A novel concept :The only change required is a change in the environment

[guymez]

I have purposely avoided the board the past few days because the noise has reached intolerable levels IMO.
Trade player A....fire Woodcroft...is McLellan really a good coach?

So I wanted to open the discussion to the possibility that this team doesnt need to....trade a player...fire a coach...sit a core player (ie: Klefbom). It just needs to work its way through this adversity. Period.

The team I saw against Winnipeg and Ottawa simply wasnt executing little plays. Individual breakdowns were happening on a regular basis...throughout the lineup. Not one player was exempt these past few games. McDavid included. Dumb decisions and poor execution...that IMO is the primary reason for whats happening right now.

The good news....fewer players played poorly against the Canes. there were still too many breakdowns but overall I saw improvements. Unlike the past few games the difference in this game was that they showed signs of turning things around.
They generated momentum and had increased time in the O zone. For the most part they dominated puck possession. Moontoscott posted some numbers in one of the threads that indicated that the Oilers were more unlucky than anything else.

I have been watching hockey for a long time and over the years when I thought that the roster issues (or coaching or management) was the cause of the teams issues I was more than willing to post about it on here. I posted before the season started that my concerns were that the team would not be as lucky as they were last season in terms of injuries and also in terms of multiple players having career years. I also thought that they were too thin on RW and in their top 4 D. I didnt think that this was going to be a 100 point team this season.
I still think that all of these things are legitimate factors for this team this season. That said I dont think that these issues are the primary reason for this losing streak nor do I think that this team will miss the playoffs.

So what IMO should this team do?
Loosen things up for the boys...make things fun again.
They are too uptight IMO. Squeezing their stick's too hard. They are also playing like a random bunch of individuals.

I know there has been a significant amount of dread about this upcoming road trip but IMO this road trip (despite how good the opposition will be) is just what this team needed...to go on the road and get away from town for a bit. Get away from the noise.

Based on what I have seen the past 4 games...they will play their way out of this.

Click to read more...

 

[King1s]

We should fire our gm.

 

[tabs]

I have purposely avoid the board the past few days because the noise has reached intolerable levels IMO.
Trade player A....fire Woodcroft...is McLellan really a good coach?

So I wanted to open the discussion to the possibility that these team doesnt need to....trade a player...fire a coach...sit a core player (ie: Klefbom). It just needs to work its way through this adversity. Period.

The team I saw against Winnipeg and Ottawa simply wasnt executing little plays. Individual breakdowns were happening on a regular basis...throughout the lineup. Not one player was exempt these past few games. McDavid included. Dumb decisions and poor execution...that IMO is the primary reason for whats happening right now.

The good news....fewer players played poorly against the Canes. there were still too many breakdowns but overall I saw improvements. Unlike the past few games the difference in this game was that they showed signs of turning things around.
They generated momentum and had increased time in the O zone. For the most part they dominated puck possession. Moontoscott posted some numbers in one of the threads that indicated that the Oilers were more unlucky than anything else.

I have been watching hockey for a long time and over the years when I thought that the roster issues (or coaching or management) was the cause of the teams issues I was more than willing to post about it on here. I posted before the season started that my concerns were that the team would not be as lucky as they were last season in terms of injuries and also in terms of multiple players having career years. I also thought that they were too thin on RW and in their top 4 D. I didnt think that this was going to be a 100 point team this season.
I still think that all of these things are legitimate factors for this team this season. That said I dont think that these issues are the primary reason for this losing streak nor do I think that this team will miss the playoffs.

So what IMO should this team do?
Loosen things up for the boys...make things fun again.
They are too uptight IMO. Squeezing their stick's too hard. They are also playing like a random bunch of individuals.

I know there has been a significant amount of dread about this upcoming road trip but IMO this road trip (despite how good the opposition will be) is just what this team needed...to go on the road and get away from town for a bit. Get away from the noise.

Based on what I have seen the past 4 games...they will play their way out of this.

Well said. I agree that even though we had issues against the canes, it was a much better team game than what we saw from the previous two. Pretty much every goal against is an easily correctable mistake. It wasn’t because our bottom pairing was drowning. And it wasn’t because of our lack of RW depth. We took dumb penalties and made a terrible decision to pinch. Three of the five goals easily fixable with minor adjustments.

The shorthanded goal was the one that stung me the most. Grenade pass, followed by a bad effort to recover once the puck got behind Klef, followed by a goal that could have been stopped. Timing of it was bad too.

 

[guymez]

Well said. I agree that even though we had issues against the canes, it was a much better team game than what we saw from the previous two. Pretty much every goal against is an easily correctable mistake. It wasn’t because our bottom pairing was drowning. And it wasn’t because of our lack of RW depth. We took dumb penalties and made a terrible decision to pinch. Three of the five goals easily fixable with minor adjustments.

Thats pretty much what I am seeing as well. I think playing looser (less uptight) will be the antidote.

 

[tabs]

I’m sure you recall last years 5 game losing streak in November. I remember saying that the team didn’t look anything like what we saw all through October. They were making defensive miscues similar to what we’re seeing now, just not as magnified. And what did the team do after that 5 game losing streak? Won the next three.

 

[MessierII]

I agree with the OP. The last game was encouraging. This team will figure things out and get going.

 

[guymez]

I’m sure you recall last years 5 game losing streak in November. I remember saying that the team didn’t look anything like what we saw all through October. They were making defensive miscues similar to what we’re seeing now, just not as magnified. And what did the team do after that 5 game losing streak? Won the next three.

Actually I didnt see very many of the early to mid November games. I was in Montana and wasnt able to watch them.

Sounds very similar though.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I've been negative all year but I don't think it's hopeless. I have seen some good play but a few bad things have stuck out.

1. Trying too hard: lots of the guys aren't relaxed, gripping their stick too tight and trying to hard to make the right play, so much so they react to slow or over think and make the wrong one. They need to trust their instincts more

2. McDavid not Leading: he has picked up point and had a few shifts but I haven't really seen him try and take the game over when the team had been struggling. He is not a vocal captain, the players have mentioned that, so he needs to lead on the ice which he hasn't done.

3. Bad Winger and Defense Depth: it's not the end of the world but when our top guys are struggling, there isn't much to pick up the slack and hold the fort.

4. Penalty Kill: Simply no words.

5. Dumb penalties: Gryba, Kassian and Maroon have been the worst for it.

That said I see a lot of puck movement. The team does not give up they just... They need a bad goalie on the other end. They need a shitty goalie that they can toss a bunch if goals in when dominating the play and have Talbot play like he did against Calgary. Get these guys mojo going.

 

[oobga]

McLellan isn't a loosen things up coach though, is he? He's gonna be riding these guys, pointing out every mistake, complaining in the media. Hopefully no one turns into a Jultz for him that he gets really nasty towards while talking to the media.

Oh sorry, I am bringing bad juju to the thread. I'll stop now

 

[guymez]

McLellan isn't a loosen things up coach though, is he? He's gonna be riding these guys, pointing out every mistake, complaining in the media. Hopefully no one turns into a Jultz for him that he gets really nasty towards while talking to the media.

Oh sorry, I am bringing bad juju to the thread. I'll stop now

There is no evidence at all to support this POV yet you decided it was worth posting?

Where is the dislike button....

 

[oobga]

There is no evidence at all to support this POV yet you decided it was worth posting?

Where is the dislike button....

You missed his first season here? Has history from his SJ days too. Select players had not so kind things to say on his way out as well.

 

[guymez]

You missed his first season here? Has history from his SJ days too. Select players had not so kind things to say on his way out as well.

I havent missed much since the Oilers hired McLellan. I think your post was pure hyperbole to be perfectly honest. No basis in reality at all.

 

[oobga]

I havent missed much since the Oilers hired McLellan. I think your post was a putrid pile of hyperbole to be perfectly honest. No basis in reality at all.

Should rewatch some of his post games from that season. Especially around the trade deadline. If the players can’t dig out of this soon, could get uuuugly.

 

[guymez]

Should rewatch some of his post games from that season. Especially around the trade deadline.

So...bring us all up to speed. Defend your nonsensical post. Provide some detail.
You might have noticed that I have little patience for garbage ike this.

Unsubstantiated rumor and innuendo is not a legit basis for your post.

 

[oobga]

So...bring us all up to speed. Defend your nonsensical post. Provide some detail.
You might have noticed that I have little patience for garbage ike this.
Best not to post it IMO.

I did. Aw, I really did bring the bad juju here, sorry

 

[KarmaPolice]

So what IMO should this team do?
Loosen things up for the boys...make things fun again.
They are too uptight IMO. Squeezing their stick's too hard. They are also playing like a random bunch of individuals.

I know there has been a significant amount of dread about this upcoming road trip but IMO this road trip (despite how good the opposition will be) is just what this team needed...to go on the road and get away from town for a bit. Get away from the noise.

Based on what I have seen the past 4 games...they will play their way out of this.

That's absolutely true. They are playing too tight; afraid to make a mistake. They're playing like many respected hockey pundits and Vegas odds-makers picked them as one of the favorites for winning the Stanley Cup -- or like some pundits actually did pick them to win.

Oh wait, didn't that actually happen?

They do need to loosen things up. Start having more fun. Not every game has to be 60 minutes of perfect that we saw on opening night. Now they're trying to replicate that, and each player is doing to much, not trusting the guy beside him or ahead of him to do his part, and trying to do too much himself.

This team needs a more light-hearted practice. I really think it's something that a somewhat clever coach would do (Babcock, as one example). Luckily, Todd McLellan seems like the perfect coach for that. He's very laid back when he needs to be, and will even bark at a reporter during a scrum and tell him to 'shut the hell up' with total class.

All joking aside, I really do think they need to get back to basics and just have fun. I'm not sure McLellan is smart or sophisticated enough to see this, or laid back or open-minded enough to make it happen even if he did see it. I hope I'm wrong. I really really hope so.

McDavid just had post-season success with the team for the first time; he just signed a 100m dollar contract; he scored 100 points and won the Art Ross, oh and a little trophy called the Hart Trophy. If you don't think he's feeling a crap ton of pressure right now, you're wrong. But we don't have any top-6 veteran to take the pressure off. We don't have the Ryan O'Reilly for our Jack Eichel. A huge over-sight -- one among many. It's easy to see why this team struggles. So many holes, so many things that were overlooked. And now a 20 year old captain has the world on his shoulders, and he's already been told he's the best player in hockey and that he can do anything. He HAS to fix this. Only it shouldn't be on him to do it. Not yet, anyway. That was one big reason Lemieux came back to play with Sid: he wanted to take the pressure and focus off him. We're just doing the opposite with McDavid this season. How is that working out so far? Well done Chia, I guess? I don't even care who's to blame at this point. I just want what needs to be fixed to get fixed.

But yeah, they need to loosen up in the worst way, and relax.

Three big problems I can see off the top of my head:
1. We have a 20 year old superstar who's expected to lead no only our entire first line, not only our entire forward corps, but our entire team to greatness and SC victories. That's too much pressure to put on a 20 year old kid.
2. We have a 24 year old #1 Dman (VERY young for a #1 -- who else is that young and a #1 on their team, and is their team successful?) who emerged last season as a top-pairing Dman, and able to hold his own as the #1 Dman -- did so in game one, too. He's also expected to lead the Dcorps. Age and experience again just MIGHT be an issue, though, same with problem #1. Has he even played 300 NHL games yet?
3. Same with the other 2, except in net. We have a relatively inexperienced #1 who just played his first full season playing Vezina-caliber goaltending. Oh, and no established backup behind you, Cam. So don't mess up, now!

Yes, that's a sure-fire recipe for success, all in 3 easy steps. And that's not that half of it.

 

[guymez]

I did. Aw, I really did bring the bad juju here, sorry

I am not sure about that but you did just undermine your credibility.

 

[Spawn]

Agree with your post for the most part. I don't think we're going to be as good as we were last year (largely due to Sekera missing so much time to start the season) but things will level out for the team.

Not 100% it is going to get better before it gets worse during this road trip, but sooner or later this team will start to string together some wins. At least I think... and hope lol.

 

[guymez]

That's absolutely true. They are playing too tight; afraid to make a mistake. They're playing like many respected hockey pundits and Vegas odds-makers picked them as one of the favorites for winning the Stanley Cup -- or like some pundits actually did pick them to win.

Oh wait, didn't that actually happen?

They do need to loosen things up. Start having more fun. Not every game has to be 60 minutes of perfect that we saw on opening night. Now they're trying to replicate that, and each player is doing to much, not trusting the guy beside him or ahead of him to do his part, and trying to do too much himself.

This team needs a more light-hearted practice. I really think it's something that a somewhat clever coach would do (Babcock, as one example). Luckily, Todd McLellan seems like the perfect coach for that. He's very laid back when he needs to be, and will even bark at a reporter during a scrum and tell him to 'shut the hell up' with total class.

All joking aside, I really do think they need to get back to basics and just have fun. I'm not sure McLellan is smart or sophisticated enough to see this, or laid back or open-minded enough to make it happen even if he did see it. I hope I'm wrong. I really really hope so.

lol (re: the bolded)...Actually I missed that exchange.
I do respect McLellans forthright nature and his honesty though and I have to think that resonates with the players as well.
They know where they stand...no guessing.

 

[KarmaPolice]

lol (re: the bolded)...Actually I missed that exchange.
I do respect McLellans forthright nature and his honesty though and I have to think that resonates with the players as well.
They know where they stand...no guessing.

I hope the leaders on the team feel they can be honest with him, and that he'll take it as constructive criticism, too. Like if one of the leaders among the players were to tell Todd what I mentioned: that is, that they need to loosen things up, get back to basics, and enjoy playing the game, and the rest will come. Again, I hope that's the case. I really have no idea, as I have absolutely nothing to base a guess on. I just hope someone with some form of authority anywhere in the organization can see this, and they are able to do it, and tell the players to relax, and have fun playing the game. Don't forget it's a game. Forget the money; forget the pressure. That's all noise outside the rink. When on the rink, just have fun. That would be my message (only my real message would be a lot longer than that).

 

[guymez]

I've been negative all year but I don't think it's hopeless. I have seen some good play but a few bad things have stuck out.

1. Trying too hard: lots of the guys aren't relaxed, gripping their stick too tight and trying to hard to make the right play, so much so they react to slow or over think and make the wrong one. They need to trust their instincts more

2. McDavid not Leading: he has picked up point and had a few shifts but I haven't really seen him try and take the game over when the team had been struggling. He is not a vocal captain, the players have mentioned that, so he needs to lead on the ice which he hasn't done.

3. Bad Winger and Defense Depth: it's not the end of the world but when our top guys are struggling, there isn't much to pick up the slack and hold the fort.

4. Penalty Kill: Simply no words.

5. Dumb penalties: Gryba, Kassian and Maroon have been the worst for it.

That said I see a lot of puck movement. The team does not give up they just... They need a bad goalie on the other end. They need a ****ty goalie that they can toss a bunch if goals in when dominating the play and have Talbot play like he did against Calgary. Get these guys mojo going.

Point #3 is totally legit IMO. That has amplified the issue on RW and on defence in a big way.

Strome needs to step up. He was better last game and that has to continue. He doesnt need to put up Eberle numbers but he does have to be reliable and play like a legit top 6/9 player.
Same goes for Caggiula when he returns to the lineup.

Klefbom and Larsson have to be the teams best dmen most nights.

 

[oobga]

I am not sure about that but you did just undermine your credibility.

Works both ways, as i see you willingly ignoring history. Clearly have a soft spot for TMac.

Im not even claiming he is terrible. Just don’t see the fun times thing happening. Players will need to grind this out. Just bad luck is one thing, but blatant errors are there to be pointed at and the coach is pointing for all to see.

 

[KarmaPolice]

lol (re: the bolded)...Actually I missed that exchange.
I do respect McLellans forthright nature and his honesty though and I have to think that resonates with the players as well.
They know where they stand...no guessing.

It was certainly pretty interesting (that exchange). Reminded of something that Dallas Eakins would do. Not that I think anywhere near that low of Todd. I don't think he's a bad coach. Nor do I think most of the teams issues lay at his feet. But I wish he did have more of a "thinking man" side of him in his tool kid. Give a player a break (in whatever form that might be) when he really needs one. For example, right now, I think he should be trying to take pressure off of ALL the players; not pointing any fingers. The main players we count on to win are too young to put the pressure and hopes and desires and fears of an entire fanbase on their shoulders and expect them to thrive, IMO. He should be telling them to relax and focus on have fun, and that all the other stuff is just noise. When on the ice, just get into your game 'mode' and try to have fun. It's still just a game in the end. No lives depend on any of this.

I edited and added a lot to my first post, if you want to re-read it.

I think this might be a team that needs a coach who's willing to take bullets for them, and not call out any players or point out bad plays by such players. I think that works with a veteran team, but not a very young team (in terms of our star players) such as ours. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my opinion. So it's not so much that I think Todd is a bad coach as much as it is that I just think he might be the wrong coach. But again, maybe I'm wrong. It's still so early. God only knows.

 

[guymez]

I hope the leaders on the team feel they can be honest with him, and that he'll take it as constructive criticism, too. Like if one of the leaders among the players were to tell Todd what I mentioned: that is, that they need to loosen things up, get back to basics, and enjoy playing the game, and the rest will come. Again, I hope that's the case. I really have no idea, as I have absolutely nothing to base a guess on. I just hope someone with some form of authority anywhere in the organization can see this, and they are able to do it, and tell the players to relax, and have fun playing the game. Don't forget it's a game. Forget the money; forget the pressure. That's all noise outside the rink. When on the rink, just have fun. That would be my message (only my real message would be a lot longer than that).

I agree.
I do think that this coaching staff (based on what I have seen so far) seems to have a good sense of what the team needs. I respect the way they navigated things last season.
Pressure is a funny thing and this team is now having to get used to very high expectations.
Its a totally new element in their environment.
I have to think that this pressure is amplified playing at home as well.
I really think that this is the main issue and I sense that the road trip will help this team to loosen up and come together.

 

[guymez]

Works both ways, as i see you willingly ignoring history. Clearly have a soft spot for TMac.

Im not even claiming he is terrible. Just don’t see the fun times thing happening. Players will need to grind this out. Just bad luck is one thing, but blatant errors are there to be pointed at and the coach is pointing for all to see.

Ignoring history?
You havent posted anything of substance. All I am doing so far is responding to hyperbole.

I really should be willfully ignoring your posts until you can post something credible.