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

[n7]

I just want to see them compete every game, and actually be fighting for a playoff spot.

 

[tiger_80]

Is our #1 PP unit now Hall/RNH/Yak with Ebs and Schultz on the point? Cuz if so, that's gonna be fun to watch.

Probably RNH, Hall, Eberle, Schultz, maybe Whitney or PEtry.

 

[PaPaDee]

I don't see us making the playoffs, but I also don't see us finishing bottom 5 this year. I think we'll be in the playoff race, but just fall short.

 

[Worraps]

Probably RNH, Hall, Eberle, Schultz, maybe Whitney or PEtry.

Need someone to stand in front of the net. I imagine that person will be Smyth (if Nuge needs face off help) or Hartikainen.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Probably RNH, Hall, Eberle, Schultz, maybe Whitney or PEtry.

Dont forget about Horcoff. Dont think he will sit idly by while rookies suck up the pp gravy.

 

[joestevens29]

I honestly don't know who has an advantage and who doesn't right now. There is just so much that goes into this and at this point it's too hard to tell who will be in tough and who won't.

What I do like is that RNH, Hemsky, Hall, Eberle, Gagner and Yakupov all have been playing. Gives us at the very least 6 guys who can play in the top 6 that aren't going to be rusty.

I don't like that Smid, Potter and young Schultz are the only d-men that were playing. Could be a good thing for Whitney, not sure. Not a fan that Petry wasn't playing as he was a player that needed to build off a solid season, not sit.

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.

The one thing I really hate and I mentioned it late last year, is we should've fired Renney last year, especially now with Kreuger being the new boss. We could've given him interim title last year and the team could've learned his system last year, instead we are left with a short camp for everyone to learn the new system.

 

[joestevens29]

Need someone to stand in front of the net. I imagine that person will be Smyth (if Nuge needs face off help) or Hartikainen.

Probably Horcoff again. I don't really see the issue either.

 

[Game 8]

Still think we need at least one more d-man and a 2C...Dubnyk worries me a bit as well.

Agree with the 2C! this season we were likely not going to see playoffs but some improvement. If we can draft high enough to get the 2C we need we are locked and loaded! That would look like success to me.

 

[CupofOil]

I agree with that article 100%. There are way more questions than answers at this point, i really have no idea why so many have the Oilers pencilied in for the playoffs.
I do think that they will have an advantage early in the season since 4 of the top players have been playing together and developing chemistry but other than that, there are question marks all across the board.

There's still not nearly enough grit on the team, the bottom 6 is a cluster****.
The D is full of holes and question marks. Is Smid healthy? Is Whitney ever going to be the same again?
How is Petry going to play after playing no competitive hockey since last season?
Is J. Schultz going to step in right away and contribute at a high level? Who is the #6 defenseman? Huge question marks to be sure of anything. While i'm pleased with Dubnyk's prgoression, how will he handle being "the guy" now?

The team is really talented and should be on the upswing this season but i still think that playoffs is a longshot with this bunch.

 

[OilerNut*]

Is there still talk about Winnipeg and Columbus changing conferences for the short season?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...winnipeg-columbus-to-switch-divisions-in-2013

 

[dustrock]

I don't see us making the playoffs, but I also don't see us finishing bottom 5 this year. I think we'll be in the playoff race, but just fall short.

Yeah, this is the most logical stance I think. I don't think we'll have the consistency.

 

[WeridAl]

I don't see us making the playoffs, but I also don't see us finishing bottom 5 this year. I think we'll be in the playoff race, but just fall short.

Sounds about right, the problem is do the Oilers try to make a drive for the playoffs or do they make some trades for the future at the TDL. Hemsky, Whitney, Jones, and Sutton could easily return a bonanza in quality players or picks and not hurt the main core of the team. You can say the Oilers don't need the picks, but picks can be used to get that player the Oilers need. Just hope these players stay healthy.

 

[joestevens29]

Is there still talk about Winnipeg and Columbus changing conferences for the short season?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...winnipeg-columbus-to-switch-divisions-in-2013

I thought I read nothing is going to happen until 13-14 at the earliest.

 

[Replacement*]

28 of 48 games within division will make it tough. Also tough to watch. A full 60% of the proposed schedule consisting of games against 4 clubs.

Ridiculous.

Just play 3 games against each other team in the conference and call it a day at 42GP and don't be greedy ******** trying to squeeze more games into the schedule.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Who finishes with more points this season? Oilers or Islanders?

 

[Ol' Jase]

Whatever happens, happens. Basically, we need to stop getting our hopes up.

This x 1,000,000.

The rebuild is still a work in progress, and it need to be looked at objectively. For me, playoffs would be nothing more than a pleasant surprise.

 

[BowDangles]

I think the Oilers might have a advantage right out of the gate when everyone is rusty, but after that they are going to have to battle. Right off the start the rust on most teams will lead to penalties and the majority of our #1 PP has been playing together gaining chemistry.

A similar situation happened to us last year, at the beginning of the year we had a top three PP unit and were getting lots of PPs but than it seemed the refs just put their whistles away in the last half of the season..

Im excited to see how this all plays out, I suspect some trade frenzy to happen next week as well.

 

[Harley]

Our team is like Dolly Parton. Top heavy. Great up front but lacking in the booty.

Still pretty small. Still get pushed around. Still no shut down centre or even a big match up second line centre. Goal will be a question mark. And our D to me is very scary. We have to count on Potter or Pechkam? What if Whitney gets hurt? Smid is one high check away from being a very unreliable asset going forward. An undersized albeit highly touted rookie? Thats a lot of worries out of 6 blue liners. We need a horse. Badly.

Hockeys back.

 

[Da McBomb]

If this was a full 82 game schedule, I wouldn't have the Oilers making the playoffs. But with a short season and most of the core Oilers in mid-season form, I'm optimistic the Oilers can sneak into a playoff spot. At least we'll be involved in important games come March/April for the first time in many years.

 

[McGoMcD]

This x 1,000,000.

The rebuild is still a work in progress, and it need to be looked at objectively. For me, playoffs would be nothing more than a pleasant surprise.

Call me a crazy optimist, but I hold my hopes higher. Adding yaks and Shultz was huge. The rebuild is over, this team can make the playoffs and even win a round or two.

 

[Wheatking]

Is our #1 PP unit now Hall/RNH/Yak with Ebs and Schultz on the point? Cuz if so, that's gonna be fun to watch.

I'd spread the talent around just because you don't need all of them on the ice to score a goal.

 

[tv14]

Call me naive or whatever, but I could actually see us doing good this year. Before the lockout began, I thought we would be a team that would battle for the playoffs but in the end fall short. I think the lockout has only helped us. We are a very young team and I couldn't see a condensed schedule tiring us out like it might to other teams. Our whole top line was playing with each other and playing great in OKC. We will be ready to go from game 1, when some teams might not be fully ready until game 10 or so. I'm hoping for a 6-8 place finish. I would be disappointed, but not devastated if we finish 9-12.

 

[BowDangles]

Call me a crazy optimist, but I hold my hopes higher. Adding yaks and Shultz was huge. The rebuild is over, this team can make the playoffs and even win a round or two.

The "rebuilding" part of the rebuild might be over but the success will still take some time, you need to let the young guys develop before you are a contender. Sure Shultz and Yakupov were great additions but you need to remember that they are young and more than likely are not going to be huge impacts this year. If all goes well they will both be impact players in time but this current season we would be very lucky to have one of them be a force.

 

[Wheatking]

I don't have crazy expectations for this team. We can get excited about the names "Nail Yakupov" and "Justin Schultz" but the reality is that all the second worst team in the league has done to improve is fire the coach and add two rookies.

I do think we're in a position to surprise teams out of the gate though. Our best players have played about 30 games already this season. Our core is younger and should be able to handle the stretches of 4 games in 5 nights better than some of the older teams. Not having Khabibulin in net should help...and Hall, Eberle, RNH and Schultz just happen to be playing the best hockey of their careers at the moment.

Unfortunately I don't see our defense holding up. We're going to need Whitney to be 100%, Schultz to COMPLETELY meet the hype, Petry to prove it wasn't just a great 25 game stretch and for Peckham to clear the cobwebs from his concussion to have any chance at the playoffs this year. A lot has to go right.

 

[McGoMcD]

The "rebuilding" part of the rebuild might be over but the success will still take some time, you need to let the young guys develop before you are a contender. Sure Shultz and Yakupov were great additions but you need to remember that they are young and more than likely are not going to be huge impacts this year. If all goes well they will both be impact players in time but this current season we would be very lucky to have one of them be a force.

Sure, Shultz and Yaks won't have a huge impact, but they will have a impact. I mean Shultz especially is more than NHL ready. You have to think they are very least are upgrades over last year. If you add in all the other young players getting a year older. I think this team can improve by leaps and bounds over last year. I think we can be any where from 25th in the league to 10th. I would suggest closer to 10th.