Pre-Game Talk: 3 Games left, how many points? (Poll)

[nexttothemoon]

We had a league leading amount of injuries to key players last year. Even if we were just at league average, that's a massive improvement.

I agree that Chia must make major moves to address holes in the roster.

The injury argument goes around in circles...

Yes they would very likely have been better without the large amount of games missed due to injuries... BUT part of the problem is because this team doesn't have decent depth to deal with injuries AND the team isn't constructed well enough (especially defensively) to absorb even one key player being out.

You can say... yes they would have been better if they were healthy and not missing key players... but when does that actually happen on the Oilers? Not often at all... and even when relatively healthy they still do play crappy and lose often.

Chalk it up to rust and players getting back and used to the systems after coming back from injuries I suppose... but I think we are somewhat hoping for something that will never happen if we want to see this team with a full and healthy roster for a full season.

I'm not saying everyone does this... but when they lose often people point to... "ya but they were without Klefbom" or "but they were without RNH"... with them it would have been different.

I can pretty much guarantee if those 2 were back... some other key player would be slumping/injured and the excuses would come out for why the team still underperformed.

I fully expect key players to always be out... and management/coaching has to find ways to deal with that.. because that's part of being a good club... sure maybe you won't be a top team with lots of injuries... but does this team really have to default to 30th as soon as the going gets tough.

Right now it definitely does because of the lack of decent depth in key areas and the lack of balance in the lineup that still exists.

It all comes down to accountability... you can't continue saying... the Oilers woulda/coulda/shoulda been better if only xxxx and xxx would have happened or xxxx wouldn't have been injured etc.

Management and coaching has to find ways to elevate above 30th because **** happens and this team will very likely have to deal with injuries/bad reffing/slumps etc again next year as well.

There can't always be a continual excuse machine in place that lets management/coaching/players off the hook for 30th (or very close) finishes every season.

 

[harpoon]

McLellan has had around 5 Eakins efforts all year, not 40. It shows when you watch them and in the stats.

I watch almost every game for thirty years, your fantasies notwithstanding.

If a great coach like McLellan can't get through, it's on the players.

Where is the evidence that McLellan is a great coach? Ooooh, he got mad and said '********' on TV. Wow.
And then he trotted out Oesterle on the PP and failed to be any better than Eakins who didn't have the Talbot, McDavid, Draisaitl advantage.
Can't even gather up the stones to call out the officiating. Should have kept Nelson.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I wouldn't have been against them keeping Nelson either... but I think it's safe to say that coaching is not the main issue with this team after the turnstile of coaches that have led this team over the years... all with mediocre results.

Even if you don't particularly like Mclellan and think he's not an elite coach.. at minimum he's an experienced coach at the NHL level and is at a minimum an average NHL level coach.

The makeup and balance and depth of this team is the real issue.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

The difference between McLellan and a lot of the other coaches we've had in the past (Eakins, Nelson), is that you actually know what you're getting. He's had success in the NHL in the past, which is something I can't say about our "core". Even if McLellan is partially to blame for some of the things, I'm inclined to give him more time to sort things out. On the other hand, the players have gotten enough time to turn their **** around.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I watch almost every game for thirty years, your fantasies notwithstanding.
Where is the evidence that McLellan is a great coach? Ooooh, he got mad and said '********' on TV. Wow.
And then he trotted out Oesterle on the PP and failed to be any better than Eakins who didn't have the Talbot, McDavid, Draisaitl advantage.
Can't even gather up the stones to call out the officiating. Should have kept Nelson.

Pray tell, great sage, who among this crew of miscreants do you want to see on the PP over Oesterle?

 

[TheRebuild]

The difference between McLellan and a lot of the other coaches we've had in the past (Eakins, Nelson), is that you actually know what you're getting. He's had success in the NHL in the past, which is something I can't say about our "core". Even if McLellan is partially to blame for some of the things, I'm inclined to give him more time to sort things out. On the other hand, the players have gotten enough time to turn their **** around.

I hear you. A lot of these players just need to gtfo. Scotty Bowman couldn't get this team on the right track.