The Edmonton Oilers have announced they’ve hired former Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli as general manager and president of hockey operations.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It didn’t take Chiarelli long to find new employment after he was fired last week by the Boston Bruins. By getting the president of hockey ops gig as well as the GM job, he’s ensured he won’t be second-guessed or risk having a power-hungry boss giving him the boot after a difficult season. I confess I’m surprised he also got the GM gig, expecting Craig MacTavish, who’s only been in the job two years, would get an opportunity to prove himself to Chiarelli.
Peter Chiarelli takes over as the Edmonton Oilers new GM and president of hockey operations.
It’s a good move by the Oilers. They desperately needed to do away with the perception of the “old boys’ network” dominating the Oilers front office. It was time for both an experienced hand in the management chair, as well someone from well outside the Oilers organization with a proven record of success. Chiarelli’s hiring could also mean interim coach Todd Nelson won’t be back, at least not as head coach next season.
Chiarelli is joining the Oilers at a time of significant excitement, as the club recently won the NHL Draft Lottery and are all but certain to select Connor McDavid with the first-overall pick. Chiarelli’s predecessor said there was zero chance he would trade that pick, and I feel safe in assuming Chiarelli won’t deviate from that plan.
He’s also inherited a foundation of talented young forwards but little else throughout the Oilers lineup. Chiarelli isn’t afraid to make bold moves, which could mean one or two of those young forwards could be shopped. He must find a proven starting goaltender, a top-two defenseman and skilled checking line depth if the Oilers are to move up into playoff contention.
It’s a tall order, but Chiarelli built upon a foundation of promising young forwards in Boston, turning the Bruins from a laughingstock into a Cup champion. He could very well do the same in Edmonton.
Laughing stock is a little harsh. Lyle I know your Habs fan but really!
Well Lyle isn’t far off, like come on, the Oilers should be better than they have been. They are just as big of a laughing stock as the Leafs are or Tampa was or the Isles were or … You get my point? Hopefully having a new voice helps but as we’ve seen in my examples, management + ownership must be on the same page and avoid the temptation of a wash, rinse and repeat of past ideas in hopes of a different result. I will be interesting on seeing how he handles the star players as they look to end their RFA status and see if he takes a similar stance as he has in Boston. Also wonder if/what player he’ll try to bring with him like his departure from Ottawa.
You’re right, Striker, how rude of me. “Tire fire” is a better analogy. You’ve obviously forgotten how much the Bruins sucked on toast in 2005-06.
Oh I remember. It was a significant year of change. Thornton got traded for a bag of pucks 23 games into the season & boy was I mad. Ha-ha! It was Tim Thomas’s coming out party. Raycroft was the #1 at the time & sucked.
We had virtually no defense. Leetch at the tail end of his career & other studs like, Slegr, Boynton, Tanabe, Jurcina & other stalwarts like Alberts, & Gill.
Edmonton was a laughing stock still is but change is coming fast now. Boston only sucked that 1 year really & it was the year following the lock out. Weird times.
Actually, it was two years. They finished 13th overall in the Eastern Conference in 2006-07.
Yes I’m aware of that.
In 2005-06 they went 29-37-16. The year following the 04-05 lock out & a season of significant change.
In 2006-07, Chiarelli’s 1st season they went 35-41-6.
They missed the playoffs for 2 seasons following the 2004-05 lock out, the team choosing to retool & head in a new direction, a minor rebuild if you will. Bergeron was essentially a prospect.
Just not sure how missing the playoffs for 2 years in a row following an entire season of lost hockey makes you a laughing stock?
As I said, you’re right, they weren’t a laughingstock. They were a tire fire.
I don’t know if you remember but going into the lock out the season prior Boston had virtually no players signed which they thought was a great strategy but actually it was a terrible idea as they patch worked together that group of misfits particularly on D post 04-04 lockout.
All good. I just often take you to task on your choice of words.
& knowing your a Habs fan which you no longer share like you used to in the old days I know you have a bias to Bos as do I to Mtl. Ha-ha! I hate Mtl as we have been on the losing end of our match playoff ups far to often.
See i told you guys. chia would not have taken the job as an advisor.
To bad Chia couldn’t take his garbage deals with him to Edmonton. He completely put the Bruins in cap hell an moves on to bigger an better things.
Ouch!
You didn’t like 2 cup appearances & getting to drink from the cup?
Which trades & contracts aren’t you happy with?
There were other options to trading Boychuck. Seguin who is a franchise player traded for junk parts. Resigning Smith to a stupid 3 year deal. Handed out to many no trade clauses example Kelly really ? Loosing Iggy cause he signed him to a very heavy bonous contract which ended up being 4 million blunder this year.seems to me other teams winning the cup have done alright staying at the top like Chicago
Not arguing all your points but the last 5 cup winners (Chicago-2, LA-2 and Boston-1) are in cap hell…it goes with winning. Chia now has around 18 mil to play with and gets McDavid, acquires a goalie, shores up the D adds a vet forward for leadership…if Julien gets canned maybe he brings him in to coach and wallah becomes an instant hero…lol
As a Flames fan this move makes me happy. Chia will trade away great assets for less than thier value. Over pay those he likes– not necessarily the best players for the team.
Unlike some of those around I believe much of Chia’s success in Boston was because of predecessors and an inside line on Chara’s situation in Ottawa.
Hey whatever buddy ,I bet you going bye this form the seguin trade.
also of the what happen with the bruins was because of Chia.He made some good trades to bring them the cup.
sure the predecessor did the work but he brought them the guys who were the one who are substantial in winning the cup.
Yes , got rid of some young stars but some had attitude problems(seguin)
No Gm is perfect sorry bud.
One thing for sure watching Ranger game St. Louis is horrible worst player on the ice needs to retire.