Please welcome your new Edmonton Oilers head coach, Pat Quinn, and his associate coach, Tom Renney.I have to admit all of us in the Oilogosphere were taken a bit by surprise with this announcement yesterday. The Oilers kept this signing under wraps big time. They are very good secret-keepers (KGB-like). I believe most of us expected the announcement to come after the playoffs had finished; interview a few more people maybe?
This is a fairly safe hire. He went with experience. What makes this more interesting is he went with two experienced head coaches. That is going outside the box a bit, but staying safe. The more I think about it, the more I like it. Quinn is the motivator while Renney is the technician. Taking the safe path does not mean it's wrong.
What I do not like about this is the retention of Kelly Buchburger over Billy Moores and Charlie Huddy. In particular, I'm upset about the loss of Huddy. He has worked wonders with the defence and I think he's got a lot of skill. Keeping Kelly may work out though. He's a young coach; always been a hard worker and willing to learn. He's being mentored here!
Along with two new coaches, there will be some player changes as well this off-season. It shall be an interesting couple of months. The draft and free agency is about a month off. Get to work boys!
And did anyone see the Flames presser yesterday? Daryl Sutter sure thinks highly of himself. It was hilarious. Apparently, he's the fourth best coach in the league.
"All the best coaches in the league are under contract and I think there are three guys that are excellent... and then I'm fourth."
Wow what an ego. And he's sooooooo wrong, it's sad! But hilarious! Thanks Shames for being so damn funny!
Oh and someone told me the playoffs are still going. Whatever......hockey sucks without the Oilers!!!
