Keeping Dallas And Craig

There is a lot of anger among Oilers fans this season, and rightfully so. Even though the team has been winning recently, it is far too little too late, and the season is long gone, in fact it was likely lost in the first month and a half of the year, which can only be described as a disaster. This was supposed to be the year things turned around, but instead has been another tire fire in Northern Alberta.

Much of the anger has been directed at GM Craig MacTavish and head coach Dallas Eakins. Some of the criticism has been fair and called for, but calling for the heads of either of them would be a grave mistake in my mind. Both have their flaws, but both are smart hockey men with a plan.

MacT:

Craig MacTavish took over a roster last year that simply was not very good. MacT had many holes from the Tambellini years, and in fact still has many holes. That said, MacT has added actual NHL players to the fold, something the previous management group could not do.

He got Edmonton out from under the Shawn Horcoff contract, moved players that didn’t fit like Nick Schultz, Ladi Smid, and others, and held out on Ales Hemsky until he got what ultimately was market value for the player.

MacT added a player type the Oilers did not have in David Perron, a good third line center in Boyd Gordon, a good veteran top-four defender in Andrew Ference and took gambles on various role players. Not all of MacT’s risks paid off, but he took calculated risks to try and fill roster holes that simply could not be filled with sure things at the time. I have no problem with that.

MacT has also not waited around to make things work. When Denis Grebeshkov clearly was not an NHL option, he was flushed to the AHL, and has stayed there, ditto for Will Acton, Ryan Hamilton and Ben Eager. Jason Labarbera did not work out, and was shipped out, while Devan Dubnyk was shipped out after a tough stretch as well.

MacT also fixed the goaltending, adding both Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth through separate trades. Don’t forget him off-loading a goalie that is struggling at the AHL level right now for a serviceable bottom six guy who has taken a leadership role.

MacT has not been perfect in Edmonton, but he has added some real NHL players and is starting to form the roster he envisions. He has already fixed goaltending and is starting to fix his bottom six forward unit. I think it would be foolish to not let him work for another two years on this roster. GM’s need time, and I think MacT has earned that time.

If MacT has as productive a summer this year as he had last year, the Oilers will be an improved team. MacT is doing good things folks.

Eakins:

A lot of people want Eakins fired, but to me that is pure insanity. The Oilers have been going through coaches like cheap beach chairs, and it needs to stop. The team badly needs continuity at the coaching position, and needs a consistent message preached to them. Focusing on one system year after year instead of learning a new one every fall is an underrated thing.

Eakins is also just starting to really get through to this team. No, their play is not yet up to par, but it is starting to result in wins, and the team is starting to play a little bit tougher, and starting to responded as a unit, something that has been sorely lacking. While they are still working out kinks in the system, it looks like they have a better grip on it than earlier this season.

Eakins struggled mightily in his first year as the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, going to a similar situation at that level. Many of the same problems were there on that Toronto team, but in year two there was a large leap in both wins and on ice play. I’m not saying that large leap will happen, but there is a history here.

Certain players are really starting to respond to Eakins as well, and are starting to come around. Guys like Perron, Hendricks and other role players are excelling under Eakins, and some of the big guns are starting to follow suit. Nail Yakupov has had a tough season, but has improved as the year has gone on, in part thanks to Eakins’ tough love approach with the young star.

Yes, Hall, Eberle and RNH look worse defensively, but I think a large part of the problem there is hearing yet another message. All three of these guys are better than this, and I suspect that another training camp learning the system and a summer figuring a few things out will really help. I don’t see these down swings as a permanent issue.

Special teams has been a problem as well, but the PK is starting to show some real improvement, and while the PP has struggled mightily, I think a lot of that is on the players. Edmonton lacks a true bomb from the point with their unit, and their players fail to change up what worked last season. More of this is on the players than Eakins in my mind.

No, Dallas Eakins has not had a good first year in Edmonton, but history shows with him the second year is usually a much better campaign. The Oilers can’t be so quick to fire the coach, and must ask the tough questions, like is this roster as a whole good enough, and are these young kids the right ones to lead the team?

If this problem with Eakins is there next year as well, then we can revisit this conversation, but it is wise to give Eakins another kick at the can next season, and I believe MacT will do just that.