Oilers

[Kulstad]

Todd Nelson, OKCity head coach.

[SheriforPM]

I could quote myself but I won't be that narcissistic. Eakins fired, MacT behind the bench.

 

Not sure how this will go but having the GM behind the bench might actually light a fire under some of them. After all, he (supposedly) has the power to trade or demote them right?

 

I mean he is the GM right? Not a puppet? Like umm.... never mind.

[403Loyalty]

I feel bad for oiler fans, and I don't see it getting better before it gets worse. Quick note, how does a man get fired as a head coach to be rehired with a promotion a few years later to now giving himself his old coaching job back. Blows my mind that the obvious problems are upwards rather than on ice.

Just wanna share my thoughts on the whole thing, I believe the number one problem is culture. Not just a winning or losing culture but the culture that Katz and Lowe have created in their organization that has trickled down right to the players. Katz doesn't care about the city or it's fans, it was only 4-5 years ago he wanted to move the team to Seattle. He might like to have a 'winning' hockey team to his belt notches but literally doesn't know or care how to, as long as fans buy tickets and merch he's happy. So he appoints Lowe as the guy to run the oilers and believes anything he says as Lowe is a former winner with a very good 80's oiler team. But Lowe has no pedigree to building a winning team, it's been an old boys club all the time from his assistant coaching days to GM all within a 2 year span. His arrogance and questionable to down right bad decisions should have been enough for any team to change the make up of the upper management and vision. But they have kept the finger squarely pointed at coaches and players.

But a team is only as good as the sum of their parts, they have drafted so high over the last decade with some high end talent that anyone believes you should have found success by now. But when your organization doesn't develop the kids into full time NHLers by either learning the 200ft game in the minors or having quality top 6 vets to show them what it takes to make it. What are these young players supposed to do. They learn bad habits, they learn how to lose and finger pointing. It's no surprise players coming from Edmonton onto new teams are surprised by either A) the work ethic of other teams. teams questioning the fitness and development they were given by the oilers (dubnyk for one). That's not a players fault that's an organizational fault.

MacT and Lowe are not willing to give any of their top end talents or picks for help, they either wanna out right win the trade or trade a 3rd liner for a top 3 forward or top 2 d, it's just moronic. The value of young players in eberle and yakupov have definitely dropped. It would be in the oilers best interest to trade them now if a deal for a 28 yr old top 6 forward is playable. Maybe the oilers would have to sweeten the deal with a pick or a bad contract but they are only diminishing their return currently by keeping their feet pat. But I'm sure Lowe is more comfortable knowing he has 3 number 1 overall picks and a handful of top first rounders not performing rather than trading them for another player and the possibility that his trade was a blunder.

MacT promised bold moves, so far it was firing the guy he hired under 2 years ago and going back to his old job as coach. boardinging bold, more like a boardinging joke. I really hope the oilers don't become anything now, it's a good chance they get a guy like mcdavid and if by some odd chance elbowing magically turns around and these young kids learn to play defence. Look the boarding out, they have a great arsenal in offence and nobody will care that they were laughing stocks for a decade and had to get 4 number 1 overalls if they win a cup out of it everyone will pat themselves on the boardinging back. But I don't even think

Vegas will take that bet on those odds without some major shake up in upper management to change their culture.

[The_People1]

So a week after MacT delivers a state of the union address announcing the status quo, suggesting the Oilers look good visually, giving Dallas Eakins a vote of confidence to finish the season, he then prompty fires Dallas Eakins.  So, in the end, it was not status quo.  They asked the fans for patience and then they exercise no patience themselves.   What was the point of the press conference last week?  What a public relations nightmare. 

 

I feel sorry for Dallas Eakins who is a good coach but was given so little to work with.  No top 3 Dmen. No real Centers.  No legitimate #1 starting goaltender.  That, and he was basically forced by management to play Yakupov and Draisaitl against better judgement, Eakins had no chance to succeed.

[s4xon]

[403Loyalty]

Lol saxon, where's Carty, I need a picture of MacT and the ring for "7 days"...as that's all that was given for poor Eakins lol

[CheersMan]

 

From Lars Eller

[xstrike]

No, what the Oilers need is a complete fresh start. So here's what they do, they go out and trade a lot. They trade all their players (or as many as it takes) to acquire all the 1st round draft picks from this year. Then they get all of the first round and can ice them.

Svechnikov McDavid  Rantanen

Crouse Eichel Marner

Barzal Zacha  Sprong

Bittner Strome Korostelev

Hanafin Kylington

Roy Provorov

Meloche Zboril

Blackwood/Tomek

 

That will solve all their problems

#sarcasm

[Carty]

[jjgallow]

[s4xon]

From Lars Eller

 

[Carty]

[Carty]

[jjgallow]

 

The Oilers highly drafted players are playing well. These are the players who are making a difference on the team. The Oilers finished above the Flames so that streak is over. As of now, the Oilers are above the Flames in the standing and have a much, much younger core than the Flames. The Oilers were a disappointment this year. They have one of if not the youngest core in the league and the Oilers need better players to support the young core.

 

Has Wideman and Hudler made the Flames a better team this year?

 

These are not the type of players the Oilers need nor have any desire for.

 

 

ah, memory lane

[travel_dude]

 

ah, memory lane

Ha ha. Wish he was here to ridicule.

The oilers were 0.3 seconds from taking their game against the Coyotes to shoot-out.

Dubie gets the win against them.

[403Loyalty]

Poor oilers, this face MacT makes is one of my favourites. I expect to be able to make a whole collage by seasons end

[cross16]

Eakins had to go I agree but I also think he got a raw deal. He was handed a brutal roster and basically told to make chicken salad out of chicken poop. Not much you can do there especially as a rookie head coach.

Edmonton fans didn't listen to me a few years ago when I said it but the oilers drafting is horrendous and there is your main culprit. For all the picks they have had they have basically no one outside the first round on their roster or really that close. You can't rebuild through the draft when your drafting sucks and that's what has caught up with the oilers. Goaltending is an issue sure but behind that defence I don't think anyone would succeed. I don't think I would classify anyone on the oiler blueline as a top 4 dman.

[CheersMan]

[kehatch]

Funny thing.  The Oiler's were the toast of the league for their big five. Huge future ahead.  Meanwhile the Flames cupboards were bare and our future bleak.  Lets compare their big five now to our closest comparable. 

 

The big 5

• Giordano > Hall: Giordano is the best D man in the NHL right now, and arguably the best captain.  Hall will be in the league longer.  But right now Giordano is the superior player.  
• Brodie > Schultz: This isn't even a comparable.  Brodie plays a high level all round game while Schultz falls over his feet in the D zone.  Brodie is showing he has much better offensive instincts then Schultz.  
• Monahan > RNH: Some might debate this considering RNH vision and potential upside.  But I take Monahan every day.  He has a more complete game, better size, and has been keeping pace offensively.
• Gaudreau > Eberle: Gaudreau has more points than the Oiler's leading scorer.  The only question he had to answer was if he could transition his game to the NHL.  That is answered.  Now its is just a question as to how good he gets.  So far he gets better just about every game.  Meanwhile Eberle hasn't been able to duplicate his sophomore season and is struggling this season. 
• Hudler > Yakupov: Do I even need to type anything here?

The funny thing is most would agree that at least four of our five are untouchable (I would say all five) while the Oiler's fans are trying to trade all of theirs.  

[DirtyDeeds]

Funny thing.  The Oiler's were the toast of the league for their big five. Huge future ahead.  Meanwhile the Flames cupboards were bare and our future bleak.  Lets compare their big five now to our closest comparable. 

 

The big 5

• Giordano > Hall: Giordano is the best D man in the NHL right now, and arguably the best captain.  Hall will be in the league longer.  But right now Giordano is the superior player.  
• Brodie > Schultz: This isn't even a comparable.  Brodie plays a high level all round game while Schultz falls over his feet in the D zone.  Brodie is showing he has much better offensive instincts then Schultz.  
• Monahan > RNH: Some might debate this considering RNH vision and potential upside.  But I take Monahan every day.  He has a more complete game, better size, and has been keeping pace offensively.
• Gaudreau > Eberle: Gaudreau has more points than the Oiler's leading scorer.  The only question he had to answer was if he could transition his game to the NHL.  That is answered.  Now its is just a question as to how good he gets.  So far he gets better just about every game.  Meanwhile Eberle hasn't been able to duplicate his sophomore season and is struggling this season. 
• Hudler > Yakupov: Do I even need to type anything here?

The funny thing is most would agree that at least four of our five are untouchable (I would say all five) while the Oiler's fans are trying to trade all of theirs.  

 What is interesting about this comparison is the fact most Oiler Fans will still tell you they have the better prospects and feel the Oilers are a better team because of that.

 

It is only recently you see Oiler Fans whispering that Hall may not be "all that". I think the Fans are split as to how he is now viewed, as the best possibility to get a decent return, where just a few weeks ago he was untouchable and should have been the Oilers captain all along.

 

While I am talking Oilers Captain does anyone else (besides me) think that one of the possible reasons the supposed untouchables on the Oilers are not playing is because Ferrence was made Captain and not Hall? I mean they are all buddies and Ferrance is/was an outsider right?

[kehatch]

One more thing to add.  All but one of the Flames on that list played their rookie season with the Flames.  Of those two were drafted in the fourth round and one was a undrafted UFA signing.  Only one was drafted in the first round.  

 

Meanwhile 4 of the guys on the Oiler's list are first rounders drafted by that organization, 3 of them first overall.  

[Pyromancer]

While I am talking Oilers Captain does anyone else (besides me) think that one of the possible reasons the supposed untouchables on the Oilers are not playing is because Ferrence was made Captain and not Hall? I mean they are all buddies and Ferrance is/was an outsider right?

Leaders need maturity. Case closed.

[DirtyDeeds]

Giordano - Hall
Brodie - Schultz
Monahan - RNH
Gaudreau - Eberle
Hudler - Yakupov

I can almost guarantee you if you put up these choices as a poll in the Oiler Forums that  they would pick all Oilers with exception of Yak. There would be a few who would pick Gio too but Hall has powerful karma still. I don't think may realize how good Brodie is and Mony and JH are well just too green.

[The_People1]

Funny thing.  The Oiler's were the toast of the league for their big five. Huge future ahead.  Meanwhile the Flames cupboards were bare and our future bleak.  Lets compare their big five now to our closest comparable. 

 

The big 5

• Giordano > Hall: Giordano is the best D man in the NHL right now, and arguably the best captain.  Hall will be in the league longer.  But right now Giordano is the superior player.  
• Brodie > Schultz: This isn't even a comparable.  Brodie plays a high level all round game while Schultz falls over his feet in the D zone.  Brodie is showing he has much better offensive instincts then Schultz.  
• Monahan > RNH: Some might debate this considering RNH vision and potential upside.  But I take Monahan every day.  He has a more complete game, better size, and has been keeping pace offensively.
• Gaudreau > Eberle: Gaudreau has more points than the Oiler's leading scorer.  The only question he had to answer was if he could transition his game to the NHL.  That is answered.  Now its is just a question as to how good he gets.  So far he gets better just about every game.  Meanwhile Eberle hasn't been able to duplicate his sophomore season and is struggling this season. 
• Hudler > Yakupov: Do I even need to type anything here?

The funny thing is most would agree that at least four of our five are untouchable (I would say all five) while the Oiler's fans are trying to trade all of theirs.  

Giordano - Hall

Brodie - Schultz

Monahan - RNH

Gaudreau - Eberle

Hudler - Yakupov

I can almost guarantee you if you put up these choices as a poll in the Oiler Forums that  they would pick all Oilers with exception of Yak. There would be a few who would pick Gio too but Hall has powerful karma still. I don't think may realize how good Brodie is and Mony and JH are well just too green.

 

When you make a case for Big 5 vs Big 5, there's a case to be made that it's 3 to 2 for either the Flames or the Oilers... to put it objectively.  Where I believe the difference truly is, is the depth. Sometimes a team is only as good as their worst player and the Flames worst player is WAY better than the Oilers worst player.  Like,

 

Jooris, Granlund, Byron, Bouma, Ferland, Baertschi >>>>> Pitlick, Gordon, Hendricks, Pouliot, Pinizotto, Arcobello

 

If Smid was still on the Oilers, then he's arguably a top pair guy for them and that's how sad the Oiler's D is.  Overall, the true difference is in the depth of both teams.  The best 5 players on almost every team in the league cancel each other out on any given night.

[kehatch]

Brodie vs Schultz and Hudler vs Yakupov is no contest in favour of the Flames. There shouldn't be any debate about those ones. The other three you can debate, but the fact that it is this close is just a reflection of how much the Flames have improved and how far the Oilers have regressed in a short period of time.

I agree with People that depth is the difference in current success. The Oiler's have failed to draft, sign, or trade for the peripheral pieces needed on a successful team. But my comments are more related to establishing a core to build around vs current success.