Tom Renney is the new head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. In the spring GM Steve Tambellini was vehement in his defense of Quinn as coach but it is also true that any fool could see problems at the head coaching position.
Quinn's negatives were many: very little progress from the young players, stubborn on some players and slow to change, and until late in the season seemingly unaware that he was getting his ass handed to him re:line matching.
The new coach inherits a plethora of problems: a starting goalie who may be starting for Folsom in the fall; a blue depth chart lacking in quality and quantity; a mixed bag of forwards that include very few who can be graded out at "average or above" at the NHL level.
There are plenty of positives for Renney. A great crop of young talent ready to graduate to the majors (MPS, Eberle, Hall/Seguin) and a nice group of 20-23 year olds (Gagner, Cogliano, Brule, Smid) to help the build.
His veterans are a mixed bag and the goal/blue is the major issue, but Renney built a solid group at G/D in NYC and two of his strengths are working with youth to get the max and building solid defensive teams. In a very real way, the Oilers re-hired Craig MacTavish today. If you can check and play without the puck, this is a good thing (meaning everyone from Pouliot to Reddox should benefit up front, and Peckham should do well with this new coach).
Mac-T v2.0
ReplyDeletePretty tough to build a "solid defensive team" without "solid defensive players".
ReplyDeleteCorsi: Pretty hard to do anything when the head coach insists on playing Jacques on the 1line despite horrendous results. Plus the Strudwick-Chorney pairing and on it went.
ReplyDeleteThis was a good decision.
I definitely think we've improved the coaching. I wasn't all that fond of Quinn outside of his press conferences.
ReplyDeleteWell, to some extent, you have to dance with the one who brung ya.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree gassing Quinn was a good decision, the roster certainly is not amenable to a defensive style of play and adding Hall, Eberle, MPS and others into the mix are just more steps down that road.
Which is why-as with Gagner and Hemsky--the smart team gathers up a coach who can teach.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they can track down a few placeholder 3rd line checkers for him so he actually has someone to roll lines with.
ReplyDeleteThey also need a couple of astute assistant coaches. Buchy has never impressed.
Good move by Tambo. With some smart player decisions over the next three weeks, things could be really headed in the right direction.
As an OIlers fan in BC, I can only hope this moves us somewhat closer to respectability—I'm about ready to punch the next arrogant 'Nucks fan in the brain.
ReplyDeleteAside: How did Canucks fandom develop such an air of superiority? Nonis / Gillis have made some fairly smart, if conservative, moves over the past few years but they are still one of the least successful franchises in NHL history—recent division championships included.
Definitely.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I see this as a coaching improvement, this team desperately needs players, and a vetran 3rd line C (LH or RH) is still on the list only now it falls somewhere behind 3 capable defensmen on my priority list.
if we had a good coach last year, we end up with the 5th overall pick instead of Hall.
ReplyDeleteMy appreciation of Quinn is at an all time high.
td.slvr: It was all those Stanley's. Canucks fans have been impossible since the team started winning Stanleys.
ReplyDeleteEvery. damn. year.
good decision.
ReplyDeletewould rather see someone totally different but tammy can only make so many decisions per couple months. i love it when he answers his own questions.
are we moved up one year? yes.
should i be fired next? no.
am i a good gm? yes.
do i scare all the oiler fans with my 'plans'?
YES.
I can`t wait for the unwashed masses to start proclaiming that Renney`s defensive system is ruining our offensive prospects.
ReplyDelete=)
If Hemsky wanted out before because MacT wanted him to "be a checker", you can bet he's not smiling today.
ReplyDeleteThe team needs a goaltender who can play at least above league average, 4 actual NHL defensemen who aren't offense first, almost an entire bottom six save for Horcoff, if he can rediscover his defensive chops, and a second line that doesn't get murdered by soft opposition.
Just don't think Penner can, or will want to, carry the defensive load all by himself.
Renney's NY teams were always in the bottom half of the league in GF/G so, unless they can massively turn over the roster, it's going to be a long rebuild with Renney at the helm.
"Folsum" .... hilarious......is that East Coast League ???
ReplyDeleteHunter: That's why they call it a rebuild. Takes time.
ReplyDeleteGood move.
ReplyDeleteTambellini having the stones to do it was the question. Nice to see the answer was yes.
Just heard Tambellini on Bob McCowan's show and there were some good quotes; (to the best of my memory)
-"we are going to be involved in free agency. Not to get a high profile player, but we need bottom pairing defence and need to rebuild our bottom six forwards"
-"we may have 3 19 year olds in the line up and Tom is the right guy to teach these players"
Tambellini gave an answer that would come out of mouth of most here for every question...and he had the stones to punt Quinn.
No whale hunts.
I am officially hopeful.
Let's see what happens to bucky.
Since the trade deadline, I've liked virtually everything that Tambellini has said and done (except for stuff like canning the training staff, for which we fans clearly lack relevant context). I actually feel good about this team moving forward until I remind myself that we still have the guy who signed Khabibulin at the helm.
ReplyDeleteI'm very torn on the decision. On one hand I like Renney as a head coach, he is very tactically sound and the strong point og this team should be special teams provided we have the players.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I like Quinn as a person and a coach, he understands what it takes to build a hockey player, its too bad Tambo handed him a whole bunch of stiffs to work with and then throw him under the bus.
I guess we'll have to see what kind of asst coaches are coming. I'm guessing one should be an ex Dman type to run the defense. I saw Mike Ramsay was looking for a gig, or my own personal shot in the dark, Jason Smith?
I don't see why there's any reason to think that Renney is going to stifle Hemsky or anything like that. Jagr put up a monster season under the guy, owing largely to Renney's ability and willingness to put the guy out there in purely offensive situations.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIf you were planning on being shitty again next year you would just keep Quinn because if you replace him and have another poor season then it reflects pretty badly on Tambellini.
ReplyDeleteEveryone thinks this is such a good move but if you read between the lines Edmonton just went from "total rebuild mode" to "retooling".
LT's prediction of another 1st rounder isn't happening. I suspect we could see some shortsighted (win now) trades in the following days.
And in other astounding feats to earn Nobel kudos, Tambellini will:
ReplyDelete1) put on his pants on the morning;
2) wait a few seconds before sipping his scalding-hot morning coffee;
3) open garage door before leaving for work.
Congrats, the Oilers are only six months behind what everyone in the league noticed. I hope they know what time Bettman puts them on the clock on Friday.
Steve,
ReplyDeleteTambellini v.1.0 signed Khabby, this is v3.0 "no question, I'm realy in charge now"
I like what 3.0 has done on the whole.
Perhaps Khabby can be attributed to an OTC demand for a vet goalie.
I don't think I'm hoping against hope anymore.
Tambellini keeps saying "this season provided clairty for where we are as a team"
I'll bet dollars to donuts (or $5K with Traktor) that he's referring to Vish and perhaps Batman's previous assesment of the team.
LT's prediction of another 1st rounder isn't happening. I suspect we could see some shortsighted (win now) trades in the following days.
ReplyDeleteBet you he won't.
Still lots of time to trade for another 1st rounder too.
Kevin Prendergast on the Pipeline show right now...Chris McCarthy on tonight as well.
ReplyDeleteA re-build requires the right coach to develop your young athletes. Tambellini made the decision that the right coach is Renney. No re-tool here, just a developmental decision by the GM.
ReplyDeleteWG, Khabib was signed because Winter told Lowe the summer before that the major reason for the diss from Hossa was lack of a name goalie.
ReplyDeleteDamn, I missed Tambi on McCowan's? I would have liked to have seen that.
ReplyDeleteDo we want a lottery pick next year?
ReplyDeleteDo we want three 19/20 yos playing next year?
Is the bottom six and quality Dmen a priority right now?
I think we're back to selling hope, and I can see Traktor's point.
Was Tambi asked about the buyout candidates?
spOILer,
ReplyDeleteDidn't know that.
Then again Vish=Tambellini v1.0
Well I'm fine with the Oilers competing next season for a playoff spot. Scorched earth never impressed me as a reasonable plan, not with free agency.
ReplyDeletespOILer said...
ReplyDeleteDamn, I missed Tambi on McCowan's? I would have liked to have seen that.
You can listen to it on i-tunes podcasts. Just go to the Fan590's site.
As for concern about concerns regarding Renney will limit Hemsky, I agree with Cru Jones.
Cru Jones said...
I don't see why there's any reason to think that Renney is going to stifle Hemsky or anything like that. Jagr put up a monster season under the guy, owing largely to Renney's ability and willingness to put the guy out there in purely offensive situations.
He was asked about buyouts.
ReplyDeleteST: "I don't want to talk about that at this time"
Q(brunt?):"If you buy anyone out will it be before July 1?"
ST:"yes"
When does the buyout window close?
Corsi: It's going to be (or should be if done properly) a lengthy rebuild no matter who is at the helm.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to defend Tambellini here a bit. He hasn't made any big splashes, but then I don't see this team needing that right now. His biggest move was signing Khabibulin whom everyone loves to hate these days, but that wasn't a bad move at all. The contract is too long, he knows that too. However, nobody would be mentioning the Khabibulin signing as a bad deal if he didn't have season-ending surgery last year and backstopped us to a 10th place finish in the West. Khabibulin is a high quality NHL goalie with tremendous experience, and I expect him to perform well next year as he has in most other years in his career. We don't pick first overall on Friday if Khabibulin was healthy last year.
Tambellini saw a need, the most important need in his eyes last off season and did something about it, and something decent too (although I would argue the defense was in far greater need of work, probably even worse now). We were not the only ones in play for Khabibulin last year. He chose us mostly because Tambellini gave him a 4 year term.
For what it's worth, I also expect Horcoff to have a good rebound year next year. You can tell how disappointed he was with '09-'10, and he is going to be eager to set the record straight. He's not terribly overpaid. He's probably a $4 million player, but I bet he comes up with a $5-6 million performance next year.
Buyouts end June 30th, so read into that what you will.
ReplyDeleteHighlander,
ReplyDeleteTake it for what its worth but Spector said on Gregor's show today that Hemsky didn't see eye to eye with Quinn and would be very happy with the coaching change.
Seeing as OTC put JFFJ on his line at every opportunity, I can see why.
I think Hemsky will have to play toughs with Renney, but if the bottom six rebuild happens, maybe Renney could hide him at home a bit.
Well I'm fine with the Oilers competing next season for a playoff spot. Scorched earth never impressed me as a reasonable plan, not with free agency.
ReplyDeleteThe only time that it impressed me was about 1/3 of the way into the season and that was only burning the season, not the whole team.
I'm to the point where I don't think Hemsky will be happy with anything they do until he modifies his own game a little.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure all 30 clubs want to compete for the playoffs. That's why you see some many shortsighted moves.
ReplyDeleteThis club would be wise to liquidate and replenish before clawing for 8th.
Hemsky. He's the problem.
ReplyDeletePretty tough to build a "solid defensive team" without "solid defensive players".
ReplyDeleteBrule for Coburn
Potulney & the162nd for Sopel & the 60th
Re-sign Grebeshkov
And Bob's your Uncle.
WG - the Khabby signing reeked of Lowe to me - desperate and panicked.
ReplyDeleteAshley - I and many others here hated the Khabby signing when it happened. Its not just fashion. Its the only time I have used the f-bomb on this blog instead of some euphemism (usually effing or effed).
Stupid is as Lowe does. Lets see if Tambo really has the training wheels off as WG is giddily hoping for.
Is it finally time for roster moves or do we have to fire the mailroom staff and the janitors first?
LT, that's such MacT-looking pic, it's scary.
ReplyDeleteWG, June 30 IIRC.
ReplyDeleteBob might be my uncle, but I know he'd be damn pissed if we're signing guys other teams are trading because they can't cut it defensively.
ReplyDeletespOILer: That's why I used it. :-)
ReplyDeleteI fail to see how replacing a vetran-centric coach and not dressing 4 defensemen incapable of playing NHL minutes somehow goes against a rebuild.
ReplyDeleteRebuilding does not mean making your team as bad as possible.
Highlander,
ReplyDeletewhat is this "iTunes" of which you speak? Keep in mind I have all my children killed pre-birth and worry about this new-fangled language Quinn keeps using during pressers.
Deano:
ReplyDeleteYes I recall the mixed reaction to the Khabibulin signing. Here's hoping you see more value from it this year than last.
I just wanted to add that I enjoyed your post. Thanks for the chuckle.
Lowetide: What's with the ambiguous header on the blog? "'10-'11 Oilers not even close".....to spending to the cap or to competing for Stanley (or both)?
Ashley: Its about the Oilers salary levels this coming season. Ordinarily I do a ciphering post about now, adding up the dollars (and will do one next week as we ready for July 1).
ReplyDeleteBut this team won't be near the cap in 10-11. Might be 10M below the cap.
Perhaps Khabby can be attributed to an OTC demand for a vet goalie.
ReplyDeleteDwayne Roloson is a vet goalie. Martin Biron is a vet goalie.
Khabib was signed because Winter told Lowe the summer before that the major reason for the diss from Hossa was lack of a name goalie.
Seriously? Hossa looked at the Oilers and, among all the holes in the roster, identified Roloson as the problem? The same Roloson whose acquisition brought the Oilers from a playoff bubble team to a Stanley Cup finalist? My regard for Marion Hossa's hockey smarts just went down a couple of notches.
His biggest move was signing Khabibulin whom everyone loves to hate these days, but that wasn't a bad move at all.
It was palpably idiotic, and Deano's right: it was identified as such by virtually everybody in the Oilogosphere at the time - no Monday morning quarterbacks here.
Re-sign Grebeshkov
Um, that'd cost us draft picks, no?
Tom Renney might bring in his old friends:
ReplyDeleteBlair Betts and Fredrik Sjostrom
ReplyDeleteBut this team won't be near the cap in 10-11. Might be 10M below the cap.
Wow, we could sign a superstar - Who's available. Where's Jagr when you need him.
Are you including the $2 million for Laraque?
Its said Nashville doesn't intend to qualify Grebs.
ReplyDeleteSteve: Re-sign Grebeshkov
ReplyDeleteUm, that'd cost us draft picks, no?
...
Not if he's not qualified.
:-)
...
Renney... big brain... I'm in.
Steve, it was the ostensible reason given at the time, but I'm sure not a comprehensive unabridged version encompassing all Hossa's thoughts on the matter.
ReplyDeleteHossa's reasons have been generalized to "Oilers weren't good" enough by the media this season, which probably says it all.
As for Roli, there has also been talk that Roli wasn't a sharer of the position and they wanted a guy who wouldn't act negatively to not getting the start. A guy willing to share his experience and knowledge (or moreso). Khabby has a rep for not being that kind of guy. So I'm sure the Oilers move wasn't entirely made on Hossa's thoughts, either.
And now I see that Mr. DB was quicker.
ReplyDeletehaha
Oy.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Khabby had a rep for being that kind of guy. *rolls eyes*
ReplyDeleteAshley,
ReplyDeleteTambellini needs defending.
Khabi's signing wasn't bad, just overpriced and too long a term - for a goalie not in heavy demand.
Moves have been coming slowly (firing Quinn now? not back in May? what changed?) and all have been communicated poorly to the involved parties - there has been a persistent theme of, I knew it was a possibility, but no one told me until the media called!
Plan. Vision. Template. (nuthin')
So far, I have seen nothing to justify ST's existence as GM.
Khabi was a calculated risk. 1/4 of the way through, not good. Agreed.
ReplyDeleteTalk to me after 3/4 of the way through - it may look better by then.
***
Some thoughts on OTC.
Does this give Nillson and/or POS a fourth chance?
I got predictably, and understandably, slammed for suggesting that they might be of some value to a team like Pit - who are in need of wingers. I still see them both as pieces that could compliment high-end talent, just not the type that can be relied on to provide the heavy-lifting themselves.
Wow. He really is Fumblini. Either that or he went to the same school as Awkward Hours Oake.
ReplyDeletePicked the better man for the job, no doubt, but about as smooth as sandpaper.
spoiler - i doubt the office is working 'with' him. This org is seriously screwed up.
ReplyDelete"Yes I recall the mixed reaction to the Khabibulin signing."
ReplyDeleteYup
Mixed
Some people thought it was the worst signing of '09 [Hi!]
Others merely thought it was terrible
i doubt the office is working 'with' him. This org is seriously screwed up.
ReplyDeleteI have a suggestion ....
(I need to get a new trick for this pony)
Tencer tweets...
ReplyDeleteAccording to MacGregor, the Taylor/Tyler decision has absolutely been made and he and Steve Tambellini are in total agreement.
MacGregor says he stayed pretty true to the same way of thinking through the whole process...didn't get swayed back and forth between guys.
Quinn's constant negativity would be a great way to poison the well so I'm glad he's no longer going to have a major say in what happens.
ReplyDeleteI was all for the co-coaching idea last summer because I thought Renney would be the brains and Quinn would be the mouth but even I -- a fellow who doesn't mind being negative -- got sick of Quinn's constant bellyaching.
This is a great move by Tambo that indicates he understood something had to give and he wasn't afraid to pull the trigger.
Link to Tambellini on McCown's show
ReplyDeleteOne quote that caught my attention on the re-listen:
"We have a lot to do....formalize an entire player development section"
That infers that The Edmonton Oilers, rumored to be a National Hockey League team, currently do not have anything formal in terms of player development.
What the hell was Lowe thinking, and what the hell did Pendergrast do with his time?
But this team won't be near the cap in 10-11. Might be 10M below the cap.
ReplyDeleteI have always thought that since the cap came into place, a position of power is going into a season with 5-7 Million in cap space, with the intention of using it if the right deal came up.
I have not seen a GM use this tactic during the season.
Now that its off-season, UFA's haven't been signed, and you can go over the cap, the entire league is circling the Blackhawks like sharks.
But no one had to room to take advantage of their situation (or others situations) during the season)
GM's who can spend to cap, spend to the cap.
GM's who have an "in-house" cap, spend to their in-house cap.
I have yet to see a GM who actually can spend to cap, not spend to the cap shorty after training camp.
Why are there less trades during the season now? Because everyone has to trade dollars and not just players, so its very containing.
If you have a GM with a bag of cash, and the smarts to wait for another GM to be totally cap strung and have no mercy on making a deal, I think that GM could make out like a bandit.
Would like to see a GM do that.
Would love to see an Oiler GM do that.
Woodguy, I think most GMs wouldn't want to wait and spend to the cap so they can win as many games as possible. I guess the logic is if you can make your team better now, why not do it, instead of waiting till a later time when you could potentially be losing points.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying it's the right way of thinking, but I can certainly understand that train of thought.
WG,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely concur.
Come Trade Deadline Day you can be a traditional buyer - acquire player$ to make a run - or be a facilitator of other trades by taking the expensive problems off other teams (and some picks or prospect) to allow them the room to make the deal they want to.
It's all about competative advantage. In the off season everyone (meaning everyone not in Chicago) has cap space so it isn't that big an advantage. Come January, nobody has cap space (or if they do it is only because they are budget teams that only exceed their voluntary caps when they have a "real" chance to make noise.
I've read Brownlee's column three times and don't really see that Tambellini and Quinn's statements are at cross purposes.
ReplyDeleteWhat did I miss?
What did I miss?
ReplyDeleteThe sky is falling.
teehee
Uni,
ReplyDelete"Win now" is a powerful motivator, even if it means "win enough so I can keep my job"
L.T.,
Tambellini indicated that OTC was in total agreement with the move and Renney said he wouldn't have taken the HC job with Quinn being onside.
Then Quinn in his presser says, "no this is not a promotion, I wanted to coach"
Didn't get the story straight.
Also,
I was half expecting a Quinn post with the tagline "Goodbye Stranger, its been nice..."
Woodguy: I take that to mean "I wanted to coach, still think I'm the best man for the job. However, the organization wanted to move in another direction and this new job is a chance to help finish what we started together."
ReplyDeleteOr some such. I'd have been disappointed it Quinn had been less than true to himself. He's got pride and that showed true, plus the courage of his convictions.
All good from here.
Quinn is denying any knowledge of the details of a succession plan, and intimates he did not take the job to be an interim coach. Which implies that either Tambellini is reasoning after the fact or kept this nugget from his head coach purposely. But it would have to be disingenuous of Quinn if he hadn't at least suspected something.
ReplyDeleteWG - Lowe did in 2006, but the EIG made him.
ReplyDeleteI find is appropriate that Chi had to go into cap hell to win it all. Isn't that how this is supposed to work? The message that really needs to be driven home is stay away from the deals like Campbell and Huet.
spOILer: He took the job. It's done. Quinn's ramblings can be filed under "I couldn't quite bring myself to read the script" but this thing was understood because the cheques will cash.
ReplyDeleteGonchar's rights dealt to Sharks? Anyone else hearing this?
ReplyDeleteWho did not see today's move coming when they both were introduced a year ago?
ReplyDeleteQuinn can claim he has been mistreated, but this is pretty obvious. The only question to me was when.
Woodguy: I take that to mean "I wanted to coach, still think I'm the best man for the job. However, the organization wanted to move in another direction and this new job is a chance to help finish what we started together."
ReplyDeleteNo, he sounded hurt and still somewhat surprised by the news at the outset of the presser and Tambo played it like Quinn was all aboard and cool with it.
Nothing on twitter about Gonchar.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt LT, he wouldn't have taken the job otherwise. But it sure hasn't happened in the smoothest of ways.
ReplyDeletemy own personal shot in the dark, Jason Smith?
ReplyDeleteDangerman, I've got a hunch that Gator lands as an Assistant in a Southern market team (most likely TB).
The lack of smoothness seems like evidence of a real transition in the office.
ReplyDeleteTambo is exercising new authority and its coming as a surprise to people who had agreements with Lowe.
Pure speculation on my part, but I have worked in my share of screwed up places.
Woodguy: Ah, I didn't see any of the PC or comments after the fact on video. That would explain it.
ReplyDeleteWell, I picked up a pair of season tickets today. God I hope they're a better team in the fall.
ReplyDeleteAlternately, Larsson!
I didn't understand the two headed monster coaching concept when it was introduced last year. Renney and Quinn couldn't really have been more polar opposites in the way they ran a bench. Renney was a proactive line matcher fond of strong defensive systems play (like the original post says, an awful lot like MacTavish). Quinn was an old school line roller fond of an attacking puck possession game. Wasn't ever really clear how those approaches were going to fit. Like most, I assumed Quinn's game is what they'd try to play. And more or less, that was what happened. But what's Renney's job, then? It didn't seem like it would work, it didn't work, and the rumblings from the players post-season indicate the jarringly different approaches...came across as jarringly different.
ReplyDeleteWhile all things being equal I'd take throwback physical offensive hockey (more or less what the Oilers played in the Ron Low through early MacTavish eras...without ever having the personnel for all that much offense), Renney is pretty obviously the way forward. Barring major moves and barring major injuries, he's going to have a veteran first line who ought to be able to win most of the tough minutes matchups (Penner-Horcoff-Hemsky) and he's going to have plenty of nurturing talent to shelter. Actually seeing some sheltering is going to take some getting used to after the season we just suffered through.
I like and respect Pat Quinn, but I didn't understand the point of hiring him a year ago, and I still don't understand it now.
I don't think it's as big a deal as it could be made out to be but the communication problems are obviously there at every level in the organisation that we've seen lately.
ReplyDeleteThis event should have been a great opportunity for everyone to be speaking in unison and quiet any concerns of communication problems and scrambled mess and it just wasn't done.
I'm more concerned about what Tambellini is actually doing than how he is doing it but it's not hard to believe that these things are going to come back and bite him in the ass someday if they continue to pile up.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLT,
ReplyDeleteBrownlee's column sounds like it was written by someone who got embarrassed because no one gave him the inside scoop.
ID,
ReplyDeleteThe MSM in this town is so used to being part of the Oiler PR department that now they are starting to be somewhat adversarial they are going relish moments like these.
@spOILer
ReplyDeleteI didn't read Quinn's comments the same way. It didn't seem like he was saying flat-out that he didn't perceive himself as an interim coach, but that he didn't want to be officially labelled as one, because that made it difficult to demand accountability. If anything, what he said reinforces the idea that it was understood to be a two year mission. Note that he said he didn't know what had been promised to Renney. That's pretty carefully parsed - not the same thing as saying he himself didn't understand the situation as two years and a transition.
Really, I don't understand WHY there was seen to be a need for an interim-but-not-in-name coach with his obvious successor on board last summer. Why not just get on with it?
The lack of smoothness to me indicates an organization that appears obsessed with evaluation and always seems to leaves things to the last minute. This is a proactive move, but it's pretty evident it was only recently made and had to be done prior to the draft and accomplishing line-up changes (trades, signings, buy-outs). The shortness of time frame left Quinn communicating by phone and still with emotion. It left no time to get their stories straight. Now perhaps these are relatively trivial things in themselves, but it does form part of a pattern. And really, it took them this long to decide to change coaches as part of the rebuild? It all seems a little Keystone Kops-ish.
ReplyDeleteI've heard/read some speculating on what Quinn (out of the game for a couple of years) agreed to to get back into the NHL.
ReplyDeleteI've listened to Quinn's comments and one thing he said that stuck out with me, was that he didn't want to be perceived as an interim coach, because that would leave him without any real clout with the players. Hmmm... I suppose I could speculate at what he meant.
Na... I'm with Lain. There's nothing to see here beyond some clumsy handling that we should really expect by now.
Woodguy.
ReplyDeleteYou caught me before the needed edit.
I do agree with you on the MSM, tho.
Guess who's going to take the heat when Penner's counting stats regress.
ReplyDeleteIt's gonna be a great season folks.
spoiler - when it comes to free agency, these guys are the opposite, moving first before everyone else does.
ReplyDeleteWhat I see is an org that has no idea how to structure making a decision. When to hurry or when to be patient. They seem aimless too. Not sure why they are going after whatever it is they are pursuing.
With either fault, they do look foolish.
Kinger: It won't matter if they win =)
ReplyDeleteLT and WG (Or everyone): How much do you think it changes the GM's future moves with Renney as HC?
I think he's got a crush for those 3-4th line PK guys (Betts,Sjostrom etc).
Think he might push for those guys? And if he does how much does it matter?
Then Jadrain, "I'm aware of the fact that there should be a plan in place." is a strange choice of words. He's obviously not on board with the whole succession plan idea. It seems to me that something has changed from hire date. Wouldn't that have to be a real big case of sour grapes, especially if you knew this day was coming in a year anyway?
ReplyDeleteDeano, I some times wonder if they've been dreaming about that free agent for months. Y'know like we do.
ReplyDeletespoiler - its pretty hard for any of the boys on the bus not to live in the past. The spheres aligned for Barry Fraser and it was just a matter of being patient while it all ripened. There was no plan. Just the right guys in the right chairs and wait for the HHOF to call.
ReplyDeleteI see their free agent attempts in that vein - 'if only we could get Hossa/Heatley/Jagr, it would all be the way it was.'
spOiler
ReplyDeleteI would suggest that Quinn using the term "the organization" when referring to his team throughout the past year might be a strange choice of words, too.
Any way, I think Brownlee lays it all out without actually saying it... That because their stories weren't straight, the succession plan was a cover-up, the real reason lies in the job that Quinn was doing, a big part of which was he didn't have the players on his side.
ReplyDeletespOILer -
ReplyDeleteWell, when he says ""All I said to Steve at the start was don't just play it as an interim coach, as far as I'm concerned, because you're going to waste the year, or two years. Two years is my contract.
I felt that if you come in as an interim, that's what you get. If the organization recognizes that, and I mean the players, then it's tough to hold their feet to the fire when it really counts."
...I guess I don't understand why he'd be discussing "playing it as an interim coach" if it wasn't at least broadly understood that he was going to be there for a good time, not a long time. I have no idea what the real situation is and it doesn't really matter, but I don't really see that the grumbling from Quinn today was because he thought he was going to be around for the long term. More just that whatever expectation there was didn't work out and was ended early.
Far as timing, Quinn wasn't on hand in the past two weeks to show up and meet Hall or Seguin when they visited. That kinda sticks out, though maybe there's some huge scheduling reason that accounts for it. But it sort of indicates that Quinn has had some time to digest this. Don't really understand him not singing the right tune today, but whatever.
I still don't see what the point was in hiring both Quinn and Renney. How did anyone think it was going to work?
Ice Dragoon, I definitely think there's sour grapes, I just don't there's enough to make stuff up. It's not really all that important to me what Quinn was told a year ago.
ReplyDeleteQuinn's still pissed, so this is a very recent decision. Thus the transition is ham-handed. Something that Tambellini and the organization have been very good at. Is that merely a matter of panache?
While I don't think Quinn was the right man for the job the organization could have handled this with a lot more class.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, it has all the markings of a bush league club.
Lowe and Tambellini are laying waste to everything in the organization but themselves.
What if the problem is with them? Who holds them accountable? And what has to happen in order for the head guy to get axed?
If Buchburger gets promoted in the coaching chain its going to be a sad day.
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ReplyDeletespOILer: Ice Dragoon, I definitely think there's sour grapes, I just don't there's enough to make stuff up. It's not really all that important to me what Quinn was told a year ago.
ReplyDeleteQuinn's still pissed, so this is a very recent decision. Thus the transition is ham-handed. Something that Tambellini and the organization have been very good at. Is that merely a matter of panache?
I agree with most of what you say, but I don't see any evidence of making stuff up. I see Tambellini and Quinn having two understandably different perspectives of the situation.
While I don't think Quinn was the right man for the job the organization could have handled this with a lot more class.
ReplyDeleteAre you joking - they did everything they could to make Quinn look good and the idiot goes and says he was fired. He could have suggested that it was time to move on.
Oh Jadrain, you're likely right, but I do think Quinn was given the impression that he would have a better opportunity than he has been given. And I don't think the succession plan was as formal as Tambellini made it out to be. That's all I'm really trying to say. I think Tambellini imposed a narrative to a certain degree and it didn't seem to fly very well as the truth.
ReplyDeleteIce Dragoon, would it be better if I said dissembling instead? Lie of ommission? Nah, more likely I was over-stating the case.
ReplyDeleteWhy not just come out and admit to the succession plan though? Is he as stupid as bookie says? Is he so sour or pissed he won't directly admit to a succession plan? I think the succession plan was a loose one at best, and that Quinn honestly believed he would get more of a chance.
And I haven't even been drinking tonight, which is likely the problem.
ReplyDelete;o)
spOILer
ReplyDeleteGoodness gracious... have a drink, man!
Communication breakdowns appear to be standard operating procedure in the Oilers hierarchy.
For those worried about another MacT, his system worked pretty darned well the first few years, and offensive players still flourished. MacT's system wasn't the issue, he just lost the room and wasn't flexible.
ReplyDeleteI welcome this move for two reasons:
1. The deck was shuffled after that awful season. You can't play that poorly and have everyone keep their job.
2. We were so bad In our own end most nights, any defensive improvement Is welcome, and will help out our goalies.
Gonna miss Quinn's pressers, but I'm not going to miss his coaching.
However, nobody would be mentioning the Khabibulin signing as a bad deal if he didn't have season-ending surgery last year and backstopped us to a 10th place finish in the West.
ReplyDeleteLike other have said, I can almost guarantee they would, because they did at the time, and really, they were right. To be more specific, you don't tell your 40-year-old goaltender you won't sign him for a second year because of the risks, then turn around and hire a 36-year-old with a much longer injury rap sheet to massive term and dollars.
That picture needs a mini-Dasani water bottle and some bling.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure he wouldn't agree with this but I think all the people -- mostly me;) -- who pointed out how much Brownlee sucked up to Lowe might have made him a more well-rounded guy -- insert joke here -- because now one of his pet projects is to slam Tambo for everything he does.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I"m glad that objective journalism has finally come to Edmonton and I'm also glad that Brownlee kept up his consecutive articles streak of mentioning asses and/or matters scatological.