Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish gave his coach, Dallas Eakins, a vote of confidence today, despite another disappointing season in Edmonton.
“I’m convinced this guy is the right coach to lead us into much more successful times … he’s relentless,” MacTavish said, per the Canadian Press.
MacTavish also promised more changes to a roster that already features three first overall picks — “We need a few pieces that can really move this thing along.”
For Eakins, it was a humbling rookie season behind an NHL bench. He was hired with much fanfare, accompanied by expectations the Oilers would emerge out of their rebuild and compete for a playoff spot. Instead, the team finished dead last in the Western Conference, a full 10 points behind Alberta rival Calgary, the second-to-last team.
Along the way, Eakins called a frustrated fan a “quitter”, got sprayed by a water bottle, and “didn’t even leave the house” after one particularly bad loss to the Flames.
Related: Eakins says Oilers need to add ‘some veteran leadership’