[4-3 WIN] Junior Team Shuts Eller's Mouth

[guymez]

the Oilers are 15th at avg. shots against per game,...how is that "like a junior hockey team"?
If the Oilers had started the year with Dubnyk playing as he is of late, then their record would at least be 5 - 5 -0, and less people jawing about "no system".

Lets take a look at what Eller actually said.....

“It can be anything, you know? They play a little bit like a junior team, I think, sometimes,”

“They take a lot risks, a lot of chances. They’re a little all over the place. There’s not a lot of structure always in their game. It can really be anything. You don’t know.

“I prefer a little more structured game. Then again, I don’t mind high-scoring games, too. Obviously, we’re going to try with their skilled players to limit their chances.”

Whats the problem here? The Oilers have played without any semblance of structure for years now. Thats one of the reasons this team has been a bottom feeder for so long.

Eller shouldn't have said it but there is nothing factually wrong in his statement.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Eakins could have taken the high road.

And absolutely didn't need to in any way. If Gagner makes those comments about a team, the player, coach and franchise would be crushed without mercy by the pundits. Having pride and standing up for your team is hardly a character flaw.

 

[guymez]

And absolutely didn't need to in any way. If Gagner makes those comments about a team, the player, coach and franchise would be crushed without mercy by the pundits. Having pride and standing up for your team is hardly a character flaw.

Eakins could have spoken internally about the comments and taken the high road with the media.

This really isn't that complicated...there are always choices about how to handle something.

 

[SeriousBusiness]

Eakins could have taken the high road.

Why should he? So the talking heads on TV don't call him a big meanie?

The players undoubtedly love the fact that their coach had the balls to stand up for them, and the organization.

Long term, will anyone in the media remember/care what he said? Absolutely not.

 

[TimeForAnOilChange]

Lets take a look at what Eller actually said.....




Whats the problem here? The Oilers have played without any semblance of structure for years now. Thats one of the reasons this team has been a bottom feeder for so long.

Eller shouldn't have said it but there is nothing factually wrong in his statement.

Exactly, I don't know why anybody is upset with what he said, he hit the nail on the head if you ask me...the young guys just want to dangle and dipsy doodle all the time instead of playing hard nosed hockey and going to the dirty areas to score ugly goals. Not sure why they haven't figured out that it doesn't work yet, they have been in the league for a few years now, it isn't rocket science, and its frustrating to watch them try the same stuff over and over again when its obviously not working.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Ellergate is going to be the gift that keeps on giving. Mark my words, if the team makes the playoffs this year, October 22 will be known as the date everything changed.

This

if Eller's comments are what motivate this team to play harder, tougher, gritter and they begin to win more...then I'm all for it and I hope Eakins continues to play that card

I mean look at Patrick Roy, he used the clown-show "rallying cry" in the 1st game against Anaheim and look at them right now...

 

[guymez]

Why should he? So the talking heads on TV don't call him a big meanie?

The players undoubtedly love the fact that their coach had the balls to stand up for them, and the organization.

Long term, will anyone in the media remember/care what he said? Absolutely not.

Sometimes taking the high road is the right thing to do.

You are others are applauding Eakins...thats fine.
I dont agree and I am just making the point that taking the high road was an option.
Nobody twisted Eakins arm to take a shot at Eller.

 

[guymez]

Exactly, I don't know why anybody is upset with what he said, he hit the nail on the head if you ask me...the young guys just want to dangle and dipsy doodle all the time instead of playing hard nosed hockey and going to the dirty areas to score ugly goals. Not sure why they haven't figured out that it doesn't work yet, they have been in the league for a few years now, it isn't rocket science, and its frustrating to watch them try the same stuff over and over again when its obviously not working.

Yeah...its pretty obvious. Lots of fans love the dangle and dont make the connection between lack of structure and winning.

Not sure why the players are taking so long to figure this out though. This team seems to have a knack for employing these types of players.

Why is a 29 year old Jones throwing a puck into the middle of the ice in his own zone? Its not the first stupid play he has made...he makes them repeatedly and he isnt alone.

Until these players make managing the puck a priority and decide to commit to structure they will always be just a group of talented losers.

Maybe being called out in public by a fellow union member will be able to accomplish what 5 coaches haven't been able to do. Kind of sad but if it works I guess that what it took.

 

[McStanley]

Sometimes taking the high road is the right thing to do.

You are others are applauding Eakins...thats fine.
I dont agree and I am just making the point that taking the high road was an option.
Nobody twisted Eakins arm to take a shot at Eller.

It does not matter what Eller said. He could have commented on Eakins breath it doesn't matter. What does is that an outsider took a shot at the Oilers publicly. The players and Eakins spoke about it before, during and after the game. It took their minds off of critizing their own teammates ala Hall on Yak. It was a unifying moment for them.

All of the media and everyone else for that matter who are continuing to say the Oilers are -insert-cheap-shot-here-, will only serve to unify the dressing room more bring it on.

 

[guymez]

It does not matter what Eller said. He could have commented on Eakins breath it doesn't matter. What does is that an outsider took a shot at the Oilers publicly. The players and Eakins spoke about it before, during and after the game. It took their minds off of critizing their own teammates ala Hall on Yak. It was a unifying moment for them.

All of the media and everyone else for that matter who are continuing to say the Oilers are -insert-cheap-shot-here-, will only serve to unify the dressing room more bring it on.

Of course it matters what Eller said. It also matters what reaction he gets.

As for the media...who cares.

This circus could well be a unifying moment. At this point in time after cheering for these losers for 5+ years now I would be happy to see the team win regardless of what the reason is.

As I stated earlier if a fellow union members comments is enough to inspire these players to get a clue then as sad as that is I am all for it.

It's time for this loser franchise to turn things around.

As a matter of fact its long over due.

 

[blue_n_copper]

There is an old legal maxim that says "the greater the truth the greater the libel." To understand this you have to know that the goal of libel laws was originally the discourage the practice of dueling.

What Eller said was absolutely true, but that is all the more reason why he shouldn't have said it. As for the whether or not Eakins should have used it as motivation, what a silly question. What kind of coach is going to pass up an opportunity like that?

 

[SeriousBusiness]

There is an old legal maxim that says "the greater the truth the greater the libel." To understand this you have to know that the goal of libel laws was originally the discourage the practice of dueling.

What Eller said was absolutely true, but that is all the more reason why he shouldn't have said it. As for the whether or not Eakins should have used it as motivation, what a silly question. What kind of coach is going to pass up an opportunity like that?

This is exactly it. With the sorry start to the season we had, he'd be crazy not to try and use it as a unifying moment.

 

[T-Funk]

Let's see how St Louis fans react to an opponent saying their team is boring as **** to play against.

 

[sepHF]

Let's see how St Louis fans react to an opponent saying their team is boring as **** to play against.

context?

 

[Cawz]

I didn’t get an answer when I asked this question a few pages back, but are the Oilers really that unstructured? They sit 15th in shots against. The habs sit 22nd, so they give up more shots per game than we do. If we are that unstructured, why are our shots right in the middle of the league? Our goals against are 2nd last, so is it really the structure or the goaltending? I havent been able to catch many games so far this season, so its an honest question. I heard everyone wanted DD’s head and we were shopping for a new tender, so that sound more like the problem is between the pipes. If we had competent goaltending leading to a few more wins, would we all of a sudden be considered more structured becasue we're not at the bottom of the standings?

 

[T-Funk]

context?

Just thinking of other truths in the NHL that when mentioned would probably piss people off.

Seemed like a good example to use considering their media/fans are quite up in arms over the whole Eller thing for some strange reason.

 

[Tw0Shoes]

I didn’t get an answer when I asked this question a few pages back, but are the Oilers really that unstructured? They sit 15th in shots against. The habs sit 22nd, so they give up more shots per game than we do. If we are that unstructured, why are our shots right in the middle of the league? Our goals against are 2nd last, so is it really the structure or the goaltending? I havent been able to catch many games so far this season, so its an honest question. I heard everyone wanted DD’s head and we were shopping for a new tender, so that sound more like the problem is between the pipes. If we had competent goaltending leading to a few more wins, would we all of a sudden be considered more structured becasue we're not at the bottom of the standings?

I keep seeing this.. we aren't 2nd last in GA, we're dead last, by a good margin. Florida is 2nd last, and allows almost 1/2 a goal a game less than us.

 

[Cawz]

I keep seeing this.. we aren't 2nd last in GA, we're dead last, by a good margin. Florida is 2nd last, and allows almost 1/2 a goal a game less than us.

Per game, the Rags are worse.

 

[Replacement*]

I keep seeing this.. we aren't 2nd last in GA, we're dead last, by a good margin. Florida is 2nd last, and allows almost 1/2 a goal a game less than us.

This ha quite obviously been due to goaltending.

 

[Replacement*]

Really?

Now YOU claim the club was TOO pumped up!

Running Eller every chance they got.

What a bunch of hyperbole.

Disagree as I may usually your posts at least make sense.

Not this time.

My post was in response to an odd requirement for people to demonstrably prove that the Eller quote resulted in the W. This being what you've been arguing about.

How reasonable is that expectation?

You and I know that no demonstration is going to suffice. Although the game, and the Oilers team playing their best and by far most intense and resilient effort is of course exhibit A that the Eller comments CONTRIBUTED to the win. Note as well that this peformance took place without Hall, Smyth, Joensuu, and Mike Brown




jk obviously about the last one..

 

[PanniniClaus]

What do you know? The great Eakins could not manage to get two wins in a row making his Eller rant look all the more ridiculous.

Who will you try and embarrass today Dallas? Probably just yourself.

 

[Replacement*]

What do you know? The great Eakins could not manage to get two wins in a row making his Eller rant look all the more ridiculous.

Who will you try and embarrass today Dallas? Probably just yourself.

Um, win in Ottawa, and win in Toronto = two wins in a row. Which is almost amazing considering the context.

The last incumbent coach that was thrown under the bus had expressed that this club was only interested in paying attention to coaching feedback after losses or strings of losses. He actually stated that multiple times. Its like nobody took notice on how significant the quote was.

So Eakins has inherited the same entitled mess.

On paper, theres very little excuses for this club. The players need to play better team hockey and be adaptable to it.

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Just thinking of other truths in the NHL that when mentioned would probably piss people off.

Seemed like a good example to use considering their media/fans are quite up in arms over the whole Eller thing for some strange reason.

Or like how New Jersey ended up destroying the National hockey league with the creation of the ****ing stupid trap system.

 

[guymez]

My post was in response to an odd requirement for people to demonstrably prove that the Eller quote resulted in the W. This being what you've been arguing about.

How reasonable is that expectation?

I would suggest to you then thats its equally odd to make a claim (belief) with absolutely nothing but invented evidence to back it up.

This expectation of being reasonable inst just a one way street.

You and I know that no demonstration is going to suffice. Although the game, and the Oilers team playing their best and by far most intense and resilient effort is of course exhibit A that the Eller comments CONTRIBUTED to the win.

There is far more evidence to support the opinion that the Eller effect was a myth than there is to support it as a reality.


One arbitrary 'run' at Eller by Smid is hardly proof that Eller was a motivating factor and fueled the teams intensity.
Almost always when a team is fired up and rallying around something they come out and either play inspired hockey or their emotions run away with things because they are too fired up....neither happened. The team looked completely unmotivated and unprepared for at least the first half of the game. Something we have witnessed time and time again with this team.
Same old same old.

So based on that the Eller effect sure appears to be a little bit of media contrived fantasy. If you want to buy in thats fine...I chose to look at the details of the game (in 2 separate viewings) and in doing that I saw nothing to indicate that Ellers comments contributed to the win.
If there was something there I would gladly point it out.

They won the game and there were many 'real' contributing factors that ultimately added up to the win.

Note as well that this peformance took place without Hall, Smyth, Joensuu, and Mike Brown




jk obviously about the last one..

As soon as I saw Mike Brown I knew your tongue was firmly planted in cheek.