News Article: 2015/16 Oilers - The Hockey Writers Predicion

[guymez]

This is without a doubt the most radically optimistic prediction I have seen yet.

http://thehockeywriters.com/where-will-the-oilers-finish-in-2015-16/

Besides bad luck and bad goaltending, the Oilers entered last season without a single top-pairing defenseman or NHL calibre goalie. They lost their best player – Taylor Hall – for 30 games and dressed (probably) the worst defense in the NHL. They for sure had the worst goalies.

Even with all that, they still should have won more games than they did – especially early when the analytics were very strong and they just couldn’t buy a win. In the end, I’m not making excuses for how the Oilers performed last season, but just pointing out that they should have been slightly better than they were and that the gap between last year and the Playoffs is smaller than it appears.

This I agree with (aside from the analytics) and have said as much over the last few months. I think the points gap is smaller than the final standings illustrated and bad luck was a factor.
That said I think he is reading to much into the possession stats because Eakins instructions misused advanced stats. It wasn't a natural progression of maturity in terms of better systems play based on what I witnessed.
The Eakins factor held this team back IMO...a full year of Nelson and better goaltending and better injury luck would have probably meant at lest 10-15 more points.

With Sekera, Klefbom, Nurse and Schultz, the Oilers have a high-powered possession savvy D with size, skill, balance and talent.

I most definitely do not agree with the writers take on the defence.

In the upcoming season they are going to be the surprise of the NHL, be the most fun team to watch, score the most goals and win the Western Conference.

I really do believe that, and if I wanted to troll anyone, I would have put it in the title. Here’s why they’re going to be so good:

Wow...overall an awful lot has to go right for this prediction to come to fruition.
With the lineup as it stands right now I cant bring myself to imagine even in my wildest dreams that they would win the Western Conference.

I dont think that even the most optimistic HF'er would suggest this writers prediction is a possibility.

Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[Cloned]

If they win the WC the boards will crash.

I'd probably also get fired from my job for skipping work to attend Oilers games.

 

[guymez]

If they win the WC the boards will crash.

I'd probably also get fired from my job for skipping work to attend Oilers games.

The chaos would be unimaginable.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

If they win the WC the boards will crash.

I'd probably also get fired from my job for skipping work to attend Oilers games.

Can you imagine the tears of rage on the main boards?

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

I can't wait for us to get blamed on the main boards for predicting the Oilers to win the WC.

Anyways that prediction is way too optimistic for the defense. Defensemen take years and years to develop. Guys like Trouba or OEL looked to be trending towards the Norris but have regressed since then.

 

[Dorian2]

It seems overly optimistic by all means.

But never say never.

Wierder things have happened in sports. We do have the highest trump card in the deck after all.

Nonetheless...it's gonna be a real fun season to watch, unlike the last 5 or so.

 

[McShogun99]

If last years goaltending was league average in SP then we probably would have been a .500 team. Next years team is improved in every area, management, coaching, center, defence, goaltending and depth. I don't know if we make the playoffs this season but I wouldn't doubt that we finish in the low 90 point range.

 

[Del Preston]

Keep this off the main board, people.

 

[40oz]

I can't wait for us to get blamed on the main boards for predicting the Oilers to win the WC.

Anyways that prediction is way too optimistic for the defense. Defensemen take years and years to develop. Guys like Trouba or OEL looked to be trending towards the Norris but have regressed since then.

The site says the author (James Tanner) covers the Leafs and Coyotes, clearly this is a devious ploy against Oilers fans!

 

[Weitz]

This article is ridiculous.

 

[guymez]

It seems overly optimistic by all means.

But never say never.

Wierder things have happened in sports. We do have the highest trump card in the deck after all.

Nonetheless...it's gonna be a real fun season to watch, unlike the last 5 or so.

There were a number of things that I didnt agree with in that article (some of the article seemed beyond comprehension to me) but this is something that every Oiler fan can agree with.

 

[Supermassive]

This article is ridiculous.

It reeks of stats acolytes that didn't watch the team at all last year.
Blaming bad luck and bad goaltending is just lazy journalism and it fools no one in the know.

 

[guymez]

It reeks of stats acolytes that didn't watch the team at all last year.
Blaming bad luck and bad goaltending is just lazy journalism and it fools no one in the know.

The writer arrived at a lot of questionable conclusions however bad luck and bad goaltending were indeed factors.

Also...he never did what you claimed he did....here is the proof.

In the end, I’m not making excuses for how the Oilers performed last season, but just pointing out that they should have been slightly better than they were and that the gap between last year and the Playoffs is smaller than it appears.

 

[Aceboogie]

If anyone takes this article seriously, its a scathing indication of their intelligence

 

[Spawn]

That article has got some gems lol

I think Klefbom and Nurse will both be considered top-pairing star defenseman by the end of the season.

Bottom line: The Oilers probably have more talent at forward than any team in the cap era ever has.

The question shouldn’t be “will they make the Playoffs next seasons,†because that is a certainty. The question is “how long before they win the Cup?†I don’t think it will be next season, but if the over/under is three seasons from now, I’ll take the under.

What a laughable article.

 

[McJeety McJeet]

The chaos would be unimaginable.

Lol, asterisks will be demanded.

I believe we'll end up with 82-88 points so well shy of the playoffs but a decent season overall. hope I'm wrong.

 

[guymez]

That article has got some gems lol

I think Klefbom and Nurse will both be considered top-pairing star defenseman by the end of the season.

Bottom line: The Oilers probably have more talent at forward than any team in the cap era ever has.

The question shouldn’t be “will they make the Playoffs next seasons,†because that is a certainty. The question is “how long before they win the Cup?†I don’t think it will be next season, but if the over/under is three seasons from now, I’ll take the under.

What a laughable article.

Yeah...those were beauty's.

Here is another....

Then there is Yakupov,...Even though he hasn’t had great success yet, he remains one of the most talented players in hockey and has one of the most lethal shots.

Holy hyperbole.

 

[guymez]

Lol, asterisks will be demanded.

I believe we'll end up with 82-88 points so well shy of the playoffs but a decent season overall. hope I'm wrong.

Very reasonable prediction...sounds about right to me.

Some of the article was plausible but with other parts I honestly couldn't believe what I was reading.

Felt compelled to post it being that things are a little slow.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

That article has got some gems lol







What a laughable article.

I might get flak for this but I don't think the middle quote is wrong.

 

[Throttlehead]

Very reasonable prediction...sounds about right to me.

Some of the article was plausible but with other parts I honestly couldn't believe what I was reading.

Felt compelled to post it being that things are a little slow.

Read the rest of the guy's articles, not sure why he gets the time of day in the hockey world.

Writers write, they don't always know the topic.

 

[guymez]

I might get flak for this but I don't think the middle quote is wrong.

Do you really think this is the most talented forward group the NHL has seen since 2004/05?

 

[McGoMcD]

I agree with the first two quotes. Winning the WC is clearly a stretch, but I like the optimism. This team will score a lot of goals and the Defence is clearly better. More offense and better Defence equals more wins.

 

[guymez]

I agree with the first two quotes. Winning the WC is clearly a stretch, but I like the optimism. This team will score a lot of goals and the Defence is clearly better. More offense and better Defence equals more wins.

They will definitely be better than last year.
Even without McDavid this is a better team especially when you replace Eakins with McLellan.

That said the writer seems to think that the Oilers trajectory to the top is swift and inevitable.

I just dont see it that way.

A lot of work left to do here especially with the defence. Even the forward group is still too soft and unbalanced to be successful in the Western Conference IMO.

They are on the right track though and the coaching may be an even bigger facotr than myself and others are anticipating.
If they manage to get 90-95 points this year that would have to be considered a truly amazing accomplishment.
As amazing as that would be it barely gives them a chance at a playoff spot.

 

[McGoMcD]

They will definitely be better than last year.
Even without McDavid this is a better team especially when you replace Eakins with McLellan.

That said the writer seems to think that the Oilers trajectory to the top is swift and inevitable.

I just dont see it that way.

A lot of work left to do here especially with the defence. Even the forward group is still too soft and unbalanced to be successful in the Western Conference IMO.

They are on the right track though and the coaching may be an even bigger facotr than myself and others are anticipating.
If they manage to get 90-95 points this year that would have to be considered a truly amazing accomplishment.
As amazing as that would be it barely gives them a chance at a playoff spot.

If we don't get McDavid I think this team finishes 5-10 in the league, out of the playoffs but improved. I think McDavid pushes them close to the playoffs.

 

[guymez]

Read the rest of the guy's articles, not sure why he gets the time of day in the hockey world.

Writers write, they don't always know the topic.

Never heard of the guy before today.

Anything is up for discussion at this time of year.