Post-Game Talk: 4-2 Loss. Nothing new

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Three more #1 picks is all we need. All scoring wingers. This team MUST be modeled on the 80's Oilers. I think that's what Lowe's trying to do.

Well,we still don't have a number 1 defenseman to replace Paul Coffey.So,I guess we are destined to tank and draft Aaron Ekblad in June.

 

[McDeepika]

This is the NHL. Offenses are good. Every team is going to give up chances and have break downs.

Our defense has not been that bad. Fact is people are far more likely to pay attention to defensive breakdowns on goals. They tend to be forgotten quickly when the goalie makes a save.

 

[harpoon]

Gotta add an important distinction here. When Perron was controlling puck he was often enough able to somehow work it downlow to where a serious scoring chance was created.

Often enough? Serious scoring chance? I dunno about that. Not trying to criticize Perron's game at all because he's been really good. But last night he was trying to do too much on his own. And not being terribly successful at it.

Not agreed about the passing drills either. The team can pass the puck around awfully good when they take what the opponent is giving them.

Agree to disagree on this one for sure. Its better without Horcoff out there bobbling passes, but there are still way too many missed passes. Hockey is a passing sport, and these guys are in the freaking NHL.

The problem with this club is lack of imagination

See and I think their imagination is too large for their own good. They need to simplify instead of imaging some slick dangle followed by a great three way passing play. Every time.

This team misses some of the sense contained in the Gagner game. He'll improve this club soon as he steps on the ice. Not the least of which is because we'll then have Gagner AND Yak playing hockey. Nail gets lost when Gagner's not around.

On this we agree and I've posted the same several times.

 

[sync]

colorado is not a good comparison - they are the very definition "of riding a hot goalie" right now.

 

[mactforcoach]

This team needs a #1-2 D and a solid goaltender. Sigh. Not gonna come easy.

Have to agree here, this pretty much sums it up. If the Oilers want to trade for a legit starter then it's going to take one of the top 4 kids. As much as nobody wants to move Hall/RNH/Ebs/Yak thats going to be the price for a true starter. (Hemsky's not going to do it) Anything less will just get us another backup.

Would anyone trade Hall & Dubs for Lundqvist? Or Yak & Labarbera for Luongo? (Didn't think so)

Getting a 1D/2D won't be much cheaper.

As much as we all hate the way things are going right now I feel like we might as well ride this out for a while. Last year Dubnyk showed some pretty good stuff where he actually won a few games for us. Somehow they need to get him back on track, I just hope the Pens don't tear him apart tonight.

I would expect to see Yak in tonight, lets see if he learned anything over the past few days.

 

[McJadeddog]

colorado is not a good comparison - they are the very definition "of riding a hot goalie" right now.

and we are the very definition of "being screwed over by a goalie".... we are not as bad as our record is right now, and colorado is not as good ... the truth for both teams is somewhere in the middle

 

[Gord]

here is a honest question for a hard core fanatic or someone who has played at a fairly high level.

how much does it factor in for players on a team ,especially younger ones, who have had a different coach and a different system every year?

I'm not happy with the defensive play of the forwards, but in order to be fair to them, I was curious about this, and how yet another style may be screwing them up right now.

 

[joestevens29]

I know that there were some bad plays that lead to goalies, but simply put 4 goals on 20 shots isn't acceptable.

We are on the good side of shots for/shots against, we are on the good side for FO%.

At some point our goalies need to step up and make some saves, without that we aren't going anywhere.

 

[Conkanen*]

Out shooing a team 30-20? Bad systems? No effort? Wake up, this game came down to goalies.

Absolotuely. And us not scoring on our chances.

 

[trent_vinyl]

Bench Hall. That would send an actual message.

He's gotta be one of the stupidest players around. Getting really tired of his antics.

 

[trent_vinyl]

Hemsky has been on the ice for 15 goals already, highest in the NHL

More often than not, it's not because of him though. Take a look at his primary line-mate that plays on the left side for that.

 

[GMofOilers]

here is a honest question for a hard core fanatic or someone who has played at a fairly high level.

how much does it factor in for players on a team ,especially younger ones, who have had a different coach and a different system every year?

I'm not happy with the defensive play of the forwards, but in order to be fair to them, I was curious about this, and how yet another style may be screwing them up right now.

Shouldn't factor in much at all. Systems should take all of a couple weeks in training camp to figure out.

Every system is kinda the same. Hockey is a pretty simple game really. A game of inches and bounces.

 

[Conkanen*]

Eberle goes before yak

Hey Fellow Newf...I gotta disagree here.

Eberle is creating chances big time. Just not finishing. I don't why 99.99% of HFOil is lumping his play with Hall/Nuge. The first line sucked tonight. The Eberle-Arc-Smyth line had a lot of chances and *gasp* they all finished in the positive in Goals and shots.

 

[Conkanen*]

The first guy I would be shopping is Eberle and its NEC!

Just Wow.

He and Arc are the only plus forwards ( no the 4th line doesn't count) on this Disaster of a team and he is far and way creating more scoring chances than anyone on the team and it' "NEC". If you wanna believe Ebs will continue to shoot at a 5% clip then have at it.

 

[Pros and Cons]

Can someone please find out what our record is without Gagner in the lineup....
(he has missed 44 games in his career with the Oilers).

Thanks.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

if RNH scores instead of hitting the post its a different game

if Perron doesn't get robbed off that rebound on Joenssu's shot, its a different game

 

[Mr Forever]

if RNH scores instead of hitting the post its a different game

if Perron doesn't get robbed off that rebound on Joenssu's shot, its a different game

If our goalies, like theirs did, can make the occasional big save - it's a different game

 

[Gord]

Shouldn't factor in much at all. Systems should take all of a couple weeks in training camp to figure out.

Every system is kinda the same. Hockey is a pretty simple game really. A game of inches and bounces.

that's cool. thank you.
I didn't think it should be an excuse, but wanted some input about it, just in case.

I did want to cut RNH some slack as he had no training camp or preseason, and just got thrown right into the fire at 25 minutes a game.

 

[rboomercat90]

I'd have to agree. Eberle is far more one-dimensional than Yakupov and depsite Yakupov's struggles, I expect him to break through it soon. Eberle boosters always point to games where he makes these awesome dangles and scores nice goals, but 90% of the time, these games come against the less physical teams in the league. The moment a team bodies up on him, Eberle becomes a ghost out there and I just don't see how you can pay a guy $6million to only consistently be a powerplay threat, because 5v5 he is generally not very good. Whethe people like it or not, he is a complimentary player, a lot of his offence is a direct result of good linemates and less physical opponents.

The rest of the league has figured this out as well. Nobody is going to want to pick up $30 million in contract for this type of a player. Eberle isn't going anywhere. That's why if a trade is made it will have to involve Yakupov. His upside at 3.75 million is much more impressive than Eberle's at 6 million. It's amazing to me that after the fiascos of Penner's contract and Horcoff's contract especially that this organization learned nothing. They handed out gigantic contracts a year earlier than they needed to to Hall, Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins when they should have waited and collected as much information from them as they could. Again they paid for hope and potential instead of the player that they currently had. It will be hard to get them to change their games now without the motivation of a big contract. They have their money now regardless. Any change will have to come from the players willingness to want it themselves and we sure haven't seen any signs of that. What we've seen so far reminds me of Mactavish' criticism of Penner when he said the Oilers thought Penner's contract was the finish line and Penner was treating like it was the starting line.

 

[GMofOilers]

that's cool. thank you.
I didn't think it should be an excuse, but wanted some input about it, just in case.

I did want to cut RNH some slack as he had no training camp or preseason, and just got thrown right into the fire at 25 minutes a game.

I think so far their system play has been a huge improvement on last year. Although the PP and PK have taken a hit. I think this is due to personal learning, rather than coaching.

Look we aren't doubting much right now with average goaltending. Everything has been blown out of proportion due to worst goaltending in the league.

 

[GMofOilers]

The rest of the league has figured this out as well. Nobody is going to want to pick up $30 million in contract for this type of a player. Eberle isn't going anywhere. That's why if a trade is made it will have to involve Yakupov. His upside at 3.75 million is much more impressive than Eberle's at 6 million. It's amazing to me that after the fiascos of Penner's contract and Horcoff's contract especially that this organization learned nothing. They handed out gigantic contracts a year earlier than they needed to to Hall, Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins when they should have waited and collected as much information from as they could. Again they paid for hope and potential instead of the player that they currently had. It will be hard to get them to change their games now without the motivation of a big contract. They have their money now regardless. Any change will have to come from the players willingness to want it themselves and we sure haven't seen any signs of that. What we've seen so far reminds me of Mactavish' criticism of Penner when he said the Oilers thought Penner's contract was the finish line and Penner was treating like it was the starting line.

Eberle has been and will continue to be one of our best players.

Not sure why you would think not.

 

[GMofOilers]

Weird Yak wasn't at the optional skate this morning. Me thinking he is playing tonight?

 

[Gord]

I think so far their system play has been a huge improvement on last year. Although the PP and PK have taken a hit. I think this is due to personal learning, rather than coaching.

Look we aren't doubting much right now with average goaltending. Everything has been blown out of proportion due to worst goaltending in the league.

yes, you're right. I notice even the belief of the Dubnyk fanboys has taken a hit this year.
poster "the nuge" started a thread with an analysis from the perspective of someone who plays the position that adds to the conversation about his play.
worth checking out.

 

[rboomercat90]

Can someone please find out what our record is without Gagner in the lineup....
(he has missed 44 games in his career with the Oilers).

Thanks.

Seriously, give me a break. I thought we were done with this kind of crap when Horcoff was traded. The Oilers record has been horrible whether Gagner has been in the lineup or not. We've been a bottom feeder in this league ever since he's been here. His return to the lineup isn't going to change this horrible team any more than Nugent-Hopkins return did. There are way too many holes in this team and Gagner isn't Sidney Crosby. Irony here being that the Penguins still win when he's out of the lineup.

 

[Replacement*]

that's cool. thank you.
I didn't think it should be an excuse, but wanted some input about it, just in case.

I did want to cut RNH some slack as he had no training camp or preseason, and just got thrown right into the fire at 25 minutes a game.

Before last night RNH was getting over 26mins/game. His first game back he got 28mins.

I don't blame the kid and some of his worst mistakes have probably occurred through fatigue. This is a lot of minutes when you've been out a long time and body not used to it. I don't know any training that keeps you in tiptop condition to degree where playing hockey again isn't a big toll.

Every muscle in his body would be sore and verge of cramping right about now.

Silly bench management if you ask me. In one game that Nuge got over 26mins, our best center, Boyd Gordon, had 12. Go figure.