This morning, Peter Chiarelli stepped in front of the media and answered questions about yesterday’s bizarre trades that saw him sending out a third-round pick for Alex Petrovic and Drake Caggiula (along with Jason Garrison) for Brandon Manning. How did the interrogation go? Let’s explore it together.
As I was listening to the press conference, I know that the only reason they were making him available is because we all wanted to get Peter Chiarelli’s thoughts on whatever it is he’s doing right now, but the problem is that he never says anything of substance. I’ve transcribed enough of these Chiarelli press conferences now where I was almost going to skip this one, but I know some of you guys are at work and weren’t able to listen so it had to be done.
ON MAKING MOVES
"These aren't sexy players and neither is Drake. These are bottom half players that can make a difference." -Chiarelli #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
When the Oilers traded for Petrovic, I could honestly understand why Chiarelli would move to acquire a guy like him that is known as a pure defender. The Oilers are having a really tough time keeping the puck out of their net right now, and they need players that can help prevent that — this all makes sense. I didn’t particularly like that they sent a third-round pick along with Wideman to get him, but okay, it is what it is. Even with the overpay, I’m ready to go into this one with an open mind.
"These are two players that are going to help shore up our D. That was the retionale behind it. As far as trading Drake Caggiula, he's showing signs of coming around a little bit but we felt this was something we had to do." -Chiarelli #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
When asked about why he made the moves he did, Chiarelli looked at the defence as a major hole that needed to be patched up.
"We felt it was imperative that we shore up our defence right now. With the information we know on our injured players, we felt it was time to bring in some established defenceman. I understand the feedback that they aren't top-four defencemen." -Chiarelli #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
When asked if he was looking for defencemen that could bat higher in the order than Petrovic and Manning…
"They're not out there." -Chiarelli on acquire impact defencemen #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
This is the part of the presser where Chia started to sound notably rattled because guys like Gregor and Rishaug kept pushing on why he added more bottom pairing defencemen to a team that has plenty of them but cannot score goals to save their lives. When asked about who is going to score outside of McDavid, Draisaitl, and Nugent-Hopkins, Chiarelli started to get a little bit testy.
"They've gotta pick it up. There's no question and even Drake hasn't scored in a month." -Chiarelli on who is going to score #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
Yeah, but who is the guy that put these players on the roster? Ahhhh nevermind. What’s the point? Go on…
"Adding more D takes some of the pressure off Darnell (and Larsson)" -Chiarelli #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
I mean, sure but is adding two more guys that can only handle (sometimes) weak opposition really going to do that or is Hitch going to do what he’s always done and ride them anyway? What happens if Hitchcock doesn’t like playing his two new players? Then what?
ON MANNING
"We felt that we wanted to work from the back end out. 31 goals against in 7 games and we need to fix that."-Chiarelli on trading Caggiula for Manning, a cheaper player that has scored #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
This move, I really do not understand regardless of how much Chiarelli tried to defend it. According to Scott Powers who covers the Blackhawks, Manning was deemed untradeable by many around the league given the fact that he’s a poor defender with a $2.5 million cap hit for this season and next, and that’s without even going into the history he has here. So why Manning? Why now?
"As far as Manning not playing in Chicago, he was a victim of circumstance with the coaching change." -Chiarelli #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
As Gregor wrote this morning, Manning played 358 minutes at 5×5 with the Blackhawks and was on the ice for nine Goals For and 26 Goals Against, which eventually led to him being a healthy scratch 10 times. Sooo that’s the coach’s fault? Could it be just as likely that he wasn’t good enough to play there? What if his new coach doesn’t like him either?
"Just from 30,000 feet and seeing what's happening there (another player played). Manning had a good last year… he's like… he's a third pair D and he's got an edge. You know… that's the book on him." -Chiarelli on Manning #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
Whatever, man, you can defend a bad hockey player as much as you want but I’m going to be highly skeptical on this one until he proves otherwise. Given how Spooner and Wideman worked out after you traded for them, Wideman is already gone and Spooner was apparently on the block as well, I don’t really believe much that you have to say when it comes to pro-scouting.
"From the offensive perspective you're going to see more. He's been around longer and he's meaner." -Chiarelli on how Manning is better than Gravel #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
When asked about the Connor McDavid angle to this trade, Chiarelli said he spoke to Connor about it last year when they were trying to acquire Manning from Philadelphia and that McDavid gave the okay at that time, but that he did not ask him again this year. Seems like he probably should have given the history, but what do I know about culture in the room?
"I pulled Connor aside (last year) and asked if he had a problem with this. He said no. I did not speak to him this year." -Chiarelli #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
So this has been the plan for a year now, huh? Happy day.
INJURIES AND FURTHER TRADES
Since injuries are the major reason these moves took place, Chiarelli was asked about a couple of his defenceman that could be nearing a return. When asked about Russell, who was expected to be back in the lineup last Saturday against the Sharks, Chiarelli was vague with the details.
"I"m not going to comment on that… he's relatively close." -Chiarelli on Russell's return #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
It also seems like Andrej Sekera will be out longer than maybe was expected.
"I'm not going to comment. It's taking a while." -Chiarelli on Sekera #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
When asked if there are any other moves that he might be looking at if this slide continues, Chiarelli terrified everyone with:
"We've got some options." -Chiarelli on making further moves #oilers
— Oilersnation.com (@OilersNation) December 31, 2018
Holy hell. *buckles seatbelt*
THE WRAP…
At the end of the day, this presser played out like every other one has when Peter Chiarelli has stepped in front of the media. He says he knows there are issues, he says that they’re working to fix them, and he expects us all to believe that he’s still the man that will be able to do that. The problem is, as Jason Gregor so accurately described this morning, that most of the moves Peter Chiarelli has made for this team have been disastrous, and he can say what he wants about having ideas moving forward but the reality is that he shouldn’t still be here to begin with. He’s had more than enough time to try and build something here and it’s clear that he does not have the ability to do that so we should move on now before he causes any further damage.
The reality is that any other team would have fired him for the nightmarish lack of depth and NHL talent that he’s put around the league’s best player. How the guy can spend up to the cap and only have three players that can score is beyond me, but that seems to be acceptable for the people that run this hockey team. The fact that this team is in worse shape than it was when he took over which is not only an indictment of his work as a GM, a role he will likely never occupy again after he’s eventually fired from this gongshow, but also one on all of those people that surround him in management that are accepting this failure as being okay. I know I’ve personally been hard on Peter Chiarelli over these last 18 months, but maybe it’s time to set the sights a little bit higher. Frankly, everyone involved in this mess should be ashamed of the job they’ve done and I hope it doesn’t take Connor to ask for a trade before some actual changes occur.
If it is true that Pete couldn’t even move Spooner as a throwaway it is a very scary reflection of his ability to judge talent. We have essentially turned Eberle into nothing with a quick wave of Pete’s magic want.
Yup, Spooner as a throw was a no go, so basically another move by Chia that backfired, how more is it going to take for Katz to say he has to go, honestly Katz may be a smart business guy but his running a hockey team sucks
It’s worse than that, Eberle was traded for a negative asset, that eats cap space.
Pete sounds like a bigger idiot with each passing press conference. He is either the worst judge of talent or is listening to people even dumber than himself. Either way the team needs to move him along soon. He is actually making me miss Tambelleni.
I vote for the second one. Katz’s 80’s heroes are the dumbest people in the room.
Chia says this is not a knee jerk reaction.
Which implies some time and careful thought went into the effort.
Rock bottom is going to be uglier yet.
Wow…is Bob Stauffer ever going to be going into damage control on the radio this aft. I almost feel sorry for him.
On another note: Our company has Sportsnet Lounge seats and I know for certain we won’t be renewing. Those tickets are $500 ea. Per game and include buffet style food throughout the game. Our evaluation at the time placed value on taking clients to games and being able to eat decent food in situ. A lot easier than trying to coordinate a dinner pregame and likely not much more expensive. The first year the team was winning, and all the promises by the OEG of the quality of food was met. It was very good.
Fast forward two years, and the quality of food has deteriorated to the point none of either us or our clients wants to eat the crappy food they’ve managed to slowly nickel and dime down to Mac’s convenience esteem. It’s not good, and we can no longer stomach the cost.
And then there’s the hockey team?
Thanks for the info. Assuming you have four seats that’s 2 grr per game – 82000 per year.
You could do a lot more effective client appreciation stuff with that dough.
ouch
Just wow. Thanks for the info and it’s totally understandable sadly.
Well considering the Oilers are tied in with Ched, Bob is going to toe the comapny line and drink the Chia Kool Aid, everyone knows these trades are a joke, Rishaug and those that are tied to Oilers broadcasters are not going to bite the Oilers hard and have their press credentials revoked
It’s far time tohave the fans and the other media raise the temp to over boil , Chia needs to go
Petrovich might chew up minutes but that’s about it. The Manning move is pure garbage, Manning isnt going to help on defence there is a reason Chicago was willing to let him go, and the oilers added 500k to their cap with Manning. Manning leaks like a sieve, he is no better than Garrison who went the other way.
This is Chia looking to save his job, and these moves rek of desperation, trading for the guy who put Connor on the shelf his first year and then making statements that Connor was okay with the move? Really what else do you expect Connor to say publicly. The Oilers knew the storm that waas coming about acquiring Manning and they went into damage control by saying Connor is okay with and Connor texted Manning to welcome him to the team, yeah I am sure Connor had Manning in his contact list because their best buds, no this was the Oilers PR department wanting to get in front of the storm that was comin in hard and fast for Chia.
These moves especially the Manning trade and adding to the cap hit for a guy who is going to add nothing to the team but controversy should have signalled to Katz that Chia needs to go…not later…NOW….RIGHT NOW!!!!
Chia just made this team a laughing stock to anyone who watches or cares about hockey, bloody embarrassing!!
The players we want and need aren’t available, so let’s soend more money on the guys we don’t want or need?♂️ The owner needs to get his head out of his ass. What’s the history of GMs around here? Steve tambellini, Craig Mactavish and now PC. Each has done horrible things for this organization. One has been promoted. One continues to hinder the future. Were at the point where the best GM would need 5-7 years to fix this. But what would it take an average GM? I have lost faith that we will find success with Connor here. And that is in no means on Connor.
lol… Chia makes me laugh so he makes a trade when there isnt anything available so it looks like he is making smart moves, laughable is what it is. GM’s know the market and they can sense where trades could be had, Chia has blown trade after trade, because he isnt able to see the market or sense where other teams may have an asset they want to move for something they need.
You knew when Lowe and MacT stayed on in the Oilers org that nothing would change, Katz has no will to fire his friends, and Chia still being here just goes to show us , that there is no serious will to make the Oilers any better from management on down
They aren’t his friends, they’re his human pets.
This +100.
i agree, there is little maneuverability
What would it take for Chiarelli to do everyone a solid favor and just resign? He must have some semblance of a clue he has completely screwed the pooch and totally overstayed his welcome.
Would you resign and walk away from millions?
Exactly, you can’t resign. I am pretty sure if you resign you give up any future money owed. For some reason in the NHL when you get fired you still get paid for your contract. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong about any of that but that’s how I think it works.
That’s the way most contracts work.
Do they? I thought that in a regular job, if you sign a contract with an employer, there are clear performance measures that you are assessed against every year (or more frequently). If you fail to meet these standards, your employer has the right to break the contract on the grounds of you not doing the work you are paid to do. Why should hockey be any different?
Either way it’s infuriating and obvious it is more than just him making these stupid moves, when he says “we” felt this and “we” felt that. If I have to hear, “Emm, we felt this, emm, we felt that” one more time I’m going to lose it. Emm, emm $#@% off Chiarelli!!