Have Oiler Players Tuned Out Their Coach Again?

[alexo]

The evidence of tuning the coach out is players actually acknowledging in the post game quotes that the team did.

For instance Hendricks or Pouliot or McDavid stating, in actual words, that the team abandoned the gameplan in games. To me that's tuning out.

Also, the teams work on the PP is fairly continuous indication of the players not believing in the system they have been forwarded. Is that tuning out?

Have the players defiantly rejected the coach and anything he has to say? No, this isn't Eakins here, but they certainly tune out specific direction with regularity.

Guess it depends on defn of tuned out.

Players are known for cheap quotes. So I don't put a lot of stock in what they say. It's a pretty standard line "we didn't stick to the game plan". Also, they could mean that without meaning "we don't believe in the game plan" or "we don't know what the game plan is". People sometimes deviate from what they're supposed to do... either forgetting what they should be doing, or not thinking about it. I don't think that necessarily equates to them not listening to McLellan. It could show poor focus. I think there's been a number of times this year even where McLellan or others have commented that the team won because they stuck to the game plan. Of course, there have been times where they won, but McLellan was still unimpressed due to some things not being executed properly, but I'm sure the reverse can be said too (they lost some games they played really well in).

At any rate, yes "tuning out" is a pretty open ended term. But I think the definition the OP is meaning is pretty obvious, and I don't see the team as tuning McLellan out. As you said, this isn't Eakins... I think he's well respected by the team and everyone. I think just on occasion they lose focus. And with this team it also seems that sometimes it snowballs pretty quick when they fall behind (they're resilient some games, whereas others they completely collapse mentally when facing adversity).

In the end, the problem to me isn't that they don't respect the coach, it's just that they aren't that good.. especially on D (and quite frankly, in net).

 

[Paperbagofglory]

For people saying a hard ass coach did not work because of examples given about Eakins and Quinn. Quinn was basically done as a head coach and was out of touch, it was a bad hire. As far as Eakins, the fact that he was a hard ass was not the problem. He was just an awful coach and him being a hard ass had nothing to do with it.

Torts would have been awesome here. The entertainment value of his flip outs would have been worth the price of admission.

 

[gwiz999]

I think the leadership in the locker room is weak. McDavid, Hall, and hopefully Nurse will fix that going forward though.

If Hall hasn't been appointed captain by now, 5 yrs in... he isn't going to be. MOO

 

[Tarus]

Torts would have been awesome here. The entertainment value of his flip outs would have been worth the price of admission.

You can watch him flip out while he's in Columbus. Better he does it there than having him inflict his poor coaching ability on the Oilers.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

You can watch him flip out while he's in Columbus. Better he does it there than having him inflict his poor coaching ability on the Oilers.

Stanley cup winning coach though. Hes underrated because hes nuts.

 

[snipes]

If Hall hasn't been appointed captain by now, 5 yrs in... he isn't going to be. MOO

McDavid for captain next year.

 

[Up the Irons]

It doesn't matter if they'd tuned him out. There is only one play left for this organization: move core players out.

 

[Up the Irons]

They are uncoachable.

They're not good enough an they're a bad mix.

 

[Up the Irons]

The evidence of tuning the coach out is players actually acknowledging in the post game quotes that the team did.

For instance Hendricks or Pouliot or McDavid stating, in actual words, that the team abandoned the gameplan in games. To me that's tuning out.

Also, the teams work on the PP is fairly continuous indication of the players not believing in the system they have been forwarded. Is that tuning out?

Have the players defiantly rejected the coach and anything he has to say? No, this isn't Eakins here, but they certainly tune out specific direction with regularity.

Guess it depends on defn of tuned out.

I'd say that they may have tuned out the season.

In any event, it doesn't matter. The problem is the players

 

[russ99]

I find it ironic that the two games after the break when we looked like a different team, the scoring lines especially McDavid and Eberle were carrying the puck in, creating space and scoring nice goals.

Then guess what, back to the dump/cycle, shoot from anywhere system.

We have a lot of talented forwards on the team and were much better and have much better chances to score when not running the cycle ad nauseum. Of course it's good to mix things up and sometimes it makes send to play keep away in the O-zone.

I understand McLellan sticking with systems so everybody buys in, but there's a month + of season left. I don't get why he doesn't open things up more, especially if it doesn't really work with this group (no real crease presence and no great point shooters) and isn't winning games.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

I find it ironic that the two games after the break when we looked like a different team, the scoring lines especially McDavid and Eberle were carrying the puck in, creating space and scoring nice goals.

Then guess what, back to the dump/cycle, shoot from anywhere system.

We have a lot of talented forwards on the team and were much better and have much better chances to score when not running the cycle ad nauseum. Of course it's good to mix things up and sometimes it makes send to play keep away in the O-zone.

I understand McLellan sticking with systems so everybody buys in, but there's a month + of season left. I don't get why he doesn't open things up more, especially if it doesn't really work with this group (no real crease presence and no great point shooters) and isn't winning games.

Because hes trying to instill structure with these losers that will carry over to next season. You can't do that if you give up and say do whatever you want lets open it up.

 

[AM]

Its always been on the players.

 

[Narnia]

Maybe instead of hoarding all of these young guys they should start moving guys out and bring in some good veterans.

Easier said than done when the vets the team needs have Edmonton on the list not to get traded to. That's the biggest problem.

 

[MessierII]

Easier said than done when the vets the team needs have Edmonton on the list not to get traded to. That's the biggest problem.

No it's not. I hate this excuse.

 

[Tyrolean]

Easier said than done when the vets the team needs have Edmonton on the list not to get traded to. That's the biggest problem.

Offer vets enough money and they will come.

 

[Jumptheshark]

It doesn't matter if they'd tuned him out. There is only one play left for this organization: move core players out.

the only untouchable for me are
McDavid, Leon D, Nurse and Klefbom

some posters have 12 players on their lists

certain posters refuse to want to trade the guys where consider core because they think we will lose without them--we have not win with em

 

[King1s]

I can easily see players like Eberle,Schultz and Hall to have chosen to be above their coach.

I just wonder when we finally get rid of those golden boys. Add RNH to the list and we might have a hockey team.

 

[joestevens29]

Stanley cup winning coach though. Hes underrated because hes nuts.

He won the cup 13 years ago. Made Vancouver worse and hasn't really done anything other than piss off players in CBJ.

 

[OilTastic]

the only untouchable for me are
McDavid, Leon D, Nurse and Klefbom

some posters have 12 players on their lists

certain posters refuse to want to trade the guys where consider core because they think we will lose without them--we have not win with em

me too, though McD and Leon are untouchable, with Nurse and Klef in the mix only if something really good is being offered. (more good than Hamonic)

and the fact that we haven't been able to win with this core continues to stick out for me. the Oilers have a bit of redundancy up front and need to change the culture there and this has been touched on many times over the years by fans and a few media as well, yet no moves of the core have happened. i think this coming draft/summer is the time to start.

 

[Up the Irons]

me too, though McD and Leon are untouchable, with Nurse and Klef in the mix only if something really good is being offered. (more good than Hamonic)

and the fact that we haven't been able to win with this core continues to stick out for me. the Oilers have a bit of redundancy up front and need to change the culture there and this has been touched on many times over the years by fans and a few media as well, yet no moves of the core have happened. i think this coming draft/summer is the time to start.

I'm down to one untouchable player and 2 or 3 players that are unlikely to be moved unless a top 10 Dman is coming back.

Everyone else I am exploring the possibility of moving to improve the D, and actively shopping.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

if this is the case again, they need new players cause that's absurd.

the coaches continually get blamed here and its not their fault

The leadership amongst players is so weak on this team it seems.

the team is just not good... I don't get why nothing huge has happened yet... like these years keep going by and somehow the team gets worse

 

[joestevens29]

if this is the case again, they need new players cause that's absurd.

the coaches continually get blamed here and its not their fault

They need new players. Players that fit a system. Look at LA once again this year adding Lucic,Vinny, Schenn and now getting rid of Erhoff and not keeping Sekera, Jones etc...

The problem we have and I hope it's more because we have an unfamiliar GM, is we are afraid of losing a deal. Previous Gm's thought this way and so do a lot of fans.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

They need new players. Players that fit a system. Look at LA once again this year adding Lucic,Vinny, Schenn and now getting rid of Erhoff and not keeping Sekera, Jones etc...

The problem we have and I hope it's more because we have an unfamiliar GM, is we are afraid of losing a deal. Previous Gm's thought this way and so do a lot of fans.

and it sucks cause the longer these guys remain on the Oilers, the more their stock drops. Like I am even afraid to wonder what a guy like Yakupov would even fetch the Oilers. I know if I were another GM, IF I was interested at all, I wouldn't wanna give up much.

Yak is strange to watch.. hes so twitchy and skates around and does nothing out there. I swear hes out of breath after each shift due to him twitching around all shift

 

[oilz89*]

LMAO yeah 52 games in and they've turned on their coach. Wow this place is going downhill

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I randomly assume there are a group of players that had so much success under motivational free-wheeling coaches like Krueger and Nelson and because of their playmaking skills and draft success....that they do veer off the game plan sometimes...or maybe don't really get to that 100% because they're not able to play the same sort of hockey they have in the past.

They may not be intentionally tuning out the "work harder" and system details of some of the more structured coaches but they are probably conflicted, ill-motivated or just "resenting the hockey" a little bit because of the cluster-**** of playmakers, ahl players, and strategy that has been happening.