News Article: Klefbom interview on contract, season in general (coaching), McDavid and WHC

[LaGu]

Thought this could have gone in the other thread but since part of it is related but the title is about Rishaug and this is from Klefbom himself (and touching on some more issues) so I started a new one. If a Mod feel like merging/re-naming the other one that's fine.

Some excerpts below from VF (in Swedish: http://www.vf.se/sport/ishockey/klefbom-mot-vm-och-fornyat-kontrakt-i-nhl):

...

- Not to sound cocky or anything but (in the beginning of the season) I felt that I had alot to give but didn't manage to get out. There was alot of pressure in the beginning.

...

Two weeks after being called up the organization had finally had enough of the coach Dallas Eakins and he was fired. Instead Klefbom's coach from Oklahoma, Todd Nelson, was brought in.

- He was able to get alot more out of me since he knew what I am capable of. I felt that he gave me the confidence to establish myslef in the NHL. At the end of the season I got some experience playing on the 1st pair and it was great to get that kind of trust.

...

- In the beginning everyone felt alot of pressure, and with the horrific start the team had everything got worse. It created bad feelings in the room and bad attitudes - it became a vicious circle. But everything turned around with the new coach, the second half of the season was brighter than the first. Not to bad mouth the old coach, but the new coached is much more suited for the team we have here.

Klefbom has one more year before his ELC is up.

- But they have actually indicated that they want to discuss the next contract. We cannot talk before 1 July but the indications are that they are very happy with me and want to sign me to a new contract as soon as possible.

...

- With McDavid onboard there will probably be some changes prior to next season. It is going to be exciting to see him here but it is a big step to take from junior to the NHL and the expectations on him are sky high.

...

- I was supposed to play in 2012 (for the national team) but I got hit with a knee tackle and got the worst Charley horse ever against a crap team...

- It's is great to be back in the jersey. It will be the first time since we won gold in the WJC. There are couple of guys from that team playing this time and I think it will be great.

- To be honest I don't want to play in the world championships, I want to play in the playoffs. But it is still special, as a kid I watched and dreamed of getting the chance to play in the world championships. It is going to be great fun to get that chance now.

...

Click to read more...

 

[Zaddy]

Good interview. Love to read swedish interviews because they are always going into more depth and you get more information out of it. Looking forward to seeing Klefbom in WC.

 

[Supermassive]

LaGu is a beauty.
Thanks for the translation!

 

[Red Deer Rebel]

Add another player to the list who thinks Eakins was a huge problem here, and that Nelson was a big upgrade. Going from memory:

• Hendricks
• Petry
• Eberle
• Yakupov
• Klefbom

They really need to offer Nelson an Associate Coaches position, due to the bridges he seems to have built with every player.

Lander being another one. With another year, Schultz may start to get going again.

But, since MacTavish is still the GM, they'll probably get rid of Nelson.

How MacTavish still has a job after the Eakins debacle is truly baffling ...

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

To be honest I don't want to play in the world championships, I want to play in the playoffs. But it is still special, as a kid I watched and dreamed of getting the chance to play in the world championships. It is going to be great fun to get that chance now

love that quote from Klefbom..especially since he's a Swede and the World Championships are a huge deal in Europe

 

[OilerFan4Life]

He basically confirmed what most of us suspected.

Eakins was hated and the players love playing for Nelson.

 

[Beerfish]

"It's great that we just won our 1st cup under Mike Babcock, we all want to revel in it a bit that is for sure. The foundation was laid 4 years ago with Dallas Eakins though and our steady rise in Corsi. This is not to take anything away from Mike that is for sure, he has done a fine job but we must thank Dallas for the kick start he gave to this organization."

 

[McPuritania]

"It's great that we just won our 1st cup under Mike Babcock, we all want to revel in it a bit that is for sure. The foundation was laid 4 years ago with Dallas Eakins though and our steady rise in Corsi. This is not to take anything away from Mike that is for sure, he has done a fine job but we must thank Dallas for the kick start he gave to this organization."

Spot on.

 

[LTIR]

More high praise for Nelson... If I am the Oilers I would pay Nelson as much as the coach we hire to be the associate.

 

[Aceboogie]

it became a vicious circle. But everything turned around with the new coach, the second half of the season was brighter than the first. Not to bad mouth the old coach, but the new coached is much more suited for the team we have here.

Great line and article.

Nelson is the man. If the other Todd is brought in, hopefuly Nelson is kept as an assistant here or back in Bakerfield. I have a feeling hell be picked up by Buffalo though

 

[hulabaluu]

Awesome to see players as stoked as fans about mcdavid. Nelson should earn more credit, when he came along oilers went from gongshow to decent hockey

 

[oil Leaks]

Hope Nelson is willing to stay even as an assistant if the Oilers do in fact get a new coach.

 

[AUAIOMRN]

Hope Nelson is willing to stay even as an assistant if the Oilers do in fact get a new coach.

I think I saw a quote a while ago saying he'd be okay with that.

He was a big improvement over Eakins but it's not like we were so good that he should automatically get the job.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I talked to one scout and suggested that eakins biggest problem was not being able to deal with cultural difference between euros and north americans and the fact there are huge difference between how to handle klefbom and belov. Eakins is not the only coach who can not grasp it

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

Yea, we need to retain Nelson in some capacity. The players love him and it's not just in comparison to his predecessor.

For the millionth time, MacT should have been fired for the Eakins debacle. What he has said has been directly contradicted by numerous players

 

[McspOiler]

He said he would consider staying depending on the dynamic between him and the new coach how they get along etc. but said he would also look at all offers

 

[The Nuge]

I think I saw a quote a while ago saying he'd be okay with that.

He was a big improvement over Eakins but it's not like we were so good that he should automatically get the job.

He said it depends on who the coach is. So, Babcock, he'll stay. If it's another Eakins, he's gone

 

[Mav3rick07]

I love these Oilers interviews where Oiler players specifically say 'Now that we have McDavid....'.


It erases that 1 percent doubt in my mind that Mactavish will **** it up and select Eichel.

 

[DavidOilTroops]

I grind my teeth whenever i read about Eakins. Thank goodness he will be nowhere near McDavid when he arrives.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I grind my teeth whenever i read about Eakins. Thank goodness he will be nowhere near McDavid when he arrives.

'We took Connor off the powerplay because we really want him to focus on his in zone plaOH GOD I WANT TO HIT THINGS.

 

[NeutralZone]

Sounds like there's fertile ground for contract negotiations. I hope they sign him low dollar, long term.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Add another player to the list who thinks Eakins was a huge problem here, and that Nelson was a big upgrade. Going from memory:

• Hendricks
• Petry
• Eberle
• Yakupov
• Klefbom

They really need to offer Nelson an Associate Coaches position, due to the bridges he seems to have built with every player.

Lander being another one. With another year, Schultz may start to get going again.

But, since MacTavish is still the GM, they'll probably get rid of Nelson.

How MacTavish still has a job after the Eakins debacle is truly baffling ...

Add Nuge to the list

 

[OilerFan4Life]

Nelson's priority order seems simple:

1. NHL head coach
2. NHL assistant coach
3. AHL head coach

I doubt he's going to get an NHL head coaching job so it makes sense to stay in Edmonton as McLellan's assistant.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I love these Oilers interviews where Oiler players specifically say 'Now that we have McDavid....'.


It erases that 1 percent doubt in my mind that Mactavish will **** it up and select Eichel.

That Taylor Hall tweet was legendary.

 

[Digger12]

'We took Connor off the powerplay because we really want him to focus on his in zone plaOH GOD I WANT TO HIT THINGS.

"After he scored that great goal, I decided to bench Connor in the 3rd because I wanted him to leave the game on a high note."

OH GOD that rankled me when Eakins did that to Yakupov. Classic case of someone overthinking a situation in trying to show off how smart of a coach he was.