Tag Archives: Jim Johnson

Around the Oilogosphere, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Around the Oilogosphere – April 15th Edition – Rattie Signs! 10 Things to Watch This Summer, Who’s Calling the Shots with the Oilers? NHL Rumors galore!

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Have you been enjoying these Oilers-less playoffs so far? I know that it’s hard to watch this year when our team is out of it but I’ve been impressed with the Vegas/Los Angeles series so far and I’ve been having a helluva time watching Tampa manhandle Hall’s devils.

Now, if you read my tweets you’d probably think I hate Taylor Hall. I don’t. I think that he’s a supreme talent and very entertaining to watch, I just don’t want to see his teams win. And I think that goes the same for Jordan Eberle and the Isles even though they could possibly be the most exciting team in the league to watch (for now). It’s great that they are having individual success but I simply won’t be cheering for them to win and why should I?

See, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s less about the players and their teams and it’s more about the Oilers fans who bitch and moan every single day about the Oilers trading away Hall and Eberle and sh*t on their own team that they apparently love. I simply don’t get the crying over spilled milk aspect of Oilers fandom.

If Taylor Hall does win the Hart this year I hope he gives Devils’ goalie Keith Kincaid the majority of the credit because without Kincaid’s ridiculously good performances at the end of the regular season, Hall could’ve scored twice as much and the Devils wouldn’t have made it into the playoffs.

Did Todd Have a Hand in The Trades? 

What if Todd McLellan had more to do with trading Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle that you think? Think about it. It wasn’t Chiarelli that moved Hall, Eberle, Yakupov, etc off of McDavid’s wing…

If that indeed was the case, that McLellan gave the green light on trading those players, would you still view him as the good ‘ol western Canada boy that takes responsibility for his team’s record?

*Side note: Just because you say you’re sorry and take responsibility for something doesn’t make it any less bad that it happened. We heard McLellan take responsibility so many times during the year that, for me at least, it lost its luster. That being said, I think he can pull things back together and I’m willing to give him that chance.

Front Office Clusterf*ck

I was listening to the Jason Gregor Show the other day and Jason Strudwick was talking about the recent Mark Spector article that ripped into the old Oilers and their “Red Wine Summits”. And he had a theory that that article was a message being sent by Peter Chiarelli to those above him to back off.

I can buy into what Strudwick is saying here. I think that in Boston Chiarelli had a huge problem with Neely, Sinden, and Sweeney trying to run his show which ultimately led to him dealing Tyler Seguin and I believe he tried to secure his power within the club by demanding he be the president of hockey operations and the general manager when he was brought on by the Oilers.

This will not end well, pro-Chiarelli and anti-Chiarelli fans can agree. If there is some sort of Royal Rumble going on within the power structure of the Oilers management/ownership/coaching staff, it’s only to get worse from here unless somebody goes because you can’t have a GM who’s been promised full autonomy in his contract being undermined by the coach and the cronies upstairs.

The Assistants

Speaking of coaches going places. Bob Stauffer pontificated recently on Jay Woodcroft being sent to Bakersfield to coach that team after they let Gerry Fleming go and there’s been lots of talk about Ian Herbers either going back to the University of Alberta to coach or to the AHL. Dean Millard, on Twitter, said that he got a DM from a man in the know that told him that Jim Johnson will be guy Todd McLellan chooses to sacrifice…

So that’s all three assistant coaches gone (possibly) which could lead the Oilers to hire a guy like Dave Tippett and/or Manny Viveiros and I think eventually that would allow the Oilers to move Tippett right into the head coaching role with Edmonton decided the time was right.

With Tippett, the Oilers would get a defense-first coach and that’s something I think the team needs. They’ve got to get away from trying to recreate the Oilers of the 80’s and create their own identity. And Manny Viveiros would run the PP (This past season he had the Swift Current Broncos PP running at a 29% clip).

There’s no guarantee that an excellent coach like Tippett would even consider an associate coaching position with the Oilers but we’ve seen it before with Lindy Ruff and Davis Payne.

This is a great article on Dave Tippett’s coaching style. Worthy of a few of your minutes in my opinion.

Oilers News

Edmonton Sun – Edmonton Oilers: 10 things to watch this off-season – What should we be watching up to the NHL draft, in free-agency and in training camp? Who’s going, who’s coming in? Here are 10 things to watch for before next season.

The Cult Of Hockey – Edmonton Oilers need a few value contracts, and they may have just signed one in Ty Rattie’s one-year extension -They are an essential aspect of the Salary Cap Era, where there are only so many “big dollars” to go around, and the cracks need to be filled with small ones.

The Cult Of Hockey – Coaching changes are imminent behind the Edmonton Oilers bench – I strongly believe that Todd McLellan will be back behind the bench, to begin 2018-19, but that the men standing in suits around him will look very different.

The Cult Of Hockey –  Palace intrigue at Oilers HQ grows over future of Todd McLellan and others – It looks like the Oilers will go down one of two roads, either getting rid of one or more assistant coaches or getting rid of Todd McLellan and all the asst. coaches presumably.

The Hockey Writers – Oilers Must Avoid Panic Move – Chiarelli’s trading track record is there for all to see and when we combine it with the pressure of the moment, the situation has “panic move” written all over it.

The Hockey Writers – Takeaways From Chiarelli’s Press Conference – Heading into the NHL Draft Lottery on Apr. 28, the Oilers hold the ninth-best odds and have a five percent chance of winning the lottery. Regardless, there are going to be fans clamoring for Chiarelli to be fired this summer. It’s not going to happen.

Oilersnation – Who is calling the shots? – We know that’s going to happen. What I’m wondering, regardless of who publicly pulls the trigger, is who is actually calling the shots?

NHL RUMORS

NHL Rumors: Edmonton Oilers – Chiarelli, Rattie, Nugent-Hopkins, Defensive Needs and Potential Targets

NHL Rumors: Dallas Stars and the Florida Panthers

NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres

NHL Rumors: Ilya Kovalchuk – No Agreement In Place With The Rangers, But He Could End Up There

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects, Rumors, Trades

What Will the New Year Bring the Oilers?

It’s been a while since I was left that emotionally frustrated by the Oilers but last night’s game versus the Winnipeg Jets had me near irate and I try my best not to let the team’s results control my emotions because it’s only entertainment, right?

I mean if we’re being honest, that was the first game in quite a while where Todd’s boys laid an egg. December was going oh so well until this latest skid and while I pride myself on being optimistic in the face of the ever-lingering pessimism that clouds this fanbase, I feel like I might be writing more draft dedicated articles soon.

THE COACHES’ FUTURE

There’s been a faction of the Oilers “supporters” that have been calling for McLellan’s head since the end of October and with every subsequent loss the Oilers are handed, I can relate with their angst. The usual response online is something to the effect of, “Haven’t the Oilers hired and fired enough coaches in the last ten years?”

The answer to that question is yes.

If we go back 10 years from today, the Oilers have had 7 separate head coaches.

  • Craig MacTavish
  • Pat Quinn
  • Tom Renney
  • Ralph Krueger
  • Dallas Eakins
  • Todd Nelson
  • Todd McLellan

From 1998 to 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks also had 7 different head coaches before finally settling on Joel Quenneville.

  • Dirk Graham
  • Lorne Molleken
  • Bob Pulford
  • Alpo Suhonen
  • Brian Sutter
  • Trent Yawney
  • Denis Savard

As a fan, you should be thankful, the Real Madrid football team went through 9 managers from 2003 to 2009. And that’s one of the most successful football (soccer) teams in history who’ve had some of the best players in the history of the beautiful game.

There’s a real possibility that the playing personnel and it’s coaches aren’t compatible. Maybe Todd McLellan and his staff are more appropriate for a team that isn’t driven by players so young. When he took over in San Jose, he had Thornton and Marleau right in their primes and a defense led by Rob Blake and Dan Boyle, an all-star goalie in Evgeni Nabakov, and the Sharks even added old cagey vets like Claude Lemieux and Jeremy Roenick to boot.

He does not have that in Edmonton at the moment.

The GM has basically two moves left to save his ass and that’s to make another trade in hopes that’ll jump start the team or to fire the coach and his staff but if he does fire the coach, his neck will be on the chopping block next. Usually, that’s the last card to be played before a GM is dismissed.

Now with that being said, the Oilers’ league-mandated week off is coming up and if a coaching change is going to be made in-season, that’s more likely when it’ll be. A pricey one might I add given that McLellan is one of the top paid coaches in the league.

My last thought on the coaches is that if they don’t have the answers to the special teams problems, something they’ve stated publicly, then who does? It is their job to come up with the solutions to the team’s problems and to inform the players, who then take that information and apply it on the ice. If the players aren’t doing that, then the coaches need to react appropriately. If the coaches reactions aren’t being taken seriously, then the GM has to take action be it by making a trade or by letting a coach go. If the GM is unwilling to do that, then… I think you get the point.

Are the players concerned enough about being traded to improve their play though? Are the coaches concerned enough about being fired to make wholesale changes?

SPECIAL TEAMS AKA THE PENALTY KILL

I’ve been taking a look at some of the goals scored vs. the Oilers PK in the last couple of weeks or so and I can’t find a constant error in their formation or tactics being used. What I do find are little brainfarts like over-committing, getting hung up on a teammate, dropping a stick, bad bounces, or not reading the ice properly that are costing the Oilers.

I was curious about the tactic the Oilers have been using on the kill, so I looked into it a bit more.

The Oilers, utilize something called the “Czech Press” on the PK. This tactic a more aggressive version of the “Triangle +1” or a “Wedge +1” and is described as thus:

The general concept of the Triangle +1 is that three penalty killers form a triangle shape down low, protecting the slot and net. The fourth penalty killer is the “plus-one,” focused on getting in shooting lanes, angling the play in certain directions, or pressuring the puck carrier. The key to understanding the Triangle +1 is knowing that the player functioning as the “plus-one” can shift mid-play, depending upon the location of the puck. If the play quickly transitions from left to right, the high forward can sag back into the triangle while the lower forward takes over the “plus-one” role.

Wedge +1

The same concepts of the Triangle +1 apply, but in the Czech Press, the “plus-one” forward is very aggressive. He actively attacks the high man at the blueline (usually a defenseman), and in the event of a pass to a forward on the half boards, he “presses” down on the new puck carrier to cut off space and time.(Source)

Czech Press

Here’s an example of what the Czech Press should look like if deployed properly,

According to the source from above, the Czech Press has it’s advantages and disadvantages,

The Czech Press, on the other hand, looks to actively force opposing power plays into mistakes. The result is more turnovers, but also more opportunities for dangerous chances, due to the chaotic play of the “plus-one” forward. Rapid puck movement has the aggressive forward constantly chasing, and can turn the formation into a “Triangle Plus-Nothing,” with three penalty killers in the slot just waiting to be eaten alive. (Source)

I think one of the things, apart from the possibilities discussed above, we’re witnessing this year with the Oilers is that teams are turning the extra man who chases the puck into the “nothing”. My understanding is that this formation when passive is used to combat the point shot and cross-seam passes. A team that doesn’t have the speed to use the Czech Press shouldn’t be using it in my opinion but maybe it’s more than that. One could argue it’s intelligence on the ice too because you can’t simply run around with your head cut off on the PK. The penalty kill is all about managing 2-on-1 scenarios, right?

Some players that are having good years on the PK according to some parameters set by Jon Willis (20 min TOI, GA/60, league avg=7 GA/60) on Twitter last night are:

Jujhar Khaira (36.1 TOI, 4.99 GA/60) – I believe that he’d be just as good as Pouliot on the PK if given the chance. He’s got good hands, a big body, AND he doesn’t take too many penalties.

Connor McDavid (47.9 TOI, 5.01 GA/60) – Of course he’s one of the best. He’s got the speed and agility to be used properly in the Czech Press PLUS he’s the smartest player in the game.

Brandon Davidson (33.3 TOI, 3.6 GA/60) – Matt Benning could use a night or two in the press box. He’s still young but he’s really hitting the sophomore slump this year and Davidson’s #s don’t lie here. Add to that Davy’s got a bit more experience and size on Benning.

Eric Gryba (29.43 TOI, 6.12 GA/60) – There’s not much to say about Grybs. He’s ineffective 5×5 and now he’s in the minors.

Other players that are hovering just over the league average GA/60 are Mark Letestu (8.79), Oscar Klefbom (8.98), and Iiro Pakarinen (8.85).

But the rest of the team are in double-digits. Drake Caggiula’s GA/60 on the PK is 17.81… Which is mad because he’s so fast and aggressive, right? You’d think that he’d fit right into this PK tactic. The worst dman is Matt Benning with 15.8 GA/60 on the PK…

If the Oilers don’t have the players who can effectively work within the penalty killing system, why use it? It reminds me of Dallas Eakins’ “swarm”. The coaches are trying to force it down the players’ throats and from what I’ve gathered, it doesn’t sound like the players are having anything of it anymore.

I think if you’ve noticed, that nearly every team that the Oilers get a PP versus uses the passive “triangle +1” because the Oilers are happy to pass it around the perimeter at their own pace. If the Oilers could move it around a lot quicker maybe by bringing the players on the wall a little higher to support the dman, they could open things up a bit better.

Another way to create scoring chances is… GO TO THE BLUE PAINT! Jesse Puljujarvi has scored but one from in the home plate if I recall correctly. I mean, I’m not a coach by trade but if the other team is parking the bus in front of the goalie, why not add some more chaos and throw three of your guys in front too and leave a 2-on-1 scenario for the remaining players. Then simply get the puck on the net for the players to battle over. I think an added bonus to those goal-mouth scrambles might be causing the other team to take more penalties due to the desperation of clearing the puck from so close to the net.

THE 2018 DRAFT

I suppose we’re going to have to start talking about it sooner or later… At this point, the Oilers are sitting pretty at 6th overall. Whether you’re the type to follow the draft or not, I’m sure you’ve heard who is going 1st overall, the Swedish Bobby Orr, Rasmus Dahlin. After Dahlin is a right-wing sniper who plays for Barrie in the OHL named Andrei Svechnikov.

Dahlin and Svechnikov will be going 1 and 2 at the draft, I have no doubt in my mind about that. But it’s from 3rd overall to 6th overall that it could get interesting. Right now I believe it’s a battle between a magical Czech forward named Filip Zadina and another Swedish Karlsson clone named Adam Boqvist for no.3. Matthew Tkachuk’s little brother Brady should go 5th and then the 2nd best skater in the draft, Quinn Hughes, a dman playing NCAA in Michigan should round it out.

We don’t know where the lottery balls will land come draft time but I’m not a huge fan of selecting a defender in the top 6 not named Rasmus Dahlin.

If the Oilers draft…

  • 1st – Rasmus Dahlin (LD) – Swedish Orr
  • 2nd – Andrei Svechnikov (RW) – Tarasenko V2
  • 3rd – Filip Zadina (LW) – Very Barzal-like with his puck handling and shooting
  • 4th – Brady Tkachuk (LW) – Better than his brother
  • 5th – Adam Boqvist (RD) – Dazzling defender
  • 6th – Oliver Wahlstrom (RW) – Shoots the lights out

Should the Oilers lose out in the lottery and be forced to move down, I think trading down to gather assets would be a good plan as the cluster from 7th overall to about 14th or 15th look to be a safe area for the Oilers to trade down to and still get a good player.

But if you’re wondering what some of those players look like, look no further than our 2018 November Top Ten Rankings over at the Beer League Heroes Youtube Channel!

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