Speculation: Your choice for a new coach

[Burnt Biscuits]

Leaves:

Bylsma
Crawford
Keenan
MacTavish

Obvious 1st choice for me would be Bylsma... 2nd would be Keenan... 3rd would be Crawford.

Honestly I'd like to see what Keenan would/could/should do with this roster so I'd actually lean towards him having a crack at this team. Could he make it worse... probably.. still wouldn't mind seeing him take a shot at it.

You put in some decent work there, but the relative strength of the team they had and what he was able to get out of said team should play a big role in who the best coach actually is.

I don't think Keenan tactics work on modern NHL players, also I don't think many players would want to play for Keenan and we already have enough trouble getting players to sign here.

Dan Bylsma's entire coaching career was with the post Crosby/Malkin Penguins, if you aren't a complete tool you should be able to easily post an impressive winning record considering the group he had to work with.

Crawford wasn't as lucky (as Bylsma), but he did catch both the Nordiques/Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks teams when they were on the upswing and had a lot of young skill and while I'm sure people might want to draw a tangent to our young team, those teams were far deeper in terms of talent and had some quality players at every position. His stint in L.A. was not impressive and his stint in Dallas was about on par with the relative strength of the team. I'm some what biased against Crawford I've always disliked him a bit and was further magnified when I listened to him commentate and realized how stupid he actually is and what little insight he had in the play as it unraveled before him.


I've always had a bit of soft spot for Andy Murray I always felt he got a lot out of the teams he had and he seemingly always had issues with not having quality goaltending on the teams he coached which can make any coach look a lot better or worse then they actually are. His teams were an L.A. Kings that were not particularly strong on paper and were typically plagued with injury issues and then a post Pronger St. Louis where they were going through a transitionary phase.

Terry Murray is a very interesting one, I never had a really strong impression of him with a pretty long hiatus from NHL coaching at one point, but his last 3 teams all had very substantial drops in their goals against with him coming onboard.

Brent Sutter was the coach of two teams who seemed to be naturally on there way down, but got reasonable results out of them. Both teams had notably strong goaltending, but they were both pretty weak up the middle.


I'm comfortable with hiring any of the 3 above or Tom Renney. Renney has the added benefit of being a comfort pick with less of a transition phase incase we are still worried about the coaching turnover being too high, since he is still familiar with a number of our key players.

 

[Phillybean]

Babcock wants something more than coach, fire Lowe, MacT and Eakins and hire him as Coach/GM. Put Nicolson in Lowe's job & once the team is turned around he retires and Babcock hires a puppet coach & GM.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

I'm so impressed looking at Terry Murray's coaching history I think I have to do a post just on him, so first off he had a couple of mid-term takeovers and firings but for simplicities sake I'm just going to disregard them cause it's more work then I want to do right now and I'll only do his last 3 head coaching stints.


Season 94/95 Flyers (pro-rated to 82 games) GF 256 GA 226 Goal differential +30 Year-to-year goal differential change +50 Year-to-year drop in goals against 88 (less)

Season 95/96 Flyers GF 282 GA 208 Goal differential +74 Year-to-year goal differential change +44 Year-to-year drop in goals against 18 (less)

Season 96/97 Flyers GF 274 GA 217 Goal differential +57 Year-to-year goal differential change -17 Year-to-year drop in goals against 9 (more)

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Season 98/99 Panthers GF 210 GA 228 Goal differential -18 Year-to-year goal differential change +35 Year-to-year drop in goals against 28 (less)

Season 99/00 Panthers GF 244 GA 209 Goal differential +35 Year-to-year goal differential change +53 Year-to-year drop in goals against 19 (less)

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Season 08/09 Kings GF 207 GA 234 Goal differential -27 Year-to-year goal differential change +8 Year-to-year drop in goals against 32 (less) *Crawford was the coach before him*

Season 09/10 Kings GF 241 GA 219 Goal differential +22 Year-to-year goal differential change +49 Year-to-year drop in goals against 15 (less)

Season 10/11 Kings GF 219 GA 198 Goal differential +21 Year-to-year goal differential change -1 Year-to-year drop in goals against 21 (less)


I think the consensus is he wears out his welcome after about 3 seasons, but my god those numbers are impressive how is this guy not currently employed? We should snatch him up like it was yesterday.

 

[Joey Moss]

John Stevens would be my first choice. Dan Bylsma, Jacques Martin, Terry Murray, Andy Murray would also be decent.

 

[FunkyChicken]

At this point I'm not sure if Joey Moss couldn't do a better job.
Besides, he knows a little something about winning being around for 5 Stanley Cups.

 

[MrM]

John Stevens would be my first choice. Dan Bylsma, Jacques Martin, Terry Murray, Andy Murray would also be decent.

He knows a thing or two about systems. He was with Pittsburgh i think. What's he doing now? He's also familiar with starting at the bottom as he was the first coach to lead Ottawa out of the basement all those years ago. He is who MacT should have hired as an associate coach for Krueger because he was already the motivating coach that could get the most out of the players we have.

 

[dustrock]

No one wants Wilson?

 

[Pressure]

Byslma. The people who said he has always had Crosby and Malkin. You're wrong. The reason why I want Bylsma is because he DIDN'T have Crosby or Malkin. Remember they lost both of them in the playoffs for a couple years due to the injuries and still did well.

CROSBY
2010-2011 Penguins 41 32 34 66 20 31 10 1 3 161 19.9
2011-2012 Penguins 22 8 29 37 15 14 2 0 3 75 10.7
2012-2013 Penguins 36 15 41 56 26 16 3 0 1 124 12.1

Malkin
2010-2011 Penguins 43 15 22 37 -4 18 5 0 3 182 8.2
2011-2012 Penguins 75 50 59 109 18 70 12 0 9 339 14.8
2012-2013 Penguins 31 9 24 33 5 36 4 0 3 99 9.1

Penguins
2010-11 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL Atlantic 82 49 25 0 5 3 106 Dan Bylsma Lost in round 1
2011-12 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL Atlantic 82 51 25 0 3 3 108 Dan Bylsma Lost in round 1
2012-13 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL Atlantic 48 36 12 0 0 0 72 Dan Bylsma Lost in round 3

***
Byslma took over for Therrien and compiled a very impressive record right away and won it all.

The guy made Dupuis and Kunitz into stars, huge contracts and they didn't even have Crosby. He got 150% out of his third and fourth line AHL plugs.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

I asked the Kings board who they think would make a better head coach for the Oilers- between Crawford, Terry Murray, and Andy Murray.

The basic gist of their message was Terry Murray was the best choice he teaches and implements a sound defensive structure and they advise it will stifle the offense a bit, but everyone will learn to play defense under him (he got 24 of 27 votes in the poll). a few said Andy Murray was a decent choice he was capable of getting the team to play with more heart and can get more results out of the group then should be possible for short bursts (he got 3 of 27 votes in the poll). Crawford was labeled and out and out idiot and an absolutely horrible option for being the head coach, pretty much avoid at all costs (he got 0 of 27 votes in the poll).

 

[Chet Manley]

I'll start by saying I'm not an expert on systems or coaching styles. It's a common refrain amongst us fans that the players aren't putting enough effort into winning. There may be some truth to that, but sometimes not knowing what to do can look a lot like someone being lazy. A person with simple tasks and clearly defined instructions can put more effort into his work then one with more complicated tasks and poor instruction. It was really noticeable last season, especially with Yak, Gags, Eberle and Smid. I don't believe for a second that any of those guys are lazy or uncommitted to winning. IMO they looked lost and often out of position.

Perhaps the oilers need to play a team defence first system that gives the young players a simpler structure to learn and teaches the skilled players to know when to pounce on an opportunity. Play it like a low skill team, with great counter punch. Something like the Iginla lead Flames. Or Team Canada 2014 A simple plan, executed to perfection with effort... do that then move to something more complex.

This may seem counter intuitive to the type of players on the team, but the current plan of constant pressure is not working. They aren't yet good enough offensively to overwhelm the other team. A good offence only trumps a good defence if it constantly has the defence on it's heels and without the puck.

The one guy that popped into mind was Dale Hunter. But it doesn't look like he is interested in being an NHL coach (likes it in London) He improved the Caps defencively and helped change the team culture.

Per Brooks Laich when Hunter left:

“I just had a little short chat with him and shook his hand and said thank you. I asked him if there’s anything I can do to convince him to stay,” forward Brooks Laich said. “He taught us as much about leadership and team aspects and respect amongst players and trusting your teammates as he did about hockey. He was like having another veteran in the locker room. He changed the culture around here a little bit, which the rest of us really enjoyed. He’s leaving the team in a better state than he found it.”

IMO any coach like that would be good for a few years.

 

[Cowboy19]

Todd Nelson

 

[smackdaddy]

Well it wasn't a blow out so that should buy Eakins some more time to conjure up ******** excuses and spoonfeed them to mact and Lowwe

 

[Isaak16]

Torts please. Something that drastic needs to take place....

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Forget 0-9-1 to start the season. After the Preds (game #10), they play the Canucks, Flyers, & Bruins. Then they play the Sabres.

They could very well be 0-12-1 by the time the Sabres game comes around. I give Eakins up to and including this game. if their record is remotely close to what I have posted (maybe luck out a win or two somewhere) and they lose to Buffalo, then by all rights he should be gone.

As a replacement...you give Ramsey the reigns as interim for the season. If Holland and Babcock go through with their rumoured divorce, you give Babcock a signed blank cheque and tell him to fill in the numbers.

 

[Sideline]

Bylsma is not the guy you need. He's obsessed with stretch passes; it kills the speed of your forecheck. He hates young players. He loves useless AHL scrubs. Yakopov will never see the ice again; Brad Hunt will play 20 minutes a night.

It should tell you something that the Penguins brought in a guy from the WHL, by all accounts probably their 3rd choice for the job, and he's basically beloved by everyone on the HF Penguins board.

 

[rasarhdasd]

No one wants Wilson?

He'd be my first choice. He did great things with Toronto.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Well it wasn't a blow out so that should buy Eakins some more time to conjure up ******** excuses and spoonfeed them to mact and Lowwe

Hilarious. We lose. We get shut out. And that's considered a "good game" and a "moral victory" and it's supposed to buy the coach some time.

My god, to what depths this team has sunk.

 

[Mr Positive]

Hilarious. We lose. We get shut out. And that's considered a "good game" and a "moral victory" and it's supposed to buy the coach some time.

My god, to what depths this team has sunk.

It wasn't a great game, but it was an encouraging one. I don't think it should be the game that saves Eakins, but it would take game after game of abysmal hockey for Eakins to be fired only 5 games in. It's just such a small sample size.

I'm listening to the radio and a great point was made. This lineup we iced today was the lineup that just about every casual fan thought it should be. Surprise, surprise, it actually makes for some decent hockey. This lineup lost tonight, but if we had this lineup from day one, and for a game or two in the preseason, we would have probably won at least a couple of games so far. Marincin for instance, I thought didn't have a great game but of course this was his adjustment period, while the Nucks are already starting to enter their mid-season form.

 

[McIce Whole]

It wasn't a great game, but it was an encouraging one. I don't think it should be the game that saves Eakins, but it would take game after game of abysmal hockey for Eakins to be fired only 5 games in. It's just such a small sample size.

I'm listening to the radio and a great point was made. This lineup we iced today was the lineup that just about every casual fan thought it should be. Surprise, surprise, it actually makes for some decent hockey. This lineup lost tonight, but if we had this lineup from day one, and for a game or two in the preseason, we would have probably won at least a couple of games so far. Marincin for instance, I thought didn't have a great game but of course this was his adjustment period, while the Nucks are already starting to enter their mid-season form.

5 games? It's been 87 games and counting. I don't think the Oilers at any point have looked as bad as they are now. I get it falls on the players as well but this is pathetic. Bring in a coach with experience, someone that has a clue as to what he is doing and how to handle this team. Better yet, clean house and get rid of the idiots running the show.

 

[redgrant]

Everyone needs to calm down. Dallas Eakins is learning so much in his sophmore year as an NHL coach.

Everyone is forgetting about the sophmore slump? Well its not just for players. Cant wait til we make the playoffs in 5 years so he can learn on the job how to handle playoff hockey.

 

[Pros and Cons]

Everyone needs to calm down. Dallas Eakins is learning so much in his sophmore year as an NHL coach.

Everyone is forgetting about the sophmore slump? Well its not just for players. Cant wait til we make the playoffs in 5 years so he can learn on the job how to handle playoff hockey.

Confuscious say what are u talking about
5 years? This is eakins last year. Good luck getting another job
Where does denis savard coach now? Chicago players adored him and where is he now

 

[CorpseFX]

Bylsma is a scam. pass. carried by amazing players. Keenan - phased himself out ages ago. one step away from Pat Quinn "take my brain pills" oblivion of the game.

management will hire someone stupid because theyre built on the notion of letting underdogs and overachievers take on roles they can't handle to milk them. and 95% of the time over the past 8 seasons it's gone poorly.

bye Eakins. your days are numbered.

 

[OiledUp]

I'd look at Boucher, Terry Murray or giving Nelson the shot.

Probably give Nelson a shot as an interim to see how he does, if he gets the team going you give him a longer look. If he fails to turn it around you go with a more vet coach.

I'd give Eakins this homestand, if they carve out some wins, I'd give him another breather to around the 20 game mark, if they keep getting wins I'd give him another 20 and if they keep up I'd give him the rest of year and then evaluate.

 

[McClelland]

Could take in Barry Smith for the rest of the season, give Smith a job upstairs next season. I know hes primary assistant in the Nhl, but he has long long experience with champion teams and overseas.

 

[Up the Irons]

if Mact really cared about this season he would step behind the bench today and have Howson start looking for a real coach immediately. They can't let Mact ride out the season. Get the right coach and let him have at least half of this season to evalutate what he's got. If they wait till season, they effective waste half of next year evaluating.