travel_dude

I'm not reporting it as being fact. The only thing we truly know is he was dealing with it some "some" time. They should have shut him down sooner than they did. Like when it became apparent that it might hinder his recovery by delaying, or that it was more than just an annoyance that impacted his game. I just don't have the facts man. Monahan was asked to play a more defensive and perhaps physical game this season. The 2nd line was given a role they perhaps shouldn't be given? And the one reliable player moved to C, because we didn't have enough depth at C. Did we ever even try Mangiapane on LW and Gaudreau on RW with Monahan and just ask them to score goals? Focus on Lucic-Bennett-Dube as a new scoring threat? No, we believed that we needed to move up Lindholm and move down Backlund. And move Bennett to RW or #4C at best. That's on Wardo. Sutter may not have drastically changes things up, but at that point it ws too late to salvage. Bennett wanted out. We were stuck with what we had.

That was mentioned by Gaudreau, that he was ailing the entire year. I'm no sports doctor, but one might assume that a bum hip would impact your shot leverage.

Bennett's RFA arbitration case will be pretty unique. FLA would do well to offer 3x3 and hope that he is what he was in the playoffs and regular season finish. Or does Bennett bet on himself and go shorter term.

Wouldn't be the first time I heard that comment. And it's scary. I suspect that half of the Oiler fans want him back, knowing the alternative is Koskinen. What I find humorous is that the same fans think they can just go sign Grubauer as a UFA. The reality is that you might luck into a starter by drafting him. MacDonald over Demko; still not convinced Demko is a true starter, but he is looking good so far. Knight is an unknown quantity at this point, so I would hardly say it's a slam dunk. Considering the small list of goalies drafted in the 1st round over the last 8 years, not any real success stories there. Yet. And that remains to be seen, right. The closer to known quantities were trading for guys like Grubauer or Raanta. We had the chance and didn't make it happen.

Goal scoring seems to be a weakness, not specifically positional. Mangiapane is a goal scorer. That's why I said don't trade him. Gaudreau sets up the most scoring. Top line and a struggling Monahan not scoring contributed to our failings. Yes, a top C would help, but not if you trade away the players that drive the play. I would like to specifically improve the #1C spot, the top 6 RW and for sure the top pairing D. How you get there is anyone's guess. Not a lot of assets to use. Cap space requires moving out Gio, Backllund, Lucic and trades require taking your pick of top 6 (Gaudreau, Monahan or Tkachuk). If we could turn the first three into one top D, and one of the top players into a top C, we would be a lot closer. Gaudreau and Tkachuk have the most value, but also have skills harder to replace. If Monahan + 1st in 2021 + Pelletier brought you a top C, would you do it? Forgoes the rebuild and re-stocking of D. If some other trade including Backlund brought you a Seth Jones type, would that suffice? Might get expensive.

My understanding is that Mangiapane is subject to quarantine rules, so he can't play until the 28th.

Well, we have a goalie some people believe is as good as Knight. For shame wasting a 7th on him.

There was not much Q could do other than start Knight. Bennett came back and played the same style he was known for; props to Q for not telling him to change.

I think Sutter hockey is built right now more to the playoffs. Not that we would have done any damage, but I think we could have beaten Toronto at least once and perhaps the Jets about the same. That's not a measure of success though. EDM's 2nd line C was a guy that spent most of the season in the AHL and had zero goals. You can't win with a single line that can score. Especially considering the top 2 players were held off the scoreboard for two games. The Oilers need about as much of a re-tool as the Flames, if not more. Smith was good, but this was about the best they could hope for out of him. Kinda reminds me of the Flames a few years ago.

Didn't realize we are signing another 30+ starter. Hear that Rask is a UFA. Awesome.

I don't know why this is heart warming, but dang it feels good not to have to listen to the media going on and on about them. Two years in a row of qualifying for the play-offs and zero actual play-off sries wins. Not like we have anything to cheer about, but I think us fans were very quick to point out issues with the team. You would be lucky to hear an Oiler fan say anyting negative without being called a troll. Until now that is. It still seems like some are trying to find some excuse why they lost. Refs were not fair. They were the better team but were unlucky....for 4 games. That is was Player X's fault. Insert whipping boy name.....Archibald, Bear, Khaira, Chaisson, bla bla bla. It came down to overplaying two forwards and a couple of D-men. No depth does that.

Just like the Oilers, living in the past. What was it, like 20 years ago he won a cup?

You mean in the last 10 years? I don't see it.

You mean the shambles we are in? A ruined Bennett? A stalled rebuild? Being just bad enough to draft Tkachuk? Just kidding. I loved the pressers he used to have. Wasn't he behind the bench brawl with Torts' team? Here's a thought about coaching in the IIHF. Gallant is backing a team 0-3. Does that make him bad and BH 3x better?

Coronado looks like a big riser, and it's possible that he ends up in the top 15. It's too bad we don't have a 15th overall to go with a lotto pick. Then again, we might still go with 2 D if that happened.

I would suggest that they made some relatively smart trades that year. Hudler, Russell were good. Granlund and Jones not so much. But you giving BH way too much credit for a winning season. In some ways they were a lightly coached team that played the way they wanted to. His hand more firmly on the team and they under-performed. There re excellent coaches out there that don't belong in the NHL. Talented players don't just play in North America.

Who was advising him? You could argue that a team with Dougie should have been able to line up a decent denense. And a hot Bennett coming from the playoffs played with Granlund at C.

I think the difference btween the two is one will burn you if it takes the pressure off management or the fan faves. The other will do the "right thing" of you are a community guy. We talk the right thing about ripening in the AHL, but they spoil on the trees before they get a chance. Mostly. For every Mangiapane, there is a couple of Kylington's, Klimchuk's, Phillips and Philp's. How many players here get a chance to play with Gaudreau, while Yamamoto gets a line of Nuge and Draisaitl. Dube didn't get that chance much at all. You might argue that he didn't earn it this year. Gawdin and Ruzicka got to play with noted stars Ritchie and Norstrom. What team can boast opportunity like that? (sarcasm off).

I'm sure Gretzky and Messier both spent a lot of time talking it up to him. The great fans and traditions. In fact, Messier was key in getting him to the city the first season. He was also told by countless GM's that they would build a team around him. His mistake was believing Chiapet and Capmaster Kenny. You think we need a re-tool, the Oilers are one injury away from the basement. They may have some decent prospects in the system, but the D all seem to be in the Barrie or Nurse mold. Lavoie is the kind of regular season player that they don't need.

I think his motto in the playoff season was give the keys to the kids, don't worry if they left dents in the Ferarri. That's not a sustainable game, and while it is exciting to watch it leads to the coach adapting. I was reading some comments elsewhere about Lucic's interview. We probably line it up to be Gaudreau or Tkachuk he was talking about. Bennett was given top 6 minutes after his agent's outcry. Was he all of a sudden playing better or was it something that bothered a lot of players in the room. Backlund had a rough season defensively, but he was still on pace to score his usual amounts. Tkachuk's ice time dropped under Sutter to begin with, and Sutter even admittd he was wrong in doing that. Back to BH, he was a decent coach that probably didn't belong in the NHL. It's a lot different from other leagues, and you probably see some of his teams rlying on 36 year old players when the goaing gets tough.

It was fun for them while it lasted. Fresh Mike Smith after an extended vacation, but you knew at some point, the real Smith would show up. High glove, high glove, high glove. The Hartt and Ross the cups for this team. This was the chance for them to get out of the division, in a season that will be marked with a *. Out dueled with a Jets team missing their #2C (1 game) and #2 winger (2 games). When you look at the depth of the Oilers, it's almost laughable. Ryan McLeod (0 NHL goals) and Yamamoto (goaless in 16 games to finish the season) as your 2nd line. Opt for "speed" by sitting Neal and Chaisson, bringing in Shore and Haas and Ennis. A lotto team if McD or Drai don't get points. Zero balance in the lineup. I couldn't even sheer for them if I hated the Jets more.

To quote Spector, "Colossal Colapse".

BH fired after team dropped 20 points in the standings, so a year removed from coach of the year. Rightly or wrongly, BT decided to bring in a player's coach.

I understand that we need to get better in many areas. Trades sometimes accomplish those things. But two areas that we have been lacking are scoring and leadin on the ice (100% attitude and work). Mangiapane checks both boxes. Gaudreau generates team scoring more than anyone else. Pelletier, though not proven yet, is work ethic and attitude. Here's what I don't get. You want to trade from an area of weakness elsewise to shore up another area of weakness? Not a high scoring team right now, lets trade the two guys that generate it. Pick one (one PING only).

Change is needed and inevitable. I liked the way they were starting to play near the end, even though I hated the results and questio how much it really meant. Garbage games or not, they played like they were trying to get in the playoffs. There has to be a balance of Sutter hockey and scoring hockey. We just don't have the structure to win a lot of 2-1 games.