Oilers name Eakins head coach
The Edmonton Oilers named Dallas Eakins as their new head coach at a press conference on Monday.
Eakins replaces Ralph Krueger, who was fired. Eakins is the fourth head coach in the past five seasons for the Oilers, who have not made the playoffs since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2006.
"In professional sports, winning is the bottom line," Eakins told reporters at a press conference Monday. "We're going to put a plan in place to develop our young players to maximize their full potential and put a foundation in place to develop our future.
"This isn't about winning one game or one season. We're going to bring this organization back so that we're in the mix to win every single year. To do that, we're going to be committed to character, committed to a high fitness level and committed to the details of tactical hockey.
"But the No. 1 thing we're going to be committed to is competition. If you're going to play for the Edmonton Oilers, you're going to compete. That's how you win games in the NHL and that's how you make your organization better."
Eakins, 46, spent the past four seasons with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, and his team got to the Calder Cup final in 2012.
General manager Craig MacTavish said he realized it would be better to hire Eakins as the team's head coach rather than put him on Krueger's staff as an assistant.
''He had too much polish and pedigree not to land one of the NHL jobs available,'' MacTavish said. "I coached against him two years ago when I was the head coach of the Chicago Wolves. I was impressed by his team and how well the team competed. They were ready to go right at the opening faceoff. I haven't seen a team that well prepared in a long time.
"He has all the great qualities you look for in a coach. He has great perspective and is unflappable under pressure. I'm extremely confident in this man's ability."
