Published Nov 16, 2023<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/span><\/p>\n This in from hockey commentator Pierre LeBrun, a notable National Hockey League insider, on Ryan Rishaug\u2019s excellent Got Yet Back podcast, LeBrun\u2019s harsh assessment of the Edmonton Oilers firing coach Jay Woodcroft.<\/p>\n Said LeBrun (before Wednesday night\u2019s Edmonton victory over Seattle): \u201cI think it\u2019s bullshit that Jay Woodcroft was fired when he was. I think he should have been given more time. I think the under-lying numbers suggested a team that was about to turn it around. I do not believe he lost the room. The guys were still playing hard for him. And I would have given Jay Woodcroft more time. Now Kris Knoblauch may end up being the greatest Oilers coaching hire ever. Let\u2019s not take away from him. It might be unbelievable. And then people are going to go back and say, \u2018Well, there you go. That was exactly the right move at the right time.\u2019 How do you know? How do you know if there\u2019s not another week of Woodcroft that the Oilers aren\u2019t on a run? I didn\u2019t like it. That\u2019s my opinion. I could be wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n REGISTER TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n 1. LeBrun is one of the most serious, sober, fair and accurate analysts in hockey.\u00a0 He comes from a reporting background. He\u2019s not one for hot takes or outlandish statements. He\u2019s not exactly Spitten Chiclets material, if you know what I mean. So when he makes a comment like this, I take notice. He feels strongly about this one.<\/p>\n 2. LeBrun took care to say he might be wrong, and to make it clear he\u2019s not in any way denigrating Knoblauch. He also framed this as not just being the decision of Oilers GM Ken Holland, without explicitly mentioning new Oilers hockey boss Jeff Jackson.<\/p>\n 3. I had no strong opinion on Woodcroft getting the axe. It seemed to me the players, not so much the coach, were to blame here for their horrid defensive miscues, especially against the rush.\u00a0 I had strong opinions about that, not the coach. But, that said,\u00a0 after the loss to San Jose, I guessed Woodcroft was a goner, because that is how things tend to work in hockey, with the goalie and the coach first getting the blame for a losing streak. And I\u00a0 was OK with that eventuality. The intense effort against San Jose wasn\u2019t there. The Oilers had not nearly enough to give.<\/p>\n Headline News<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n It turns out that Oilers management did indeed decided after the San Jose game to replace Woodcroft with Knoblauch.<\/p>\n After the Seattle win on the Saturday, I revised my notion that Woodcroft was a sure goner, as it was the first time all year the Oilers had played an exceptional defensive game. Maybe the coach would survive it after all, I also thought.<\/p>\n But then came his sacking and Knoblauch\u2019s promotion.<\/p>\n 4. Of course, LeBrun is correct that we\u2019ll never know if the Oilers turn it around whether or not Woodcroft could have pulled it off. But I see no reason why that could not be true. Even with all their rancid defensive mistakes against the rush, Woodcroft\u2019s Oilers still had a slight advantage when it came to shot quality, not as big an advantage as some will suggest, but a slight one, enough that puck luck and goaltending being equal, Edmonton would have had at least as many wins as losses.<\/p>\n Of course, puck luck and goaltending were not equal.<\/p>\n 5. In Knoblauch\u2019s first two games, puck luck and goaltending have gone in his favour, with Stuart Skinner being the best goalie both games and many bounces going Edmonton\u2019s away, in particular in Wednesday night\u2019s thrilling come-from-behind OT win over Seattle.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n No one ever said the bounces in hockey were fair, or that the team with the best players is sure to win. Sometimes it\u2019s all about the goalie and the puck luck. Knoblauch could just as easily have started out with two losses, and Woodcroft could just as easily have had three or four more wins to start the year. Looking at it this way, LeBrun has a solid point to make.<\/p>\n 6. The main impediment, as I saw it, to firing Woodcroft was whether or not the Oilers had a better candidate in mind. I wasn\u2019t sure about that. But Jackson has reportedly been a fan of Knoblauch for many years. Jackson thought he had a better candidate in mind, so he made his move.<\/p>\n 7. I don\u2019t know any of these individuals. I\u2019m like you, a fan who watches the game at home on my TV. I have no particular loyalty to anyone or anything here, except the Oilers. I have no axe to grind with any of the coaches, and I\u2019m not rooting for any of them, in particular. I also saw that a change in coach was not a crazy thought, not in the least. As a result, I had no great sense of justice or injustice being done with the firing, as LeBrun evidently had. Instead, I felt two simple emotions, sadness that Woodcrodt was unable to realize his dream with this team, but glad for Knoblauch that he would get his chance.<\/p>\n How about you? What is your take?<\/p>\n McCURDY: Player grades in huge OT win over the mighty Krak<\/strong><\/p>\n McCURDY: Flurry of moves provide much-needed roster flexibility<\/strong><\/p>\n STAPLES: Campbell\u2019s woes continue in AHL<\/strong><\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n Comments<\/p>\n Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications\u2014you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.<\/p>\n![\"Edmonton](\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/edmontonjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/oilers-woodcroft-1.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=scQt1rhVHe1BiXCC1zhRZQ\" "\\"\\"")
Former Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft at training camp on Sept. 22, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton.<\/span> Photo by Larry Wong<\/span> \/Postmedia, file<\/span><\/p>\nArticle content<\/h2>\n
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My take<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nStaples on politics<\/h2>\n
Can old people refrain from selling out young people when the next pandemic hits?<\/h3>\n
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Back-to-school poses Covid-19 risks. (Cartoon by Malcolm Mayes)<\/span><\/p>\nAt the Cult of Hockey<\/h2>\n