Edmonton Oilers

[agentzero]

So the Oilers hire Paul Coffey as a development coach. I'm not sure how much of an effect he will have on the players after being away from the game for 17 years. The game has evolved so much since.

Paul: Ok, so you'll want to make quick short passes to avoid the two line pass
Oscar: Um... there's no such rule anymore....
Paul: Oh... well that changes everything.... Um... make long stretch passes then!
Darnell: We've been doing that all year, it doesn't work...
Paul: Right....well, just do what I did then and skate through everyone and pass it to Gretz!
Kris: Gretz doesn't play anymore... We have Connor, but it's not the same and teams have video now and prepare for that....
Paul: When's lunch?

[Godin]

Paul: Ok, so you'll want to make qucik short passes to avoid the two line pass
Oscar: Um... there's no such rule anymore....
Paul: Oh... well that changes everything.... Um... make long stretch passes then!
Darnell: We've been doing that all year, it doesn't work...
Paul: Right....well, just do what I did then and skate through everyone and pass it to Gretz!
Kris: Gretz doesn't play anymore... We have Connor, but it's not the same and teams have video now and prepare for that....
Paul: When's lunch?

Kind of what i'm thinking.

[blayze]

Smart move.

Leafs should take note and bring back Borje Salming as a defensive development coach...

[Axeman33]

Smart move.

Leafs should take note and bring back Borje Salming as a defensive development coach...

Couldn't hurt.

[The Comish]

Paul: Ok, so you'll want to make quick short passes to avoid the two line pass
Oscar: Um... there's no such rule anymore....
Paul: Oh... well that changes everything.... Um... make long stretch passes then!
Darnell: We've been doing that all year, it doesn't work...
Paul: Right....well, just do what I did then and skate through everyone and pass it to Gretz!
Kris: Gretz doesn't play anymore... We have Connor, but it's not the same and teams have video now and prepare for that....
Paul: When's lunch?

Hilarious! Bring in a legend who could skate circles around everyone. Exactly how does one teach that!? Coffey took so many offensive chances because he could back check like a demon with his skating ability, so smooth. I don't think he was a particularly smart hockey player - he had some amazing skating abilities and he could put up some points for sure, but I'm not sure about the track record of HHOF'ers being able to teach. Most of them never had to pay attention because their skills allowed them to play their game. Meh, I don't think it will hurt the Oilers and if it helps, so much the better.

[Mr. Guru]

Hilarious! Bring in a legend who could skate circles around everyone. Exactly how does one teach that!? Coffey took so many offensive chances because he could back check like a demon with his skating ability, so smooth. I don't think he was a particularly smart hockey player - he had some amazing skating abilities and he could put up some points for sure, but I'm not sure about the track record of HHOF'ers being able to teach. Most of them never had to pay attention because their skills allowed them to play their game. Meh, I don't think it will hurt the Oilers and if it helps, so much the better.

You don't think he was a 'particularly smart hockey player'? And you got that from just watching him play? Unless you met the guy and talked to him about hockey how can you justify those comments?

Never had to pay attention because of their skills? If they never had to pay attention they wouldn't be HHOFers. They would 'just' be a good hockey player. You could easily argue that because they (HHOFers) knew the skill they had they could 'cheat' in other areas of the game. Whether they (HHOFers) can explain that or not is a different story.

I agree that the track record for HHOFers is not the greatest (in hockey). But the biggest reason for that is because they don't know how to teach/educate not because 'they never had to pay attention'.

[The Comish]

You don't think he was a 'particularly smart hockey player'? And you got that from just watching him play? Unless you met the guy and talked to him about hockey how can you justify those comments?

Never had to pay attention because of their skills? If they never had to pay attention they wouldn't be HHOFers. They would 'just' be a good hockey player. You could easily argue that because they (HHOFers) knew the skill they had they could 'cheat' in other areas of the game. Whether they (HHOFers) can explain that or not is a different story.

I agree that the track record for HHOFers is not the greatest (in hockey). But the biggest reason for that is because they don't know how to teach/educate not because 'they never had to pay attention'.

I did watch a lot of Oilers hockey from 1979/80 onwards having grown up in Edmonton. Coffey made a lot of poor decisions, but with his amazing skating ability was able to get back into the play and often break up that odd man rush against that he caused. A lesser talented player could never do that. They would have to make smarter decisions before pinching or rushing up the ice without thinking of the ramifications of those actions or they would be busted down to the minors. It's often the "regular" and "fringe" players who seem to make the best coaches, while it's rare for a superstar to have success as a coach. There does seem to be a lot of anecdotal evidence to support my assertion (I hope I said that correctly).

Maybe saying most of them never had to pay attention wasn't the best way to express what I was trying to say, but I hope you get my point that incredible players could almost always approach the game in a different way than the more "workmanlike" players.

[Mr. Guru]

I did watch a lot of Oilers hockey from 1979/80 onwards having grown up in Edmonton. Coffey made a lot of poor decisions, but with his amazing skating ability was able to get back into the play and often break up that odd man rush against that he caused. A lesser talented player could never do that. They would have to make smarter decisions before pinching or rushing up the ice without thinking of the ramifications of those actions or they would be busted down to the minors. It's often the "regular" and "fringe" players who seem to make the best coaches, while it's rare for a superstar to have success as a coach. There does seem to be a lot of anecdotal evidence to support my assertion (I hope I said that correctly).

Maybe saying most of them never had to pay attention wasn't the best way to express what I was trying to say, but I hope you get my point that incredible players could almost always approach the game in a different way than the more "workmanlike" players.

Yeah I get what you were tying to say. But recognising your skill and adapting your play around it shouldn't be a knock. Teaching it is a different ball game, agreed.

[agentzero]

Teaching it is a different ball game, agreed.

I cannot recall one elite hockey player who made as good a coach (or wanted to). Conversely, I can recall a plethora of coaches who were marginal hockey players or hell, who never played at all.

PR stunt. Will not work. Go Oil.

[donions]

One of the best and most respected skills development coaches in hockey today is Adam Oates, many top NHL'ers spend time with him in the off-season, perfecting there game. A 1st ballot Hall of Famer.

He wasnt a great head coach in the NHL, but thats not the topic.

[lucafen4]

I cannot recall one elite hockey player who made as good a coach (or wanted to). Conversely, I can recall a plethora of coaches who were marginal hockey players or hell, who never played at all.

PR stunt. Will not work. Go Oil.

Larry Robinson 99/00 Cup - 00/01 Cup Finals

[Mr. Guru]

Scott Niedermayer is one of the best and he goes unnoticed as a 'development' coach in Anaheim. He's pretty much an assistant that doesn't travel with the team from my understanding.

With the plethora of young producing D men in Anaheim one has to think he's doing a pretty damn good job out there. And staying out of the spotlight while doing it.

Always a winner this guy.

[agentzero]

Larry Robinson 99/00 Cup - 00/01 Cup Finals

Scott Niedermayer is one of the best and he goes unnoticed as a 'development' coach in Anaheim. He's pretty much an assistant that doesn't travel with the team from my understanding.

With the plethora of young producing D men in Anaheim one has to think he's doing a pretty damn good job out there. And staying out of the spotlight while doing it.

Always a winner this guy.

Definitely the exception with Robinson. Not many have joined the coaching ranks that are in the record books. I don't know if Weight and Recchi can be considered elite players of their own time (I guess so), but they are in the coaching ranks now, with the jury still very much out. The list of elite players that never made coaches is much longer than the other one.

[Shift Disturber]

Toe Blake, to go way, way back. Great player, great coach.

[The Comish]

All this Coffey talk is a beautiful distraction from yesterday's 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the Sabres...sigh! Here's hoping for a lottery pick! lol