Mctavish never finished at the bottom of the standings despite some pretty poor rosters. He'd been here for a while though and was probably not a bad decision to go. Quinn showed he was really out of touch with the current NHL and was a bad gamble. Renney took a pretty poor roster overall and actually looked like they were making slow progress. Firing him when they did was a mistake. Kreuger had some good and some bad, but again the roster seemed to improve a bit and he showed some progress, though how much is debatable. New GM came in though and you have to give him the freedom to get a coach that he wants, probably made a mistake in the timing of making that change though. The roster improved both seasons Eakins was here though and the results regressed. That to me screams a coach who isn't getting the job done. Just because there are some problems on the roster doesn't mean you have to put up with a coach who is obviously out of his element. Plenty of teams do more with less. Eakins right now is the biggest problem on the team and he needs to go ASAP before his bumbling sets the team back further. MacT gambled on him and tried to make it work but it's not working, kick him to the curb and make a proven NHL hire for the head coaching position.
Dallas Eakins constantly makes bad decisions
- Thread starter stompinstoms
- Start date
Mctavish never finished at the bottom of the standings despite some pretty poor rosters. He'd been here for a while though and was probably not a bad decision to go. Quinn showed he was really out of touch with the current NHL and was a bad gamble. Renney took a pretty poor roster overall and actually looked like they were making slow progress. Firing him when they did was a mistake. Kreuger had some good and some bad, but again the roster seemed to improve a bit and he showed some progress, though how much is debatable. New GM came in though and you have to give him the freedom to get a coach that he wants, probably made a mistake in the timing of making that change though. The roster improved both seasons Eakins was here though and the results regressed. That to me screams a coach who isn't getting the job done. Just because there are some problems on the roster doesn't mean you have to put up with a coach who is obviously out of his element. Plenty of teams do more with less. Eakins right now is the biggest problem on the team and he needs to go ASAP before his bumbling sets the team back further. MacT gambled on him and tried to make it work but it's not working, kick him to the curb and make a proven NHL hire for the head coaching position.
Ritchie Valens
Registered User
- Sep 24, 2007
- 28,753
- 40,116
I'll admit, I was a sucker for the charismatic smooth talker last season. Seeing how last season went and how awful this season has started with the same mistakes over and over in the d zone, this is the only thing I could come up with to vent my frustration.
Digger12
Gold Fever
Looking at the decisions Eakins has done, on the surface a lot of them look kinda insane.
However, when you put the following filter on them, they suddenly make a bit of sense:
"Whatever decision I make, it must not in any way whatsoever make my GM look bad, because that hurts my job security."
The more I see Eakins in action, the more he reminds me of a guy I know at work who is in no way competent at his job, but because he knows the right butts to kiss and how to at least sound confident, he continues to remain employed...and he ALWAYS has someone else to pin the blame on, the fault is never his own.
I was not a big fan of Krueger either (it wasn't that long ago that people derisively referred to him as "Wreck-It Ralph" around here), but at least with him I felt he had an ounce of integrity. With Eakins, not so much.
However, when you put the following filter on them, they suddenly make a bit of sense:
"Whatever decision I make, it must not in any way whatsoever make my GM look bad, because that hurts my job security."
The more I see Eakins in action, the more he reminds me of a guy I know at work who is in no way competent at his job, but because he knows the right butts to kiss and how to at least sound confident, he continues to remain employed...and he ALWAYS has someone else to pin the blame on, the fault is never his own.
I was not a big fan of Krueger either (it wasn't that long ago that people derisively referred to him as "Wreck-It Ralph" around here), but at least with him I felt he had an ounce of integrity. With Eakins, not so much.
FunkyChicken
Registered User
- Jul 24, 2003
- 2,352
- 750
I've yet to hear a compelling argument of why Eakins should stay.
To be honest, I'm kind of hoping he doesn't get fired because the longer this goes on the more the blame falls on MacT and Lowe.
To be honest, I'm kind of hoping he doesn't get fired because the longer this goes on the more the blame falls on MacT and Lowe.
The only reason is that they've fired a lot of coaches recently... and that's a stupid reason when a guy is obviously bad at the job. Just swallow your pride, admit that you ****ed up hiring him and fix the problem.
McShogun99
Registered User
Just keep Eakin's for the rest of the season. Say we end up going something like 5-12-4 in the first quarter of the season and then fire him. The season is lost by that point and it would take a major miracle to make the playoffs. Just keep him, have the traditional Edmonton draft party, fire him and replace him with a respected, veteran coach.
I honestly think Eakin's might be the dumbest coach in the NHL. It also seems that he doesn't have the respect of most of the players. Any competent coach would spread his scoring around 5 on 5, then stack the PP. They'd play their best defensive forwards and defenceman against the other teams top line and try to shelter defensive inept players.
Why isn't Fayne getting the most even strength minutes? Why is Schultz getting the most? Why is Schultz alone on the point on the PP without a partner with a good slapshot? Why are Marincin and Pinizotto in the minors when we need those type of players on the big club? Why are Acton and Hunt in the NHL?
Draisaitl is stuck here all year despit being over his head but that's on Mac T. As well as not being able to properly address team toughness. Pending any trades, Eakin's needs to balance out his roster to try and prevent the bleeding 5 on 5. Quit worrying about offence 5 on 5 and just play a trap style system. It might be boring to watch but at least we'll get better results. Switch to a traditional 2 scoring lines, checking line and energy line. Send Draisaitl to junior, get a stop gap center for a 3rd or lower draft pick.
Hall-???-Yakupov: Center doesn't need to be a star, player like Helm or Stajan would be fine. This is the return from the draft pick.
Perron-RNH-Eberle: 2nd scoring line, most teams top checkers will focus on Hall line.
Pouliot-Gordon-Hendricks: Checking line, should get most even strength minutes. Can also have Perron and Pouliot switch spots.
Joensuu-Arcobello-Pinizotto: Energy line, looked good in preseason.
Marincin-Petry: Best pairing from last season, they should get the most at evens.
Klefbom-Fayne: Could end up becoming our shutdown pairing.
Nikitin-Schultz: Should see minimal time at evens. Most PP time though.
Press box is Ference, Gazdic and random AHL center of the week.
I honestly think Eakin's might be the dumbest coach in the NHL. It also seems that he doesn't have the respect of most of the players. Any competent coach would spread his scoring around 5 on 5, then stack the PP. They'd play their best defensive forwards and defenceman against the other teams top line and try to shelter defensive inept players.
Why isn't Fayne getting the most even strength minutes? Why is Schultz getting the most? Why is Schultz alone on the point on the PP without a partner with a good slapshot? Why are Marincin and Pinizotto in the minors when we need those type of players on the big club? Why are Acton and Hunt in the NHL?
Draisaitl is stuck here all year despit being over his head but that's on Mac T. As well as not being able to properly address team toughness. Pending any trades, Eakin's needs to balance out his roster to try and prevent the bleeding 5 on 5. Quit worrying about offence 5 on 5 and just play a trap style system. It might be boring to watch but at least we'll get better results. Switch to a traditional 2 scoring lines, checking line and energy line. Send Draisaitl to junior, get a stop gap center for a 3rd or lower draft pick.
Hall-???-Yakupov: Center doesn't need to be a star, player like Helm or Stajan would be fine. This is the return from the draft pick.
Perron-RNH-Eberle: 2nd scoring line, most teams top checkers will focus on Hall line.
Pouliot-Gordon-Hendricks: Checking line, should get most even strength minutes. Can also have Perron and Pouliot switch spots.
Joensuu-Arcobello-Pinizotto: Energy line, looked good in preseason.
Marincin-Petry: Best pairing from last season, they should get the most at evens.
Klefbom-Fayne: Could end up becoming our shutdown pairing.
Nikitin-Schultz: Should see minimal time at evens. Most PP time though.
Press box is Ference, Gazdic and random AHL center of the week.
Mr Positive
Cap Crunch Incoming
- Nov 20, 2013
- 36,149
- 16,610
I think there is no single reason that he should stay. It will never be compelling. If we're choosing to keep him, it's because of complicated logic.
Basically, it's this: none of the following reasons is an acceptable reason to keep Eakins on its own, but together they form a thread of logic that prevents us from firing him.
1- We've had too many coaches fired in too short a time. Consistency for consistency's sake.
2- The Oilers' situation is unique. We were a special kind of terrible to draft 1st overall 3 times in a row. You can't judge our current situation by comparing it to other situations.
3- We've had flashes of excellent play. Before RNH went down we had two dominant periods against the Flames. We were really excellent against the Canucks until bad discipline and bad reffing combined to edge us a loss in the shootout.
4- We have decent advanced stats.
5- It's only 4 games in.
6- Despite bad defense, the goalies have let in some deflating goals against that aren't explainable by bad defense or bad coaching.
The firing coaches is whatever at this point. Eakins failed last year, a new upgraded roster, and its another disaster start with his coaching. Laviolette went poof with an 0-3 record. 0-4-1 Eakins = bye? Naaah. ZZZZZZ
Mr Positive
Cap Crunch Incoming
- Nov 20, 2013
- 36,149
- 16,610
That's pretty rare to happen though. Plus, that was a situation where a legit cup contender was horrible the previous playoffs and then came out flat to start. Our standard is not that high. We are hoping for playoffs, which means that a fair expectation would be a jump in the standings around 8th-10th. That means we will still have losses and losing streaks. I do not support letting this go on for half a season even, but we've got to give this guy around 10 games. There's no guarantee that a new coach will fix this. We need to know for sure what we need.
Even then, when Laviolette was fired, it was a very knee jerk action that didn't fix the problems with the team. The Panthers just revamped the roster and got a new coach. They are also starting slow.
In the end, if Eakins were fired tomorrow I would understand. MacT said he's impatient, and Eakins had some VERY questionable decisions. Things are chaotic right now though. Everything that has gone wrong has been magnified. There have been flashes of great play that I didn't see all last season. That's something to cling to, and it just seems to me that the answer to chaos is stability, not revolution.
FunkyChicken
Registered User
- Jul 24, 2003
- 2,352
- 750
Well thought out post. I don't like point 1 however, the "we're going to let you be bad just because the other people before you were also bad" argument doesn't cut it. But, the rest are compelling. Thanks.
Petes2424
Registered User
- Aug 4, 2005
- 8,057
- 2,335
Well, the way things are going, it's almost that time again to start discussing the #1 pick.
As a casual fan (I'm a proud alumni of the UNO Mavs and UND Fighting Sioux), I see several failures to this point.
This team requires an overhaul from top to bottom and I'm really not joking nor am I over reacting. I couldn't care if it happens this year with another mediocre/ poor season or the next.
From top to bottom there are issues I've observed,
The GM has failed to manage any decent draft selections from the 2-6 rounds of the draft. Furthermore, being unable to at least identify a few NHL worthy players is a significant problem in player development. And why is our AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City? No offence, but it's not exactly a hot bed of hockey. Why there? No direct flights either?
The coach - I understand not panicking but really? I've played enough hockey to know coaches must be a little more vocal on the bench but it's now obvious having watched Eakins, he's not a player development coach but rather a guy behind the bench. Where's his coaching techniques during the game? Where's that coach we heard about for the Marlies? I'm a little lost here.
Then there is blame to be placed on both the coach and GM with roster spots. I know Edmontonians love the glory days of the 80s but really today, it's about strong defence. Our Dmen are rushing the puck and getting caught out of position. This includes Hunt (who is not NHL worthy, sorry), Petry, Schultz, Nikitin and several others in our farm system. We need Dmen to play D and to get the puck to our forwards to make plays. That being said, Acton should not be on the ice on a fourth line or otherwise. Furthermore spending 1.85M on a guy like Hendricks, although I like him is ludicrous when you have Lander and other prospects floundering in the AHL. These are significant problems others have identified. .. when fans are second guessing roster spots that's not a good sign. Edmontonians love hockey and know what it's like to see a winner. Until wholesale changes are made, I don't expect a lot to change.
A casual fan,
This team requires an overhaul from top to bottom and I'm really not joking nor am I over reacting. I couldn't care if it happens this year with another mediocre/ poor season or the next.
From top to bottom there are issues I've observed,
The GM has failed to manage any decent draft selections from the 2-6 rounds of the draft. Furthermore, being unable to at least identify a few NHL worthy players is a significant problem in player development. And why is our AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City? No offence, but it's not exactly a hot bed of hockey. Why there? No direct flights either?
The coach - I understand not panicking but really? I've played enough hockey to know coaches must be a little more vocal on the bench but it's now obvious having watched Eakins, he's not a player development coach but rather a guy behind the bench. Where's his coaching techniques during the game? Where's that coach we heard about for the Marlies? I'm a little lost here.
Then there is blame to be placed on both the coach and GM with roster spots. I know Edmontonians love the glory days of the 80s but really today, it's about strong defence. Our Dmen are rushing the puck and getting caught out of position. This includes Hunt (who is not NHL worthy, sorry), Petry, Schultz, Nikitin and several others in our farm system. We need Dmen to play D and to get the puck to our forwards to make plays. That being said, Acton should not be on the ice on a fourth line or otherwise. Furthermore spending 1.85M on a guy like Hendricks, although I like him is ludicrous when you have Lander and other prospects floundering in the AHL. These are significant problems others have identified. .. when fans are second guessing roster spots that's not a good sign. Edmontonians love hockey and know what it's like to see a winner. Until wholesale changes are made, I don't expect a lot to change.
A casual fan,
Up the Irons
Registered User
I lose confidence in Mact with every day that Eakins remains on the job.
At this point, he is embarrassing himself more by not firing this clown, then he ever would by admitting he blew it in hiring him.
Mact, I thought you were smarter than this.
At this point, he is embarrassing himself more by not firing this clown, then he ever would by admitting he blew it in hiring him.
Mact, I thought you were smarter than this.
