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It was his decision, Holland insisted, based on “gut feel” that the time had come. He had discussions with President of Hockey Operations Bob Nicholson late Wednesday night after the Oilers latest desultory home defeat, 4-1 to Chicago Blackhawks, then after a restless night picked up the phone early Thursday morning to inform owner Daryl Katz. Tippett and Playfair got the word shortly thereafter.
Holland’s other overriding theme echoed the departing words of former Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice:
“Sometimes you just need a different voice.”
When asked if he had considered an external hire such as former Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, Holland said his only two options were internal: either Oilers assistant Glen Gulutzan (who retains his post), or Condors’ head coach Woodcroft. He referred to his previous promotion of Jeff Blashill from the AHL to head coach of the Red Wings, an entirely appropriate reference which was the only time he mentioned his time in Detroit. That came as a relief to these ears.
He did briefly mention Woodcroft’s own time in Detroit as part of his development as a coach, a reminder that the two men have known one another for the better part of two decades. Holland had this to say about the 45-year-old’s readiness for the new job:
“My gut instincts are that Jay’s ready, he’s been through a journey from Michigan State to Detroit to San Jose to Edmonton to Bakersfield. He brings a lot of passion and energy to the rink. I like that he’s paid his dues, he started as a video coach, he went with Todd McLellan to San Jose… he’s now run his own bench for four years. I like the way the team plays down there, he’s very detailed and that’s what I think he’ll bring up here… I told Jay he’s the coach for the rest of the year, and we’ll sit down at the end of it (to discuss the future).”
A few more (paraphrased) quotes from the presser, grouped as appropriate for relevance, with my own commentary interspersed.
- On whether he felt the blame should be assessed to the coaching staff or to the players:
Bingo! Correct answer. If the replacement of two high-profile coaches doesn’t turn things around, they might only be the first dominoes to fall and attention will increasingly focus higher up the chain of command. But to Holland’s credit, he did repeatedly take ownership of his own key role in the team’s construction, and of its struggles.
On what happens next on the farm team:
“Colin Chaulk will coach Bakersfield. He’s been on personal leave but will be flying back. Keith Gretzky will also fly down (to look for potential assistants).”
Chaulk was the newest man on the Bakerfield coaching staff, joining the club this season to replace former assistant coach J-F Houle, who got a head job elsewhere in the AHL after a couple of years under Woodcroft. It will be interesting to see how the high-flying Condors (12-1-4 in their last 17 games) respond to the sea change behind the bench.
On the Oilers’ play:
“It’s been up and down like a toilet seat… I thought we were loose last night, we gave up a lot of scoring chances… You gotta play hard on the offence, you gotta play hard when you don’t have the puck. I don’t think we’ve done that… We’ve been chasing the game for like two months.”
That last referring to the Oilers’ persistent, perplexing habit of allowing the game’s first goal, then the second one. It’s become a massive problem, one which is not necessarily reflected in statistics showing the Oilers generating more than their share of shots and Grade A scoring chances. Score effects have been a huge influence, as many teams around the league change their tactics to “bend but don’t break” with a multi-goal lead, while the team in arrears takes risks to create goals.
Typically, time spent leading/trailing tends to even out over time, but these Edmonton Oilers are no ordinary team in that respect. In the 23-game skid that led to Tippett’s demise, the Oilers spent just 205 minutes with the lead, 683 with a deficit.
On Edmonton’s goaltending:
“When both guys are healthy we get good goaltending. Smith got hurt and then we have to overplay Mikko. Now Smitty is back and Mikko has COVID, we can’t take him to California so he’s out five games.”
No mention of Stuart Skinner, nor of other options being pursued given the persistent health issues of the aging tandem.
On what can be done to turn around the team’s fortunes:
“I’m hoping today is going to have an impact. I’m hoping to have Koskinen back next week so he and Smith can share the net and feed off each other. I’m hoping for some people to play better. We’ve lost our confidence and swagger. We went out and signed Evander Kane last week.”
Of which the coaching change and the Kane signing are actual things that have been done, the rest a lot of “hoping”.
On last night’s injuries:
“Kassian has a fractured jaw, he’s out 4-8 weeks. Keith is in concussion protocol but also has some upper body issues, he’s likely out 2-4 weeks.”
Two significant injuries suffered last night that will cost Edmonton the services of veterans Duncan Keith and Zack Kassian for a few weeks, while opening doors for younger players who Woodcroft already knows well. Kassian is certain to go on LTIR which will provide some cap relief. Defenceman Markus Niemelainen and Philip Broberg are being recalled; one of them will draw into the line-up to replace Keith.
Presumably Kassian’s replacement will be found internally, given all three of Kyle Turris, Brendan Perlini, and Tyler Benson are wingers who were regular healthy scratches down the stretch of Tippett’s tenure. Best guess here is that Benson will get a real chance under Woodcroft, for whom he was highly productive through three seasons in Bakersfield.
Other fallout
Tippett, Playfair, Keith, Kassian — Oilers casualties extending from the coaching ranks to the active roster are leading to a major influx of talent from Bakersfield. Not only are Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson on their way up to Edmonton, they will be joined by Niemelainen, Broberg, and perhaps soon, Brad Malone. Other productive AHLers like Cooper Marody and Seth Griffith may also come under consideration. Meanwhile former Condors already in Edmonton like Skinner and Benson, not to mention Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto, may have a new lease on life under a new young coach who knows them well.
Source: EdmontonJournal
