so then what's your point? Chia didn't get one so now the Oilers have to learn to tighen up defensively with the players they have cause I doubt their record is much different if they had a Franson in the line-up
so continuing to keep repeating the same thing in every thread isn't going to change that fact
It's more than just "adding a player", it's not forcing Benning to play a role he's not ready for. Think of our defense last year if Chiarelli didn't acquire Larsson. We'd have to play either Nurse or Benning in the #4 spot along with Russell, who's suddenly our #3.
I'm thinking about the big picture here. This team needs upgrades if they want to go far in the playoffs and I don't think Chiarelli's off-season was ideal for what the team needed. Yes you need some internal growth and progression but it was obvious that not every player would progress the same way at the same rate. It's easy to say "Oh well he'll just get someone at the deadline" and that's all fine and good but you need to be a playoff position at that time to add pieces. Yes it's too early to say they'll miss but it's never too early to identify holes in the lineup.
The thing that bothers me isn't even the fact they're losing. Losses will happen, but they're getting crushed by teams they should be beating or at least even with. Ottawa skated through our defense like it was swiss cheese and surprise, surprise, sitting Benning didn't make things better. Quite the opposite in fact.
And the really worrying thing is that this is the EASY part of the October schedule. After the game against the Canes suddenly they're facing off against a bunch of elite teams and playoff hopefuls. If they don't pull out of this tailspin soon things could get really ugly for the Oilers.