76 Comments
Sep 30, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

Trade Oliver and then immediately start looking for another Oliver. Doesn’t make any sense. Particularly with chycrun and soderstrom needing mentors.

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Sep 30, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

"If I have one criticism of Rick Tocchet, to me he has come in with one way to coach. Good coaches are able to take a player and fit them in. Instead of figuring out how to fit a player into the system, it’s, ‘You don’t fit my style of play. You’re out.’ That’s a fault. Good coaches find a way to make good players fit."

Oof. I know the scout tried to downplay it, but that's a pretty damning comment.

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Oct 1, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

OEL, like his countryman, holds his future in his own hands. I got to meet him at a Roadrunners game on a weeknight when his brother was playing for the Roadrunners. He came in after the initial puck drop and quietly moved into the middle seat of last row in front of the announcement booth. He clearly just wanted to enjoy his brother's game as a spectator, not a Coyote. I smiled at him leaving him to watch. When the game was over he thanked me for my consideration. Once his brother changed he invited me to take their picture together. Family is everything to him. Shane Doan was/is family to him as are many, if not all of his team mates. He's too kind to call out another player in front of anyone, he, like Shane is a Christian who does not cuss. Doaner's word was "fudge". I think OEL adopted that. He has leadership qualities, especially with younger people. The way he spoke with his brother, with Leighton, and the kids at the Boys and Girls club shows that he can be a compassionate leader. He's not going to cuss or embarrass anyone publicly. He has a different style, he leads by example, builds up rather than tear down, and points out what people do right rather than wrong. It may be too therapeutic for hockey. OEL will do what's best for the team. He hesitated to go to Sweden when his mother was dying until Doaner told him to go because the team needed him. He made sure his brother came to Tucson because it was what was best for his brother. He loves Arizona and it's horses but will go if he believes it's best for the team. I'm hoping that Army will get to see these qualities and what they bring to the team and will beg him to stay, with or without the C. If need be he will give it up if it's deemed best for the team.

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Oct 1, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

This just reassures me that moving him is not worth it. League opinion seems to feel his contract isn't as much of an issue as many harp on, and that he'd almost assuredly not return assets worth his value - a net loss to the Coyotes.

One potential request for future articles like this, could you denote the individuals making comments with something like "league executive #1" and "scout #3" so it's easier to track that individuals full view across comments? As of now we're left to assume they are all answering in the exact same order or guessing based on the context if it's the same person.

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Oct 1, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

Here's another way to look at this situation: PLAN A - Trade OEL, and go into next season with Tocchet and a pu pu platter of OEL replacements. PLAN B- Fire Tocc and start next season with Gerard Gallant and OEL. PLAN B, please!

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Sep 30, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

I am solidly in Oliver's camp - but I'd have to be blind to not notice things seem different with him. Several before me have already noted the upsides of his game on the ice that make his remaining with the Coyotes a no-brainer so I won't rehash - other than to say his upsides well outweigh where he appears to struggle. And is that fair to say he struggles? A missed pass, a turn-over, getting caught flat-footed... in terms of being an actual human being these things are 'average-hockey-player-mistakes'... so sometimes he's average. If he didn't wear the 'C', if his contract wasn't constantly trotted out as part of the argument would we still have the same focus on his average moments? I'd wager not. However, he does wear the 'C' and he earned the contract he now has to live up to - if only there were some sort of phrase about making beds and lying in them... I can certainly remember many times in the past when Doaner was roasted by fans and in the press (and don't get me started on Tkachuk) - maybe that's part of the unfairness too; Oliver certainly spent many years working with Doan, and may have learned many things from him but he is *not* Shane Doan (btw I don't mean that in a detrimental way) and those larger-than-life shoes would be hard to fill for anyone. Ultimately only Oliver can take responsibility for Oliver - which is where all of this doesn't sit right for me. I can't get past those last few moments of that last press conference and how there just seems to be radio silence ever since. I hope the Mr Armstrong takes the time to meet with him (which I am sure he will) and they go forward from there; Bill seems to be taking the reigns right away so I guess we all just wait and see.

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This situation screams get rid of Tocchet. Get a coach who’s a proven winner that can give this team a boost. OEL will be better with a fresh start as captain and trading him away will hurt this team. Im hoping Armstrong come into the office and gives Tocchet his walking papers. The last 2 games says it all, 7-1; 7-1. A shameful exhibition.

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Sep 30, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

After reading all comments from the league sources I cant help but think why anyone would consider trading him. No team did more with their Covid 2nd chance than the Coyotes and they gained valuable playoff experience in the process. Like a previous poster said 'trade him just to start looking for exactly the same player' makes no sense. Perhaps some patience until the core guys are older than 22/23 is best?

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Sep 30, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

I’m thinking more about the idea of him going to another team and clicking with the right top pairing defenseman. It seems like the new GM and new ownership could be a good situation to create a sort of coronavirus change-of-pace or reset. Like a staycation instead of relocation. If there was a change of coaching, shifting the C to someone else and keep him an alternate (I think OEL would be accepting of that, especially if there was a very capable person to take it on), and maybe someone else who complements his play? I believe Hjalmarsson was that in the past, maybe something else could work.

That all being said, maybe it is too much a mental fatigue thing, and better just to move on.

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Unfortunately it isn’t just OEL who isn’t flourishing under Coach Tocchet’s systems. The list of players who have regressed, at least offensively, is a long one and includes players who started with the Coyotes and players who were traded to the desert.

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Sep 30, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

All coaches have a preferred style of play, a system that they preach to (hopefully) honour it, and pre-conceived notions of the 'kind' of players they want on their bench. Rick Tocchet is a 'grind them down, throw the body, clunk in the corners' type, maybe drop an F-bomb in the dressing room to rally the guys, maybe a little 'old school.' OK, fine. That's his jive. Name one *top-pairing* European D-man in the league today that thrives under that style of play (not counting Zdeno Chara, who arguably has to play that way out of sheer size, and also arguably isn't a top-pair guy anymore). I doubt there's even a handful.

So I am not sure it's a question of Tocchet "changing his system" to fit OEL. By that logic, why doesn't he "change his system" to suit Phil Kessel, a annually out-of-shape player with little to no defensive impact, who sometimes gets in mental slumps (injuries aside) so great that he can't score, which is pretty much the only thing he's even been able to provide as a professional hockey player?

These are player-centric issues. Army has made the choice, it seems, that the changes will be on the roster before they're behind the bench, and I am inclined to agree with them before they have even happened. Much like OEL deserves and would likely thrive under a new opportunity, the right 'kind' of players, whatever that ends up being, will have the same success in the Desert.

I'll bet my $5 subscription fee on that. And that's after conversion to CAD, so it's actually $6.55.

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I love Oliver and I would hate to see him traded. He is an elite defenseman and those are very hard to find. He is an terrific passer and is great in one and one battles. Watch him against McDavid and you can see what he can do. He was drafted here and grew up here, I know it’s not up to me but, I want him to stay here.

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Oct 1, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

I truly hope this trade doesn’t actually occur—it has tremendous potential to blow up in our faces. OEL at his best is one of the most talented players I’ve seen on this team, a positive representative of our franchise, and a rare example of successful drafting and development.

Like many have mentioned, too many players are struggling under Tocchet—it’s not just a few guys. The chances of us getting anyone back in a trade with an OEL-caliber ceiling is extremely low. It is also very likely that the new guy(s) will underperform under Tocchet, like so many players have before. It’s time to get a proven head coach and repair the relationship.

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Oct 1, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

Craig, do we know if Armstrong and Tocchet have spent significant time together yet? It would seem strange if they haven't.

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I think I've said this in a previous comment section, but my personal opinion of what should be done is if the issue is OEL isn't clicking with Tocchet, wouldn't it be cheaper, and better for the long run success to switch coaches, rather than switch the player? But it is certainly interesting, and refreshing to see the perspectives of actual decision makers in the league.

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Sep 30, 2020Liked by Craig Morgan

Can the Coyotes realistically pull the C from him and have him stay with the team? You don’t see that very often.

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