Recently, Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said the team planned to play Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl less next season. “The more players you have in your group who are playing and gaining their confidence and expanding their game, the better position you’re going to be in.” Source
Since coach Kris Knoblauch doesn’t line match, that will mean getting any kind of clean air for the Glimmer Twins (who are once again slated to play on the same line at five-on-five, just like last fall) will come as happenstance over design. Using PuckIQ’s binning model, here’s a look at Edmonton’s fortunes against elite competition at five-on-five:
So, the Oilers held sway when the two elite centers were on the ice, to the tune of a 38-28 advantage. That’s exceptional. The Puck IQ numbers suggest the Oilers were unlucky a little when 97-29 were together, as the DFF percentage (similar to expected goals) was at 60 percent and the club managed 54 percent. Then again, the sample is so small we’re talking one goal.
The most important number here is 361, the number of minutes Edmonton iced a center not named McDavid or Draisaitl against top competition. Those men were flattened. The 36 percent Dangerous Fenwick flatters the group, as the goal share was a meager 23 percent.
So when Stan Bowman says the team is going to play McDavid and Draisaitl less, it can be viewed two ways. Either he has a plan to import massive upgrades, or it’s a cry for help. The Edmonton Oilers may well be lost in the supermarket.
COACHING CHANGE
Frank Seravalli is quoting league sources in breaking news that the Oilers have sought (and so far not been granted) permission to speak to Bruce Cassidy. There are several things to unpack here.
First, the Vegas Golden Knights are as close as you’ll get to old timey NHL management tactics. Denying the Oilers a chance to interview a guy the Knights fired is ridiculous, but it shows the league is still capable of the wild and the sinister.
Did you know the Pittsburgh Penguins once traded for Rod Schutt while reportedly thinking they were getting Steve Shutt? Did you know the California Seals traded goaltender Gary Smith to the Chicago Blackhawks for a goalie who had a broken arm? The league ordered the two teams to redo the deal, and that’s how the legend of Gilles Meloche was born.
Anyway, the Golden Knights are conducting business as they see fit, and the Oilers have done some unusual things (like asking Mike Comrie to give the money back, a trade derailed that backfired for 20 years) so it’s difficult to suggest high moral ground.
All that said, suspect Cassidy is the next head coach in Edmonton.
I also think the Oilers should do Kris Knoblauch the courtesy of firing him today. Oilers fans are going to spend the day fuming about the VGK behaviour, but Knoblauch took this team to two finals. He’s earned the respect of fans and the organization. I don’t believe you can go back now. The news is out all over town.
On the Lowdown today, it’s the round table show with Declan Krueger, Donovan Paulson and Josh Fenwick versus me. We will cover the Seravalli news and what may come. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube. See you on the radio!
Toronto Maple Leafs
@MapleLeafs
General Manager John Chayka announced today that the club has parted ways with head coach Craig Berube
Frank Seravalli
@frank_seravalli
#Leafs GM John Chayka: “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig.”
I never heard the Rid Schutt story before. I was a 10 or 11 year old who had recently been gifted a Hockey News subscription ftom his parents, and I remember he was a highly regarded prospect at the time. Had a decent NHL career, though nothing close to what Shutt did, obviously.
The coolest thing about Steve Shutt is that he was friends eith Geddy Lee in high school.
Oilers GMs still figuring out roster balance in the McDavid era:
As usual, the Oilers Organization with some shady managing. Vegas are a bunch of scumbags but at least they have winning at the heart of their decision making. They’re holding off for a bit knowing LA has already started process and delaying the process beginning for Edmonton may be just enough to have Cassidy not go to a heated rival (Vegas perspective)- that is some ruthless decision making that stops a competitor from getting any edge.
On the other side, not a good look for the Oilers to ask permission to speak to a coach while they have a coaching staff they have not yet fired.
Everyone on here likely knows my thoughts but I am shocked that such a successful businessman can continue to make the mistake of doing business in the wrong order. They’re holding off keep replacing coaches first when they should be looking higher, then let the new gm hire their own coach. I’d start by telling Jeff Jackson he needs to live in the city or not retain his position. Then let the new guy hire a gm with an actual fulsome search.
Vegas had winning at the heart of their decision making when, not two months ago, they were talking to potential coaches while still employing a current head coach but, yet, the Oilers wanting to do the same thing 6 weeks later is “shady managing”?
For all we know the org has determined they are fine to go ahead but Knob but they see an asset on the market that could potentially be an upgrade and, as we would want them to, are trying to do their dilligence on acquire that assets.
Teams take to potential coaches while employing incumbents routinely.
The only thing out of the norm here is Vegas, without precedent, withholding the consent.
I don’t recall another team that has as many obvious blunders as the Oilers. To be fair, they’re the team I follow and I don’t follow any others closely enough to really know all their errors but… Bowman and Jackson have not earned the benefit of the doubt with their record so far. Maybe KK knows that they are interviewing other coaches. Maybe KK knows that they would only interview Cassidy to replace him and no one else but there is clearly such a disconnect between coach and gm that why waste any more time? THey just need to let KK off the hook and go through an actual organized search for his replacement.
This is the area that frustrates me the most about every hire in recent memory. The process seems to be that they choose who they think they want and then hire them. At least go through the process and get some different ideas about how to take this team to the next level. All levels of an organization need to be aligned to win in the NHL these days and I don’t remember the last time all levels have been aligned. Probably the Sather Muckler years.
It didn’t get all over town that Vegas was hunting for a new coach while Cassidy was still behind the bench though. The oilers org is incompetent with PR, generally speaking,
The only reason it “got all over” (which was one report) is because of Vegas’ unprecedented non-approval of the consent – the Oilers did NOTHING different than numerous other teams over time.
While it’s not a good look for the Oilers, that’s only because it was leaked – more than likely by Vegas to make their rival look bad.
Yes, that’s a risk you take, but don’t think that Edmonton isn’t the only one that does this, it happens during the regular season quite frequently. I think it was Friedman who said on ON tonight that before they turfed Cassidy, Vegas talked to Torts. It just wasn’t leaked.
Death by misadventure:
My xAvg Method has 4 different data sets based on 4 Key Zone start methods.
bench change with puck super soft.
Off zone fI% vol Easy.
Def zone FO% vol hard
Bench chg without puck Super tough.
Horcoff was -32 1 season but a +7 player based on blurry awful Qual ccomp & Bench chg w/o puck.
Players like McDavid &/Drai only see 30 bench chg/60.
The best def players see 55+ bench chg /60.
Thats why Snows General WOWY is kind of useless.
At cancer care foothills saw guy wearing unique flames coat.
Sat next to him.
He spoke.
Ken King!
Told him fan of snow but your analytics team was using my proprietary NHL theories incorrectly.
called in!
turned back to him!
Tou want to win a cup ask the staff in here for my name. “They have all heard my theories.”
When I came out a guy waiting said, “As soon as you went in He stood up & got on his phone!
been to 16+ states & 8 provinces. Wife takes pics of what we do & selfies of her & kids worth me in background talking to people.
Sure wish could get that guy as collection of people who will confirm my creation of NHL theories.
Hi Mr. Bear. Thanks for the response. Hope you’re doing well.
Mcnabb should get suspended for rest of players for that hit.
Dave Jackson (former ref) thought it was clean…except the Poehling’s head hit the glass. Whatever happened to a charging call? McNabb took multiple strides towards a player who was vulnerable.
Fine that they called interference, but seems to me it could let him off the hook. McNabb needs to be suspended for that hit.
LT, you forgot another gem.
Remember when the Leafs signed Jeff Finger to a contract when they intended to sign Kurt Sauer? The money would’ve been wasted on either, but it was really wasted in Finger.
Oh God I was so happy that day!
Checked stat lines, Ryan McLeod continues to do the things that got him traded.
With Savoie progress, and cap savings, that trade is leaning win. Savoie has quickness, IQ, and 200 ft game. Durability and finish are slight concerns.
Apparently when they learned Savoie didn’t get exceptional status, Bedard’s camp thought he wouldn’t then, either. That’s how highly regarded Savoie was as a prospect.
He played 3:43 at 5 on 5 today – essentially benched after leaving the net front and Newhook wide open on MTL’s first goal.
He’s 3-10 goals in the playoffs at 5 on 5 (was 4-12 in the 2024 playoffs on a team good enough to go to game 7 of the SCF).
I think a guy in the old Western League got traded for a used Bus … maybe LT or some of the more experienced guys can clarify
I believe it was Les Binkley, but I could be mistaken.
There’s a very compelling argument to be made that all coaching changes are now is swinging the pendulum back and forth between player friendly nice guy and system oriented hard ass. At either extreme, the modern athlete eventually tunes them out regardless so any sort of continuity is an organizational pipe dream.
This is precisely what makes guys like Cooper and Brindamour so rare now. Building a sustainable culture and system is next to impossible in the era of the flip/flop.
There are a few who offer a balanced approach and have longevity.
Jon Cooper – Hired March 2013
Jared Bednar – Hired August 2016
Rod Brind’Amour – Hired May 2018
Martin St. Louis – Hired 2022
Paul Maurice – Hired June 2022
Joel Quennville – – 10 years in Chicago
Not a word from Friedman on the broadcast (pre-game or first intermission) on the “fiasco” (which really isn’t, just normal course except for Vegas being petty and weird) – unless he said something on Hockey Central, I didn’t watch that.
He didn’t have much on ON today either. His one “spitballing” comment was he wondering that Vegas may have said no because perhaps their afraid the Oilers would be using the interview to get info on Vegas – and not hire him. But he fully admitted that was him just spitballing.
For those that are smarter than me about coaching strategy (which is a lot of you), if a coach isn’t “line matching” does that mean by default he is “rolling the lines”?
I always thought it’s one or the other. A coach is either line matching and deploying players in specific situations or he’s rolling all four lines without regard to match up.
KK didn’t seem to do either last year as evidenced by the verbal that he didn’t line match on the one hand and overplayed Connor and Leon on the other.
So what the hell was he doing? Was he picking names out of a hat?
Or are the narratives about him wrong?
With TV timeouts and penalties, its rare that a star heavy team will roll four lines.
There will generally be a TV TO or a penalty (where top players are resting) prior to the fourth line getting a shift in order and, if the top line is back fully rested, a coach will generally play them – at least the Oilers recent coaches.
I mean, coming of a TV TO, with McDavid and/or Drai fully rested, its tough to throw out Janmark and Hamblin, right?
Many want Cossa as a goalie target, but at 6’6 he’s likely not going to be as good in the NHL. Really tall goalies have big holes when moving. Also I think are less likely to be durable. Woodley to Gregor chose Levi over him
Big guys like Vasilevsky?
Woodley did but, in his own defence, it was partially because he hadn’t seen Cossa play enough.
He also said that Levi needs to make certain adjustments to his game with his aggressiveness in order to have him over Cossa.
I’d trade Nurse & Frederic to Calgary for Huberdeau & Lomberg.
Bonkers
Lomberg brings the energy and is durable.
Exhibit A: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50yNeJ9EFbA
Exhibit B: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsqjhZRrpV0
Exhibit C: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mETw9RHFGq8
But does he play defense?
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find any clips of him playing defense.
If the online rumours about Huberdeau being in a comparable situation to Pietrangelo are true (i.e., too hurt to play), this deal would get rid of a lot of caphit. The Oil would need to replace what they give away, but they would have freed up money to do it.
It doesn’t get rid of Huburdeau’s cap – it requires the ability to go over the cap using LTIR but that needs to be managed carefully to maximize, etc.
With the way the playoff cap is calculated (ridiculous) it does make using accrued space for trades less of an option for teams near the cap.
There are fewer options at present with Nurse’s contract than would be available in the future without his contract. Notwithstanding, you are correct that managing the future situation would take finesse.
The proposed deal is, I think, a satire that is designed to make readers recognize that much of contemporary hockey management is about contracts rather than players. Of course, it is hard to disentangle these “objects”. They are coterminous, and thus we are prone to conflate them.
Nurse is waiting to play for the flames?
As one of our frequent posters likes to say, the Flames have a lot of cap to weaponise!
Huberdeau is a massively overrated player and a whiner. Absolute no.
I agree. Unfortunately, I’m accepting that I have to take on a negative asset in Huberdeau to get Lomberg.
That’s a goal, especially considering the Duck’s goal call against the Oilers
That the Ducks beat us and are hanging with Vegas shows how important coaching leadership is. Not that it was really ever a valid question. Most teams have good coaching but better than that is rare like elite players are
Spec asks “who looks worse here?” in his article re: Cassidy. Both teams are doing what theyre allowed to do. The answer is the shit-stirrer Seravalli.
Yea disappointed he would put this out.
Its all just lame. I get it, people eat it up. Maybe i should just blame the “new nhl fan”. Old man oil2000 yells at clouds.
Old man Oil2000 the “scoundrel” that is!
Why, this is literally his job/career?
this is entirely my point. How does this job/career exist? Like we’re not gonna find out in a day, or week, or whatever, the thing that ACTUALLY happens? Its insanity man! Go outside! DO something other than waiting for insider 3 to beat insider 2.
Thank you for your advise on how I should spend my free time.
Shooting the messenger is the second last refuge of a scoundrel.
Frank is paid to report what he’s hearing.
Would you be so unglued if this didn’t involve the Oilers?
unglued. Bahahaha!
would i be upset about it? Yes. I dont listen to/read any of their junk. The only reason i heard about it was because it was mentioned here. All those “insiders” can go pound sand as far as im concerned.
Where you read it is completely immaterial.
Nah, fully material. 🤡
If you read this blog daily then you are reading the information of these insiders daily, in particular over the next few months as a ton of their reporting/information is discussed here.
thats all this place is? Lame.
It’s kind of funny how things like this go.
Knoblauch was talking to Ken Holland about the coaching job before Woodcroft was fired and now Bowman is doing the same thing to him. According to Spector, KK is about to start a 3 year 7.5-8 Million a year contract on July 1st. It’s an unfortunate situation but I’m not sure it’s really all that bad for anybody. KK either gets to coach the Oilers or not but makes more than $20M over then next three years either way and he did the same thing to Woodcroft. You get what you give.
Teams being petty is news and Seravelli knew that if he heard it, there’s no way KK didn’t hear it. He didn’t “out” the organization to their coach, just to the rest of us that already knew our team does this. Vegas being dicks is probably strategic but they aren’t really hurting anyone all that much (Cassidy gets $4.5M either way and hasn’t agreed to coach here).
Being frustrated at the actions of your team or your team getting egg on its face are normal. We don’t control the team but we like/love the team. I don’t think most people are really losing their mind so much as fed up with unforced errors when the team has actually become good.
I think the 7.5-8 Million is the total for three years, not the annual salary. Still a lot of money in my books…
Ooops, you are correct.
“I don’t think most people are really losing their mind so much as fed up with unforced errors when the team has actually become good.”
Yes. This is it. The team has actually become good. Is exhausted, hurt, uneven. Had an average year. On ice leadership unserious about winning – because exhausted, hurt? An early out of the playoffs. But, a good team, with some youth and energy. But, the sky is falling. We’ve fired the goalie. Coach next.
Ugh.
The NHL is dog eat dog at the best of times especially in your own division. Why would any other fan base give a boo hoo that Vegas is being mean to the Oilers.
It’s his job. I’m thinking they had already told Kris and staff and were looking to announce a change and a new coach and staff
Ya i get it. I dont understand the job or why people want to listen to these guys but whatever. Im in the minority obviously
Regular fans like the story going on especially in the doldrums if their team is out. We have Lowetide
It’s whoever leaked this to Seravalli.
Yup. I’m sure it’s the Vegans. They come out looking like an org that lacks ethics. Especially after their cap antics
Especially given they were just talking to potential coaches while Cassidy was coaching for them, less than two months ago…..
It’s Seravelli’s job to report this information if received. That is his career. Unless it turns out to be made up, which there is almost no chance as Seravelli isn’t going to end his own career, Seravelli looks great as the one and only the insider with this information.
Which is in fact lame.
And so is you coming on here and poo-pooing people talking about the latest tea/suttlebutt/gossip about the hometown team on a blog about….the team.
Move on.
He asked. I answered. I think we can talk about the team without gossip. I know we wont but i do think its possible. As i said above, i know i’m in the minority when i say i dont understand it. Anyway, i enjoy Lowetides writings regardless. I suppose i just have to “move on” and stay away from the comments section. Cheers bro
Going to disagree with LT’s on-air opinion that Cassidy would not play Howard because he doesn’t play players that don’t back check.
Al, you watch the Condors and I trust you saw the massive development in Howard’s commitment to playing away from the puck. This kid works hard and I have little doubt he will continue to do so at the NHL level.
Howard has improved and I think he’ll play. I don’t think he’s a lock for a Cassidy team because the idea of winning is key. Development has to take a back seat. In 2022-23, theyear VGK won Stanley with Cassidy, the rookie skaters in the postseason were:
Clayton Pachal, one game.
Maybe Howard makes it, I don’t think it’s a strong bet. I think a player like Spencer Stastney is also maybe a bit vulnerable. Cassidy plays his roster, they all have to be able to play the system.
I’m highly confident Bowman will have Howard on the opening roster and, from what I saw in Bako, Howard will be just fine playing any system – he’s coachable and a hard worker, he’s proven both.
Agree completely about everything you’ve written. If the Oilers don’t sign Cassidy, then suspect Howard starts on the third line.
The coach is under direction. Could be that he gets where the Oilers are at and agrees to what they are looking for
What is wrong with the comment?
Nothing.
Coaches come and they go when’s the last time you received 3 years severance package after being fired. K.K was fortunate to get the job to begin with and he took full advantage of it up until this year when he lost the plot.
Where can I sign for $8 million then get relieved of all my duties but still get paid?
Where?
I’ll wait in line.
Poor Knoblauch, the luckiest coach who ever lived.
Some teams were more vocal than others in complaining to the league about VGK’s past attempts at cap circumvention. Vegas’ petty behaviour with Cassidy now could well be an indication that the Oilers were one of the clubs that protested the loudest. Boo hoo. Cry me a river.
If the “brain trust” in Vegas really wants to poke at an old wound, they should re-examine trading Nick Suzuki, Thomas Tatar, and a 2nd rounder for Max Pacioretty. Now that’s something worth getting angry over.
Why does Vegas have to give permission to the Oilers to speak to someone under contract for a position, when the Oilers currently do not have the position open?
I do not believe one has an obligation to give permission for a hypothetical.
Maybe McPhee/MacCrimmon just told the Oilers. Hey. You have a coach. Why do you want to talk to my guy?
— yeah bush league. He’s under paid contract with the Vegas.
— normal business to not want a competitor hiring away depending on terms of contract. Gardening leave is a standard clause.
It’s not like regular business. It’s a closed limited market, and it’s silly that a fired coach needs permission to get another job, even if he’s being paid. It gets the guy off the books. I’m surprised that’s not against US labour law
In many jurisdictions non-competes are often unenforceable as they are restraint on trade.
Exactly
Why does any team that has fired a coach need to give any team permission, whether they have a coach under contract or not? Of course, without exception, they do and it’s likely more about the coach they fired than the team asking. Cassidy coach the Knights to a Stanley Cup and they are going to hold him hostage (I know, he’s getting paid).
Lets also not forget, Vegas was talking to other coaches (at least Torts) while they still had Cassidy working less than a couple of months ago.
We all know that the Oilers will be able to speak with Cassidy, this is just games by the Knights.
This also likely happens routinely.
The Oilers had to ask the NYR permission to speak with Knob while Woody was employed.
Perhaps Vegas does not want Cassidy coaching against them anytime soon. Would the Oilers have won that first round series if Woodcroft was not on the bench dissecting the Oilers in a deep inner-circle fashion?
Didn’t Cassidy meet with the Kings? I mean, its reported he’s in the mix there.
The coaching job is available with the Kings. There is currently no coaching job available with the Oilers. No need or reason to give permission where there is no job available.
There is no rational way to get from A to B here – this happens all the time. The Rangers gave the Oilers permission to talk to Knob while there was no job available and, of course, there is a job available any second the organization determines there is.
You are sure being pedantic over this. OP is bang on in his responses to you, again.
I hate to troll, but media stories about the Oilers…. told by ex hockey players, can’t be taken this seriously? Can it?
Brownie, Studdie and all the other ex-jocks with nicknames ending in “e” have never run a team but in Edmonton they seem to control the team.
How is this trolling?
Should we get worked up by a media report, which if true at all, had to be leaked by Vegas? Seravilli says a lot of things. Sometimes they are true and sometimes not. For me, it’s wait and see. I don’t trust him until it’s confirmed by other sources.
Its been like 8 hours – if it wasn’t true, the organizations, or at least one of them, would have publicly commented.
there is probably more to the story than is reported, for one thing, and I see no need for either organization to confirm or deny what little has been reported.
like I said, I am in wait and see mode. I’m not going to get all hyped up because a possible story (or part of one) was leaked to a reporter
If the Oilers had not asked for permission and its been reported that they have, I have no doubt the organization would have publicly commented to deny.
What if the Oilers are just calling Bruce Cassidy to talk about his time with the Nova Scotia Oilers because he played 23 games for them? They definitely read LT and are super curious.
That team only existed for 4 years and somehow 16 players from those teams have been coaches at the NHL level, with 5 having coached for the Oilers. Bruce Cassidy would make it 6….
And buried somewhere within a dusty cardboard box in my basement is a Campfire notebook with their autographs!
Sweet!
that’s awesome! Some hall-of-famers in there!
Churn.
Or perhaps even better, rumours of churn.
Today the entertainment industry product that is Oilerville is in its finest form. And the Vegan brain trust giggles at how easy it is to toy with us.
Ugh.
Sam O’Reilly thriving.
https://www.tsn.ca/chl/ohl/article/oreilly-continues-to-make-history-with-third-ohl-title-push-in-kitchener/
Bridge meet troll
Hasn’t even played a game in the pros yet, don’t curse the young fellow!
🤣
Hey it’s that player you thought had no value.
Another blow against your scouting record.
Fantastic young man and player. I was one of the few who didn’t like that trade when it was made… we’ll see if I was right or not. The org spends decades looking for a defensive RC who can chip in offense and then trades away anyone who shows promise.
The trade made no sense. I bet you the disconnect between Bowman-K.K was real when it came to burying Howard in the minors as well as the healthy scratching of Frederic.
It wouldn’t surprise me if he makes the team coming out of camp as a winger. If Tampa management wants to test drive him as a Centre he’ll receive games in the AHL. I say O’Reilly arrives after Christmas in the NHL. K.K handling of Howard could be one of the reasons K.K will be in the bread-soup line next week.
Just named OHL MVP as Kitchener wins the league and gets ready for the Memorial Cup.
Why noone is talking about “insiders” is crazy. Eff Seravalli et al and their desire to be “first”. Children.
Journalism can be cutthroat, no matter what’s being reported on.
Journalism, maybe. Entertainment, absolutely.
If the Oilers are interviewing head coaches why hasn’t Lavi been brought in for a chat? He coaches a high tempo and pressure game, seems like a match made in heaven imo.
1) You had an amazing post yesterday… thanks!
2) You’ve raised the most important question… why are the Oilers STILL not performing a proper hiring process. When you have an important position to fill, you don’t just key in on one person, interview them, and hire them. Shouldn’t there be multiple prospective coaches that the Oilers are evaluating?
As other posters have pointed out over the years, wouldn’t that bring value even if you simply identify different perspectives. Hearing a coach say “well, I would do such and such and change this, but keep that other thing the same” has value, even if you don’t hire them.
This organization just seems allergic to doing anything diligently.
It’s funny how we don’t “officially” know they aren’t doing a wider search and yet we kinda know that they aren’t….
Who knows they may have already interviewed Laviolette the media just never found out.
They missed the scoop LOL.
The media finds out about everything in Edmonton.
Less then zero chance they’ve missed the scoop, this is the Oilers. Between haters and the drive for clicks, it would of been leaked.
How do you know he hasn’t?
Because it would of been leaked, there’s no debating this.
Sure
During the American Civil war, Abraham Lincoln was working on his military strategy when he was confronted by the committee of Military affairs that was devised to advise him. They were upset at the commander of the army, General McClellan, due to his inactivity and insubordination of direct orders. During the course of the meeting, Lincoln asked “if I replace him, then who should take his place?”
An angry Senator replied “Anybody! Anybody would be better than what we have”
“That is the problem, Senator” Lincoln replied, “Anybody would work for you, but I must have SOMEBODY”
If not Cassidy, then whom?
I vote for Patrick Roy but it’ll never happen.
Likely to happen? Cassidy, Laviolette, Gallant, David Carle, Dan Bylsma, Paul Coffey, Rick Bowness, Lindy Ruff, Jon Cooper should he become available.
Which are better/worse?
Wow that would be full entertainment value. I mean if the NHL is WWF anyways, might as well go for Roller Derby Rink levels of circus sideshowmanship.
Who knows? Maybe League reward Oilers for playing the heel.
Vancouver’s Terminal City Rollers Girls used to have a ‘manager’ called ‘Laurence of a Labia.’ Everything you ever wanted for rinkside flair.
I actually have two reasons for Roy that are good but mostly I would love how bonkers everything would be.
My good reasons are that 1. Roy seems to actually care about analytics. Pulling the goalie like 4 mins early is actually what the stats say to do and he has the balls to do it. 2. He’s a big personality that has won before and won’t let the tail wag the dog like we’ve seen with the Oilers for far too long. If someone doesn’t like how things are going he can pull out the “I’m Pat Roy, Bitch!!!” and it still carries weight.
Hey LT, I read your Athletic piece from yesterday and I enjoyed the logic. As I read it, and please correct me if I’m wrong, you’re saying that the current management should not be trusted with any transition away from McDavid, if he’s going to be traded. I for sure and entirely agree. You stopped short of saying they shouldn’t be trusted with this off season, where the rubber hits the road when you really think about it as far as 97 goes, Given the timeline involved, wouldn’t your argument be that new management would need to be in place toot sweet if 97 pivots and wants out, and SB and JJ are still in the executive offices….in other words, wouldn’t it be wise to have that management in place, after a thorough search (I know, a huge ask), so the new executives can make the McDavid trade and transition away from him to a new era?
Last question. Does this stinky move with letting KK flail in the wind impact your take on the current management group? I know, I know, the owner seems to be sticking with them – at least for now – so it might just be theoretical in nature
Ideally you change out GM first if that’s the goal, but has Katz been checking out options? If he has, for sure. Fire the GM and let the new man choose his coach.
I think they MIGHT have tried to interview Cassidy (and maybe others) hoping they could wheel back to Knoblauch if they didn’t get their guy. Suspect that ship has sailed now.
Thanks LT. Well said. What an unnecessarily messy situation
You mean Jackson, right? He makes the decision on the GM, or is he really not the Prez?
If McDavid leaves Edmonton, Jackson will be out the door with him.
No.
So you believe Jackson is Prez in name only?
I don’t understand how you have Dickinson on your roster and not line match. That’s the only reason to have him on your roster
Not doing some sort of line matching is not acceptable. That alone should cause a change
Well, Connor McDavid might spend more time on the bench. The Oilers have been talking about it, or were at the exit interviews, maybe that’s next season.
That wouldn’t be a bad thing
Remove Stan before he can cause any more damage
Paul is on it🤭
— Oilers : doing bush league things.
— Recently an observation/ defence of the two offer sheets “well that’s never happened before to be fair”
— now it’s Cassidy: “well Vegas is playing hardball”
— These are are tells. It’s just not button down. Better run professional sport management organizations (and any multi billion dollar corporation) don’t have tells like this…These are significant strategic and execution blunders by a group not on top of things.
— KK can’t survive this
— Cassidy would be the first in prime coach we have had since Muckler replaced Slats behind the bench.
Muckler had 35 NHL games total as a head coach when the Oilers promoted him? Pat Quinn was 67 when he was hired but Tom Renney had 400 NHL games, McLellan was 540 games into his career and was only 48, Hitchcock had already coached 1,500 games, Dave Tippet was over 1,000 games and was three years younger than Cassidy. Cassidy has coached 829 games and is turning 61 next week. First “in prime coach” since Muckler is a weird statement to make.
— Muckler was assistant coach on winning team and took over and win again. that’s prime coaching candidate. Assistant coaches on winning teams is totally a great path
— Quinn was well past his prime and never coached again
— Hitch was well past his prime and never coached again
— Tom Renny I guess in prime and I’d argue he was right coach for the time but no track record of teams going deep. they weren’t winning anything with that roster. Never head coach again
— Todd Mc: “thoroughly mediocre coach” doing mediocre before and after.
— Tippet: was out of hockey a few years hadn’t gone deep with his teams and was never coach again.
— Only Muckler fits criteria of a successful coach in his prime IMO.
— Cassidy would be the only other coach they have hired that has a track record of success in NHL coaching in his prime.
— lowe, MacT never head coaches again (and little qualifications). MacT was only coach that was given a lot of rope : only to be exposed as having had 1 great run and not head coach again.
— Kruger, Dallas, Woodcroft, Nelson, KK: all first time coaches that were all either the wrong type and or not given rope that MacT was.
— The Oilers dont like to hire and support elite coaching and and or support their development and incorporate strategy to improve coaching.
I’d disagree with that assessment of Muckler vs. other coaches. Muckler won a cup with a team that had already won 4 but missed the playoffs three straight years with a loaded Rangers team in the pre-cap era. McLellan won a cup as an assistant, Woodcroft too. Nelson has won 3 Calder Cup championships since. Cassidy is 61 and doesn’t have a lot of road left. If he comes here and doesn’t win, that’s probably it for him.
Muckler didn’t have a track record of success as a head coach that’s any better than lots of Oilers hires no matter what Kevin “6 Cups” Lowe tells you. Muckler was an assistant on a very good team. So was McLellan, So was Woodcroft, Tippett is one of just 6(!) coaches that has won 50+ NHL games in back-to-back seasons. Cassidy has 1(!) championship in 30 years of coaching.
Being a good coach and having a successful team are two different things.
Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild, Chris MacFarland of the Colorado Avalanche and Pat Verbeek of the Anaheim Ducks are the finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.
https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-awards/guerin-macfarland-verbeek-finalists-for-2025-nhl-gm-of-year-award
Where was Stan on the list?
DNQ
Did you know the Edmonton Oilers traded 2 prospects and 2 picks to the Boston Bruins (and the New Jersey Devils) for a forward with a high ankle sprain that still isn’t healed a year and a half later and said player has played so poorly he had to be healthy scratched for the FOLLOWING playoffs on a team decimated by injuries.
And get this; they signed him to a retirement contract for 8 years.
You don’t have to go back in time to find historically bad contracts or trades.
Thinking about this chain of events in any depth makes me lose my grip on reality. It’s my version of connecting strings between papers on a wall and screaming (to no one) “make it make sense!” I genuinely need someone to sit down with Chiarelli and ask him to walk through his thought process step by step, from trade to signing. I watch every press conference in the hope that some reporter will ask. If I had 30 minutes with Bowman, I wouldn’t let him talk about anything else.
Sorry, I meant Bowman (but the trauma is deep, long, and multi-GM-erational).
The logic was they thought he could be a fast, tough 3C. And if you can get a good 3C for 3.8 That’s probably good. But in no world was he a 3C.
It’s not that it’s historically bad, LT is referring to the gamesmanship. The Seals didn’t know his arm hadn’t healed properly but the Blackhawks did. The Oilers knew Frederic was hurt and made the trade anyways. A recent Oilers example is when they traded for Ryan Smyth from LA and tried to send Gilbert Brule back. LA found out after they agreed that Brule had concussion issues and the league cancelled the trade. The Oilers then sent Colin Fraser to LA instead.
Tambellini was ruthless
Ruthlessly lazy🤭
Pretty sure LT is commenting more on intentionally messing with another team rather than incompetence.
Its fine to be critical but casually forgetting context does noone any good.
shane lachance wasnt signing in edmonton. he wanted to sign with njd as his dad is one of their head scouts.
maximus wanner had some character issues and got expelled from the league for a period and is now playing in the echl. you can do your own research on this.
We also got max jones in the deal who has been servicable in his AHL role as a mentor or as a 4th liner energy player at nhl level.
This point about the prospects does not make the trade any better, now or then .Trade those prospects you don’t like for a player that isn’t injured before a cup run and was already well in decline from his career high before said injury. Oh, and definitely don’t sign him to an 8 year contract.
One of the principal issues for the Oilers (and many other franchises) is clearly that they don’t have a strong decision-maker in the top executive position. They’ve defaulted to someone with industry knowledge, rather than the ability to aggregate, analyze, decide and move.
This isn’t unique – it happens in law firms and hospitals and businesses of all sorts. Sometimes you have someone from the business who rises and can operate in that CEO/equivalent capacity. Often you do not.
This is such a miss in a multi-billion dollar business. Even if you decided your only goal was winning and damn the money – you still put the person who knows how to operate as an executive in charge of doing so. They can get everything they need in terms of industry knowledge from putting the right people around them and quickly gaining experience. They will chase your desired result. It is their function and they know it.
It is a shame this isn’t the case.
— yup. I opined above same. It’s bush league.
— This happens when your top guy even isn’t “full time” in the office making sure everyone on the same page on everything IMO. I see this in business and it’s why remote management doesn’t work.
This being handled as it is should also get Bowman fired.
He clearly doesn’t have the tact to handle emerging issues, or the connections in the league to keep something quiet.
Then again, if you watch the clip on the Chicago trade from the deadline, he may also just not be intelligent enough to think dynamically.
100%
Yet another example of Bowman’s ineptitude.
Bowman going about his business in the proper fashion asking VGK permission to speak to Cassidy. Who do you suppose leaked the story? Bowman?
You let your current coach go first, then conduct a search for a new one.
Bowman is only seeking permisson to speak with Cassidy.
Do you think he just wants to shoot the breeze?
Wants him for his pickleball team. Clearly.
That would be a start. Why not?
He’s probably good at pickleball, but not too good.
Maybe Vegas declined because the Oilers still have a coach. Why should they give permission when there is no actual position available?
What other NHL coaches don’t line match?
The bad ones? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Seriously though, I just don’t understand why you as a coach wouldn’t leverage all of the advantages you can think of.
It’s like not having set plays and just saying “bah, there are enough other things to worry about”. It’s bizarre.
Stan Bowman’s dad Scotty Bowman not only believed in line matching, he believed in player matching. As in, if the other team switched a line and put out a better winger, Scotty would switch the winger on that line as well even on the fly.
How can the Oilers dismiss KK before having a good indication on Cassidy?
What’s plan C if the Nights say no or Cassidy says no thanks?
What if Cassidy chooses LA over Edmonton?
You make a decision on the current coach before anything else. I assume the decision has already been made.
It would be very Oilers to either not make the decision or somehow think they can pretend they only want Cassidy as an “Associate” coach
Permission can be denied for a demotion.
Permission can be denied for a lot of reasons. Tambellini ended up here because he had a promotion clause but I kinda doubt that coaches have the same.
Why can’t they explore all options on the table?
Keep KK or speak with Cassidy then keep KK or other.
If KK gets his panties in a bunch over the Oilers doing exactly what they said at the season end press conference, that’s on KK.
For sure – Oilers may be fine staying with Knoblauch but they see the possibility for an upgrade and are going to do their due diligence to see if it is an upgrade.
This is exactly what everyone would hope the Oilers would do if they’ve determined a potential upgrade is available but, of course, everything is so toxic with the Oilers that due to Vegas doing something unprecedented (and flying in the face of them interviewing coaches while Cassidy was coaching for them) its blowing up.
Fair point.
If Cassidy chooses LA over Edmonton the he is not interested in winning and he would have been a poor fit.
Then you get another coach.
It’s not hard to find someone better than what’s in place.
This is patently false
No.
No, it’s not.
Cassidy will have plenty of opportunity to coach a mid tier talent team, very few chances at coaching a team with 97,29 and 2 talent.
But you have to work for Bowman.
It doesn’t matter.
Move on, almost anything will be better than what’s existing.
Same as Nurse… just move on.
Anybody else will be an improvement on a $9.25 million dollar 7th D-man.
Yes, ANYONE making $1 million can take the Nurse minutes and do better or at least saw-off.
It’s really hard to do worse.
See the parallels?
Could Knoblauch be any worse at coaching an NHL team?
I don’t see how.
“Move on, almost anything will be better than what’s existing.
Same as Nurse… just move on.”
I have to respectfully disagree.
Bowman moved on from Skinner just to move on. And he brought in an older, more injury prone, somewhat comparable (but apparently less likeable) goalie at double the cap hit, signed for 2 more seasons, and then hat to sweeten the deal. All this just to move on.
If you can’t find anyone better, keep the coach and keep Nurse. Bowman needs to be pragmatic.
Also, I’m kind of surprised so many people want to move on from Nurse now… I think it’s more important to re-sign Murphy than to move Nurse… Nurse-Murphy seemed great in the playoffs.
I’m *much* more worried about getting rid of Nurse and keeping Walman, who seems injury prone and will only be more likely to be injured as his 7 year contract plays through. Walman seems clutch in playoffs, which I like, but his durability scares me.
He didn’t just move on, he brought in an anchor.
We’re trying to cut loose the anchor.
It would be equivalent to trading Stu then bringing up Ingram.
Not burdening the Cap further.
How would it not be better to be able to choose ANY $1 million D-man to play on the 3rd pair?
Laviolette.
Gallant.
Coach of the Day Cassidy.
See, it’s easy.
The coach from Denver? You think he won’t quit the Avs org for a million or two?
If you want him, go get ‘im.
Too much hand-wringing and pearl-clutching.
Ok, let’s see your list of $1M dmen that can play his minutes better than Nurse…..
How can a player be worse?
Sure, Darnell was improved this year, but it’s not hard to be better than the worst defenseman who ever played in the SCF.
How about the same level of play for 9 times less money?
There are a variety of D-men in Bakersfield who haven’t gotten a look.
Try them all. Try the mall.
So if Cassidy was interested in the Oilers he could always persue a lawsuit towards Vegas and quickly squash there attempt at holding him back. If the Oilers and Cassidy truely want the same things then it will be worked out.
I for one always want to believe the Oilers are doing the right thing until they prove me wrong – I wonder if (likely a low percentage bet) they would be intending on bringing Cassidy on the sort of replace Gully as an experienced Assistant coach and they have him in place if they fire Knobs later on
Just me being me
It won’t come to that. Eventually, the team will grant release. Today puts Edmonton in a tough spot, one they should have solved by firing Knoblauch on Monday. You can’t have it both ways.
You are correct that it put Edmonton in a tough spot. Probably by design from the Vegas Golden Knights. It is a common thing in every day buisness that companies and Professional Sports Teams interview individuals for positions that are not vacant. People and coachs have been fired and the replacement is already reporting for work. most resently in Edmonton when Knobs was Hired
100% Gordoil.
People complain that the Oilers don’t do their diligence and then they complain when they do. Seems many do want to have it both ways…so long as it fits the narrative.
There’s only one party to blame here and that’s Vegas.
There was mention that Bettman might need to get involved. LOL.
Cassidy can’t really sue them for making him sit out while on contract because it doesn’t violate the contract. Legally, Cassidy has to show some type of monetary loss due to Vegas’ failure to perform their part of the contract. Making him wait the year left on his contract while paying him $4.5 Million wouldn’t qualify unless Cassidy could prove he could sign a contract with a new team this summer but not next summer.
All that to say, LT is right. Vegas will give him permission to talk to other teams and eventually the Oilers, this is just a tactic to screw with a division rival. It could be to make the Oilers look bad (did Vegas leak the news?), to disrupt the Oilers’ offseason plans (who signs July 1st not knowing the coach?) or hoping that an Eastern team is interested (like Toronto) and then they don’t help a rival.
New info – apperantly Cassidy intervied with the Kings on Friday
Los Angeles sports commentator Jon Rosen reports: “I’ve been informed Cassidy interviewed with the Kings this past Friday.”
That’s probably why the Oilers reached out and why Vegas blocked them. If I’m Vegas, I’d prefer him in LA vs EDM and if I’m EDM, I’d want him to know I’m interested before he signs a 5 year deal.
There is all but no chance he’s not permitted to speak with the Oilers in short order – in my opinion.
I have zero confidence in Stan Bowman moving forward. This feels like Peter Cirelli all over again where the trades he makes look bad on day one and worse over time. This offseason is the most important summer in the McDavid era.
Agreed.
One thing I’m worried about in particular… my recollection of Chia was he brought in Lucic, and as a partial result, he couldn’t afford to keep Maroon – who was the player we actually needed.
Bowman brought in Jarry for too much and too long, and when combined with the Campbell buyout penalty, I’m worried we won’t be able to afford to keep the goalie we actually want to keep: Ingram.
We wait.
Jeebus.
If we can’t afford a mid-level goalie like Ingram, we’re fooked.
And everyone still gets the Seabrook contract. Seabrook at least earned his. Bowman just hands them out unearned now.
Yup, this is the off season where the rubber hits the road on 97….maybe even 29…I’m on the record as thinking that KK needs to be replaced, as I was with both SB and JJ….and this turn of events just confirms that SB and JJ are not the executives who should guide this team during this critical time. If you read between the lines of what 97 and 29 said after being eliminated, they also had serious doubts
Roster is still flawed and needs work. I stay away from throwing out trade ideas for fear of seemingly like a homer. I did look into the other teams needs and the cap implications.
Goalie target : Gustavsson
Jarry (50% retained) + Nurse (2M retained)
or
Jarry (50% retained) + Walman
Mini is going with Wallstedt, gives them a LD of Brodin, Middleton and Nurse/Walman, Hunt as 7D. Kind of scary and Nurse would provide the Wild some intangibles in the Central.
Defence : Help on PK, talk of Vini coming back but we don’t need another Righty if we resign Murphy.
Free agency is dangerous but I’d see what Logan Stanley would ask for. Game has improved over the past two seasons, mean and rangy.
Forwards : Top 9 winger needed. Aim for teams with players who have been scratched of late, or reduced ice time. McTavish and Peterka won’t be moved, but they both have seen their roles reduced this playoffs.
Frederick + Howard + pick to PHI for Tippet
or
UFA Bobby Mcmann (bound to be expensive and Freddy’s cap would still be need to be moved)
Savoie-McD-Hyman
Podz-Drai-Tippet/McMann
Nuge-Dickenson(4m)-Kap(2m)
Janmark-Samanski-Dach
Walman/Nurse – Bouch
Ekholm – Murphy(5m)
Stanley(4m) – Emberson
Stastny
Gustavsson – Ingram (2.5m)
I knew I shouldn’t have posted my trade ideas haha, never again!
5 reds is nothing.
if you’re trading with the Wild you better be sending a center back.
The Cassidy situation was seen one million miles away.
I think he is an excellent coach and still in his prime. Can he be Connor and Leon’s Barry Trotz? Side note: imagine if the Caps kept Trotz, do they win another Cup?
Second side note: this league is brutal. Imagine how Guerin feels today. You acquire Hughes. Have an excellent young team and still get shit kicked by the Avalanche.
Minnesota can’t compete with the Avalanche centre depth.
Ryan Hartman – Danila Yurov – Michael McCarron – Nico Sturm could be close to the worst in the league.
MacKinnon – Nelson – Kadri – Roy – Drury
The wild’s achilles heel is the center depth. And unfortunately for them Erickson Ek is out injured turning a weakness into a gaping hole. They did try to get Trochek but he didn’t want to come.
Boldy is also not playing very well.
“Denying the Oilers a chance to interview a guy the Knights fired is ridiculous, but it shows the league is still capable of the wild and the sinister.”
I’m more worried about the league forcing the Oilers to give draft pick to Vegas for hiring a coach the Knights fired. :\
They’ve already sent a pick to Calgary in anticipation.
At least two picks to Vegas and one to the Panthers just because. Gotta help out those sorry southern teams don’t ya know…
6 X $6MM for Coyle in Columbus.
Hoo boy…takes him to age 40.
He is 34 iirc. That’s some deal.
Likely to turn out better than the Frederic and Walman deals.
I don’t think the last 3 years are gonna age well. But its a lot more defensible than Stan’s plan
Good for him but he was also the player the Oilers needed…..not that we’d actually fix a hole properly and have signed him.
Yeah, press conference is needed today to let KK go with some respect. It’s already too late.
They might want to keep Knoblauch in the organization.
Less good than the news about Cassidy is the fact that it got out before the Oilers had the professionalism to let KK go first.
Not a great look, even though I am in agreement with the coaching move.
The people that seem to still have influence have never known how to handle these situations…
Comrie, Pronger, Krueger…hell what about Heatley and Nylander and Penner?
There’s a common denominator here…two of them in fact. They shouldn’t be anywhere near anything and yet are still involved…
A quarter century of issues tied to two people who still get a level of respect they may have earned on the ice, but have done nothing to have off it.
I thought it might be Vegas being dicks and embarrassing the Oilers. It’s stupid that a team has any rights over a guy they fired
Yeah, if it is Vegas, it is a doubly bad look. Still, if you are planning to interview coaches then you need to fire your guy first.
Sheldon Souray says hi.
Yup.
They seem to delight in screwing up the players who should be natural Oilers most.
A big, tough dman with a massive shot from freaking Elk Point is so easy…and they still fumbled/punted.
Which 2 people are we talking about?
Interesting news. Frank reports (and he wrote a piece on it and was just on the Karius show) that the Knights haven’t granted permission but they also have not rejected it – just kind of “taking their time”.
Frank speculates that the Oilers may put in a call to the league for possible intervention.
At the end of the day, presuming this is true, what the Knights have done is get information out that I’m sure the Oilers did not want to be made public.
The press so far has been really bad regarding Vegas. As this is a small hockey community, it is a practice that is not done usually. Coaches may pause if they are signing with Vegas in the future knowing they may pull this crap.
Sad, that this got out before Knobs was fired. Another PR mess.
It stands to reason considering they’re in a tough battle with the Ducks to see who goes to the conference final. Their focus is on beating the Ducks and that’s about it. But yeah how difficult is it to just say go ahead and talk to Cassidy. Oh wait maybe we can tell the big mouth media types to get the news out.
Guarantee, coaches will start to add into their contracts that they will be able to interview after being fired regardless of contract length. Vegas is creating a really bad precedent.
It’s happened before, but not for a while.
Vegas is a hard-ass organization but are consistently so. Hope Katz et. al. have a pot-sweetener in mind.
I don’t think they can compensate Vegas. The rule was ended after the Oilers paid for Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan.
The 2nd and 3rd round picks. Amazingly discontinued after the Oilers paid their price.
The NHL makes up imaginary new rules all the time – especially for our squad.
Surely the oilers were paid for Eakins, Nelson, McLellan & James Neal not scoring 21+ goals.