Confirmed with Link: Oilers hire Gulutzan, Yawney, & Viveiros as Assistant Coaches

[rboomercat90]

I'm a part time Caps fan, so I'm biased, but looking at the Caps this postseason tells me how weak our wingers are. They have Kuznetsov and Backstrom, and I'd call Kuznetsov and Drai a wash. Backstrom is a big step back from McDavid, but to make up for it, on the wings, they have Ovi, Oshie, Wilson (who plays Lucic's role better than Looch does at a fraction of the cost), Vrana, Burakovsky, etc instead of Nuge (who is good), Lucic, Rattie, Aberg, etc.

That's a massive difference on the wings. Plus a better defence than ours. And goalie.

The thing most worth noting here to me is that with the exception of Oshie, all the Caps players I mentioned were drafted and developed by the Caps. Ovi, Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Wilson, Vrana, Burakovsky, etc. So this gives me hope that if we continue to draft decently well, we actually won't be as far as it seems we are. For example, if in two years, Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, and Benson are top-6 NHL wingers, then we're in fine shape. That's how this Caps team seems to have been built.

We’re not going to become a contender over night. It takes years to draft and develop the talent needed to become a contender. Nobody wants to hear this but not only are we still rebuilding but I think we’re still earlier in the process. Let’s face it, we started when we drafted McDavid. The years before that were just wasting time.

Lowe should have been fired in 2010 when it was clear the team had gone off the rails and different hockey people with different hockey ideas should have been brought in then. I said back then that it was foolish going into a scorched earth rebuild with the same people that sewered the team in the first place and expecting a good outcome. Before 2010, drafting and development was a huge problem with the team. We’re seeing now that it didn’t get better in the following years. Nothing but time wasted. I always thought it was going to take five more years of rebuilding after the Lowe group was gone. Assuming that group is actually gone, I guess that means two more years.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

But the physicality aspect is tremendously useful.

They threw the same amount of hits during the regular season.

 

[Jeff Lebowski]

We’re not going to become a contender over night. It takes years to draft and develop the talent needed to become a contender. Nobody wants to hear this but not only are we still rebuilding but I think we’re still earlier in the process. Let’s face it, we started when we drafted McDavid. The years before that were just wasting time.

Lowe should have been fired in 2010 when it was clear the team had gone off the rails and different hockey people with different hockey ideas should have been brought in then. I said back then that it was foolish going into a scorched earth rebuild with the same people that sewered the team in the first place and expecting a good outcome. Before 2010, drafting and development was a huge problem with the team. We’re seeing now that it didn’t get better in the following years. Nothing but time wasted. I always thought it was going to take five more years of rebuilding after the Lowe group was gone. Assuming that group is actually gone, I guess that means two more years.

Why not? Vegas did it. All you need is good coaching that can bring a team together and get them to buy in to a system. If the coaches can make the group into a team where every player feels important to the team and pulls on the rope as a group, then they will be a contender.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Man do I ever hope that one or all of the new coaches can get Puljujarvi on track. It would be beyond huge for our team if he started to look like the guy that was a consensus top 3 pick in his draft.

 

[Mr Positive]

Why not? Vegas did it. All you need is good coaching that can bring a team together and get them to buy in to a system. If the coaches can make the group into a team where every player feels important to the team and pulls on the rope as a group, then they will be a contender.

exactly. This is the new NHL. Vegas is the western champion this year. Next year, they could be bottom 3. Next year, Buffalo could be in the finals. All you need is some luck with health, and some luck with some key choices. Last summer, lots of people were picking us to win the Pacific, smart and unbiased people.

With a little luck, and a good move or two, there's no limit to our success.

 

[joestevens29]

Vegas making the cup final is the most annoying thing to happen since I don't know what.

 

[MessierII]

Vegas making the cup final is the most annoying thing to happen since I don't know what.

We’ve been looking for a #1 D for how many years? They waltz in with Nate Schmidt as their best guy and go to the final.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

exactly. This is the new NHL. Vegas is the western champion this year. Next year, they could be bottom 3. Next year, Buffalo could be in the finals. All you need is some luck with health, and some luck with some key choices. Last summer, lots of people were picking us to win the Pacific, smart and unbiased people.

With a little luck, and a good move or two, there's no limit to our success.

You need a good team. Placing your hopes on luck is a fool's game.

Vegas was down to their 4th string goalie when we first faced them.

 

[rboomercat90]

Why not? Vegas did it. All you need is good coaching that can bring a team together and get them to buy in to a system. If the coaches can make the group into a team where every player feels important to the team and pulls on the rope as a group, then they will be a contender.

For starters, we don’t have good coaching. That was pretty evident last year when Mclellan took months to get around to doing things fans were screaming for him to do all year.

The great question for me is how does a coach get a team to buy into something as solidly as the Vegas players did. I think you’re onto something suggesting a coach has to make every player feel he’s important. Outside of Fleury maybe, that team had no superstars, nobody making big money. Nobody for the rest of the team to feel jealous about. Everybody on that team is playing hard for a big contract. They’re all hungry. They’re all still equal in the eyes of the organization and they know it. Does that unique set of circumstances extend past this year? We’ll see.

Since the 2010-11 season we’ve had players here who were “more important” than the rest and were treated that way by the organization. I don’t think that’s helped the locker room. We’ve also handed out big contracts before we’ve needed to and with only so much money available I think that’s had a negative impact on the roster. A strong organization with strong coach can overcome these issues. We haven’t had this for decades. That’s why we aren’t getting anywhere.

 

[MoneyGuy]

Vegas making the cup final is the most annoying thing to happen since I don't know what.

That Flames playoff run they keep bragging makes them better than us tops it.

Wait what? Yeah that never happened.

 

[shoop]

Vegas making the cup final is the most annoying thing to happen since I don't know what.

I'm so happy the Caps won tonight. Gerard Gallant is an a hole for how he let his players finish the game.

 

[rboomercat90]

I'm so happy the Caps won tonight. Gerard Gallant is an a hole for how he let his players finish the game.

I missed the last few minutes, what happened?

 

[Del Preston]

I missed the last few minutes, what happened?

McNabb cross checked Oshie from behind, and Reaves was sent out in the final minute and went for the head of a Capital. They looked like the Ducks.

Gallant also put Reaves on the ice to fight Wilson at the faceoff after the Knights made it 4-2.

 

[MoneyGuy]

What's a good site to watch highlights of last night's game, including the late-game theatrics? NHL.com sucks for highlights.

 

[Senor Catface]

Vegas making the cup final is the most annoying thing to happen since I don't know what.

 

[Kagomeboy]

For starters, we don’t have good coaching. That was pretty evident last year when Mclellan took months to get around to doing things fans were screaming for him to do all year.

The great question for me is how does a coach get a team to buy into something as solidly as the Vegas players did. I think you’re onto something suggesting a coach has to make every player feel he’s important. Outside of Fleury maybe, that team had no superstars, nobody making big money. Nobody for the rest of the team to feel jealous about. Everybody on that team is playing hard for a big contract. They’re all hungry. They’re all still equal in the eyes of the organization and they know it. Does that unique set of circumstances extend past this year? We’ll see.

Since the 2010-11 season we’ve had players here who were “more important” than the rest and were treated that way by the organization. I don’t think that’s helped the locker room. We’ve also handed out big contracts before we’ve needed to and with only so much money available I think that’s had a negative impact on the roster. A strong organization with strong coach can overcome these issues. We haven’t had this for decades. That’s why we aren’t getting anywhere.

We have a good coach in Mclellan ,god so what he made some errors we made the playoff with him the season before we will make the playoffs with him.

 

[Kagomeboy]

That was an awesome finals.Then again I lived in Vancouver so maybe that why I thought it was an awesome finals

 

[noice]

Could we hire Doug Weight too

 

[Kagomeboy]

Could we hire Doug Weight too

I doubt it right now but I do like the Idea ,even thought he played for us .He not part of the 80s teams.

 

[Senor Catface]

That was an awesome finals.Then again I lived in Vancouver so maybe that why I thought it was an awesome finals

I also was living in Vancouver at the time.

It was a nightmare. :|

 

[shoop]

Could we hire Doug Weight too

I'd be ok with Weight. Would be violently opposed to la cucaracha Buchberger returning to the staff.

 

[Kagomeboy]

I also was living in Vancouver at the time.

It was a nightmare. :|

Oh ,was it a nightmare.what did Canucks fans mock you or something.

 

[Kagomeboy]

I'd be ok with Weight. Would be violently opposed to la cucaracha Buchberger returning to the staff.

What did Bucky do to the Oilers that people hate him so much.Sure he was part of the Organization but in a minor roles.

 

[joestevens29]

Apparently Weight and Snow are still sticking around. Not sure for what or how long.

Weight is going to be an interesting one. Been with the club for 7 years and you'd think he'd want to either be head coach or move on.

 

[joestevens29]

What did Bucky do to the Oilers that people hate him so much.Sure he was part of the Organization but in a minor roles.

He was consistently given jobs even though he never had on ice success anywhere in any of his previous positions.

He then joined the Oilers management as a development coach. On August 3, 2007, he was named head coach of the Oilers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, and guided the team to a 35–35–10 record, the team's first .500 season since 1998–99. Buchberger then was promoted to the Edmonton Oilers during the 2008 offseason, becoming an assistant coach with them.

I do find this funny. How back in the day it was promotion to go from head coach of AHL to assistant of NHL. Woodcroft however does the opposite and it's deemed a promotion