Dave Tippett Signs 3 Year Deal With The Edmonton Oilers
As expected, Tippett signs in Edmonton
No word yet on what the dollars per year is for Tippett, but at the end of the day it is irrelevant. Ken Holland very clearly had singled out Tippett as the guy he wanted and he will be the new bench boss of the Edmonton Oilers.
All in all this is a good deal for the Oilers, especially because the overall term isn’t as long as I would have guessed. The next story to follow will be who will be on his coaching staff, as he may be looking to groom an assistant to one day take over for him. No word on which current members of the coaching staff will stay on, though rumours suggest that Trent Yawney may be heading to L.A. to work with Todd McLellan.
There are a few points that need to be understood about Dave Tippett.
1.) Dave Tippett does not suck the offense out of his players.
Similar to most coaches in the NHL, Tippett is a man who appreciates a strong system of play and doesn’t like when his players are not playing a 200 foot game. Having said that, he has never prevented his best players from producing. Here is a quote from Mike Modano, an elite player who produced multiple 70+ point seasons when Tippett coached him in Dallas
“Being around him for so long and hearing his philosophy on the game and how it’s played, I can tell you he loves nothing more than a skilled player. Like any coach, he just wants his skilled players to have a little bit of responsibility and roundness to their game, rather than being one-dimensional.”
Ken Hitchcock has also been known as a defense first coach, and he stifled McDavid to another career high and Leon Draisaitl to a 50 goal season.
2.) Dave Tippett does not hate rookies.
One area that Holland and Tippett clearly see eye to eye is the long term development of rookies. Tippett sent Max Domi down for an extra season in the AHL, something the forward now credits to being a blessing for his career. Having said that if a player proves himself to be able to play, Tippett has no issue in playing him, as he did in Arizona with the young Jakob Chychurn.
For too many seasons, the Oilers have rushed prospects into positions where they are set up for failure. While Jesse Puljujarvi may struggle to gain traction next season, should Tippett have been in place when the young Finn was drafted, he never would have started in the NHL.
3.) Edmonton’s current roster dictates this move.
The Oilers have an average at best defence with no true #1. As of now the team also has a group of under-performing at fringe NHL players making up a large portion of the forward core. Tippett came into Arizona with a similar scenario and was able to milk every possible point he could out of a mediocre core, plus having to deal with an owner who would not spend money to improve the team.
Edmonton has a far superior roster than the Coyotes ever mustered, with two 100 point players; that is something Tippett has never had as an NHL coach. Fans should expect to see the likes of McDavid, Draisaitl, and RNH still performing the high octane offense that they have come to expect. The difference now is if the Khaira’s, Kassians, and Chiassons of the team are not scoring, you can bet they will be contributing in other ways or be shown the door.
Some fans may be on the fence on this move, but all in all I think this is a good decision for Edmonton. Regardless of who is behind the bench, Holland needs to focus on bringing in more NHL veterans and proven players to help shore up this roster.