Why are so many of you jumping off the bandwagon and breaking your knees?

[CycloneSweep]

The start of the season was the correct time. Anybody with a brain in their head could have seen these potential problems at the start of the season.

But you don't have a brain and you still saw it? How can that be?

 

[McJadeddog]

But you don't have a brain and you still saw it? How can that be?

I guess all of you who DIDN'T see it coming should feel pretty bad about yourself then eh?

 

[Raoul Duke]

The start of the season was the correct time. Anybody with a brain in their head could have seen these potential problems at the start of the season.

Personally, I thought McDavid and Talbot would mask the issues. Like last year. I didn't think those two would struggle like this.

 

[DaGap]

Personally, I thought McDavid and Talbot would mask the issues. Like last year. I didn't think those two would struggle like this.

The problem is there was a lot of people who didn't want this to have to happen.

 

[TheRebuild]

This year just feels like a standard Oilers beginning to a season, last year was the aberration.

 

[Raoul Duke]

The problem is there was a lot of people who didn't want this to have to happen.

Oh, I'm with you, but we have what we have.

 

[CycloneSweep]

This year just feels like a standard Oilers beginning to a season, last year was the aberration.

I've posted it elsewhere. If we don't win or make it to OT next game , this is the worst start to a season season 95-96 for us.

 

[Soundwave]

This year just feels like a standard Oilers beginning to a season, last year was the aberration.

None of those Oiler teams had the Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner on them. No excuses for this, this isn't the same team as year's past.

Russell is a better D than some of the no.1 D those older teams trotted out and he's firmly the no.3/4 guy on this squad.

 

[Gord]

This year just feels like a standard Oilers beginning to a season, last year was the aberration.

yep. I'm too old to be watching this stuff. too many years of it already and I'm bitter and jaded.
I think I will drop off the bandwagon until the team is at least .500 again. see you guys later.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Well, theres no positivity thread so I don't know where this post belongs.

Trying to find some tinsel or silver linings;

1) Strome goal off the Joki feed is the best thing either have done thus far but was a nice, smart, vet savvy move and the two working well off each other. It was a perfectly executed play. You can't do it better. Strome also with the beautiful hold and feed play to Lucic. Interestingly Strome was the biggest reason there even was comeback in this game.

2)LB doing everything to convey his displeasure with Oilers chronically caught up ice. Larsson doing the same. "Hey guys, I could use some help back here". You just know this gets discussed in a players meeting. Kudos btw for Larsson often being in the right position when few other players on the team are being up to that. But that speaks volumes on his resilience and refusal to start cutting corners. Even when the team looks dreadful Larsson looks good. Think about that. (note the stat line shows an ugly night but those weren't due to Larsson.

3) The Oilers came back and showed jam and that they are ever dangerous. Williams stated that the Canes sitting back against this club after being up 3-0 was a mistake. The Oil almost turned this result all around in the 3rd.

4) Slepy and Pak are looking better than being credited and both are getting scoring chances and getting nice moments. If Kass passes on the one 2 on 1 Pak might have a goal. That they are getting steady scoring chances while doing 4th line minutes is something. Pak has even had a few scoring chances on the PK.

5) Lessons are ultimately usually positive. These are good moments for a developing Oilers club. Games like this teach better habits and make a coaches job easier. They obtain more listening when the players really are wondering whats going on. Its good to be humbled. You require it to become better.

 

[Diamondillium]

You guys should try denial. I've been doing that for a week or so and it's going great.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Oilers are killing it in possession numbers, but have a stupidly low save percentage and shooting percentage.

They are second in scoring chances and dangerous scoring chances for.

They aren't getting much luck right now. When a team posts 50+ shots, they're better than the record indicates. That's not to say they have problems (there's definitely people here who just copy paste the same point over and over, we get it), but they aren't as bad as the 1-4 record shows.

But hey, that must mean that Colorado, New Jersey and Vegas are cup contenders. At this point last year, the Canucks were 4-1-0.

It's still very early and things should change.

 

[LaGu]

Or Hamonic 3.9Mx3 and Russell 5Mx1

For playoffs
Klef-Larsson
Sekera-Hamonic
Nurse-Russell
Benning

In this case Russell would be a fool to accept. He took his 1 year contract and earned a longer term. There is no way he signs a 1 year deal after that season, multi-year or bye bye. 1y @ $5M is much worse than than even a 2y $4M, especially with Sekera out.

Chia didn't look great for that Russell contract. What you do is you make the trade then you bargain with Russell for a cheaper deal.

I am also not a great fan of the Russell contract, but without hindsight I cannot see how we could have done better. How do you justify a deal for Hamonic, considering what was paid for him, when Russell just came off a better season? Good D are hard to come by, and I would love Hamonic here, but I just cannot see how it could have happened this summer.


Sekera Russell face almost as hard a competition as Klef/Lars last season and looked great. They were literally our 1B pair. You wouldn't break that up for a potentially better D, who is not very much younger and even though on a better deal just came off a bad season.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I am also not a great fan of the Russell contract, but without hindsight I cannot see how we could have done better. How do you justify a deal for Hamonic, considering what was paid for him, when Russell just came off a better season? Good D are hard to come by, and I would love Hamonic here, but I just cannot see how it could have happened this summer.

Picks are picks. And it's dangerous to sign players coming off good years (and indeed most of the roster had good years). I don't really think Russell, even coming off the year he had, was that hot of a commodity and I believe a better contract could've been negotiated with some time.

 

[Canovin]

In this case Russell would be a fool to accept. He took his 1 year contract and earned a longer term. There is no way he signs a 1 year deal after that season, multi-year or bye bye. 1y @ $5M is much worse than than even a 2y $4M, especially with Sekera out

So negotiations would have went down the same way even if we had traded for Hamonic? I don't believe it

Russell got the contract he wanted because Sekera was out and we needed another top 4 D

 

[Soundwave]

Russell is playing well and up to the contract. To blow a 1st round pick + 2 2nds to get about the same level of play from Hamonic would've been idiotic.

The only thing that would be worse about this year so far would be knowing we have no draft pick with it, that would be brutal.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

The only problem I have is that Russell is on the second power play

 

[Soundwave]

The only problem I have is that Russell is on the second power play

Agreed but you can't really blame the player for that. That's on coaching. Larsson should be on PP unit 1, Auvitu on 2, Klefbom should be benched.

 

[Duffalufagus]

You're arguing semantics. It's a little over $100,000 less over 1 less year, the cap difference over the next 3 years is miniscule. It's a better contract but the difference is negligible especially if they don't get the Hamonic of 2+ years ago. Even if it's a better contract, I still prefer the picks and Russell over the $100,000 savings and a better not so much better player.

I think you are minimizing the gap in talent between Hamonic and Russell. The former is way better than the latter, IMO. But, to each their own. The Lucic and Russell contracts are going to be huge anchors on this team once the McD and Drai (who was overpaid) contracts kick in.

 

[Soundwave]

I think you are minimizing the gap in talent between Hamonic and Russell. The former is way better than the latter, IMO. But, to each their own. The Lucic and Russell contracts are going to be huge anchors on this team once the McD and Drai (who was overpaid) contracts kick in.

Hamonic is overrated. If we had spent a 1st + 2 2nds to get a similar tier player to Russell, that would make this season 10x worse.

We can move Russell in 2 years I don't think that will be that hard. Lucic is going to be tougher. IMO he will only waive for teams close to the LA area since his family loves it there and lives there in the summer.

Maybe to San Jose? Or maybe he'd consider Vegas?

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Agreed but you can't really blame the player for that. That's on coaching. Larsson should be on PP unit 1, Auvitu on 2, Klefbom should be benched.

100% agree on all points, Larsson is better than klefbom at moving the puck I find, klefbom is just there for his shot. Larssons shot is better than most think and he's in good enough shape to play 25-27 minutes a game

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

You keep forgetting that the NMC and Russell's impending decline in play won't make him that easy to deal. 4 years wasn't ideal in the slightest.

 

[Soundwave]

You keep forgetting that the NMC and Russell's impending decline in play won't make him that easy to deal. 4 years wasn't ideal in the slightest.

NMC is only for the first two years, after that it's sayonara. To be honest I don't have that much of an issue keeping him though. He's here to be a no.3/4 D and to my eye, he does a decent job of that. He's not perfect, but he's not paid to be.

 

[Canovin]

Hamonic is overrated. If we had spent a 1st + 2 2nds to get a similar tier player to Russell, that would make this season 10x worse.

We can move Russell in 2 years I don't think that will be that hard. Lucic is going to be tougher. IMO he will only waive for teams close to the LA area since his family loves it there and lives there in the summer.

Maybe to San Jose? Or maybe he'd consider Vegas?

I'm sure Russell's contract is movable. Just have to ask him for a list of cities on his NMC and throw in a pick or prospect for teams to take him off our hands.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

NMC is only for the first two years, after that it's sayonara. To be honest I don't have that much of an issue keeping him though. He's here to be a no.3/4 D and to my eye, he does a decent job of that. He's not perfect, but he's not paid to be.

According to cap friendly it's actually for the latter half of his contract. 10 team list in 2019 and 15 team list in 2020.

Insane stuff.