I started my day with a phone call to Ralph Krueger. It’s become customary for me, when an Edmonton Oilers coach has been let go, to reach them after being dismissed. It’s happened a lot lately.
I’ve had a lot of experience doing this in the 15 years I have spent covering the Oilers. From Ron Low to Kevin Lowe (never had to make that call because he was promoted to GM), to Craig MacTavish, Pat Quinn, Tom Renney and now Krueger.
It was just a few minutes but right away he said losing six in a row hurt more than losing his job. We spoke for a little while longer and at the end, he wished the Oilers luck with the draft, with free agency and the future.
The future behind the bench is now Dallas Eakins, who was introduced Monday afternoon.
Krueger and Eakins are two very different men.
If you looked under positive in the dictionary you would find a picture of Krueger. He always acted, and I believed him, that every day was a great day. He did suffer when the team lost but always found something to grab onto and move ahead.
It seems like those are the qualities we want in people but not necessarily in NHL head coaches.
Although 48 games isn’t much time to win the Stanley Cup but the new GM didn’t need more time, in his mind, to realize Kreuger wasn’t right for the Oilers.
Eakins appears to be the polar opposite. He looks to be a hardliner, no nonsense, brutally honest person and coach. He is someone who appears to know what it takes to win.
The new bench boss made quite a first impression in his first half hour. He talked about coaching players and not just teams. Finding out what motivates players and how he can push the right buttons to get the best out of them.
Some of this is just coach speak but what he said was delivered with a stern look that could melt ice in the Antarctic. He has a glare that could scare adult hockey players. It’s quite clear he’s the boss and you’re the employee.
Eakins played 120 games in the NHL with eight different teams. He also played for countless more in the minors. His hockey road hasn’t been an easy one. That has made him more strong willed and added to his conviction of what it takes to make it as a player and as a team.
He watched what it took to be successful and filed it all away for a later date.
Now at 46 he has his first NHL head coaching job.
He has been handed over the keys to a Porsche with engine problems. With time, it’s up to Eakins to find the problems and fix them.
Once he does that, it should be quite a few years if at all, before I have to make a phone call to the 12th head coach in Oilers history.