The Edmonton Oilers have fired general manager Peter Chiarelli after three and a half season.
David Pagnotta: A direct source said that management had told the players after the game that Chiarelli was going to fired.
A collection of media notes from twitter
Dustin Nielson: “You don’t fire Peter Chiarelli because a new GM is going to save the season. You fire Peter Chiarelli because he put you in this position.”
Frank Seravalli: “My mind is still blown that the #Oilers allowed Peter Chiarelli to register a contract for Mikko Koskinen – at an AAV higher than his top defenceman in Oscar Klefbom, not an insignificant deal – a mere 30 hours before firing him.”
Jonathan Willis: “In the big picture for the Oilers, here’s the important thing: they have McDavid, Draisaitl, Klefbom and RNH. That’s the hardest part. Chiarelli replaced every regular other than those four when he took over. Expect similar change with the next GM. The Oilers are very fixable.”
Rob Tychkowski: “They canned a head coach, the GM is on the firing line, they’re 12th in the West and just lost at home to the last place team in the NHL. And (I am not making this up) statistically this is the Edmonton Oilers fourth best season in the last 13 years.”
Evolving Wild: “I’ve said this before, but I think the organization will likely have to change a lot more than just the GM to see an actual new direction.”
Daniel J. Friedman: “Signing Mikko Koskinen to that contract does not strike me as the type of move a GM makes, even if that GM is Peter Chiarelli. Reeks of ownership over-involvement. Same way Rick DiPietro’s contract did. Also, it’s not like GMs sign players without approval from ownership. If this was Chiarelli’s idea and he was about to be fired, he wouldn’t have been given the green light to close the deal. This is not to suggest Chiarelli shouldn’t have been fired, by the way. He made a plethora of horrendous moves and his firing is justified. But it is to suggest that the Koskinen deal probably isn’t on him.”
Jonathan Willis: “The critical thing for the Oilers is that they not hire a permanent GM until they’ve done a proper search. It makes great sense to put an interim GM in place to stop the bleeding. But do a proper search before making it permanent.”
John Shannon: “Keith Gretzky will assume many of Chiarelli’s duties in the next few weeks, with Vice Chairman Bob Nicholson being more involved until they find a new GM.”
Shawn Simpson: “Pierre Gauthier, Tim Murray, and recently Chuck Fletcher are a few asst GM’s who were hired mid season for GM jobs. Very rare for any GM to hold anyone back from advancing, regardless of timing.”
Terry Jones: “It had to happen. Peter Chiarelli fired as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers within the last hour reports John Shannon of Sportsnet. My expectation of ex GMs Kevin Lowe, Craig MacTavish with super consultant Ken Hitchcock taking over in interim look to be likely.”
Dustin Nielson: “If Lowe and MacT take over this city will burn down. I’d bet Keith Gretzky interim with a search for a permanent replacement.”
