Tuesday, June 27, 2006

 

MacT Unsigned

I can't keep up. I've been trying to work on a post about the free agency period, but stuff keeps popping out of the woodwork. I don't read much into this, but I thought I would share it anyways. I am more upset that we picked up the option on Craig Simpson than the fact that we haven't signed MacT.

Here is the original Journal article.

Comments:

I can't think of a good reason why the Oilers let that happen and Laforge's comments are ridiculous. I hope they can get this done because the Oilers will have some young centres hanging around this club regardless of what happens in the Pronger deal and I really like what MacT has done for Horcoff, Stoll and Reasoner while he's been here.
 


The article does mention that the option had to be picked up before the playoffs began. This may be a situation where they had agreed that if there was no playoff success, the coach would move on.

There was certainly a lot of speculation around the Oilogosphere that he wouldn't be back right around the time the option had to be exercised.

This one came to mind:
http://lowetide.blogspot.com/2006/04/coach.html

But I seem to remember a few others, too. MacT certainly didn't come across as the same man in March as he did in May. I would imagine that having some success made the job fun again. I suppose it remains to be seen if that was enough. I hope he signs a new deal soon. One stressful situation at a time.
 


I agree with Allan but I'd hope the club would've locked him up anyway.

Now he's a hot commodity and the whole Pronger fiasco must have him wondering just what kind of established players he'll be able to coach in Edmonton.
 


I was trying not to bring the Pronger thing up, but it was weighing on my mind as well. I wouldn't be surprised if MacT's decision waits until that's resolved, or at least until he has a clearer idea of who will be on the team next season.
 


Wow!!! The fall from glory has been fast and now seems to be bottomless. While the Oilers have played their best hockey when the deck is stacked against them, I think that this off season is taking that a little to far. Training camp should be good fun this year. GOILERS!!!

Andy
 


I agree with Allan but I'd hope the club would've locked him up anyway.

If Lowe intended to fire MacT, or was even leaning that way, it was obviously wiser for him to risk the situation he now faces (a modest raise earned by a longshot playoff run) rather than the alternative (paying two head coaches for a full season). The optics are a little bit embarrassing but I'd rate the chances of MacT leaving at near-nil. Course, I said the same thing of Pronger.
 


There was certainly a lot of speculation around the Oilogosphere that he wouldn't be back right around the time the option had to be exercised.

Which makes total sense, given the way the team was performing at the time.

What doesn't make sense is renewing the deals for the assistant coaches. Not only were they part of the problem, if the playoffs had gone poorly and MacT had exited a new coach would have preferred to install his own regime.

I guess Huddy/Simpson could have found work in NYC or Phoenix, but that's a not very impressive Plan B.
 


if the playoffs had gone poorly and MacT had exited a new coach would have preferred to install his own regime.

I bet that Huddy is next in line for the job anyways, which would explain why he and Simpson would be rehired even if MacT wasn't.

It will also be interesting to see who coaches the new WHL team. Bucky?
 


Here's my read on the situation. Don't forget, the Oil GM / coach relationship was nothing like the frosty one in TO...

Given the team struggles around half way through the year, it would have been difficult to "sell the public" on a contract extension of say three years (as mentioned on TotalSports, a veteran coach doesn't re-up for just one year). Some understood the problems largely were goaltending, but a rather loud contingent wanted heads to roll... Lowe was confident of playoff success, as was MacT...so they gambled on a little success paving the way for smoother rehire. Needless to say, MacT hit the jackpot.

Now, for MacT, the club held the option, and they felt the timing just wasn't right.

As for the assistants, Laforge said that reaching the Western Final triggered an option for them (not a team option, but a coach option). Each assistant took their option to renew.

End result is that the assistants were renewed and MacT wasn't...but the optics aren't as bad as they appear. Sounds like the timeframe of those divergent decisions was quite far apart, not to mention who exactly had the option...

- Rod
 

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