Dear Coach Eakins,
First of all, on behalf of all Oiler fans, I have to apologize for Devan Dubnyk. We had no idea that he would go from “somewhat competent” to “flaming train wreck” in such a short period of time. Not to get all biblical on you, coach, but at this point it’s unclear whether Dubnyk could prevent a camel from slipping through the eye of a needle. Actually, he’d probably stop the initial attempt, but they’d get him on the rebound.
Dubnyk’s career was at a crossroads coming into the season, and this was his shot to prove himself as a legitimate starting goaltender. Five games into the season, the verdict is in: Dubnyk’s NHL career has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Go ahead and sit him, start him, ship him to Bakersfield for all we care. You have carte blanche when it comes to the big netminder. Ironically, the Dubnyk defenders have abandoned their post.
Moving on to less depressing matters, it’s clear that you have a flair for the dramatic and run your team on your terms. Reinforcing your commitment to fitness with fruit and vegetables was fun, even if it was a little too cute for my taste. However, it got the fans on your side immediately, because if there’s one thing a hockey-mad town loathes it’s the media, particularly since about half the people in town think they could (or should) be among their ranks.
It’s also obvious that you run your team on your terms. You brought Will Acton and Ryan Hamilton with you from the Marlies, because they embody the type of players you favor – short on talent, high on drive. Clearly you’ve worked hard to put your own indelible stamp on the team. And when rumors swirled that Sam Gagner was going to be named the Oilers’ captain, we could have bet the mortgage that anyone, even Mike Brown, would end up wearing the C rather than Gagner.
Speaking of Brown, what’s the deal with the fourth line? Every other line has undergone radical transformations, but Brown, Acton and Luke Gazdic are tighter than two coats of paint. They’re averaging less than six minutes of ice time per game and disappear altogether at the midway point of the second period, so you can’t trust them that much. Why is it that when someone has to be shuffled out of the lineup it’s a third-line player? Couldn’t they contribute to the fourth line?
Anyway, you also seem to have a flair for the dramatic. Demoting fan favorite Ryan Jones turned a few heads, making local legend Ryan Smyth a healthy scratch three games into the season got everybody’s attention, and revealing budding superstar Nail Yakupov’s benching moments before a nationally-televised game in the center of the hockey universe let everyone know that you’re the boss. The message has been received. We get it, you’re the coach, so simmer down with the theatrics there David Copperfield.
Benching Yakupov on Saturday night struck me as an odd, reactionary move for one simple reason. Facing an opponent like the Maple Leafs, with their young and unphysical defensive corps, almost ensured that it was going to be the type of run-and-gun affair that would help Yakupov get off the schneid. I mean, look at Jordan Eberle’s performance for evidence of that. I would argue that he had been just as ineffective and much less tenacious than Yakupov through four games, with much better linemates.
In fact, much of Smyth and Yakupov’s early struggles could be blamed on your line combinations. Playing Smyth with Taylor Hall and Ales Hemsky was a mistake from the start, and the disastrous results led to a change as soon as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins made it back into the lineup. As for Yakupov, what is a reasonable expectation for him playing on a line with Hamilton/Jesse Joensuu and Boyd Gordon? The playing styles didn’t particularly mesh, resulting in Yakupov trying to do too much. Perhaps you can relate, coach.
Everyone’s been preaching patience lately, although maybe it should have been directed at the Oilers coaching staff. Making Yakupov a healthy scratch for a game was confusing, but sitting him again tonight against the Washington Capitals? Really? Come on. I mean, come on. No really… come on. This is on par with the time in 1999 when my buddy Allan Milisic told me that he was making it his personal mission to travel to a forest in western Maryland to snuff out the Blair Witch.
Might I suggest that we try winning a few games before we send messages or scapegoat specific players? We need wins now, not life lessons. In my humble opinion playing Gazdic or Brown in favor of Yakupov does not give the team the best chance to win tonight or any night. What’s the plan exactly? Sit him tonight against the Capitals, who’ve given up four goals per game, then play him tomorrow against the Penguins, who’ve given up 13 in five? It doesn’t make sense.
Coach, looking at all the angles here I have to give you credit for being so crafty. Benching Yakupov might not be the best move for the Edmonton Oilers, but it’s unquestionably the best move for Dallas Eakins, the upstart, unconventional coaching phenom. I can guarantee you that, when he eventually returns to the lineup, Yakupov’s next four games will be much better than his last four. I mean, it’s pretty easy to improve on a stat line of zero points and a -3 plus-minus in four games.
When that happens, as it undoubtedly will, Oiler fans will commend you for turning around Yakupov’s fortunes. Of course Yakupov, being a hockey player under your direction, will state that it was the right move and praise you as well. We’ll all get to celebrate what an amazing coach you are, and you can take some comfort in winning the Yakupov battle while you ultimately lose the playoff war. Congratulations coach, you’ve done something I never thought was possible: Made me long for the days of Ralph Krueger.
Sincerely,
Ryan Garner
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