Schultz off season training

[Aceboogie]

As much as we rip on Schultz. Oilers let him down. No support, nothing. I feel bad for him

 

[Uchiha]

As much as we rip on Schultz. Oilers let him down. No support, nothing. I feel bad for him

So true.

His best partner he's played with was Klefbom who made him look night and day better then he was before. The oilers put him in zero position to properly make him succeed, and I don't mean giving him minutes I mean having him paired with Ference, Hunt, Nikitin or N Schultz. Also playing for the worst coach in the history of the game.

I fully expect Schultz to have a great season, and I really don't see why he can't.

 

[Dorian2]

I'm one that wishes Schultz a good year as well.

He was ripped on way too much afaic.

 

[rockinghockey]

Would be nice to see Schultz pack on 5-10lbs of muscle

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Would be nice to see Schultz pack on 5-10lbs of muscle

He needs to grow a pair of something else before packing on those lbs.

 

[Mr Positive]

Schultz can use more muscle, but he doesn't need to be gritty. He's an offensive Dman and a puck mover. There are elite D in the league who have next to zero grit. If Schultz has any hope of reviving his career it will be by playing the same style that made him a sought-after prospect. He's just got to get big enough to protect the puck better and to be able to battle for pucks along the boards. We don't need him to start hitting more or to get meaner.

I don't even think his main area for improvement is to built muscle. His decision making is getting better, but it's still poor. He needs to be better at knowing when to pinch and when to back off. He's got to play better in the Dzone, and his issues are not entirely about his lack of strength. Any improvement will help though.

 

[Dorian2]

Schultz can use more muscle, but he doesn't need to be gritty. He's an offensive Dman and a puck mover. There are elite D in the league who have next to zero grit. If Schultz has any hope of reviving his career it will be by playing the same style that made him a sought-after prospect. He's just got to get big enough to protect the puck better and to be able to battle for pucks along the boards. We don't need him to start hitting more or to get meaner.

I don't even think his main area for improvement is to built muscle. His decision making is getting better, but it's still poor. He needs to be better at knowing when to pinch and when to back off. He's got to play better in the Dzone, and his issues are not entirely about his lack of strength. Any improvement will help though.

I agree with what you say. But he "still needs to grow a pair of something" to win those battles along the boards against certain player.

"He needs to be more assertive" as my daughter pointed out.

 

[Replacement*]

Schultz can use more muscle, but he doesn't need to be gritty. He's an offensive Dman and a puck mover. There are elite D in the league who have next to zero grit. If Schultz has any hope of reviving his career it will be by playing the same style that made him a sought-after prospect. He's just got to get big enough to protect the puck better and to be able to battle for pucks along the boards. We don't need him to start hitting more or to get meaner.

I don't even think his main area for improvement is to built muscle. His decision making is getting better, but it's still poor. He needs to be better at knowing when to pinch and when to back off. He's got to play better in the Dzone, and his issues are not entirely about his lack of strength. Any improvement will help though.

What elite D in the WC conference playing for a good competitive club has zero grit in their game?

Next, what does a WC D with zero grit in his game do against big WC players when he doesn't have the puck.? Oh, stand there and wait for the next bus...

 

[Throttlehead]

Schultz can use more muscle, but he doesn't need to be gritty. He's an offensive Dman and a puck mover. There are elite D in the league who have next to zero grit. If Schultz has any hope of reviving his career it will be by playing the same style that made him a sought-after prospect. He's just got to get big enough to protect the puck better and to be able to battle for pucks along the boards. We don't need him to start hitting more or to get meaner.

I don't even think his main area for improvement is to built muscle. His decision making is getting better, but it's still poor. He needs to be better at knowing when to pinch and when to back off. He's got to play better in the Dzone, and his issues are not entirely about his lack of strength. Any improvement will help though.

He will never be a Nick Lidstrom, but that is the style of play he should try to model. Schultz has said he would like to play a style close to Doughty, that will never happen and Schultz is not capable of that style of play.

 

[Greasy Sliders]

Well 90% of Dmen in the league are doing the exact same thing

 

[McFlyingV]

Would be nice to see Schultz pack on 5-10lbs of muscle

I'd be pretty disappointed if he didn't put on at least 5 pounds in 4 months at his current stature.

 

[McFlyingV]

Well 90% of Dmen in the league are doing the exact same thing

Difference is Schultz doesn't look like he's taken training very seriously in the past, whereas I'm sure a lot of the others have so he has a lot more room to improve. They're not gonna see the same kind of improvements if they've been training hard for 5+ years.

 

[LTIR]

Size is not really an issue with him in my opinion..
Last season his issues were all mental. Inability to keep pucks in on the blue line, giving up on play defensively, unforced cough ups ... To sum up he needs to work on reducing his brain farts.
He will never be a big imposing Dman... He will not be a hitter and he will not have a big slap shot. Despite all that he can be an offinsively dominating NHL Dman if he gets his head on right.

 

[McFlyingV]

Size is not really an issue with him in my opinion..
Last season his issues were all mental. Inability to keep pucks in on the blue line, giving up on play defensively, unforced cough ups ... To sum up he needs to work on reducing his brain farts.
He will never be a big imposing Dman... He will not be a hitter and he will not have a big slap shot. Despite all that he can be an offinsively dominating NHL Dman if he gets his head on right.

Confidence and proper coaching are definitely the 2 biggest things for him, but he is still going to benefit from adding size and becoming stronger so that he can actually compete along the boards and in front of his net. Even his slap shot could improve some from adding strength. Its never going to be a Weber clapper, but its definitely not awful atm he just doesn't use it enough.

 

[LTIR]

Confidence and proper coaching are definitely the 2 biggest things for him, but he is still going to benefit from adding size and becoming stronger so that he can actually compete along the boards and in front of his net. Even his slap shot could improve some from adding strength. Its never going to be a Weber clapper, but its definitely not awful atm he just doesn't use it enough.

For sure...
Lets not forget that a year ago he was considered part of the "big 4" and was being projected to land a 6M\yr long term deal ala the other top4.

The poll done here on HF Oil has him ranked 14th most valuable Oiler right now.
A bounce back season is always on the card for him considering a fresh start under a good coach.

 

[HotToddy75]

I think Schultz is a smart guy. I think he's very aware that he's had no supporting cast, and that he's been developed in a poor way. Here's why I think he might bounce back very well:

1. He'll have a marginally better supporting cast this year
2. He'll have a bona fide coach for the first time
3. He'll be a year older and stronger
4. He'll have markedly improved forwards in front of him. I'm thinking that each time he gets the puck to CMcD its all gold from there.

Bear in mind that for long stretches of the past few seasons, Schultz has been the only dman capable of pushing positive CF/60 for the forwards. My guess is that the coaches, Hall and Ebs, and Schultz agreed to let the defensive side slide and try to push for any kind of offense they could.

 

[Up the Irons]

As much as we rip on Schultz. Oilers let him down. No support, nothing. I feel bad for him

that's fair.

when your organization believes that small danglers are franchise cornerstones and untouchable, ergo, the only way to acquire d-support is to draft and wait... we get what we saw, the most improperly executed rebuild imaginable.

There's definitely a player in Schultz. How good? probably a 2nd pairing, first PP, 40-50 pt Dman. that's pretty good.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

His off season training seems to be doing wonders:

 

[Oil Baron]

Schultz will not get any slack from me until I see a significant on ice intensity level! He looks like he is playing pond hockey 90% of the time.
For a supposed offensive D-man 1 PP goal in two years doesn't really cut the mustard we should of cut ties with him this off season but I guess we wait and see for another year

 

[Philly85*]

yeah, I agree with the people who say he's been "let down" and had no supporting cast, which is true. But his on ice intensity level is completely pathetic. Makes Tom Gilbert and Tom Poti look like Scott Stevens. I'm not even exaggerating. You don't win with guys like that unless they're at the bottom of your depth chart. It was so obvious to see, there was no passion, no intensity, no will behind those eyes. Simple plays made difficult, no battle, mental lapses all over the place and general lethargy. There was no excuse for that. Especially when he's that good a skater and has shown in the past he has a good to above average mind for the offensive side of the game. I'm hoping for a huge bounce back season but I'm not getting my hopes up. I'd still try to flip him for something if they could, if he shows some semblance of value again.

 

[Bangers]

I'm not expecting Schultz to ever win his share if physical battles or play like a man possessed. He could still be an excellent player without those elements.

What he really needs to do is learn to stop making boneheaded frickin decisions. Hopefully McLellan can coach that out of him; if not, he likely won't be an Oiler much longer.

 

[Nordiques1979]

No need gym, close him downtown NJ with Scott Stevens he will learn a trick or two about deffense.

 

[McDynasty]

It means nothing

You sound enthusiastic.

 

[Up the Irons]

I'm not expecting Schultz to ever win his share if physical battles or play like a man possessed. He could still be an excellent player without those elements.

What he really needs to do is learn to stop making boneheaded frickin decisions. Hopefully McLellan can coach that out of him; if not, he likely won't be an Oiler much longer.

either way, I say he's gone. how good he is will determine the return, but, well.... let's just say it would be unwise to buy a Schultz jersey.

 

[fancy dan]

this player needs to develop heart more than he needs to develop physical strength.