Mantha out 8 weeks with a broken tibula

And my knee is a lot better chet
- YzermanIsTheMan

No one really cares about either to be honest.

Oiler's thread, not a wings but that does suck. How did it happen!?
- ChetManly

His skate got stuck in a rut and an opponent hit him apparently.

No one really cares about either to be honest.
- Lahey

I obviously do.

His skate got stuck in a rut and an opponent hit him apparently.
- YzermanIsTheMan

poopty, sounds like that opponent was an bumhole!

https://ca.sports.yahoo.c...g-gameplan-130649936.html

https://ca.sports.yahoo.c...au-in-book-140853669.html

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/phil-kessel-called-out-by-leafs-coach-for-rejecting-gameplan-130649936.html

https://ca.sports.yahoo.c...au-in-book-140853669.html


- Lahey

those are pretty good.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/phil-kessel-called-out-by-leafs-coach-for-rejecting-gameplan-130649936.html

https://ca.sports.yahoo.c...au-in-book-140853669.html


- Lahey

I actually feel bad for some coaches.In what profession other than Hollywood and Pro Sports is the Boss not really the Boss, and the Employee has more sway and influence.

It makes sense to a degree, but damn do I miss the days when we didn't talk about making sure the star players were happy so much as doing their (frank)ing jobs.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/phil-kessel-called-out-by-leafs-coach-for-rejecting-gameplan-130649936.html

https://ca.sports.yahoo.c...au-in-book-140853669.html


- Lahey

And man, Selanne really didn't like BB

And man, Selanne really didn't like BB
- YzermanIsTheMan

I'm not shocked. Boudreau strikes me as a guy that would be hard to play for and doesn't seem to want any advice.

And man, Selanne really didn't like BB
- YzermanIsTheMan

Boudreau is a blowhard Jabroni, in my books, but he has to decide the ice time. I bet that sh!t about GM's and scouts determining the ice time is pretty common though.

Do we not think Mac T and Lowe had a conversation with Eakins about Yak's deployment this summer?

I'm sure Mac T agrees with Eakins on a lot of it, but I bet he mandated to Eakins that they need more wins and they need Yak back on track, without compromising one or the other.

Boudreau is a blowhard Jabroni, in my books, but he has to decide the ice time. I bet that sh!t about GM's and scouts determining the ice time is pretty common though.

Do we not think Mac T and Lowe had a conversation with Eakins about Yak's deployment this summer?

I'm sure Mac T agrees with Eakins on a lot of it, but I bet he mandated to Eakins that they need more wins and they need Yak back on track, without compromising one or the other.
- Jeropotato

I don't know that this is true. If it were Yak would've been used more when the season meant nothing. A GM shouldn't have much influence in who is playing and who isn't other than who is in the NHL and who gets sent down.

Now if a team is losing then a GM should be able to step in, but stepping in without giving a coach the option to coach his way is a mistake.

I'm not shocked. Boudreau strikes me as a guy that would be hard to play for and doesn't seem to want any advice.
- Lahey

The Kessel one is more hilarious to me. I can totally see MLSE coveting that Jersey sale money that might dry up a bit if Kessel was a mere 2-way player that only scored 20 and 30 helpers....but prevented even more goals against.

The Kessel one is more hilarious to me. I can totally see MLSE coveting that Jersey sale money that might dry up a bit if Kessel was a mere 2-way player that only scored 20 and 30 helpers....but prevented even more goals against.
- Jeropotato

Meh, they will just back Kadri again. People aren't going to stop buying merchandise in TOR. If it's not Kessel it will be someone else that the team will pimp out to the fans.

I don't know that this is true. If it were Yak would've been used more when the season meant nothing. A GM shouldn't have much influence in who is playing and who isn't other than who is in the NHL and who gets sent down.

Now if a team is losing then a GM should be able to step in, but stepping in without giving a coach the option to coach his way is a mistake.
- Lahey

I was more or less thinking off season talks. Mac T was a coach, so I imagine he has more respect for Eakins than some of these other d!cksmacks, but he still has to manage his assets.
I suppose the conversations were more about winning hockey games that getting Yak on track, but Mac T can ill afford Yak becoming a bust. At the very least he needs to jack up his trade value.

And I agree that a GM shouldn't meddle, but I think the landscape has changed so much with contracts, free agency, and league expansion that offensively gifted players and high drafted players have more power today over coaches than in, say, Glen Sather or Al Arbour's days. Coaches are no longer the commodity. Havent been for too long.

Meh, they will just back Kadri again. People aren't going to stop buying merchandise in TOR. If it's not Kessel it will be someone else that the team will pimp out to the fans.
- Lahey

So you don't buy into Carlyle's assessment? I don't think a coach/star player battle will ever end well for the Coach again. Those days are over.

So you don't buy into Carlyle's assessment? I don't think a coach/star player battle will ever end well for the Coach again. Those days are over.
- Jeropotato

The whole team should buy into the system. (frank) that one guy that is "too good" for whatever.

The whole team should buy into the system. (frank) that one guy that is "too good" for whatever.
- ChetManly

I didn't say "should" or "shouldn't". I'm saying the coaches now days are powerless if the GM isn't feeling the same way.

Even if he's right, and say Eakins and Hall couldn't co-exist.....see ya Dallas.

So you don't buy into Carlyle's assessment? I don't think a coach/star player battle will ever end well for the Coach again. Those days are over.
- Jeropotato

I'm more just saying if the player did go that MLSE would be fine.

And while I do agree the player is usually going to win, if Kessel is really being this stupid this early with a brand new assistant who knows what will happen.

It's one thing for a player to tell the coach in January that he's going to do things his way, but to do this now without even trying? That doesn't exactly happen often.

This isn't the Wings who's vet core told Babcock to watch them play their way and tweak it from there. This is one guy that has won nothing doing things his way for 8 years. You can really see why Boston had no issue moving him, his attitude was always there, just now it's getting made very public.

I didn't say "should" or "shouldn't". I'm saying the coaches now days are powerless if the GM isn't feeling the same way.

Even if he's right, and say Eakins and Hall couldn't co-exist.....see ya Dallas.
- Jeropotato

I agree. Coaches are almost like substitute teachers. If they can't handle the students, they can be replaced.

I'm more just saying if the player did go that MLSE would be fine.

And while I do agree the player is usually going to win, if Kessel is really being this stupid this early with a brand new assistant who knows what will happen.

It's one thing for a player to tell the coach in January that he's going to do things his way, but to do this now without even trying? That doesn't exactly happen often.

This isn't the Wings who's vet core told Babcock to watch them play their way and tweak it from there. This is one guy that has won nothing doing things his way for 8 years. You can really see why Boston had no issue moving him, his attitude was always there, just now it's getting made very public.
- Lahey

You can see it in face. Especially when he tries to smile. its awkward.

I didn't say "should" or "shouldn't". I'm saying the coaches now days are powerless if the GM isn't feeling the same way.

Even if he's right, and say Eakins and Hall couldn't co-exist.....see ya Dallas.
- Jeropotato

Wasn't Spott brought in as a potential replacement for Boudreau? Have to think he has the GM and Shanny's ear.

Wasn't Spott brought in as a potential replacement for Boudreau? Have to think he has the GM and Shanny's ear.
- Lahey

Could be, but I can't see Kessel going anywhere. The teams failures will be put on the coach.
Same thing will happen in Edmonton if they don't improve this year.

Could be, but I can't see Kessel going anywhere. The teams failures will be put on the coach.
Same thing will happen in Edmonton if they don't improve this year.
- Jeropotato

This time, it won't be the GM's fault. It'll only be on Eakins.

This time, it won't be the GM's fault. It'll only be on Eakins.
- ChetManly

When will it ever be the Players fault? I don't think Hall can be asked for a hell of a lo lot more anyway, but doesn't RNH and Eberle need to do more? I expect they will, but if they don't is that all on Eakins?
I'm not trying to be a downer, I like all our young core players and think we picked them right, but when it comes to placing blame on the Oilers woes, we are all guilty of looking at the GM, former GM's, current and former head coaches, support players, goalies, God Damned Assistant coaches, equipment managers and training staff , any and everyone before considering as at least a remote possibility that we picked the wrong Horses to build around.

Yak with arco and Purcell to start camp. Seems like two pass first guys with yak being the trigger man. Hopefully it works out in that sense.

Draisaitl starts with pouliot and Perron.

Roy-Yakimov-Chase is another interesting line