Speculation: Your choice for a new coach

[Up the Irons]

Already been mentioned, but the first change needs to be canning Lowe. Find somebody experienced with a proven track record. That individual can look at the rest of the organization to decide what needs to be done.

don't even need to replace Lowe. At least, not immediately. What is the POHO anyway? Just a figure head, a symbol. Just skid the guy and let Nicholson assume the role.

As for Eakins, if Mact really cared about this season (which I never believed he does judging by his neglect of the C position), he would give Eakins 1 more game. Lose it, and you're gone. win it, and you bought yourself 2 more games.

I have never believed that they cared about this season. They wrote it off a long time ago.

 

[OiledUp]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=734378&navid=nhl:topheads

Interesting article on the subject of coaches.

 

[Aerrol]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=734378&navid=nhl:topheads

Interesting article on the subject of coaches.

Awesome article, thanks for sharing!

Man it would be amazing to get Babcock as a coach... Never gonna happen I know, but still.

Somehow I don't think Eakins is asking for debate all the time.

 

[rboomercat90]

I have never believed that they cared about this season. They wrote it off a long time ago.

I think they did too and I said so back in July. it explains their cavalier attitude towards the player decisions they made after the preseason. The arrogance this organization has expecting fans to just continue to put up with this garbage is at an all time high and that's what's most frustrating. It would be fitting to see this team finish 29th this year and see somebody else win the lottery and miss out on McDavid and Eichel.

 

[winnipegger]

I get the feeling that Eakins feels like he's in a bunker in Berlin in april 1945...and the management has fled to Argentina before the ****storm hits home.



Someone needs to go in there and understand how this team can make an identity for themselves...

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

 

[NHL Dude 120]

Maybe the Oilers could try and get Brett Sutter, He's experienced enough and Nuge knows him well, plus he's seen what Draisaitl can do. I dont know maybe Brett or maybe Dale Hunter.

 

[Raab]

I've changed my mind on firing Eakins. I think we need to give him 15 more games, but we need a trade to shakeup the team and get us some defencemen.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I've changed my mind on firing Eakins. I think we need to give him 15 more games, but we need a trade to shakeup the team and get us some defencemen.

Kevin Lowe cut you a cheque, I see.

 

[Playa Hejda]

Kevin Lowe cut you a cheque, I see.

I can be bought of too in case anyone out there is wondering. I will shill for my supper sincerely and earnestly.

 

[Raab]

Kevin Lowe cut you a cheque, I see.

Not exactly, was hired on as director of scouting and told I could live in Mexico full time and just watch video to make my picks.... It's a hard life but when you become as big of a know nothing about hockey as I am. The Oiler's will hire you and put you right at the top.

 

[McArthur]

Struds said it best just now. WE should of hired Lindy Ruff, and WE should of hired Jim Nill when we had the chance.....now look at dallas, and look at us

Lindy Ruff would have been perfect for these guys

 

[Stainsy]

Someone else posted about Bylsma. Of all the experienced guys available, I think he fits what the Oilers need best. Oilers need a coach that isn't a person who is unwilling to listen, and adapt. Oilers need a coach that makes sound hockey and personnel decisions. Oilers need a coach that has a proven track record, and can win games with good hockey strategy. Oilers need a coach that has everything that Dallas hasn't shown so far. I am at the point now, I hope that the Oilers W column remains at 0 for the whole month of October. The only game I think that is really in doubt is the Carolina one.

 

[aqib]

Brent Sutter, Todd Nelson, or Marc Crawford. I have kicked and screamed at any suggestion of Crawford because I haven't forgiven him for the 98 Olympics but you know what I'll take him now. Just do something. Heck I would even accept McT going back behind the bench himself, but Eakins would be in over his head in a puddle of water.

 

[CM4]

I think we need to get rid of all ex Oilers that are in managment before anymore changes happen. They have proved for 8 years that there not capable to get the job done.

 

[McShogun99]

I've changed my mind on firing Eakins. I think we need to give him 15 more games, but we need a trade to shakeup the team and get us some defencemen.

I'm in the same boat as you. I want the Oiler's to suck so bad this season that i'll have lots of free time since I won't be watching them. Then after we break our franchise record for lowest points in a season and draft Mcdavid, they then replace him with a real coach and I can watch hockey again.

 

[Pros and Cons]

The answer is Todd Nelson AINEC. He has been part of successful teams his whole career.
The barons made the playoffs in all 4 seasons as the HC, and twice made it to the 3rd round. The Barons teams give up alot of goals, but still score as a middle of the pack team (over his 4 years as coach)

 

[Aerrol]

Someone else posted about Bylsma. Of all the experienced guys available, I think he fits what the Oilers need best. Oilers need a coach that isn't a person who is unwilling to listen, and adapt. Oilers need a coach that makes sound hockey and personnel decisions. Oilers need a coach that has a proven track record, and can win games with good hockey strategy. Oilers need a coach that has everything that Dallas hasn't shown so far. I am at the point now, I hope that the Oilers W column remains at 0 for the whole month of October. The only game I think that is really in doubt is the Carolina one.

Uuhhh...... those are exactly Bylsma's biggest flaws...

I still think Boucher might be a decent choice, and on that note, this thread from January on the Tampa Forums has both good and bad:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1589091

I like the sound of...

I would say he was well liked by the players and fans here for his professionalism and hard work. He never threw players under the bus. Guy looked like he a very genuinely nice person and always very classy. Even in the end you could see the respect his players still had for him.

If nothing else, we wouldn't be constantly mocking him for water on his suit and benching players for having good games.

and:

It was a hard situation with the lockout season because the games were packed together so closely there was no room to practice and fix our mistakes. Guy is very precise in what he wants from each individual to execute his systems.

Buuut when I read this:

As has been said before, he is a genius hockey mind that was forced into a gimmicky system due to the roster. My biggest complaint about him is that he wasn't very good at making adjustments. We kept the 1-3-1 for 3 years despite it being cracked after the first year. Even in game adjustments weren't done very well. It just seemed that whatever the game plan was for any particular game, that was the plan and they would stick to it, win or lose

All I can think is "so basically he'd be just as hemmed in with our roster."

 

[Throttlehead]

The answer is Todd Nelson AINEC. He has been part of successful teams his whole career.
The barons made the playoffs in all 4 seasons as the HC, and twice made it to the 3rd round. The Barons teams give up alot of goals, but still score as a middle of the pack team (over his 4 years as coach)

He is a player's coach, and seems very well liked. I have no idea why Eakins was picked over him in the first place (other than Toronto media jacking him up). He has also coached a good portion of the current Oilers, so the transition would be easy.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Bring on more rookie head coaches. Not like we need a guy with experience or anything.

 

[Throttlehead]

Bring on more rookie head coaches. Not like we need a guy with experience or anything.

There is no experienced coach out there at the moment that is great. Cooper doing great in Tampa, Desjardins looks good, Bylsma did great as rookie, etc. a rookie coach can be ok.

We should have stuck with Renney, now we are are just plain old stuck.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

There is no experienced coach out there at the moment that is great. Cooper doing great in Tampa, Desjardins looks good, Bylsma did great as rookie, etc. a rookie coach can be ok.

We should have stuck with Renney, now we are are just plain old stuck.

Terry Murray?

 

[Pros and Cons]

Bring on more rookie head coaches. Not like we need a guy with experience or anything.

Every coach is a rookie once.

 

[McOilbleeder]

Wait for Dave Tippett to be fired from Arizona. I don't think he's long for that team, and I think he'd be exactly what we need.

Ride out Eakins until Tippett leaves Arizona. Hopefully bag ourselves a top-5 coach in the NHL.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Wait for Dave Tippett to be fired from Arizona. I don't think he's long for that team, and I think he'd be exactly what we need.

Ride out Eakins until Tippett leaves Arizona. Hopefully bag ourselves a top-5 coach in the NHL.

Far as I can tell Tippett is the only coach with 5 years term on his contract out of all the NHL coaches and he's signed for a pretty significant $2 million per year on a team without much money. I think he's got a ton more rope then you think he does, and while I'm not going to knock Tippett as a coach, but Phoenix did have a very talented center they parted ways with in Kyle Turris and while it was mostly contract dispute related and playing time related, I'm sure him having a bad relationship with his coach played into it as well.