When does MacT crack?

[Up the Irons]

Surely to God, MacT can't sit idle and let a 2nd season slide away into the Abyss after just one month. Can he?

We are watch a carbon copy of last year. They will be effectively out of it by Novembrance Day. For the love of God (and, yes, I am refer to Him on purpose), throw us a friggin' bone. Throw the players a bone.

I say he trades a core player first, for a goalie. This is a core problem, a goaltending problem, more than coaching or anything else. Get a good goalie, change up the core first.

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[Jumptheshark]

it is all part of his 20 year rebuild plan

The moment he gave Pouliot a 5 year deal I gave up on Mact--that is the one deal that tells me he has no clue

I am just along for the ride--not going to get mad--scream shout and toss stuff around--just going to deal with the fact the the second wave of the rebuild is key-- Eberle--Hopkins--Hall are fodder-- Nurse--Leon and Yak are the future that we need to look at

 

[AJGass4]

Well I don't know what he does.

Our biggest problems are three things. Arco as a centre, a defence men that is capable of getting the puck out of our own end and can calm things down and a *** goaltender.

That is not going to be easy.

And I respectfully disagree that Eakins isn't a problem. He's a huge problem. We look like Junior PeeWee's out there chasing the puck most night. That swarm thing is stupid.

He needs to go.

 

[Horseradish]

If they lose tonight and in Buffalo, we're gonna see something big happen.

My guess is that we also will if we get points in Buffalo but nowhere else on this roadie.

But I think we're set to lose the next two and see some kind of major shakeup-- a coach being fired or core player traded. That said, goaltending should NOT be the issue addressed unless they get an elite goalie for pennies on the dollar. Both Scrivens and Fasth are, at worst, league average goalies. Until this team can compete on a nightly basis, goaltending will not be the issue that sinks them. Their centre depth and top end defenseman skill are much bigger problems in the immediate future and I hope to god those are the issues they solve before any others. Actually, hiring a competent coach should be their first move, then those. Goaltending needs to improve, but it will. These guys are having a tough start-- not bad enough to have lost any games the team likely would have won though. But they are sure to bounce back, at least one of them, to something closer to their career averages.

 

[AJGass4]

I can think of three games where our goalies gifted the game Horseradish.

One bad goal is one thing, two and three are not acceptable. Superb goaltending has also cost us games. We've outplayed teams and the goalie has stood on his head.

I don't care what anyone says, you don't win games with average goaltending. And that's what we have.

 

[Nuge93]

I can think of three games where our goalies gifted the game Horseradish.

One bad goal is one thing, two and three are not acceptable. Superb goaltending has also cost us games. We've outplayed teams and the goalie has stood on his head.

I don't care what anyone says, you don't win games with average goaltending. And that's what we have.

But you can't win games with Drai/Arco as the 2/3 centers... And Schultz getting 20+ mins a night.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

MacT needs to remove himself and take the entire front office with him.

 

[Jumptheshark]

If they lose tonight and in Buffalo, we're gonna see something big happen.

My guess is that we also will if we get points in Buffalo but nowhere else on this roadie.

But I think we're set to lose the next two and see some kind of major shakeup-- a coach being fired or core player traded. That said, goaltending should NOT be the issue addressed unless they get an elite goalie for pennies on the dollar. Both Scrivens and Fasth are, at worst, league average goalies. Until this team can compete on a nightly basis, goaltending will not be the issue that sinks them. Their centre depth and top end defenseman skill are much bigger problems in the immediate future and I hope to god those are the issues they solve before any others. Actually, hiring a competent coach should be their first move, then those. Goaltending needs to improve, but it will. These guys are having a tough start-- not bad enough to have lost any games the team likely would have won though. But they are sure to bounce back, at least one of them, to something closer to their career averages.

something big like a press conference saying it is a work in progress?
Unless you are prepared to see Nurse, Yak, Nuge, Leon or Eberle run out of town--nothing big will happen. Percell pr Perron wont bring in what we need

 

[CupofOil]

I know that MacT makes a lot of horrible moves, but i don't think that's because he smokes crack. Oops, you meant when does he crack and make a BOLD move to shake things up?

I don't see him cracking at all this season. I do think the Buffalo game could be real telling though. If they lose tonight and then to Buffalo and get outchanced in the Buffalo game, none of this fake "We outchanced them and deserved a better fate" mumbo jumbo, then i think it could be curtains for Eakins.

However, the realistic side of me thinks that MacT is going to give Eakins the whole season because he went into this season looking at it as a development year. When you go into the year with a rookie and an AHLer as #2 and 3 centers, no top pairing Dman along with an AHLer in Hunt because he "needed to be given a chance" and 2 goalies who have never been #1's auditioning for a job, it's a development year and the coach will likely be given more rope because of it.

A demoralizing loss to Buffalo could change all that though. A part of me is hoping that they get crushed the next two games just to see what fallout might come from it.

My problem with turfing Eakins is then what? Everybody thought that a new coach would make a big difference when Quinn was fired then when Renney was fired then when Krueger was fired. Why would it be different this time? The same men who are responsible for this whole mess will still be in charge so will a new coach make any difference as long as Katz continues to run a Country Club atmosphere? I'm skeptical.
Not that Eakins doesn't need to go, it's pretty apparent that he does, but is firing the coach and keeping the status quo otherwise the answer? Of course it isn't.

And furthermore, will any coach worth a damn want to come to this dumpster fire of an organization that constantly scapegoats coaches but holds nobody else accountable?

 

[ponokanocker]

They are tanking on purpose. The sooner Oiler fans realize this, the sooner they can come to terms with it.

 

[McOvechking]

They are tanking on purpose. The sooner Oiler fans realize this, the sooner they can come to terms with it.

Yup, this. It's the same story year after year. Those 1st overalls are just too enticing for this management team to resist.

 

[McShogun99]

Our goaltending is poor because our defensive zone coverage and systems are poor. We would need a prime Hasek to even be an average team. Once the coaching staff is replaced and a proper system that the players buy into is implemented then you will are above average goaltending. The lack of effort by the players is a sign that they don't respect the coach or his tactics.

 

[CupofOil]

Our goaltending is poor because our defensive zone coverage and systems are poor. We would need a prime Hasek to even be an average team. Once the coaching staff is replaced and a proper system that the players buy into is implemented then you will are above average goaltending. The lack of effort by the players is a sign that they don't respect the coach or his tactics.

The Oilers haven't been a hard working team for at least 5 years.
The lack of effort by the players is a sign that the players just don't want to put in the work.
Eakins blows but he's not the reason why the players don't have a good work ethic. The make up of the team is all wrong and that's on management.

 

[Vagabond]

My problem with turfing Eakins is then what? Everybody thought that a new coach would make a big difference when Quinn was fired then when Renney was fired then when Krueger was fired. Why would it be different this time? The same men who are responsible for this whole mess will still be in charge so will a new coach make any difference as long as Katz continues to run a Country Club atmosphere? I'm skeptical.
Not that Eakins doesn't need to go, it's pretty apparent that he does, but is firing the coach and keeping the status quo otherwise the answer? Of course it isn't.

And furthermore, will any coach worth a damn want to come to this dumpster fire of an organization that constantly scapegoats coaches but holds nobody else accountable?

To be fair; the Renney/Krueger tandem "were the developmental coaches" and were fired for all the wrong reasons. Each season that went by with the two of them, the team improved. It wasn't until Renney/Kruger were wrongfully dismissed that this team started to go in the downward spiral we've been in since. The years where Renney was the coach was suppose to be the tough times. I thought Renney did a fine job in developing and coaching as best as he could. Back then all the fans expected the team to suck. To save Tambi's job, Renney were fired.

Now you have a buddy hiring a buddy to manage a team. MacT failed soon as he hired Eakins.

Wake the **** up Katz and fire all your stupid buddies that are dismantling what's left to this team! Hire 'real' upper management! Treat this organization like you've treated your successful drug empire!

 

[Jumptheshark]

i just say we sit back and enjoy the chicken wings and molson--enjoy the game and wait out the 20 year rebuild (That started with the Ryan Smyth trade)

 

[Playa Hejda]

You really went with "Novembrance Day"?

 

[Vagabond]

Our goaltending is poor because our defensive zone coverage and systems are poor. We would need a prime Hasek to even be an average team. Once the coaching staff is replaced and a proper system that the players buy into is implemented then you will are above average goaltending. The lack of effort by the players is a sign that they don't respect the coach or his tactics.

That's only partially true.

Scrivs has given the puck away literally so much so where they were pretty much tape-to-tape passes to the opposition 8 times that I've counted and 6 ended up in the back of the net. That's hugely deflating. That, and his first three games of the season was on him. He was just brutal!

 

[Vagabond]

i just say we sit back and enjoy the chicken wings and molson--enjoy the game and wait out the 20 year rebuild (That started with the Ryan Smyth trade)

Yep! That season was BS too! Oilers were in the eighth and final playoff spot at the trade deadline. What does Lowe do!? Trades the best player on the team at the time for magic dud beans!

Over a difference of 100k.

 

[Gone]

Crack?

He is cracked. He is an impatient guy remember; so he must of cracked long ago. He is so impatient that his rookie coach was given a very short leash.

Bold moves and impatient. Yup that is MacT. Bold. He is sooo impatient.

Actions MacT, speak louder than your BS.

 

[AJGass4]

I still think Eakins needs to go.

Jesus, how can this whole management and coaching staff sit back and be happy with anything this season?

Do they not have a competitive bone in their body?

 

[dustrock]

(1) I can easily see Mac T going to Katz and saying "well, we're not happy, but we've had the Hall injury, and Scrivens and Fasth have been much worse than we expected. We'll get another top 5 draft pick and then we'll be fantastic for next season, with the new arena, and everyone will be happy. We might even get McDavid."

I can literally see them having that conversation.

On the other hand,

(2) Eakins basically admitting there are some players on the team he has trouble motivating to compete on a nightly basis is a troubling sign. When a coach starts saying things like that in public, it's essentially telling Mac T that he either has to ditch the coach or ditch the players.

 

[McOvechking]

Never.

He has all the job security in the world.
He has free reign to do as poor of a job as he could possibly imagine.
It's likely encouraged for him to be bad at his job intentionally.
He is best friends with his boss.
He is making a ton of money, regardless of on-ice product.
He is under zero pressure and zero stress.

I don't think he'll ever crack.

 

[Bill Waters*]

(1) I can easily see Mac T going to Katz and saying "well, we're not happy, but we've had the Hall injury, and Scrivens and Fasth have been much worse than we expected. We'll get another top 5 draft pick and then we'll be fantastic for next season, with the new arena, and everyone will be happy. We might even get McDavid."

I can literally see them having that conversation.

On the other hand,

(2) Eakins basically admitting there are some players on the team he has trouble motivating to compete on a nightly basis is a troubling sign. When a coach starts saying things like that in public, it's essentially telling Mac T that he either has to ditch the coach or ditch the players.

Eberle.

 

[McDoused]

I agree that Eberle has been struggling and that having Draisaitl/Arco down the middle doesn't help but that's not where the Oilers are losing games. Our powerplay should be twice as good as it has been. If we were scoring on the powerplay, we wouldn't be talking about the offence.

We are losing games because we have the second worst goals against average in the league. Our defensive system stinks and goaltenders have been terrible. This HAS to be on coaching.

 

[Up the Irons]

I know that MacT makes a lot of horrible moves, but i don't think that's because he smokes crack. Oops, you meant when does he crack and make a BOLD move to shake things up?

I don't see him cracking at all this season. I do think the Buffalo game could be real telling though. If they lose tonight and then to Buffalo and get outchanced in the Buffalo game, none of this fake "We outchanced them and deserved a better fate" mumbo jumbo, then i think it could be curtains for Eakins.

However, the realistic side of me thinks that MacT is going to give Eakins the whole season because he went into this season looking at it as a development year. When you go into the year with a rookie and an AHLer as #2 and 3 centers, no top pairing Dman along with an AHLer in Hunt because he "needed to be given a chance" and 2 goalies who have never been #1's auditioning for a job, it's a development year and the coach will likely be given more rope because of it.

A demoralizing loss to Buffalo could change all that though. A part of me is hoping that they get crushed the next two games just to see what fallout might come from it.

My problem with turfing Eakins is then what? Everybody thought that a new coach would make a big difference when Quinn was fired then when Renney was fired then when Krueger was fired. Why would it be different this time? The same men who are responsible for this whole mess will still be in charge so will a new coach make any difference as long as Katz continues to run a Country Club atmosphere? I'm skeptical.
Not that Eakins doesn't need to go, it's pretty apparent that he does, but is firing the coach and keeping the status quo otherwise the answer? Of course it isn't.

And furthermore, will any coach worth a damn want to come to this dumpster fire of an organization that constantly scapegoats coaches but holds nobody else accountable?

this is what I am afraid of, but tend to agree with.

The Oilers haven't been a hard working team for at least 5 years.
The lack of effort by the players is a sign that the players just don't want to put in the work.
Eakins blows but he's not the reason why the players don't have a good work ethic. The make up of the team is all wrong and that's on management.

this

You really went with "Novembrance Day"?

lol. Oops. just a straight typo, but I kinda like it!!