Who The Fu*k Is Ralph Krueger? Oilers Hire New Associate Coach

Photograph by: Christian Charisius, Reuters

Who the fu*k is this Ralph Krueger fellow the Oilers hired (two year deal) as Associate Coach you ask?

I don't know either. But I did look him up and from the articles that I have read and the way Dan Tencer has talked about him (see below), it seems like he's a very smart and well detailed coach.

He's been coaching the Swiss National team starting in 1997/98 right up until now. When you look at his National achievements with a lower rate team like the Swiss team (no offense to the Swiss), he's done well. I think he will be good or our kids.

THIS IS WHAT DAN TENCER SAID ABOUT KRUEGER

Krueger and Renney both tell me that Ralph's #1 job is to challenge Tom and bring a different perspective to the coaching staff.

Krueger says his best assets all involve building team concept...motivating players, keeping morale high, getting them to buy in etc.

This move was out of the blue for everybody including the media. No one had a sniff of this that I know of.

So what now? *shrugs shoulders* I guess we see what he's like in October and go from there.

I am curious to know how he got the associate title and not just a regular assistant coach title. Is he the successor?

What I do know... I like him more than Steve Smith already.

-Written by Smokin' Ray-