cap open next year for Puljujarvi's potential bonuses too if he's playing with McDavid. So they are going to end up at about $75-$77 million in salary very quickly, there's little/no room to upgrade any where majorly.

 

[MinimaMoralia]

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Absolutely. Whatever dip**** told Chia to target Strome should never work in hockey ever again.

Agreed, it's like Nikitin and Fayne all over again.

I'd expect a GM or coach to at least try something different to fix even one of the problems. They've been "working through it" all season and nothing has changed. It's gotten worse in some areas. Not bringing in another voice for the special teams is pure stupidity.

Being stubborn and stupid. Probably doesn't want another coach breathing over their shoulders ready to take their jobs.

I'm guessing he went to Todd and Todd balked at bringing in Pearn.

Likely.

Wouldn't want to hurt Woodcroft's or Johnson's feelings.

The worst home PK in the history of the NHL and our idiot coach wants to ride it out with just his guys. Fantastic.

Basically they are pinning all of it on the players because they are saying that what they are telling them to do is bulletproof.

Like I said in the PGT, how arrogant and stubborn is this coaching staff?


So, the PK is almost the worst in the history of the NHL.

Should we try some different players? Nope.
Should we try a different coach? Nope.
Should we try a different system? Nope.
Would you like another assistant coach experienced with special teams brought on to help? Nope.

It's beyond ridiculous.

are we not in the same situation dallas was in last year?? or even TB?

Dallas went from 103 pts to 79 pts last year and back towards that 100 pt team they were 2 years ago.. i guess biggest changes was that they signed some depth players (methot, pitlick, hanzal, radulove) whereas we've done nothing (plus hiring hitchcock). .. same with TB picking up some depth players (kunitz, girard and mcbain, emergence of sergachev)

basically the same group of players people were praising last year

Good luck with Chia having anywhere near as big of an offseason as the one that Dallas had this past summer. Methot and Radulov are not guys that I'd consider "depth".

This likely just means that they're all in this together. Chiarelli will get replaces, then his replacement will bring in a coaching staff of his choosing.

Probably. We'll probably get MacT back as GM and Eakins back as coach.