Barry Trotz will not return as Predators' coach

[metaldude26]

I'm surprised that team even scored goals, given the personnel.. They wore down teams and feasted on mistakes, while mounting a Spartan like defence. That's how they won... If they had had themselves a Patrick Kane or John Tavares or two, it'd be different... but due to their success and ability/desire to go for it every year, they often traded 1st round picks to load up at the deadline or just did too well to draft in the top 10. They did really really well considering their roster/past draft positions / ability to attract any free agents and a lot of credit has to go to Trotz. You could see Poile didn't want to do it and knows the replacement likely won't be any better. It'll be different, but not necessarily any better. Unless the player personnel gets an overhaul.

I'll be interested to see who gets the big job. I've been hearing the rumours about Laviolette since the Olympics but they've been grooming Lane Lambert in-house for years with the plan that he would succeed Trotz whenever he moved on. Lambert's been with the club for like seven years now. A bunch down in Milwaukee as the big cheese and then the past three in Nashville as an assistant. If they pass him over I could see him hunting for a job elsewhere.

But it begs the question, if they just promote Lambert will it be more of the same?

[agentzero]

I'll be interested to see who gets the big job. I've been hearing the rumours about Laviolette since the Olympics but they've been grooming Lane Lambert in-house for years with the plan that he would succeed Trotz whenever he moved on. Lambert's been with the club for like seven years now. A bunch down in Milwaukee as the big cheese and then the past three in Nashville as an assistant. If they pass him over I could see him hunting for a job elsewhere.

But it begs the question, if they just promote Lambert will it be more of the same?

Good question and while I don't give toooo much credence to many hockey myths, promoting a long time assistant to head coach has its difficulties.. and it wouldn't do much to change the culture.

Something tells me Poile was made to do this, like Regier was made to fire Ruff. Neither really wanted to, but ownership made them do it. Poile might be next in the same vein Regier was. Albeit the circumstances were pretty different, this one smells really similar to that case...

I would bet that unless some defenceman of value is traded for some quality scoring, the results actually get worse in NSH under a new coach (and when I say worse, I mean worse than they would have been this year or last had Rinne been healthy all year, so basically, no playoffs). I keep getting the feeling that Edmonton and Nashville have the good opportunity of being trade partners, forward for defence, since there is depth at either end of the wells and it just seems like a good fit. I think the Oil could use some of the Preds and vice versa. If I was MacT, I'd be all over that, especially if Poile gets canned anytime soon.

[islefan31]

Well we know he won't be coming to Long Island...sigh

Why would they hire a coach that has the respect of just about eeveryone in hockey? Sorry, didn't mean to turn this into an Islander thing.

[metaldude26]

Good question and while I don't give toooo much credence to many hockey myths, promoting a long time assistant to head coach has its difficulties.. and it wouldn't do much to change the culture.

Something tells me Poile was made to do this, like Regier was made to fire Ruff. Neither really wanted to, but ownership made them do it. Poile might be next in the same vein Regier was. Albeit the circumstances were pretty different, this one smells really similar to that case...

I would bet that unless some defenceman of value is traded for some quality scoring, the results actually get worse in NSH under a new coach (and when I say worse, I mean worse than they would have been this year or last had Rinne been healthy all year, so basically, no playoffs). I keep getting the feeling that Edmonton and Nashville have the good opportunity of being trade partners, forward for defence, since there is depth at either end of the wells and it just seems like a good fit. I think the Oil could use some of the Preds and vice versa. If I was MacT, I'd be all over that, especially if Poile gets canned anytime soon.

Yeah, once upon a time maybe. But now it seems less likely as more of the Preds prospects have busted. Jones isn't moving. Josi is a complementary guy. Weber is the only option I see as reasonable because the Predators probably don't want to keep paying that deal but that only works if Nashville undersells or the Oilers offer up Nuge or Hall. Seems like a stalemate.

That said, I'd love to add one or two of the Predators' veteran forwards to the roster.

[Dutch]

the oilers and preds are dance partners made in heaven it seems.

We discussed it before, Weber gets traded (altho not sure if he wants the oilers to be frank) and maybe a veteran for an eberle package would make all the sense in the world.



But as I said before as well, I am not sure we can change direction if Poile doesn't step down or gets canned. He said yesterday he loves the group of players. And honestly there is not much to love about our fwd group of players UNLESS they were your 2/3d line guys.

[Big Ev]

the oilers and preds are dance partners made in heaven it seems.

We discussed it before, Weber gets traded (altho not sure if he wants the oilers to be frank) and maybe a veteran for an eberle package would make all the sense in the world.



But as I said before as well, I am not sure we can change direction if Poile doesn't step down or gets canned. He said yesterday he loves the group of players. And honestly there is not much to love about our fwd group of players UNLESS they were your 2/3d line guys.

a franchise D for Eberle? Naw.

[agentzero]

Yeah, once upon a time maybe. But now it seems less likely as more of the Preds prospects have busted. Jones isn't moving. Josi is a complementary guy. Weber is the only option I see as reasonable because the Predators probably don't want to keep paying that deal but that only works if Nashville undersells or the Oilers offer up Nuge or Hall. Seems like a stalemate.

That said, I'd love to add one or two of the Predators' veteran forwards to the roster.

I could see Ekholm moving.... Ellis too. I think for Ellis to have success he has to mold his game. I think he gets there but it takes some time. I wouldn't be ready to call them busts just yet. Most D need time. Jones isn't moving but Josi could. The Oilers need talented bodies, complementary or not..

[Dutch]

a franchise D for Eberle? Naw.

no for Eberle package. Not sure what other pieces would come. I don't think they will part with Hall, and I am not sold on nugent Hopkins myself

[agentzero]

no for Eberle package. Not sure what other pieces would come. I don't think they will part with Hall, and I am not sold on nugent Hopkins myself

They should trade the Nuge but if they do they won't get full value. If they trade Eberle they will. They already ousted Dubnyk. One more from that clique has to go. I would hate it to be Eberle, but they can't nor shouldn't trade Hall and I don't know that they get back what they need from Nuge. As crazy as it sounds, they should actually hold on to Yakupov as they will need him.

[fungchen3]

The Oilers have the pieces to land Weber but will Weber agree to play the next 12 years in Edmonton? Last thing the Oilers need is drama from a player (or their family) not wanting to be there. Of course Weber could be in favor of it - just throwing the possible scenario out there.

As for the package, a deal like:

Eberle, Gagner, Klefbom and a 1st

for

Weber and a 3rd

Could work "hockey-wise" for both teams.

[Big Ev]

Spezza for Weber please

[agentzero]

and now this thread has been massively jacked lol

fungchen, interesting proposition but deals that big rarely get done and no one wants Gagner.... It would be a lot smaller deal I think... One for one + prospect or something like that. I also think there's no way that team trades Weber.

Next coach tho? Any other names?

[metaldude26]

I could see Ekholm moving.... Ellis too. I think for Ellis to have success he has to mold his game. I think he gets there but it takes some time. I wouldn't be ready to call them busts just yet. Most D need time. Jones isn't moving but Josi could. The Oilers need talented bodies, complementary or not..

Ellis isn't busted but he won't move the needle either. Was more referring to Blum and the fact that no one has become a star out of that next wave.

[agentzero]

Ellis isn't busted but he won't move the needle either. Was more referring to Blum and the fact that no one has become a star out of that next wave.

Indeed.. but he has already moved on to MIN right? Some of these guys take time, some come sooner, but when one considers the relative value of well-developed defencemen, even if they aren't stars, they tend to command more attention than forwards.. One thing's for sure, the Oil D can't survive as currently constructed...Either the Oil clone themselves a Patrick Roy to get the most out of their motley crew, or they change the crew's makeup.. Otherwise, keeping the same approach and expecting different results is the definition of....well........

[metaldude26]

Indeed.. but he has already moved on to MIN right? Some of these guys take time, some come sooner, but when one considers the relative value of well-developed defencemen, even if they aren't stars, they tend to command more attention than forwards.. One thing's for sure, the Oil D can't survive as currently constructed...Either the Oil clone themselves a Patrick Roy to get the most out of their motley crew, or they change the crew's makeup.. Otherwise, keeping the same approach and expecting different results is the definition of....well........

Yeah, he's a project there too. I'm honestly not that concerned about the Oilers defense. Marincin looked solid to end the year. Klefbom and Nurse potentially make the jump next season. Would be nice to have another vet aside from Petry and Ference to help ease them along but they've put in the work with these guys and developed them with patience. I still want more talent back there because you can never have too much and a legit #1 could vault this team to contender status but that's unlikely so slow and steady with this thing. A summer without turnover on the coaching side might help from a continuity stand-point as well.

All this to say I just don't see as good a fit for a trade as you'd imagine.