Daum worry, be happy
Jason Gregor
April 27 2009 09:31AM
Steve Tambellini returned from the under-18 tournament and has started to focus on every aspect of the organization. He has met with many different people inside the organization including the assistant coaches and Rob Daum.
From what I understand, Daum gave Tambellini an overview of Springfield, but the conversation didn’t get down to specifics of coaching.
Daum does have one year left on his contract with the team, and has stated before that his true passion is coaching. The big question will be where does he want his coaching career to go?
If his ultimate goal is to be an NHL coach, then he should take the head coaching job in Springfield if the Oilers offer it to him.
Out of the 30 NHL teams, only two head coaches went from assistant to head coach within their respective teams. John Stevens was an assistant in Philly, but he was only an assistant for eight games before replacing the fired Ken Hitchcock. Stevens spent six years as the head man for the Philadelphia Phantoms in the AHL, before being promoted to Hitchcock’s staff and ultimately replacing him.
Tony Granato has had a strange rise and fall in Colorado. He was an assistant for a year, and then he got promoted to head coach for two seasons before the lockout. After the lockout he was back as an assistant in Colorado before getting promoted again this past year. It’s fair to say that this situation might never play out again for another coach.
Coaches who were assistants in the NHL and then hired by another team, include Lindy Ruff, Todd McLellan, Joel Quenneville, Dave Tippett, Rick Tocchet, Craig MacTavish and Ron Wilson. All of them were former NHL players, so the chance of Daum following their path isn't likely.
Ken Hitchcock was an NHL assistant, and then became head coach in the IHL before getting promoted to Dallas. Terry Murray did the same as Hitchcock. Andy Murray was an NHL assistant, then left the league and coached in Europe and for the Canadian National team before returning seven years later.
The rest were either rookies who got promoted from junior or the AHL.
If Daum ultimately wants to be the head coach of the Oilers, history shows he’d be better off being head coach in Springfield rather than an assistant in Edmonton. Daum doesn’t have any connections to Pat Quinn or Marc Crawford, and while he knows Tom Renney, he doesn’t have a long-standing relationship with him. I don’t see Tambellini telling his new coach who one of his assistants would be, so look for Daum to be the main man in Springfield.
Over-rating AHL success
With the recent success of Dan Bylsma and Cory Clouston, many feel the best route to go is getting a young coach with AHL success. But Clouston missed the playoffs his first year in the AHL, before getting promoted halfway through this second season. Bylsma was having a good first year in the AHL before replacing Michel Therrien.
Neither had a stellar proven career in the AHL, but Clouston had a great track record in the WHL before going to the AHL. What both guys inherited in the NHL was top-end talent, especially up front. Clearly they both got the attention of their players, and got them to buy into the system.
Scott Arniel seems to be the flavour of the week amongst many to replace MacTavish. He was named coach of the year in the AHL this year, and in three years with the Moose he has compiled an impressive 141-71-38 record.
The Moose have had a dominant winning record in the regular season for five years now. Arniel is a good coach, but one of the biggest keys to his success has been drafting and signing veteran players. He's also had success signing AHL players and some decent young prospects.
Springfield was short in both departments.
The Moose went out and signed Jason Krog, the AHL MVP in 2008, and he led them in scoring this year.
The Falcons signed Jake Taylor, a good leader and stay-at-home D-man, but not someone who will make you a playoff contender. Why didn’t the Oilers stock Springfield with better veterans? Because they didn’t have any NHL contracts to offer them.
That won’t be the case this summer. Currently the Oilers have 30 players signed for next season, and 20 of them played in Edmonton last year. MacIntyre, Chorney and Peckham have two-way deals, and you’d expect Brodziak, Smid, Grebeshkov and a goalie to get signed, so that puts them at 34.
Josef Hrabal, Tim Sestito, Geoff Paukovich, Ryan O’Marra, Viatcheslav Trukhno, Jordan Bendfeld, Bryan Pitton, Cody Wild, Bryan Lerg and Jordan Eberle are the other ten and all of them are on two-way deals. Eberle will either be in Edmonton, or most likely back in Regina, where his contract wouldn’t count amongst the 50.
Out of the other nine, none of them are prospects that are close to playing in Edmonton, and none are dominant AHLers. Chorney will be in the AHL next season, and depending on what trades happen this summer I think Peckham might start down there as well.
Chris Van De Velde and Alex Plante look to be the only new young players in Springfield next season, so Steve Tambellini will need to get some proven veterans. He should be able to entice some proven veterans by dangling a two-way NHL contract in front of them.
Expect the Oilers to sign proven AHL players this summer. Their experience will give the Oilers depth in case of injury, but more importantly, they will lead the young players in Springfield.
The good and the bad for draft picks
Here's a great story about the Raven’s first round draft pick this past Saturday.
Oher’s story has already been written as a book, The Blind Side, and they are currently making a movie about him. Here's the book's synopsis.
There are always great success stories in sports, but there are many cases of players who had all the talent, but made some bad decisions and never made it. Read this story, and if one of your kids is lucky enough to get drafted by a team, make sure as a parent you give the right advice and do you homework on which agent to use.
WWOOOOWW! That Matt Harrington story blows me away. Completely.
WWWOOOOOOWWW! Two fer two Jason. Great Stuff. Unreal.
I would stay away from Crawford, he never fully recovered from Nagano.
@ Brian O'Neill:
Tambo hinted that he would wait for the playoffs to end to hire a coach. Doesn't Crawford have a contract with CBC for the playoffs?? The more I think about it the more I think Crawford is in the top 2 or 3 guys to get the job. If we do hire him I hope it's not a long term thing, not a big fan.
Great stories Gregor. I look forward to seeing Oher killing guys on the Ravens line, GO RAVENS!!!!
@ scorcoff hemmercules:
His TV deal would not be a hindrance to being hired before the end of the playoffs.
@ kingsblade: I agree, his TV contract probably has clause that releases him. Last thing I would want is him signed as a coach and still doing commentary for playoffs - we'd be a joke.
And If Marc is hard up for cash that asks to finish playoffs before being signed, well he needs a cheaper hair gel.
Hemmertime wrote:
You think that's hair gel? I always assumed that he wore a ceramic wig.
Didn't Vande Velde say he was going to return to school for one more season?
Jonathan Willis wrote:
I listed him because outside of him and Plante I don't see any other young guys coming out who would help in the AHL. He hinted he would go back for his final year, but wasn't 100% sure. I would think he will go back and finish school, so that makes the free agents AHLer's they sign even more important.
Gregor,
Your writing gets better all the time. Great info on the coaches background and how they get to the NHL. I thought most assistants got promoted, but clearly I was way off. Great stuff. Good links as well. The Oher story is awesome and I'd like to get that book.
@ Jason Gregor: I could understand his thinking. If I was offered the chance to finish a University Degree or play on the AHL's worst team, I would take the Degree. The guy's pro career wont last forever. He might as well have an education to fall back on.
*reflects upon the uselessness of his own University Degrees*
On second thought...
Great points about assistants. Another thing people tend to forget is that not all assistant coaches have the skills to be a head coach even if they are great assistant coaches. To me its a very different skill set, similar to an operations manager vs a CEO in a business. One understands the Xs and Os, the other is more interested in inspiration and leadership.
Look at Barry Smith and Dave Lewis in Detroit. Both excelled at being assistant coaches but fell flat on thier faces as head coaches. It doesn't mean they aren't smart guys or that they don't now hockey, but they may not have the right skill set for being a head coach. Huddy and Moores have that same feeling to me even though Moores has had some head coaching experience but at a much lower level.
Archaeologuy wrote:
Good points, but the Falcons will be better next year, because frankly they can't get worse. They'll have solid goaltending with Dubynk and they will sign better AHL players. The problem is they won't have many new prospects on the team.
@ Dale:
Thanks Dale...Did my mom sign up on here and write under Dale..haha...Seriously thanks...
@ GREGOR:
Gregor wrote:
Don't all minor leaguers have 2-way contracts? I've always thought that was the case. Please explain.
@ scorcoff hemmercules: Arneil looks so good it makes me want to fire Vingeault just to bring him in.
@ Homie: Homie wrote:
You just described MacTavish...
No way is Crawford the coach that Tambs is seeking.
Mark my words!
Crawford is scum. Thanks but ill pass.
From what ive heard people on CBC talk, going from an assistant to a head coach on the same team rarely happens because of the role the assistants play vs. the head coaches.
Peter Pan wrote:
Players can also be signed to AHL/ECHL deals. The Oilers had no room last year to entice many new players from outside the organization. They won't be up against the 50 contract maximum this season.
While most do get two way deals, last season the Oilers had little room to sign anyone early and when it got close to the season all the "good" AHL veterans had signed elsewhere.
@ Jason Gregor:
Wasn't MacTavish assistant with the Rangers 2 years and then he came to the Oilers and was an assistant coach to Kevin Lowe for one year.
Archaeologuy wrote:
Now Arch, never doubt the deep usefulness of your degree which cost the same as a more 'useful' degree (law, engineering, mediciine) but does not bring in money. We, WE, enhance the fabric of society! Oh, yeah!
*crickets chirping*
Crap.
@ Jasmine: MacT never served as an assistant under KLowe. He left the Rangers to come be the head man in Etown the same year KLowe stepped up to replace Slats in the GM's chair.
@ Quinn: its usefullness must be so deep that potential employers cant see it anymore
Change up the subject here a bit, how bout that Brent Seabrook, eh? He is a horse. I said at the beginnibg of the series if Calgary is gonna win, Iggy's gotta tilt Seabrook. Lookin back at the year of the Flames Cup run, he had a huge fight in each series. Lets see if Seabrook engages.
The reason I bring Seabrook's name up - sent Bob Stauffer (who I'm a fan of) an email back in the summer of '07 when he was at The Team. Still got the emails we exchanged: "Bob would you move Stoll for Bouwmeester or Seabrook". His response: " Bouwmeester yes, Seabrook no". Made me laugh at the time. Makes me laugh even harder now. How great would he look in Oil silks? (not that Chicago would have made the trade, but if Bob dismissed it so quickly from the Oil point of view, it makes you wonder - Stoll was coming off a good year IIRC). Instead the Oil landed Pitkanen in search of they're Big D-man.
RossCreek wrote:
Cogs + Gilbert for Seabrook + Ladd would be interesting.
Gregor, good stuff today (on ON & The Team). I was a bit put off at first with the Ron Low hour long trip down memory lane reminiscing of playoff success over a decade ago while the 2009 playoffs are live in the flesh. I was however, pleasantly suprised and I thouroughly enjoyed it. I could listen to the old(er) guys tell stories all day. Keep up the gr8 work there pal.
Alright, STOP. Collaborate and LISTEN.
Sincerely,
DJ LaRock
Ogden Brother wrote:
Ahh... NO! I gotta think the days of the Hawks looking at the possibility of moving Seabrook are gone.
They may find themselves in cap trouble at some point in the near future, and they may have backed themselves into a corner with Brian Campbell's humdinger of a deal (not to mention Crisobal Huet's deal).
With Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews & Duncan Keith all looking for new deals after next season, and Cam Barker & Kris Versteeg up after this season, the Hawks could have problems. But would you move a 6-3, 205 lb. D-man at age 24 with another 2 years left on a deal that pays him 3.5? I sure as hell wouldn't!
@ Archaeologuy: Made me laugh so hard I almost dropped the baby!
@ Ogden Brother: If Tambellini actually pulled that trade off, he'd win GM of the year that very moment. And Dale Tallon would receive his pink slip (that may happen anyway, but that's another story). Oil fan once again overvaluing their own players.
@ RossCreek: Yeah, trading away Gilbert (top 20 point producer for defensemen in the NHL) for Seabrook (someone who hasnt ever produced more points than any of Gilbert's 2 seasons) would be a GREAT move. Then, getting rid of a Sophomore forward with a career 16.8 shooting percentage for a forward who has never scored more goals than Cogs is wicked cool. GM of the Century. Book the parade.
RossCreek wrote:
Differential tuition sunk that ship in '05.
@ Archaeologuy: LOL. Whatever you think buddy. Soft euro-style d for rugged shutdown MONSTER! 3rd line Vanilla Midge (with a touch, no doubt) for 3rd line rugged MONSTER! Let's get a "professional" opinion on that one. Brownlee? Gregor?
Hawks make that trade? Oil?
@ Archaeologuy: Just polled 3 friends for some different opinions: Oiler hater - Oil steal that trade bad! Olier lover - not a big Ladd fan, but Oil win trade Tweener - I LOVE Seabrook, Oil win.
Lets get some more opinions on here. And let's not let the stats sheet (points column in particular) fool us.
@ Jonathan Willis: @ Robin Brownlee: @ Jason Gregor: Tell ol' Arch he's off his rocker. Or tell me.
@ Archaeologuy: Put it this way. Seabrook will get consideration for the Canadian Olympic team. I know he's not Canadian, but if he were, how much of a shot would Gilbert have to be there?
ZERO%
@ Archaeologuy: Or put it this way. Seabrook ain't goin anywhere. Point. Blank. Period.
So you don't have to worry about Tambo making such a stupid move.
Seriously Oil fan. Talk about overvalue your own players/prospects.
I'll put it one more way. If that trade were made, the Flames would be looking to end the series in 6 tonight.
RossCreek wrote:
What? for all that Seabrook is better then Campbell (not a tonne) Cogs makes up for it with his superiority to Ladd.
Ogden Brother wrote:
*Meant better the "Gilbert"*
RossCreek wrote:
Seabrooks getting a little overhyped with his play in the PO this year. He was considerd a minor disapointment the last couple of years and most thought Kieth was the far better of the two.
RossCreek wrote:
Me thinks someone has been listning to a little too much Pierre Mcguire.
@ Ogden Brother: I've been pumping Seabrook's tires since he came in. Even one of those above friends I mentioned and I have argued over Keith & Seabrook before. But Pierre does know what he's talking about, so that only confirms my thoughts. Thanks anyways there bud.
Ogden Brother wrote:
You're way underestimating the type of impact BOTH Seabrook & Ladd would make.
@ Ogden Brother: Me thinks that there's a few certain fans out there that automatically discount what Pierre has to say. The man's smarter than you, Arch & I combined when it comes to this hockey thing.
RossCreek wrote:
.... for some reason I think it isn't his tires you are pumping...
RossCreek wrote:
He also picks a couple favorites and overhypes them beyond belief.
Why would you want: A 6-3, 220 lb. physical, shutdown defenseman that just turned 24 a week ago and has 2 years left @ 3.5. And its not like he doesn't have the ability to put up some points. and A 6-2, 200 lb. banging winger with a Stanley Cup ring and a bit of a touch that turns 24 in December.
Brent Seabrook (82-8-18-26 +23) Andrew Ladd (82-15-34-49 +26)
For the record only Havlat & Keith had a better +/- (Patrick Kane -2)
@ Ogden Brother: Pierre's not the only one "overhyping" Seabrook. My buddy and I can't even believe this convo is taking place.
@ RossCreek: sorry i was out for dinner, i didnt want to miss this conversation.
Here's my contention with a few things said here. RossCreek wrote:
This statement assumes that Cogliano is a 3rd line player. His speed and scoring touch suggests a much higher position on the team is possible in the future. Cogliano might not be the biggest player or have the best faceoff percentage, but out of all the kids I'd be willing to bet that he hits a 30 goal season before any of them.
The next problem i have here is that this trade would be giving up 2 offensive players for 2 shutdown guys/physical guys. Also, it goes right back into that Oiler tradition of giving up on its young players. The 2 guys mentioned in this proposal are 2nd year players who actually fared better as sophomores than the rest of the guys on the team in the same situation. The Oilers had a disasterous season, no doubt, but that is no reason to abandon the young promising core of the team in order to fill 3rd line roles. Gilbert is a promising young offensive defenseman who put up very good numbers. He ought to be able to land more than a 2nd pairing Dman by himself. It just seems to me that at best these moves are lateral. Lose scoring, gain defense. Well, Offense isnt easy to teach, or attain. There are a lot more vets that failed to impress this year than young guys. Staios, Pisani, Moreau, Penner, Horc. Isnt this where the team failed? No consistent 1st line, no shutdown line! So again, I wonder why the Team would give up on Cogliano so quickly considering he was the best Kid forward for 80% of the year. Plus, it has already been said. Seabrook isnt going anywhere. So would you make a straight up trade Cogs for Ladd? I wouldnt.
@ Archaeologuy: Your forgetting. I'm not even the one who proposed this deal. It was proposed by OgdenBrother. All I said is I'd do it in a heartbeat if I were the Oil. It's not like the guys you're getting back aren't young (OUT - 26 & 22; IN - 24& 23). I'm not saying give up on Cogliano. I'm saying to get Seabrook, I'd move him in a heartbeat.
And Gilbert str8 up for Seabrook? AYFKM!