Oilers

[jjgallow]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/oilers-reliance-on-mc-david-draisaitl-duo-could-run-them-down-200932936.html

[travel_dude]

8 hours ago, jjgallow said:

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/oilers-reliance-on-mc-david-draisaitl-duo-could-run-them-down-200932936.html

 

I think we all know the risk of burning a player so much so soon in the season.

Tippett was supposed to be reducing the minutes the duo played.

They aren't getting scoring from the rest of the team, save for one game against a putrid CBJ team.

One might also argue they have not faced elite teams.

WAS is the best team they have played and was one of their better games, but it was bookended by two, two game loses on either side.

 

Their GM preached that this was not a playoff year, but the coach seems to believe that you run the team early on to have a chance.

New coach bubble.

 

[The_People1]

On 10/30/2019 at 8:38 PM, sak22 said:

Bumped off Nuges line tonight, but adds on the PP.  Last night had a nice turnover on Detroits winner.  Neal this year is essentially like a lefty specialist in baseball, only provides one value to a team and can only be relied on for a small percentage of the game and not every game.  The main difference is the lefty specialist is in high demand and can perform on any team, Neal can only perform when he plays with the best players.

 

Many of us were saying pre-season that Neal's gain is Alex Chiasson's loss.  The Oilers extended Chiasson $2.15 x 2-years because he clicked so well with McDavid on the PP last season.  What do we see this season now that Chiasson has been replaced on the pp with Neal?

 

Alex Chiasson, 11GP 0G 3A 3PTS.

 

Yups.  

 

The real question is, could Chiasson have scored 11G in 14Games in place of Neal at 1/2 the cap hit?  Probably, yes.

[jjgallow]

3 hours ago, travel_dude said:

 

I think we all know the risk of burning a player so much so soon in the season.

Tippett was supposed to be reducing the minutes the duo played.

They aren't getting scoring from the rest of the team, save for one game against a putrid CBJ team.

One might also argue they have not faced elite teams.

WAS is the best team they have played and was one of their better games, but it was bookended by two, two game loses on either side.

 

Their GM preached that this was not a playoff year, but the coach seems to believe that you run the team early on to have a chance.

New coach bubble.

 

 

Yes we definitely do know those risks and so do they.  But they don't seem to care.

 

They never have, actually.   No matter how many players they injure and careers they destroy or shorten or harm, they just won't change.

 

When the bad times come, people will say there's something wrong with the player.  That's always my favourite part.

[travel_dude]

5 hours ago, jjgallow said:

 

Yes we definitely do know those risks and so do they.  But they don't seem to care.

 

They never have, actually.   No matter how many players they injure and careers they destroy or shorten or harm, they just won't change.

 

When the bad times come, people will say there's something wrong with the player.  That's always my favourite part.

 

Well the funny thing is we dumped on Neal because he never was that player.

Never even showed like he was gaining traction.And he will be welcome in EDM untill he falls back to the usual.

 

What was McD playing in game 82 of a lost season like they were in the playoffs?

The game meant nothing to either team.

It was in CGY so it wasn;t for the EDM fans.

They had given up long before that.

 

Seems to me the only reason why they were trying was so that Draisaitl could get his 50th goal.

Individual achievements

[sak22]

Nicholson was right!!  There is something in the water in Edmonton.

[The_People1]

18 hours ago, sak22 said:

Nicholson was right!!  There is something in the water in Edmonton.

 

120 times above "safe".  WTF.  It sure re-ionized Neal though.

 

[Carty]

1 hour ago, The_People1 said:

120 times above "safe".  WTF.  It sure re-ionized Neal though.

 

Last season it seemed like there was lead in his skates...

[The_People1]

8 minutes ago, Carty said:

 

Last season it seemed like there was lead in his skates...

 

Lol Neal is PH balanced now.  It was the water indeed.

[conundrumed]

Looks like Neal's +/- will soon surpass his goals. 11 goals...-9.

[JTech780]

5 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Looks like Neal's +/- will soon surpass his goals. 11 goals...-9.

 

 

[conundrumed]

8 goals on the PP, the rest is an illusion.

[travel_dude]

Neal's skating is an issue and his lack of play driving play is impacting Nuge.

Smith is starting to show the old habits of throwing his arms in the air after a goal.

He's playing at a high level, or so it seems.

His passes are creating neutral zone turnovers if he doesn't connect with McDavid.

 

 

[conundrumed]

I don't know why, but every year it seems it takes about 15 games before the men start separating from the boys. The thing with the Oilers has always been when frustration starts, they're unable to overcome it. Smith and Neal are not the vets to help with that. Time will tell I guess. Could be my Flames glasses.

[cross16]

2 hours ago, conundrumed said:

I don't know why, but every year it seems it takes about 15 games before the men start separating from the boys. The thing with the Oilers has always been when frustration starts, they're unable to overcome it. Smith and Neal are not the vets to help with that. Time will tell I guess. Could be my Flames glasses.

 

Totally agree. I wonder if it's parity linked. It seems to me a lot of contenders have stopped caring about October and are willing to let it take time to find their game and coaches are adapting. Maybe it's the softer coaching style, or the idea that it's better to peak at the right time. Not sure exactly but i don't even bother looking at standings or doing any analysis in October, it's basically a throw away month. 

 

Neal with a horrible turnover the other night that lead to the Arizona winning goal. he is the same Neal that Flames got last year too the only difference in the puck went in for him on the PP this year where it didn't last year. The trade is starting to play out just like many thought. 

[conundrumed]

Not sure about parity-linked. It's been quite a few years now that I always want the Flames to have a heavy schedule to start. Contrast that to Florida who always have been behind in GP in years passed have always struggled getting off of the ground. My own opinion is teams have to start playing a lot of games to sync back into the season. 2-3 games a week doesn't cut it. When every team has that 4 games in 6 nights thing like we just had, seems to be when they start coming out of the summer hibernation.

Time to stop thinking, time to get going.

Sorry to jack an Oilers thread, but hang on...no I'm not.

Is anyone noticing the Panthers have the best coach in the league now? What a difference. The Florida Blackhawks. I'm going to Vegas while the night is young. lol

[travel_dude]

The Oilers get a bump in the standings whenever they start with a new coach.

The narrative starts with play McD less, smart passes from the D-zone and support the goalie.

That didn't last very long, though a lot of the extra time is due to playing almost 2 minutes per PP.

Smith has been riding an energetic pace team taking advantage of a soft schedule.

This week alone they played STL after they played in VAN and NJ after they play us.

In October they played 3 or 4 team in the same situation.

 

I guess the other thing we see early in the season is teams trying to figure out the hot goalie for their team.

Some goalies with new addresses have been bi-polar this season.

ARI is getting Norris level tending from the backup they signed.

It levels out after a few months.

[The_People1]

13 hours ago, conundrumed said:

I don't know why, but every year it seems it takes about 15 games before the men start separating from the boys. The thing with the Oilers has always been when frustration starts, they're unable to overcome it. Smith and Neal are not the vets to help with that. Time will tell I guess. Could be my Flames glasses.

 

Ya man.  Neal and Smith were two of the biggest MeFirst players we had last season.  Two players past their prime but unwilling to face the truth.  I don't think Lucic has a problem with his role.  He is a team guy and leader.  Same with Talbot who is getting along with Rittich very well.

[travel_dude]

6 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

Ya man.  Neal and Smith were two of the biggest MeFirst players we had last season.  Two players past their prime but unwilling to face the truth.  I don't think Lucic has a problem with his role.  He is a team guy and leader.  Same with Talbot who is getting along with Rittich very well.

 

Yeah, I was talking about that elswhere.

Smith is starting with the bravado and the waving his hands in the air after a goal.

His comment after the win over PITTS was he needed another save to get the next start.

I know he felt he was bing funny, but he lets in juicy goals.

Just because he has one good game doesn;t make him an All Star.

 

Neal will be wearing the goat horns soon enough.

Once the goals dry up and the non-existent defensive play shows up and all he is is a minus player. 

[The_People1]

9 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

Yeah, I was talking about that elswhere.

Smith is starting with the bravado and the waving his hands in the air after a goal.

His comment after the win over PITTS was he needed another save to get the next start.

I know he felt he was bing funny, but he lets in juicy goals.

Just because he has one good game doesn;t make him an All Star.

 

Neal will be wearing the goat horns soon enough.

Once the goals dry up and the non-existent defensive play shows up and all he is is a minus player. 

 

Ya, all the media giving the Oilers the win on the trade right now.  Just wait another month.

[robrob74]

I think it isn’t the parity that has the worst teams getting points early. I think it is the younger players with energy out working the vets and then the vets take time to get going, and Once they do, the separate themselves from the younger weaker teams. They know they have to steal a few early to have a chance.

[travel_dude]

3 hours ago, robrob74 said:

I think it isn’t the parity that has the worst teams getting points early. I think it is the younger players with energy out working the vets and then the vets take time to get going, and Once they do, the separate themselves from the younger weaker teams. They know they have to steal a few early to have a chance.

 

I don't think that applies to EDM.

They are getting scoring from their young players and Neal.

Strength of schedule for some teams early on pays a big part.

EDM had about the 27th easiest schedule in the league.

I think they are up to 6 games where they play a team on night 2 of a B2B.

Against STL, they faced Allen who has only gotten 4 games this season.

 

Schedules tend to even out.

And teams that have a lot of FA's and rookies start to find their legs.

NYR should be killing it.

 

 

[travel_dude]

Oilers play NJ with Schneider in nets.

Woof.

[cross16]

11 hours ago, robrob74 said:

I think it isn’t the parity that has the worst teams getting points early. I think it is the younger players with energy out working the vets and then the vets take time to get going, and Once they do, the separate themselves from the younger weaker teams. They know they have to steal a few early to have a chance.

 

I agree and to expand this is what i'm getting at with parity. Typically contending teams are more veteran based so they know that there isn't a value in sweating a so/so performance in October. That and i think parity has also made the talent level less of a difference from team to team and it's more the team that gets hot at the right time and not so much the best teams on paper that become contenders. I think there is more of a focus on peaking at the right time. 

[original hockeypriest]

20 games in it is apparent that the Oilers were able to ride a hot start and a friendly schedule to mid November and still playing meaningful hockey...However, as the season progresses and teams concentrate harder on shutting down the 2 high end players and forcing the Oilers to make hay on the pp the wins are going to be harder to come by...I predict they will be outside of a playoff spot by Christmas and won't have a meaningful game after January.