Oilers will be in tough, even with an abbreviated NHL schedule

[Njoy Oilers]

Ya, but bottom line young teams tend not to get a bit better every year, there is a year where they jump. Pitts, Chi ect.. THis is the year we jump. I am not saying we win the cup, but I think we make the playoffs. Yes, 20+ point improvement in one year.

Agreed. You have to at least count on other teams sucking for a change to make up those extra 20 or so points. Beating division opponents is a must.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Imagine the apoplexy on this board if they finish last again.

I'm picking them for a definite playoff spot... but if they do crap the bed again and finish bottom of the pack... so be it.

In a shortened season like this, we won't be subjected to the long mid-season doldrums of suck like in past years and they'll likely get to draft a MacKinnon/Jones/Barkov type talent if they finish near the basement. I could live with that as well in such a great draft year.

This season will likely be regarded by many as being "not legit" anyway so when they do finish with a playoff spot they won't be given any respect for it by other fanbases (not that it actually matters).

Either way though... this regular season is going to go by pretty fast... ~50 games compressed into 3 months or so. There won't be a lot of down time and whether they suck or they are surprisingly good, the season should fly by fairly quickly without many off days.

 

[awesomo]

This is actually a perfect year to tank because I would only have to withstand 48 games loll

Score Seth Jones

 

[plikestechno]

Ya, but bottom line young teams tend not to get a bit better every year, there is a year where they jump. Pitts, Chi ect.. THis is the year we jump. I am not saying we win the cup, but I think we make the playoffs. Yes, 20+ point improvement in one year.

I think next year will be the jump, but it's coming though.

If this year is painful, at least it will be quick.

 

[Moose Coleman]

If the Oilers miss the playoffs and aren't close, does Tambo get the boot?

 

[Jeff Lebowski]

If the Oilers miss the playoffs and aren't close, does Tambo get the boot?

Yes, because it means that he could not get the right veterans to play with our core of young talent. Right now, it's our vets who are the weak links.

 

[AM]

I have a simple goal, I hope nobody gets injured in the first game warm up.

 

[I am the Liquor]

If the Oilers miss the playoffs and aren't close, does Tambo get the boot?

No, because that would expose the wizard.

 

[awesomo]

Finally the Wings lose some talent.

Losing Lidstrom and Holmstrom is pretty huge. Especially Lidstrom. This is a new era.

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

This is actually a perfect year to tank because I would only have to withstand 48 games loll

Score Seth Jones

Now that's the spirit!



Here we come dynasty:

Seth Jones
Nail Yakupov
Taylor Hall
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Jordan Eberle
Justin Schultz



Guaranteed the Oilers will win the cup sometime in the next 5 years.

 

[NeverForget06]

The first couple games will be very telling on the rest of the season. If all the hype surrounding the success of kids in the AHL can translate into an early streak, we have a shot. If not then it could be a long short season

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

Finally the Wings lose some talent.

Losing Lidstrom and Holmstrom is pretty huge. Especially Lidstrom. This is a new era.

I'm still shocked that they couldn't find a way to coax Suter there.

 

[Replacement*]

Hard to know what to expect this year. I agree with many that this is a tougher team to peg and kind of the wildcat club that could go in different directions.

Heres what I see:

A supporting cast of primary veteran forwards that at this point play well for only limited stretches and seem to bring better play when the team is early in a season and the games still mean something. I've noted a lot of head sag in Horc, Hemmer, Smyth, when the games no longer matter. If the team stays in the mix longer or for most or all of the season you can expert better contributions from these guys. Also, as Smyth once again showed in Davos is he's a catalyst. This is a guy that will show the way but wants and needs a team that will follow. Smyth almost ALWAYS looks better on winning clubs.

Yakupov. People know my opinion, supreme talent, puts us over the edge as far as teams trying to contain our scoring potential. Its a given that this is now a two line production club. The mixes of talent we can put on any scoring line are enviable. Those that haven't seen much of Yak I'll say this both he and Hall are the two forwards most likely to prevail in a tight checking game. Put what you saw in the Jr's out of mind. Yak will be special and a money player.

All the kids seem reasonably well tuned. While I think some bad habits existed in OKC I expect more consistent focus, shifts, and intensity with the Oil and I think we'll get it. RNH has had the most interesting season and combination of experiences. I expect him to continue his kid under a Christmas tree approach. I expect RNH, Eberle, Hall, could go on a big roll, will run hot and cold, and important to sustain the highs as long as possible. Such is the stuff of Canadian youth. Playing best when you're feeling on top of things.

With Krueger as coach, Petry, Schultz, Whitney, Potter on offence, whoops, I meant D, everything on this club seems geared for offence. This club will be tough when it has the puck. The key will be having the puck. Will they have it enough and how will they cope with not having it and getting it back?

The single biggest issue in this lineup is going to be game physicality, hits, pushback, and where we obtain that from. There's just not a lot of hits in this lineup.

We'll get the GF I expect. How many will we give up is key. Goaltending I'm not sold on being enough to withstand the mistakes in this young lineup.

But we'll get a lot more out of the vets in this lineup if the team remains competitive. If this club could just stay in the mix then its a completely different club from top to bottom. Results will matter a lot to a young squad. Gotta get the W's early.

 

[harpoon]

No, because that would expose the wizard.

I assume you mean Lowe. At least you didn't post the clown gif again.

Lowe is not and never has been the problem with this team.
Pre-Katz, Lowe made the best of a small market situation. Given the economics at the time he may have even over-achieved.
He had mistakes, most only visible in hindsight, but no doubt there were some bad moves he made. He also brought us Pronger for peanuts (the kind of homerun most GMs never make in their entire careers ... derailed by circumstances out of his control) and the best playoff run I've ever seen.
The worst, by far the worst and the only thing I will hold his feet to the coals over, was the Horcoff contract.

Once Katz bought the team it was obvious he wanted his west coast buddy Tamby in the chair .... someone a little less "old boys" and a little more "businessman". Someone who would be down with shredding the franchise and losing on purpose for the longterm good of the STH outlook and the arena project. Tamby should have been fired already, but instead he got a new deal.

The list of things Lowe has accomplished in an Oilers jersey and as an executive with the team is worthy of more than your continual scorn.
When Katz and Tamby and Lowe are in a room calling the shots, I feel least worried about what Lowe is going to do because he's the only one in the room I know for sure cares about the jersey. I bet he feels sick about the way this team has been dragged through the mud since Katz took over.

 

[Mcnofool6110]

I assume you mean Lowe. At least you didn't post the clown gif again.

Lowe is not and never has been the problem with this team.
Pre-Katz, Lowe made the best of a small market situation. Given the economics at the time he may have even over-achieved.
He had mistakes, most only visible in hindsight, but no doubt there were some bad moves he made. He also brought us Pronger for peanuts (the kind of homerun most GMs never make in their entire careers ... derailed by circumstances out of his control) and the best playoff run I've ever seen.
The worst, by far the worst and the only thing I will hold his feet to the coals over, was the Horcoff contract.

Once Katz bought the team it was obvious he wanted his west coast buddy Tamby in the chair .... someone a little less "old boys" and a little more "businessman". Someone who would be down with shredding the franchise and losing on purpose for the longterm good of the STH outlook and the arena project. Tamby should have been fired already, but instead he got a new deal.

The list of things Lowe has accomplished in an Oilers jersey and as an executive with the team is worthy of more than your continual scorn.
When Katz and Tamby and Lowe are in a room calling the shots, I feel least worried about what Lowe is going to do because he's the only one in the room I know for sure cares about the jersey. I bet he feels sick about the way this team has been dragged through the mud since Katz took over.

Hark, did someone just defend Lowe? Will sit arbitrarily on the fence for this debate, but wow. Ballsy, considering the flak he gets around here.

Also - The West is so ridiculously fair that EDM could realistically finish anywhere from 3 - 14. I don't see how they could be worse than Columbus/better than St. Louis or LA. I could see Vancouver starting scarily slow, putting it together only late February. I could also see Minny just destroying the league. I can also see the Oilers winning some games 5-4. Lots of games.

 

[joestevens29]

Finally the Wings lose some talent.

Losing Lidstrom and Holmstrom is pretty huge. Especially Lidstrom. This is a new era.

Lidstrom will be huge. Holmstrom on the other hand just didn't look the same last year. Granted there will be some leadership gone, I don't think it will be that major of a loss.

 

[CornKicker]

there are 2 scenarios for a perfect season,

1 we make the playoffs and win the cup

2- we finish 14th and the flames finish last, then we win the draft lottery and take who ever they wanted the most and the lol

 

[Gord]

I also like that DD played in the Spengler and got some rust off. Not too many starters are playing right now and that could be the difference between making the playoff and not making the playoffs for some teams.

that's huge.
I remember reading about DD saying he was worried as it has been hard for him to get competitive ice time.
DD getting to play, and playing well, makes me a lot more comfortable about the Oiler's chances going into the shortened season. espcially with the questionable defense.