Thoughts on Woodcroft as Oilers HC in 2019/2020?

[Stoneman89]

Did he ever dodge a bullet being "demoted"... honest question, could the Condors beat the Oilers right now?

Honest answer. Is that a serious question?

 

[Oilhawks]

It'd be crazy if Woodcroft's Condors managed to win a Calder Cup (or at least do some serious damage in the playoffs) and then he goes off to have coaching success elsewhere while the new GM puts whoever else down there. But I could definitely see it, unfortunately.

It's also just so crazy to think about how much heat he took for the PP woes then to see the Condors have such success under him this year.

 

[Del Preston]

It'd be crazy if Woodcroft's Condors managed to win a Calder Cup (or at least do some serious damage in the playoffs) and then he goes off to have coaching success elsewhere while the new GM puts whoever else down there. But I could definitely see it, unfortunately.

It's also just so crazy to think about how much heat he took for the PP woes then to see the Condors have such success under him this year.

It was obvious by game three that Woodcroft was just following McLellan's orders with the power play.

 

[GhostfaceWu]

The only reasons Id be open to this is because obviously Tmac had way too much influence on both special teams hence why it sucked balls after Woodcroft left and also he'd given reasonable chances to the players that are currently tearing it up in Bako next year. I doubt youd see him treating literally every call up like fodder playing them under 8 minutes a game like Tmac and Hitch have done.

 

[Soundwave]

Todd had the Oilers looking like pre-season champs the last 2 years playing against half AHL squads. Woodcroft ain't doing anything special and the one thing he was charge of at the NHL level was a monumental failure. Easy pass.

 

[joestevens29]

Some guys aren't cut out to be NHL head coaches. Eakins has went on to be a pretty darn good AHL coach since leaving here as well. Not sure that many think he'd be a good hire at the NHL level though.

It's one thing to motivate guys in the AHL. Guys that are either doing their best to get into the NHL for the first time, or get back into the NHL or even guys that are hanging onto their pro careers by a thread. To do it at the NHL level takes a whole different type of smarts.

It won't surprise me to see both Eakins and Woodcroft as NHL head coaches at some point, but for now I'd just keep Woodcroft in the AHL where he's had some success. If he starts developing a bunch of players and shows that he can adapt to different players then maybe in a couple year I give him a shot.

 

[fuswald]

Its a whole lot easier to get players to do what they are told in the AHL than asking, no, begging NHLers. There is almost zero that Hitch can do if McDavid Draisaitl Lucic RNH Larsson Klefbom Nurse don't feel like listening. Heck can't even get Spooner to get on board even though he will need a contract reasonably soon.

Woodcroft can offer the NHL (money power). AHL players listen.

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Its a whole lot easier to get players to do what they are told in the AHL than asking, no, begging NHLers. There is almost zero that Hitch can do if McDavid Draisaitl Lucic RNH Larsson Klefbom Nurse don't feel like listening. Heck can't even get Spooner to get on board even though he will need a contract reasonably soon.

Woodcroft can offer the NHL (money power). AHL players listen.

Well those players you listed also need (minus Lucic) the least motivation. It's the rest of the surrounding trash that needs to realize they're, in fact, 1 small step away from the AHL.

 

[FlameChampion]

I'd rather just leave him in Bakersfield personally. The team is playing well. Things rarely go well for this franchise, so I would tend to just leave something alone that is working.

As for Woodcroft himself, I'll be honest, I dont know how to assess him. The special teams infuriated me last year so I blamed Woodcroft (especially the PP). Then Woodcroft left and the special teams still dont make sense. So I thought well McLellan has been doing this the whole time and doesnt listen to his staff. Then Hitchcock took over, and there has been very little change (Chiasson is on PP?), so I dont know what to even think anymore.

All I can tell is that Woodcroft seems to be doing a good job in Bakersfield this year.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Some guys aren't cut out to be NHL head coaches. Eakins has went on to be a pretty darn good AHL coach since leaving here as well. Not sure that many think he'd be a good hire at the NHL level though.

It's one thing to motivate guys in the AHL. Guys that are either doing their best to get into the NHL for the first time, or get back into the NHL or even guys that are hanging onto their pro careers by a thread. To do it at the NHL level takes a whole different type of smarts.

It won't surprise me to see both Eakins and Woodcroft as NHL head coaches at some point, but for now I'd just keep Woodcroft in the AHL where he's had some success. If he starts developing a bunch of players and shows that he can adapt to different players then maybe in a couple year I give him a shot.

Crazy how you see that with amongst the coaching ranks, as you do the players. Some players are AHL heroes but just can't make it work at the NHL level for some reason.

Same with coaches. Some are great at the minor league level, but just can't grasp coaching in the NHL and they struggle mightily.

 

[Stoneman89]

It was obvious by game three that Woodcroft was just following McLellan's orders with the power play.

I guess he was following the a lot sooner than that, considering they both came from San Jose, which incidentally, always had one of the better power plays in the league, year after year.