YOU HEARD IT HERE (OR THERE) FIRST
Robin Brownlee
June 24 2012 11:27PM
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the Edmonton Oilers name Ralph Krueger as their new head coach in the next couple of days. I'll resist a reference to "Oilersnation has learned . . ."
I don't know from first-hand information Krueger has the job because the Oilers have been predictably tight-lipped about the matter since letting Tom Renney walk, and I don't have people slipping me tidbits of information on the down-low like they used to during my days working the beat.
But I know I read or heard somewhere Krueger had the inside track. The problem is, media guys these days are so busy regurgitating information as their own without attribution (and without checking the reliability of it) – that's a pet peeve of mine, dating back awhile – it's easy to lose track. All I know is, if it turns out to be Krueger, I didn't have it first.
Bob Stauffer did. At least he was the first guy -- against a steady flow of talk about Brent Sutter from a lot of people, including me – to insist repeatedly Krueger was a contender. On and on he went, for a couple of weeks at least, on Oilers Now on 630 CHED before the rest of us jumped aboard. The first couple of times I heard it, I thought, "No way." Now? Seems like a pretty good bet, no?
THIS JUST IN . . .
On May 24th I wrote: "Today, Stauffer is hinting associate coach Ralph Krueger should be or is a strong candidate to take over from Tom Renney as head coach. While I'm of the mind Brent Sutter is and should be the leading candidate for the job – my take is based on circumstance and gut-feel rather than inside information – Bombastic Bob has my attention. He should have yours, too."
"My guess is the hangers-on and coat-tail riders in town will be parroting the "Krueger is a serious contender" angle and spinning the idea as their own -- without attribution -- soon enough."
The above was the final paragraph in the May 24 item and what I suggested, predictably and like clockwork, has unfolded over the past couple of weeks or so. "I'm hearing it's Krueger," or "My sources say . . ." Terry Jones did a big feature on Krueger at The Sun. Timely. How many APG's have we heard from what's-her/his-name mentioning Krueger on Twitter?
With everybody wanting the story yesterday, a lot of thumb-typers are bashing off stuff to get it out there first and asking questions later. I've been guilty of that a time or two. Sometimes, too often, accuracy suffers in the name of expediency. Likewise, sometimes who actually gets it right and gets it first -- be it Stauffer or Jason Gregor or Jim Matheson -- is lost in a blizzard of Tweets and notebook items and guesswork on the radio.
That's meant as more of an observation than it is a condemnation of the way the media biz is going as websites and newspapers and broadcast outlets scrap for traffic. Attribution? That's old school. Listeners and readers don't care all that much who got it first as long as they get it now. So we put it out there.
Like I said off the top. my guess is we'll know soon enough if Stauffer everybody had Krueger as the new head nailed all along.
Listen to Robin Brownlee Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Jason Gregor Show on TEAM 1260.
Kreuger's my 1b. I'd prefer Cooper but I can settle for the Kreug. So long as it isn't Sutter or Crawford I'm happy.
First thing to state is that I am very happy to have Yakkers added to the Oilers.
best decision at this point to have made at the draft. Murray, although a great choice asd well, is not going to have added greatly to the offence of the Oilers like Yakupov will.
Now its time to get two high inoput defenceman who can upgrade what we have now...not in two years.
IMO, lets get on the Schultz matter first then look at the rest in trade potentials. If it takes trading Gagner or Paajarvi within a package then so be it.
I also say to the Oilers that they should sign Yan Danis to go with Dubnyk one year while saying Bye to Khabby. Danis greatly earned a one year contract with the season he had with OKC.
I want to say last that Sutter or krueger are fine choices to go forward but I am liking krueger more due to that fine powerplay he developed and his experience and success internationally with a weaker hockey country gives him the shot he deserves in the NHL. it was not him making final decisions with the team the last two years, it was Renney, and blame for being 29th is not that great a deal to place on his shoulders.
Now lets get that full arsenal put together (Hall, Yakupov, Eberle, Nuge, Hemsky???, Gagner???, Paajarvi????) and see how many goals we can get this next season. wow!!!!!!!
Would Paajarvi and Peckham get you Yandle from the Coyotes? If they're looking to shed salary it may be appropriate.
No offence to Bob but he also went right up the draft suggesting that Yakupov would not be the Oilers first pick overall.
Re-read the article.
The point of the article is to dislodge the idea that having an educated guess that goes against the grain early (saying "look at Krueger" when everyone else is saying "look at Sutter"), which later becomes conventional wisdom, is the same thing as saying what you are ("Krueger already has the job")
Nowhere in RB's article or BS's comments is anything like that said.
What RB is saying is:
1) BS was the first to look hard at the possibility of Krueger
2) the people who now claim to have inside info that Krueger is the man, don't have any
3) the origin of that claim (in 2) can probably be traced back BS's comments
this article is about the difference between taking an educated guess and claiming to have an inside scoop
and
about the ways in which rumors tend to build and multiply and lose track of their origins
Sounds like a good enough argument to me. Wonder who started this rumour still? I can't seem to find a source for the rumour. Now the waiting game to see how our defense will look after July 1st. Hopefully we get Justin Schultz
I didn't read any mention of Stauffer always being right - I think Robin did due diligence in reminding us that all of this - including from Stauffer - is speculation... but Stauffer being a bit closer to the situation than the rest of us, had Krueger's name in the mix before anyone else called it legitimate.
meh...Kruger is more of the same....i really wanted Sutter here to kick a little booty that needs to be kicked!
I've seen variations of this trade equation mentioned here for weeks now:
Maybe the Oilers can trade X + Y for Z from ABC
X = one of Oilers weaker defensman Y = one of Oilers prospects that hasn't been able to either crack the Oilers lineup or stick there Z = 1st or 2nd best defefnceman ABC = any team in the NHL
The Oilers will have to give up something very good to get something very good in return. That means Hall, Eberle, Nugent, Yakapov, 1st rounder. You can't expect a team to give up a first pairing defensman for a buch of crap the Oilers don't want.
@RDS
Vishnovsky was just acquired for a draft pick and Michalek was acquired for nearly exactly what you listed. It's not impossible.
Yes, if he could motivate the veterans in Edmonton in the same manner he did in Calgary, the Oilers could maintain their lottery winning ways.
Guessing games once more by many I see. Lol. Yet I am one of those too.
IMO, I like all three possibilities for the next coach gig... Sutter, Krueger or Cooper. each has credentials to take the next positive steps with the team.
Its the veterans I am concerned about not the kids and with that in mind the new coach has to get those guys doing all that they should be year long.
Now, paajarvi moved back to defence is not great due to that does he block shots and does he hit alot and or aggressively? No and No. he is a great potential second line to third line winger.
The Oil should be looking at guys like Schultz, Mitchell, garrison, and may be O'brien for some heavyweight toughness as UFA players and or then trade for a couple high end young ones.
The IMO, sign Yan Danis to back up dubnyk for at least a year and get Neuvaneau to halp Roy in OKC again.
I took Spector's comments "Crawford in for two interviews" to mean once now and once when Quinn was hired. I could be wrong though.