Edmonton Journal

"Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly courted ex-Edmonton Oilers bench boss Ralph Krueger for head-coaching job.
Ralph Krueger is happily ensconced in his role as team president of English soccer’s Little Engine That Could, Southampton, currently third in the Barclays Premier League. But he could have been back in the National Hockey League this season, most likely with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Reportedly, the Penguins talked to him about the head-coaching job in June, after Jim Rutherford took over as their general manager, but Krueger is committed to Southampton until June of 2015. The Penguins offered the job to Willie Desjardins but he opted for Vancouver instead and Rutherford hired a good man and an excellent coach Mike Johnston from Portland. Krueger worked for Carolina as a scout when Rutherford was the Hurricanes’ GM."

And before that Krueger help Canada to win the Gold Medal.

The former Edmonton Oilers coach, who got a call from Babcock the day Craig MacTavish fired him last June, lives in Switzerland and used to coach the Swiss national team. He has a unique perspective on international hockey that current NHL coaches simply don’t share.

Krueger can rattle off the different zone dimensions without thinking — the goal-line to the end boards is two feet longer, the goal-line to the blue-line is six feet shorter — because this has been his life. He has communicated the differences between hockey on the big ice to the coaching staff but also doesn’t want to make this the players’ focus.

“There’s a lot of things that add up here, but we’re not going to over-complicate it for the players,” Krueger said. “We’re going to just bring it in slowly and concentrate on bringing our game and playing our game and our team for the first three games.”

Given that Canada did not win a medal the last time the Olympics were in Europe eight years ago, Krueger is being counted on to try to correct what went wrong in Turin. And who better to get advice from than the coach who helped Switzerland beat Canada in those Games.

“I didn’t think they were able to connect as a group, and I didn’t think they had enough team speed to be successful in Torino,” Krueger said. “So it’s a valuable lesson for me to bring in to the group having analyzed and watched and scouted Canada as in-depth as I could as an opposition coach. I’d like to flip it the other way right now to defend us from falling into any of those traps.”

So in addition to helping with roster selection, Krueger ventured out to see all of Europe’s national teams play. Sidney Crosby and Shea Weber might not know the first thing about Canada’s first two opponents, Norway and Austria, but Krueger has seen them play in person.

“I was trying to get really comfortable with the styles and the tendencies of the coaches,” he said. “The players and personnel are going to change dramatically, but the coaches don’t change. So you really get a good look at what they’re up to.”

As he arrived in Sochi a week before the players and the vast majority of the staff, Krueger’s prep work continued. Given the quick turnaround from the first practice to the first game, Krueger has guidelines for how everyone should adapt to the time change.

“I think the quicker you change to the time zone and the quicker you change to the light, the better you’ll be off,” he said. “A lot of it is psychological, that you don’t make it such a big deal. You will feel moments of fatigue. Eat well, sleep well.”

Krueger has a special responsibility for Team Canada, but he considers himself just following Babcock’s lead.

“I feel nothing but excitement for the opportunity of being a part of this defence of the gold medal,” he said. “It’s just about helping and finding solutions and bringing them into the group and believing in our chance of winning the gold medal in Sochi.”

"Krueger had little time last summer to process the fact the Edmonton Oilers had just fired him. Because the phone rang again(3hrs after He was fired) and it was Babcock on the other end offering the Winnipeg-born and Steinbach-raised Krueger a position on his staff."

Now hopefully that was a response to you logic question.

Now is movie time.
- AlEx_OiL

Just FYI.

Reportedly: according to what some say (used to express the speaker's belief that the information given is not necessarily true).

And still: That does not explain why it took over a year to get a team interested...not even just for a head coaching position...any coaching.

No facts. All conjecture.

Enjoy your movie.

Ask Babcock how fundamental it was to have Krueger as part of his staff that won the Gold medal for Canada.

Wait I will help you by giving you a small sample of what Babcock said about Krueger...

"We brought Ralph on board because he knows way more about the big ice than we do, and, you know, the bottom line is, we don't want to be making decisions over there because we got backed off because something went wrong," Babcock said. "For example, Claude
- AlEx_OiL[Julien] is responsible for our penalty kill. He was asking Ralph this morning, 'Can we pressure that hard?' No one knows better than him."

Okay now I'm ready for my movie,night all.

You are new at this.

International Ice Surface. Much different that NHL ice surface. Krueger has more experience with the larger ice. And is a good special teams coach.

This does not guarantee he is a better NHL coach, which is what you maintain.

Stop the strawman and shifting posts.

Ask Babcock how fundamental it was to have Krueger as part of his staff that won the Gold medal for Canada.

Wait I will help you by giving you a small sample of what Babcock said about Krueger...

"We brought Ralph on board because he knows way more about the big ice than we do, and, you know, the bottom line is, we don't want to be making decisions over there because we got backed off because something went wrong," Babcock said. "For example, Claude
- AlEx_OiL[Julien] is responsible for our penalty kill. He was asking Ralph this morning, 'Can we pressure that hard?' No one knows better than him."

Okay now I'm ready for my movie,night all.

the nhl isn't played on international ice. he coached in Europe for a long time where they play on that ice size.

you're aware of this right?

absolutely no one that read this and considered the context of our conversation, thought to themselves;
"good point alex"
like literally no one.

Edmonton Journal

"Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly courted ex-Edmonton Oilers bench boss Ralph Krueger for head-coaching job.
Ralph Krueger is happily ensconced in his role as team president of English soccer’s Little Engine That Could, Southampton, currently third in the Barclays Premier League. But he could have been back in the National Hockey League this season, most likely with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Reportedly, the Penguins talked to him about the head-coaching job in June, after Jim Rutherford took over as their general manager, but Krueger is committed to Southampton until June of 2015. The Penguins offered the job to Willie Desjardins but he opted for Vancouver instead and Rutherford hired a good man and an excellent coach Mike Johnston from Portland. Krueger worked for Carolina as a scout when Rutherford was the Hurricanes’ GM."

And before that Krueger help Canada to win the Gold Medal.

The former Edmonton Oilers coach, who got a call from Babcock the day Craig MacTavish fired him last June, lives in Switzerland and used to coach the Swiss national team. He has a unique perspective on international hockey that current NHL coaches simply don’t share.

Krueger can rattle off the different zone dimensions without thinking — the goal-line to the end boards is two feet longer, the goal-line to the blue-line is six feet shorter — because this has been his life. He has communicated the differences between hockey on the big ice to the coaching staff but also doesn’t want to make this the players’ focus.

“There’s a lot of things that add up here, but we’re not going to over-complicate it for the players,” Krueger said. “We’re going to just bring it in slowly and concentrate on bringing our game and playing our game and our team for the first three games.”

Given that Canada did not win a medal the last time the Olympics were in Europe eight years ago, Krueger is being counted on to try to correct what went wrong in Turin. And who better to get advice from than the coach who helped Switzerland beat Canada in those Games.

“I didn’t think they were able to connect as a group, and I didn’t think they had enough team speed to be successful in Torino,” Krueger said. “So it’s a valuable lesson for me to bring in to the group having analyzed and watched and scouted Canada as in-depth as I could as an opposition coach. I’d like to flip it the other way right now to defend us from falling into any of those traps.”

So in addition to helping with roster selection, Krueger ventured out to see all of Europe’s national teams play. Sidney Crosby and Shea Weber might not know the first thing about Canada’s first two opponents, Norway and Austria, but Krueger has seen them play in person.

“I was trying to get really comfortable with the styles and the tendencies of the coaches,” he said. “The players and personnel are going to change dramatically, but the coaches don’t change. So you really get a good look at what they’re up to.”

As he arrived in Sochi a week before the players and the vast majority of the staff, Krueger’s prep work continued. Given the quick turnaround from the first practice to the first game, Krueger has guidelines for how everyone should adapt to the time change.

“I think the quicker you change to the time zone and the quicker you change to the light, the better you’ll be off,” he said. “A lot of it is psychological, that you don’t make it such a big deal. You will feel moments of fatigue. Eat well, sleep well.”

Krueger has a special responsibility for Team Canada, but he considers himself just following Babcock’s lead.

“I feel nothing but excitement for the opportunity of being a part of this defence of the gold medal,” he said. “It’s just about helping and finding solutions and bringing them into the group and believing in our chance of winning the gold medal in Sochi.”

"Krueger had little time last summer to process the fact the Edmonton Oilers had just fired him. Because the phone rang again(3hrs after He was fired) and it was Babcock on the other end offering the Winnipeg-born and Steinbach-raised Krueger a position on his staff."

Now hopefully that was a response to you logic question.

Now is movie time.
- AlEx_OiL

In regards to a NHL team looking at hiring him, This is also from the Same organization that almost hired Pierre McGuire as their new GM

well this still wouldn't explain the reasoning behind it fully enough for my liking. there's obviously more to it.
but I suppose for some who find it more convenient to look at things in a much more shallow light it would.


I suppose Eakins did say that he wants more grit, so ill guess that he thinks we need to add something to the squad for the bruins game. and has probably mentioned it to marincin previously. I still think hes wrong though, even if that was the case.
but admittedly; all just guesswork on plausible logic. but I tend to try and think about all the logical options instead of being too hasty and narrow minded.

but that's just me....
- hugefemale dog77

Eakins explanation "grit" but keep trying to at the intellect and "look deeper"

In regards to a NHL team looking at hiring him, This is also from the Same organization that almost hired Pierre McGuire as their new GM
- DDM-Coga

Exactly, let that sink in

Serious question........ Ralph or Dallas??

Serious question........ Ralph or Dallas??
- nanook82

(frank) Ralph wiggim could have done a better job.....

(frank) Ralph wiggim could have done a better job.....
- HouseArrest187

It was a serious question..............

Serious question........ Ralph or Dallas??
- nanook82

Todd Nelson

Eakins explanation "grit" but keep trying to at the intellect and "look deeper"
- SpoiledByOil

i absolutely will. thanks!!!

(frank) Ralph wiggim could have done a better job.....
- HouseArrest187

Wiggims always get the job done

It was a serious question..............
- nanook82

Ralph..... And calm you tits.... This how organization is a joke.... That why I do nothing but crack them.....










And drink....

Serious question........ Ralph or Dallas??
- nanook82

ugh.


neither stoke me out much.


jacques lemaire

Wiggims always get the job done

- DDM-Coga

Those kids look how we feel....

Serious question........ Ralph or Dallas??
- nanook82

Anyone but Eakins, every single move he's made, benchings, call ups, demotions, line combos, his "system", player usage, rookie development. Absolutely (frank)ing everything has been a complete joke and just leaves one to think "wtf". He has no clue what he's doing, at all. Pathetic.

Todd Nelson
- OilHorse

So still fire Ralph... who had the Oil sitting 8th at the deadline, finishing only 10 points out at seasons end. PP and PK top 5 in the league.... for another rookie coach? I understand Nelson is in the system but this one is on MacT.

Ralph..... And calm you tits.... This how organization is a joke.... That why I do nothing but crack them.....










And drink....
- HouseArrest187

I'm calm No tits though

Anyone but Eakins, every single move he's made, benchings, call ups, demotions, line combos, his "system", player usage, rookie development. Absolutely (frank)ing everything has been a complete joke and just leaves one to think "wtf". He has no clue what he's doing, at all. Pathetic.
- SpoiledByOil

Yup agree 100%

Not only was Ralph a good hockey coach.... he's a motivational speaker, can fire up anyone... even Dustin Penner I bet. That's why Southampton seeked him out.

Obviously looking back always makes for easy finger pointing. I just would have liked to see what Ralph could have done with a full season

I'm calm No tits though
- nanook82

Saddest story every told....

So still fire Ralph... who had the Oil sitting 8th at the deadline, finishing only 10 points out at seasons end. PP and PK top 5 in the league.... for another rookie coach? I understand Nelson is in the system but this one is on MacT.
- nanook82

I had no issue with RK...but he was a little underwealming as a coach IMHO.

The team started slow and fell apart at the end

Yup agree 100%

Not only was Ralph a good hockey coach.... he's a motivational speaker, can fire up anyone... even Dustin Penner I bet. That's why Southampton seeked him out.

Obviously looking back always makes for easy finger pointing. I just would have liked to see what Ralph could have done with a full season
- nanook82

Ralph should have been the assistant still to Renney. Just because the Oilers were dumb for going from coach to coach to coach, doesn't mean that we should be staying with this donkey to save face

Saddest story every told....
- HouseArrest187

sorry

Yup agree 100%

Not only was Ralph a good hockey coach.... he's a motivational speaker, can fire up anyone... even Dustin Penner I bet. That's why Southampton seeked him out.

Obviously looking back always makes for easy finger pointing. I just would have liked to see what Ralph could have done with a full season
- nanook82

I do think RK should have been given more time.

But the question was who do i rather. ..And as a rookie coach i like TN...he is in the system and knows the players

sorry
- nanook82