The Maple Leafs organization is losing one of their most valuable assets, as a press conference in Edmonton on Monday will announce that Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins will be named the head coach of the Oilers, replacing the recently deposed Ralph Krueger.
Eakins has been with the Toronto organization since 2005, serving as an assistant coach with the Marlies and Leafs under Paul Maurice until 2008 and one season as the club’s director of player development before becoming head coach of the Marlies from 2009 to 2013. He has been given credit for the development of players like Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner, who are now making an impact in the NHL.
The new Oilers coach earned a strong endorsement from former pupil Gardiner, who said to the Toronto Sun’s
Mike Zeisberger “….those Oilers players are getting a great coach….with Dallas, you always know where you stand. He teaches you about the game. And he treats his players like adults”
There has been no indication so far whether Eakins will inherit assistant coaches Steve Smith and Kelly Buchberger from Krueger or have the authority to hire his own staff. Marlies assistants Gord Dineen and Derek King, as well as former boss Maurice(who coached in the KHL last season) have all been rumored to be potential hires.
There is no doubt that the hiring of Eakins is the first in a series of changes made by new Oilers GM Craig MacTavish. MacTavish openly discussed the possibility of significant shakeups to his roster on Edmonton radio last week, mentioning Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff and veteran Ales Hemsky as being on the way out, but the upcoming reorganization also could include one of the club’s treasure trove of young scoring forwards; Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov, Jordan Eberle, Sam Gagner and Magnus Paajarvi.
The area in need of most of the attention is the Oilers blueline, with talented youngster Justin Schultz and veterans Nick Schultz, Ladislav Smid and Jeff Petry under contract, Andy Sutton retiring and veterans Ryan Whitney, Mark Fistric likely departing as unrestricted free agents.
The odds of a potential trade between the Oilers and Leafs have gone up exponentially, not only because the two clubs have depth where the other team doesn’t, but because of the influence of Eakins, who has confidence in the abilities of his now former players.
Gardiner would be a perfect sense for the Oilers, with Eakins and friend and former Wisconsin Badger defense partner Schultz there. As would Korbinian Holzer, who played with the Marlies for three seasons.
Toronto is expected to be looking to bring in a veteran backup to goalie James Reimer, which would make Ben Scrivens available. Scrivens led the Marlies to a Calder Cup Final in 2012 and is from suburban Edmonton, which would make re-signing the 26 year old backup an easy proposition.
Edmonton has not only Gagner, Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins, who would be the replacement for the likely departing Tyler Bozak, they also have the 7th pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, which would give Toronto the opportunity to pluck a prime prospect not named McKinnon, Drouin or Jones.
Whether it be a major impact deal or a lesser transaction, it is highly likely that MacTavish and Leafs GM Dave Nonis will be doing some business in the next few weeks.
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In an effort to raise money for to defeat cancer, there is an impressive Leaf related package being auctioned.
It includes new autographed copies of biographies of Leaf greats Johnny Bower, Frank Mahovlich, Bobby Baun, Ron Ellis and Marcel Pronovost, plus an autographed 8x10 of Eddie Shack. Also included are two books about the Leafs championship era: 'Diary of a Dynasty: 1957-1967 by Kevin Shea and '67' by Damien Cox and Gord Stellick.
Bid by going to the Facebook page
ROAD HOCKEY TO CONQUER CANCER--FUNDRAISING AUCTIONS and bid by commenting on the photo. This auction is open until Saturday, June 15 at 11:59pm. The winning bid gets a tax receipt for the full amount and shipping will be covered.
Funds go to support Personalized Cancer Medicine at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Don't let this package pass you by!
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