Confirmed with Link: Eakins Fired; MacT Transitional HC; Nelson Interim HC | Eakins Presser @ 10:00AM (II)

[Tarus]

So, clearly this new arrangement isn't going to work.

I'm guessing the next line of attack is to promote Mactavish out of the firing line, and bring in Lowe as interim coach with Darryl Katz's teenage kid as the transitional head coach to get a feel for what's wrong with the team

 

[Beerfish]

Why anyone is the least bit surprised is beyond me. MacT loved Eakins, mact loved the way he coached, his systems, bow he handled players etc etc. As a matter of fact mact probably 'suggested' half the stuff eakins did.

At this point it is another cover your ass exercize by mact, he thought he would vault on to the bench they would win a few then he could step aside as the team went back into fail mode and be looked at as a great coach who should take over next year. He'll step down only after we win one. Because it is a smart organzational move? Oh no, no, no because it will make him look better.

Being 100% serious it would not suprise me at all if next year the oilers brought in a new gm, nicholson took over or some such thing and mact goes back to 'his 1st love', coaching the oilers.

 

[Tirefire]

MacT can evaluate from the bench all he wants. The problems are obvious to all but the casual observer.

He is perhaps realizing his decisions are so far off the mark that this thing is beyond repair.

This team needs a dose of reality. Eakins thought he could walk on water. I hope Nelson tells the Oiler brass what the deal really is here. They need a reality check like a glass of cold water to the face.

 

[rboomercat90]

So, clearly this new arrangement isn't going to work.

I'm guessing the next line of attack is to promote Mactavish out of the firing line, and bring in Lowe as interim coach with Darryl Katz's teenage kid as the transitional head coach to get a feel for what's wrong with the team

Might as well. He's probably the one making the moves anyway.

 

[Paralyzer008]

“It’s big. It’s important that I’m very clear with them about who I am as a coach and what my philosophy is so there is no second guessing by the team. I think I have to communicate that consistently,

“I knew what the challenge was coming in,” Nelson said. “I think over the last couple of weeks, I have a clear vision of what I feel we have to do moving forward and so I have to message that to the team. It started today and it was the first real day where I was able to address the team and let them know who I was or who I am as a coach and what my philosophy is. Everything is clear and now we can start building on what we have to do. It’s a lot more clear to me now than maybe two weeks ago. I knew how it was before I got here so right now it’s just a start and we have to build off some of the positive things and get rid of the negative things we’re doing on the ice.”

“It sounds like it’s really something simple, which it is, but along with those good habits and details it’s hard work,” Nelson said. “It’s stopping and starting. It’s stopping in front of the net after you take a shot and facing the play instead of circling. These are all things that we have to do right consistently. Along with that, the compete in front of our net and the compete in front of their net. I think those are things we have to nail down and make that a staple.”

"You guys saw practice today,” Nelson said. “We did a lot of battle drills and it has to become second nature.”

“Right now, I’m in control. If he’s on the bench, he’s there to assist me,” Nelson said of MacTavish.

And now Nelson has had the opportunity to present to the team what he can bring to the table as coach and what he expects from them. That took place on Sunday.

“It was just to clear the air a bit,” Nelson said.

http://oilers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=745946

Todd Nelson making a few comments today.

 

[oobga]

http://oilers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=745946

Todd Nelson making a few comments today.

If he's suggesting we weren't practicing hard before, then this does align with what we were hearing about Eakins practices. It sounded like (from current players and ones that left) that Eakins spent most of practice just talking. Talking about his super awesome game plan and how it should be executed and talking through little hockey philosophy and mental exercises. Basically the players just watched a bunch of garbage pouring out of his mouth and the actual hockey part was low intensity lazy practices. Player that left last year talked about being shocked by the intensity of practice on other teams.

If Nelson is going to get these guys to actually work their butts off in practice now, maybe we'll start to see a bit more effort and better habits out on the ice. This team under Eakins definitely looked like a completely unprepared team that never really practiced much on the ice to correct mistakes. Perhaps they spent lots of time talking about how to fix mistakes, but you have to actually do it out on the ice at a pace that matches when you need to do it during a real game against an NHL team.

 

[moog35]

I just don't get why MacT has to be on the bench to show Nelson the ropes when Ramsay is there

 

[McAsuno]

I just don't get why MacT has to be on the bench to show Nelson the ropes when Ramsay is there

You think he'll have the brains to send Brad Hunt down by now then, when he's on the bench viewing the players.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I got this feeling that we will have a thread shortly with lowe doing the walk of shame and Bob Nicholsion taking over

 

[McAsuno]

I got this feeling that we will have a thread shortly with lowe doing the walk of shame and Bob Nicholsion taking over

I hope your feeling comes to fruition. I'll jump for joy when 6 rings is gone.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I got this feeling that we will have a thread shortly with lowe doing the walk of shame and Bob Nicholsion taking over

This is the gif I plan on using...

 

[McShiva]

I have to say that MacT may be joining him. Nelson's statement today clearly showed it was MacT running things, and backseat coaching Eakins as well. That would account for Hunt and Schultz and other questionable moves, something we all saw constantly when he was a coach.

I hope we see the end of this finally, it's these moves that have been causing the most damage, not just in the standings but to the team itself, based on their play and how they seemed to have completely given up. Several players should be sent down, and several players should be called up.

At the very least, the people that actually spend money finally deserve to see the best possible team in Edmonton, as opposed to the other way down.

 

[nexttothemoon]

My "fear" now with the season long over is that Nelson shapes the team up just enough to raise them above basement level.

That slight improvement in coaching elevates them to slightly above cold cadaver level which causes them to lose out completely on McEichel and gives the top brass (Katz/Nicholson) enough "visual leeway" to keep MacT/Lowe/Howson and the rest of that ****** magnificence onboard for at least another season.

I like Nelson and normally I'd want a new and likeable coach to have some success but I'd rather this team continue on this current putrid trajectory until the end of the season where there is then no other option left but "The Purge" (hopefully).

Nelson will unfortunately likely be another casualty of this team's putrid play as well... but it's a sacrifice worth making if there is top to bottom change within the org (again... hopefully).

 

[SometimesY]

My "fear" now with the season long over is that Nelson shapes the team up just enough to raise them above basement level.

That slight improvement in coaching elevates them to slightly above cold cadaver level which causes them to lose out completely on McEichel and gives the top brass (Katz/Nicholson) enough "visual leeway" to keep MacT/Lowe/Howson and the rest of that ****** magnificence onboard for at least another season.

I like Nelson and normally I'd want a new and likeable coach to have some success but I'd rather this team continue on this current putrid trajectory until the end of the season where there is then no other option left but "The Purge" (hopefully).

Nelson will unfortunately likely be another casualty of this team's putrid play as well... but it's a sacrifice worth making if there is top to bottom change within the org (again... hopefully).

They have to make a decision, do they want to tank for McEichel and spend that time looking for quality replacements for management, or do they want to start succeeding now and replace management/and company soon with whoever is available.

 

[Raab]

They have to make a decision, do they want to tank for McEichel and spend that time looking for quality replacements for management, or do they want to start succeeding now and replace management/and company soon with whoever is available.

Buffalo got rid of everyone mid season. Don't see why we can't do it here. Enough is enough with the losing. If it continues this way all season you won't have fans going to the games in March and April once it starts warming up. It'll be embarrassing having a 17000 person arena with MAYBE 5000 people in attendance.

 

[SometimesY]

Buffalo got rid of everyone mid season. Don't see why we can't do it here. Enough is enough with the losing. If it continues this way all season you won't have fans going to the games in March and April once it starts warming up. It'll be embarrassing having a 17000 person arena with MAYBE 5000 people in attendance.

I am all for winning now. Tired of our season being one day in June. I just don't know if there are many options for new management/scouting etc at this time of year who would agree to come here, Buffalo may have had the edge there. Maybe they have someone in mind that is in a contract right now?

 

[Tarus]

I got this feeling that we will have a thread shortly with lowe doing the walk of shame and Bob Nicholsion taking over

Hopefully he takes his curly haired purse with him

 

[I am the Liquor]

My "fear" now with the season long over is that Nelson shapes the team up just enough to raise them above basement level.

That slight improvement in coaching elevates them to slightly above cold cadaver level which causes them to lose out completely on McEichel and gives the top brass (Katz/Nicholson) enough "visual leeway" to keep MacT/Lowe/Howson and the rest of that ****** magnificence onboard for at least another season.

I like Nelson and normally I'd want a new and likeable coach to have some success but I'd rather this team continue on this current putrid trajectory until the end of the season where there is then no other option left but "The Purge" (hopefully).

Nelson will unfortunately likely be another casualty of this team's putrid play as well... but it's a sacrifice worth making if there is top to bottom change within the org (again... hopefully).

I would like to see some wins. That said it would be much more damaging imo to extend the reign of error (Lowe/Mact) than it would be to miss out on McEichel. I really dont think either of them would help us all that much tbh. This team is too far down the rabbit hole for one kid to help us climb out of it. No matter how good they are perceived to be.

 

[Arctic Fox]

Buffalo got rid of everyone mid season. Don't see why we can't do it here. Enough is enough with the losing. If it continues this way all season you won't have fans going to the games in March and April once it starts warming up. It'll be embarrassing having a 17000 person arena with MAYBE 5000 people in attendance.

Having 5000 or fewer people in attendence is not embarrassing. It is the solution to the team's problems. Once profits evaporate the owner will be very motivated to dispose of the old boys club.

 

[Raab]

Having 5000 or fewer people in attendence is not embarrassing. It is the solution to the team's problems. Once profits evaporate the owner will be very motivated to dispose of the old boys club.

It will be an embarrassment to the organization. 5000 fans in Edmonton would send a big statement not only to our owner, but to the league and fans across the country. You know an organization is bad when they start getting less then 10,000 fans to NHL games in one of the biggest hockey markets in the world.

 

[McAsuno]

Having 5000 or fewer people in attendence is not embarrassing. It is the solution to the team's problems. Once profits evaporate the owner will be very motivated to dispose of the old boys club.

Even 5000 people not in attendance hurts profits. Empty seats, parking, concession and beer as well. I hope seats keep emptying. Can't send any other message to the dumbest owner in the league.

 

[Frank the Tank]

It will be an embarrassment to the organization. 5000 fans in Edmonton would send a big statement not only to our owner, but to the league and fans across the country. You know an organization is bad when they start getting less then 10,000 fans to NHL games in one of the biggest hockey markets in the world.

After almost a decade of incompetence I think many people would understand. The fact that it took so long for the building to empty speaks towards the loyalty of Oilers' fans.

 

[KaiserYamamoto]

in b4 MacTavish goes back upstairs

EDIT: Oops, I guess not

 

[WayneGreatzky]

in b4 MacTavish goes back upstairs

EDIT: Oops, I guess not

I was wondering how long it would take for a Craig T Nelson/MacT Nelson pic to pop up good work

 

[Tw0Shoes]

I'm wondering when people are going start suggesting the answer to our center problem when we send Draisaitl down. MacT interim 3rd line center.