Oilers now 13-12-1: THE THREAD THAT'S FUN FOR EVERYONE

[Paralyzer]

LA and Vancouver would really have to tank for the Oilers to catch them, even though they're back at the pace from last year

last year, Oilers were only 5 points behind 2nd...this year it's 11 points (we do have games in hand though)

Both teams also have pretty unknowns right now:

LA - Talbot has always been a streaky guy. Currently, he's been doing good for LA, but we all know when the pressure came, he folded like a deck of cards. Maybe LA's defence has more to do with him being better, but it's still something I'd consider as unknown at this time if he can continue to play through, even when pressure comes.

Vancouver - The whole team has been playing above where they usually play, and it's the first time in years where they actually will make it to the playoffs, but again, they have never had to face pressure yet, and that also can turn the momentum against them very fast if they don't know how to deal with it. This almost feels like Calgary that year where they played way better than what was expected. But again, it's unknown if they can continue with it or not.

While both have unknowns, Edmonton doesn't have as many as them, and history shows we play better in the 2nd half of the season. So I have no doubt in my mind, as long as we play our game that has won us 8 games in a row, and don't let up, we can easily take them both.

 

[snag]

For the last month now, the Oilers have been right as rain.

Also, interesting little tidbit I noticed when look t the split for the Oilers....3 bottom ten teams after the first 13-15 games (Season opener to November 11).....

Were top 5 from then to now...

 

[Score8]

This streak isn’t sustainable for a pretty mediocre to subpar team. Too many holes, too many passengers , too many weaknesses , this bubble going to pop soon. They won’t be making the PO.

 

[Frank Drebin]

This streak isn’t sustainable for a pretty mediocre to subpar team. Too many holes, too many passengers , too many weaknesses , this bubble going to pop soon. They won’t be making the PO.

I would bookmark this post if I cared

 

[Bear of Bad News]

I'm asking for permission from @Bear of Bad News for a hall pass to bring back all my classmates from the first 120pgs of this thread that seemingly are skipping class now that the Oilers have a winning record. I've got receipts to collect on

Trust me, it's for the good of the boards

Guys, I’m in Vegas and on my phone - be nice to one another.

 

[Paralyzer]

This streak isn’t sustainable for a pretty mediocre to subpar team. Too many holes, too many passengers , too many weaknesses , this bubble going to pop soon. They won’t be making the PO.

History speaks for itself:

Month	Record	Win Percentage	Goal Differential
October '22	6-3	66.7%	+6
November '22	7-7	50%	-9
December '22	7-7-1	46.7%	+12
January '23	8-4	66.7%	+16
February '23	4-4-3	36.4%	+3
March '23	12-3	80%	+18
April '23	6-0	100%	+19

Month	Record	Win Percentage	Goal Differential
October '21	6-1	85.7%	+10
November '21	9-4	69.2%	+8
December '21	3-8	27.3%	-10
January '22	4-6	40%	-6
February '22	7-5	58.3%	+3
March '22	9-6	60%	+13
April '22	11-2-1	78.6%	+20

Month	Record	Win Percentage	Goal Differential
January	5-6	45.5%	-3
February	9-3	75%	+13
March	8-6	57.1%	+5
April	7-4	63.6%	+9
May	6-2	75%	+5

Notice how the 2nd Half of every season the last 3 years, we played well? Let it speak for itself.

 

[bucks_oil]

It is ridiculous. McDavid doesn't need to shit the bed to get his way, nor as a competitor would he. All he had to do is pick up the phone. How can they be a notable podcaster without knowing that lol

lol... I know right?

Face of franchise, world's best player, former agent is the POHO and he's going to pout away wins rather than speak his mind? Man, that podcaster must never have played a single team sport. That's just not based in any remote schism of reality.

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

I can’t imagine having 97 and 29 for eight years and still having no idea on a nightly or yearly basis if your team is going to be any good.

 

[Oilslick941611]

I can’t imagine having 97 and 29 for eight years and still having no idea on a nightly or yearly basis if your team is going to be any good.

 

[MadLuke]

This streak isn’t sustainable for a pretty mediocre to subpar team. Too many holes, too many passengers , too many weaknesses , this bubble going to pop soon. They won’t be making the PO.

Would also be unsustainable for the best teams of all time, sustaining this streak would be what winning all the games left, scoring 4.75 a goal a game, giving only 1.63 against, with a 44% power play, winning 55% of the faceoff, shooting 14% as a team, etc...

That a very safe bet that like any team winning streak, it will not continue to that level.

For the won't be making the PO part, they already are with .519 in with the last wild card spot to lose to the Coyotes-Blues, Wild, Flames, etc....

Even if they play worse than mediocre (that was .558 last year, .555 the year before) from now to the end of the year, seem like they have good chance to make the playoff in the west.

 

[SK13]

I can’t imagine having 97 and 29 for eight years and still having no idea on a nightly or yearly basis if your team is going to be any good.

When it to comes to results, the Oilers are among the most consistent team in the NHL, actually. They're consistently terrible for 4-8 weeks and consistently dominant for 20-24 weeks. Like clockwork. You could set your watch to them.

Other teams have more small slumps and fewer large runs. By definition - less predictable.

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

??? Even when the oilers were losing to start the year, they still had great underlying numbers

Of course they did - they have the two best players in the world.

 

[snag]

This streak isn’t sustainable for a pretty mediocre to subpar team. Too many holes, too many passengers , too many weaknesses , this bubble going to pop soon. They won’t be making the PO.

When it to comes to results, the Oilers are among the most consistent team in the NHL, actually. They're consistently terrible for 4-8 weeks and consistently dominant for 20-24 weeks. Like clockwork. You could set your watch to them.

Other teams have more small slumps and fewer large runs. By definition - less predictable.

Last year....December 24th:

From then on....

 

[snag]

Of course they did - they have the two best players in the world.

Who they themselves were playing like more like average players most nights...

 

[North Cole]

I can’t imagine having 97 and 29 for eight years and still having no idea on a nightly or yearly basis if your team is going to be any good.

Being from Calgary, you probably could have just stopped at the bolded. We know you can't imagine having elite talent.

 

[jackjohnson]

Both teams also have pretty unknowns right now:

LA - Talbot has always been a streaky guy. Currently, he's been doing good for LA, but we all know when the pressure came, he folded like a deck of cards. Maybe LA's defence has more to do with him being better, but it's still something I'd consider as unknown at this time if he can continue to play through, even when pressure comes.

Vancouver - The whole team has been playing above where they usually play, and it's the first time in years where they actually will make it to the playoffs, but again, they have never had to face pressure yet, and that also can turn the momentum against them very fast if they don't know how to deal with it. This almost feels like Calgary that year where they played way better than what was expected. But again, it's unknown if they can continue with it or not.

While both have unknowns, Edmonton doesn't have as many as them, and history shows we play better in the 2nd half of the season. So I have no doubt in my mind, as long as we play our game that has won us 8 games in a row, and don't let up, we can easily take them both.

Haha thats a cute analysis on Vancouver. Playing "above" where they usually play. I guess you forgot one tidbit, its actually a different team compared to previous years. How can you say they are the same team with new coaching staff and 15 new players??

 

[Cup or Bust]

This streak isn’t sustainable for a pretty mediocre to subpar team. Too many holes, too many passengers , too many weaknesses , this bubble going to pop soon. They won’t be making the PO.

This is this same roster that won 99 games the past 2 seasons, won 3 playoff rounds, and finished last season 18-2-1 so to call them is pretty lame. Now to say that they have weaknesses that can stop them from winning a Cup, that I could agree with. The best thing about this particular winning steak isn't wins as much as how much better of a team game the Oilers have been playing since the coaching change. They are better fundamentally under Knoblach already then they ever were under Woodcroft or Tippet at any point, even more then when they went 18-2-1 last season. I believe the type of hockey they are playing now is much better and more sustainable to winning games in the long run and playoffs. That does not mean they still do not need improvements but this is the first time I have watched a stretch of games where I liked how they were playing as a team and their overall game. I remember one season with Tippet they started the season 16-5-1 I believe and I was telling everyone the Oilers were playing like garbage. I like more about how the team is playing right now then at any point since McDavid has been an Oiler. Hopefully they can keep it up, we shall see.

 

[My3Sons]

Edmonton caught a tired NJ team on the second half of a back to back and ready to fly home after a roadtrip this past Sunday. Edmonton definitely outplayed NJ but two of their goals were simple mistakes by the NJ goalie and one was an empty net goal. They scored one really good PP goal that they deserve full credit for. They look to be a playoff team but have a ways to go to up their play to be a contending team. Whatever doom and gloom was forecast for them seems a bit of an overreaction but we all know that these boards have some angry fans that have somehow attached their sense of self worth to how their hockey team does and like to crap on opposing teams' perceived failures to prop themselves up. Every fan base has a few of those.

 

[jackjohnson]

Last year....December 24th:
View attachment 782769

From then on....

View attachment 782770

Except you guys needed to fire woodcroft inorder to play better. If this was always the case then woodcroft would not have been fired. How many coaching changes has the oilers been through??

 

[Oilslick941611]

Being from Calgary, you probably could have just stopped at the bolded. We know you can't imagine having elite talent.

 

[PuckG]

Being from Calgary, you probably could have just stopped at the bolded. We know you can't imagine having elite talent.

They certainly pay like they have elite talent though.

 

[OG Eberle]

Guys, I’m in Vegas and on my phone - be nice to one another.

 

[jackjohnson]

Are we buds?

I guess we have a full season to see what Vancouver is. They certainly look better, but assuming they are as good as their first 26 games while completely disregarding a team largely unchanged from last year... is naive.

I bet you will come out and say the same bullcrap after 50 or 60 games lol the sample size is enough, tgey dont need to play 10 years so you cam ve confident they arent a bottom feeding team unless you are too slow.

The fact you think vancouver is unchanged with different coaching staff and 9 new players just shows your ignorance. Vancouver added Hronek, Zadorov, Soucy, Cole, Friedman, DeSmith, Lafferty, Suter, Blueger, brought up the improved and refreshed Hoglander and healthy Mikheyev.
If you can count, they added 5 new dman to tgeie blueline. I guess thats "unchanged". Seems like some people on HFboard need to have their eyes checked lol

 

[Cup or Bust]

Edmonton caught a tired NJ team on the second half of a back to back and ready to fly home after a roadtrip this past Sunday. Edmonton definitely outplayed NJ but two of their goals were simple mistakes by the NJ goalie and one was an empty net goal. They scored one really good PP goal that they deserve full credit for. They look to be a playoff team but have a ways to go to up their play to be a contending team. Whatever doom and gloom was forecast for them seems a bit of an overreaction but we all know that these boards have some angry fans that have somehow attached their sense of self worth to how their hockey team does and like to crap on opposing teams' perceived failures to prop themselves up. Every fan base has a few of those.

The most impressive part of that game was how good of a job they did shutting the Devils down defensively most of the game. Something they have done well for most of this streak. That is what has been most impressive during this winning streak. Something we have not seen them be able to sustain over an entire game, not alone a good stretch of games. I was watching the New Jersey feed for that game and one of their commentators said he could not believe these were the Edmonton Oilers with how solid of a structure they were able to maintain for the whole game. Yes it is a hot streak but they have had numerous hot streaks where they have played badly and still won games. Of course they will still have struggles defensively and bad games, but it will be interesting to see if they can maintain this side of their game over the long term.

 

[jackjohnson]

Their underlying numbers are still pretty average. I wouldn't count on half the forward core shooting 20% for the rest of the season.

This stuff is so basic now but fans of their favorite team always still get fooled. "My guy is different. 20% is the new level he found" etc. etc.

Ok Mr. Underlying numbers. Can you also predict who wins the cup with yoyr underlying numbers??