Take The Interim Tag Off

Until ashore few days ago, I was getting a little weary about the Oiler’s management’s handling of Todd Nelson. In my honest opinion, I feel like like Nelson has saved the season from being a complete disaster and may in fact be the only real reason that Craig MacTavish still has a job.

It seemed as though Nelson was not being given any credit, partly because I assume MacTavish doesn’t like the fancy stats that have come out of Nelson’s tenure.

Anyways, it seemed like Nelson would walk from the organization as the Oilers set their sights on an A-level coach, but Elliotte Friedman has given me the news I was hoping for.

FRIEDMAN’S TAKE

I love reading anything or hearing anything that comes from Elliotte Friedman. He’s arguably the most reliable NHL reporter and seems to have a great network that assures he can break the news in a more reliable fashion than even Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger. When Friedman talks, you listen.

It was reported on The Score that Nelson will be back behind the bench next season barring a “real high-level candidate to push him out.”

During last night’s broadcast of the Oilers victory over the Avalanche Friedman went as far to say that the word on Todd Nelson’s team’s is that he gets them to overachieve. What I take from that is Nelson knows how to get the absolute best out of a team. Think of what Bob Hartley has done with the Flames this season. That could be Nelson just a little further north.

WHAT HAS NELSON DONE TO DESERVE THE JOB?

I honestly think he is just a good fit. Nelson prides himself on building a team-first culture.

One of Nelson’s greatest mentors is Barry Trotz. Trotz has been dubbed one of the best coach’s in recent memory continuously pushing the Nashville Predators to the playoffs despite questionable depth and poor scoring threats. Nelson was a player under Trotz’ tutelage, but it seems to have rubbed off on him enough to take into his coaching abilities.

Nelson has had to work with a young group that has continuously disappointed fans for five years, and on top of that, a lot of his players are not NHL proven. Nelson essentially has an AHL defense, an NHL backup goalie, An up-and-coming first NHL line, an NHL fourth line, and AHL fill-ins to make up an NHL club’s roster.

The results may not be incredible, but under the circumstances i’d say it’s still pretty impressive.

Nelson has changed so much of the dressing room culture that one would have to think that Dallas Eakins’ had lost the dressing room.

EAKINS vs NELSON

1. The players looked miserable with Eakins behind the bench. If they were ever down by two you could pretty much write the rest of the game story then. Under Nelson, the Oilers are never out of it. They’ve come back from three-goal and four-goal deficits. NELSON

2. Nail Yakupov. Yakupov lost all of his confidence under Dallas Eakins. Eakins wanted Yakupov to work on his defensive game, while taking away and means for the player’s success. The fact that Yakupov saw minimal power play time is absurd. Under Nelson, Yakupov has been put in places where he can succeed. He looks like a new man and his complete game has come a long way. Under Nelson, he will be a treat to watch next year. NELSON

3. Nelson had the luxury and advantage of working with most of the players because he has been with the organization for the last few years. He coached Hall, Eberle, Schultz and Nugent-Hopkins during the lockout. He turned Anton Lander into the player we are watching today. Marincin. Klefbom. He groomed all of these players. All Eakins did was cut Marincin and Lander in favour of, ahem, Brad Hunt and Will Acton. NELSON

4. The power play has been hot of late, and it’s known that Nelson has always had good power play teams. Using Yakupov and Lander in the places they take on the power play now has payed dividends. I don’t remember a threatening power play under Eakins at all. NELSON

5. Fancy stats. Apparently the Oiler’s Corsi has dropped vastly under Nelson, but i’m sorry, but I don’t get the hype with Corsi anymore. They may have been “visually better” but I only care about one thing; W’s. Still, for those fancy stat fans, Eakins at least gets one point. EAKINS

I could go on and on with this list, but I think it’s evident what my stance on the two coaches.

CAN THE OILERS ACTUALLY COMPETE FOR THE PLAYOFFS UNDER NELSON?

I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but I really think the team can at least be in the conversation at this time next year. I’m not saying like a point or two out, but may somewhere along the lines of the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche this season. 34 win seasons are not all that hard to come by, but it will be a massive upgrade on the Oiler’s recent seasons.

All Nelson really needs is a goalie that is a vast improvement than Scrivens (ahem….Anderson) and for Craig MacTavish to get his head out of his rear-end and replace his star defenseman Nikita Nikitin with an actual Top four defenseman (ahem….Quincey).

Todd Nelson has the tools, the likability, and the drive to become the next Barry Trotz and that should make a lot of Oil Country faithful smile.

While I wouldn’t say no to a Mike Babcock or to the possible pursuit of a Todd McLellan, I don’t believe those options to be realistic. However, Nelson is improving the club and with just a bounce here and a save there, this team could start to see small improvements resulting in wins resulting in confidence.

A little confidence goes a long way and it could be exactly what this organization needs to finally climb out of the pit that is the NHL’s basement.

Dear Mr. MacTavish,

Please take the interim tag off of Todd Nelson’s title and hand him the reins. Stop your stubbornness and pipe-dreaming and start allowing a club to finally percolate under a coach that is good for the team and is actually showing an improvement…

Sincerely,

Oil Country Faithful.