TSN: McKenzie: Woodcroft Assigned to Bakersfields

[Quality Oil]

I'm really pleased with this move. He needed to be off the main coaching staff.

 

[rboomercat90]

I heard exactly the same thing. Some people just dont like the man so they arent going to say anything positive.

Like you I also think that this is a positive move. It virtually guarantees continuity of systems between the farm team and the Oilers and it also plays to Woodcrofts strengths.

I would also be happy with Yawney and Gulutzan as Assistants.

What does continuity of systems mean? It sure didn’t look like there was any system being played last year. So now our call ups can look just as confused as the regular guys?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Gulutzan was in charge of Vancouver's PP in 2013-14 when Tortorella was the head coach. He was retained by Willie Desjardins and ran the PK for two years before the Flames hired him.

2013-14 PP: 15.2% (26th overall), slightly worse than previous season (15.8%, 22nd)
2014-15 PK: 85.7% (2nd overall), improvement from year before (83.2%, t-9th)
2015-16 PK: 81.1% (t-17th overall)

The season after he left, Vancouver's PK dropped to 76.7% (28th).

We badly need a PP guy. It seems like Gulutzan and Yawney are both good PK guys but that's only half the battle. I wonder how much McLellan meeting with Gulutzan in Humbolt may have gotten Todd on board with hiring him?

I don't care if they have the balls to call out officiating, I just care that they run proper Special Teams units. Can't get worse than Woodcroft so I'll take anything over him and Yawney has a stellar PK track record and developing young Dmen so I'm very happy with his hiring.

The PKing should get a shot in the arm but the PP likely still sucks ass at least partly due to coaching.

 

[Consultant]

I'm fine with this. I like Yawney but not at all sold on Gulutzen. He reminds me too much of Eakins, yikes.

 

[nexttothemoon]

...shuffling deck chairs... titanic. Jack Hughes looks pretty damn good... what date is the 2019 draft lottery?

Am I doing it right?



Seriously though... they had to at least do a visual shakeup to appease the grumbling masses and that's what they are doing.

I also agree that it somewhat looks half-assed just shuffling bodies but GG and Yawney are likely decent assistant additions and they did effectively shit-can Herbers/Fleming/Johnson so 3 heads are rolling and that's more than I actually expected. By my count they need to add another assistant so we'll see who else is added to the mix... if it's MacLean as another assistant I wouldn't be against that addition either. Moneybags Katz can foot the bill for some premium assistants at the very least.


I expect a pretty busy summer from Chiarelli with player personnel as well so all is not lost yet. That roster needs a lot of help and hopefully it starts May 1st with that giant Goalie being signed.

Everyone and their dog knows this past season was shit and I fully expect them to make some meaningful changes to the roster. That means a legit PP/puck moving dman for #1 and someone who can actually snipe the puck on the wing for #2.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Team with a proud history continues to be run into the ground by a horse's ass of an owner and his incompetent ex-player circle jerk posse.

People who pay money to support this nonsense organization are suckers.

 

[rboomercat90]

This move looks like some kind of compromise with Mclellan to keep Woodcroft employed yet get him off Mclellan’s bench. It also looks like another guy given a job he hasn’t earned.

Todd looks entrenched in his position now if he’s got enough pull to keep Woodcroft around after the season the two of them had. I’ll be curious to see how this organization handles another start to the season like last year. Do they just write off another year like they did last year? Would they fire Mclellan early in the season when they’ve likely sacrificed their farm team to please him?

 

[PBandJ]

Man at least Calgary fires crappy employees.

 

[Cloned]

Did we actually hire somebody Calgary just fired? At least you know he’s gonna be itching to stick it to the Flames.

What’s the reaction to this on CP?

 

[duul]

I'll never forget the McDavid post-game comments where he said it felt like an eternity playing with RNH, then he stopped and said "even though it has only been a few games, since our lines are constantly changing'. Paraphrased.

He was chirping the coach for not allowing anyone to build chemistry. Not sure how the best player in the world criticizing his coach publicly went over, or how McLellan has kept his job.

Don't know anything about Yawney, but Gulutzan just got fired from our provincial rival? And the two hires are a guy Mclellan grew up playing with and a fellow Saskatchewan guy. You can't make this shit up.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Would prefer a head coach to coach the AHL team, not a failed assistant coach. This is the same line of thinking that saw a fired coach MacTavish get hired as a GM.

We're talking about a guy that failed his job and now getting a job with more responsibilities.

 

[McAsuno]

 

[Joey Moss]

It's a lazy move just like MacTavish and Lowe shuffling Woodcroft to another position rather then firing him. However I'm thrilled he will not be running the PP next season. I'm not thrilled at the thought of Gulutzan replacing McLellan if we get off to a shaky start.

 

[Jumptheshark]

So if my math is right

all 3 assistants are gone

one guy back to U of A
another guy not renewed
third guy to the farm

 

[SK13]

Where's that gif of Gulutzan transforming into Eakins? Let's really get some people going here.

 

[randomrob7]

Woodcroft knows how McLellan operates. He can prepare our call ups for the NHL should they be needed. And if Gulutzen and Yawney replace Woodcroft and Johnson on the Oilers coaching staff I'll be in heaven.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I think the new motto for the Oilers going forward is... "it could be worse".

Would you rather have Woodcroft still handling the PP on the big club? No.

Would you rather have all the assistants back next season that f***ed up the special teams at near historic levels? No.

Would you rather have Chia and McLellan fired and MacT and Lowe back in full command? No.

Ok then... shut up... they made visual changes... it could be worse.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

It's a lazy move just like MacTavish and Lowe shuffling Woodcroft to another position rather then firing him. However I'm thrilled he will not be running the PP next season. I'm not thrilled at the thought of Gulutzan replacing McLellan if we get off to a shaky start.

I'm wondering if Katz was pushed to the point where 'enough is enough. If I'm paying all these front office staff they better be contributing to some capacity'

 

[nexttothemoon]

I'm wondering if Katz was pushed to the point where 'enough is enough. If I'm paying all these front office staff they better be contributing to some capacity'

Does he even know the season is over? Has he come out of his palm tree paradise and stopped sipping margaritas by his 168 foot pool in his sprawling mansion in the last 6 months?

 

[Cizin]

Ok then... shut up... they made visual changes... it could be worse.

. . . if there's ever a concern.

The new motto, same as the old motto.

 

[Ninety7]

Why GG?

 

[ThePhoenixx]

How embarrassing.

 

[Quality Oil]

I think McLellan will do well to have some challenging opinions out there. He's been with those old boys for so damn long, they were too comfortable.

It seems like shit and just another shuffle, but I really hope this brings in some new ideas. Although I don't want to hold my breath over a few new assistant coaches.

 

[PaPaDee]

I’m ok with the rumoured changes. I’d still prefer Todd gone, but this should still make us better.

 

[Oilers in NS]

He better not Puljujarvi the prospects down there. If guys like Marody, Vesel, Benson, Jones, etc. aren't on the PP in favor of guys like Ryan Hamilton (not sure if he'll be back, just using an example) then I'm going to lose it.

In the meantime Woodcroft leads a turd of a PP and he gets his own head coaching gig within our organization? This move tells me that McLellan isn't going anywhere anytime soon since his boy blunder is now Todd Jr. in Bakersfield.

Sure sounds like Promotion for Failure?

Just curious, do we have the same management that is running the Cleveland Browns?