Post-Game Talk: A successful season?

[Rengorlex]

I think it's better we lost this game. The wheels had just fallen off. It was painful to watch Draisaitl and Nurse out there, gutting it out, in a hopeless effort. McDavid playing 27 mins a night.

It's up to Ken Holland to go all-in to improve this team for the next three years, while Draisaitl is on his contract. I believe virtually every asset that's not McDrai should be on board to make us better.

 

[Fourier]

You would have to moved Barrie, Foegele, and Kassian to keep the forward group together. Personally, I’d sign Kulak and see what you can do to get Debrincat

Debrincat is not going to come cheap. My guess is that it would take Bouchard and a very good prospect (Holloway??)) to even start the conversation. and you add from there. He also has a QO of just under $8M next year. The guy is top ten in goal scoring over the last 3 years and is still on his ELC.

 

[bucks_oil]

I think it's better we lost this game. The wheels had just fallen off. It was painful to watch Draisaitl and Nurse out there, gutting it out, in a hopeless effort. McDavid playing 27 mins a night.

It's up to Ken Holland to go all-in to improve this team for the next three years, while Draisaitl is on his contract. I believe virtually every asset that's not McDrai should be on board to make us better.

Top priorities:
1) Goalie
2) Kane (unless there were another top-6 power forward available... there isn't)

And you do whatever it takes to make those two things happen. Trade multiple firsts for a cost-contained goalie. Move whatever salaries we can (sadly starting with Kassian) to keep Kane.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Good question. I don't know the Oilers forward prospects as well as many here. I just think those two guys have had many years to prove themselves now and don't impress me anyway. One is a small peripheral player and the other is big dumb player. They are 23 and 24 so if you can't get something by trade now you never will.

So you are advocating dumping them just to get them off the team? That doesn’t make much sense to me.

 

[Oilers]

He had both Hyman and Kane fall into his lap. Nuge has always been an Oiler. McLeod was a Chiarelli pick. He wanted to let Woodcroft go and sign Tippett to an extension. He also signed Smith in years 7/8 of McDavid and Leon. 30M this past off season and he didn’t do anything to improve the team. He arguably made it worse than last year. I would have loved to have seen last years team under Woodcroft.

I don't think Hyman and Kane fell into his lap? he still had to go out and sign them while they were free agents. Every team had a chance to get them. I'd also say with Kane, Holland still had to see past his off ice stuff and make sure he'd be a good fit, where other teams didn't.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Hollands job to figure that out. As well as 6-7 other holes to fill. While trying to dump, trade and wash bad players/contracts. Gonna be hard. That's why he gets payed the big bucks. Pressure in on bigtime now.

Dumping players isn’t a solution. Upgrading on them is, so unless you can package these players with picks+prospects for better players that make the same money, you’re likely to keep them on the team.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

A badly injured Nurse really sunk them. They depend so heavily on him so when he's not close to his normal self, it send struggles throughout the entire group as is the case with most teams that don't have their #1 Dman.
The defense needs improvement even when healthy but I wouldn't evaluate them entirely based on these playoffs.

Having watched hockey for almost seventy years, you Oilers fans have the incredible privilege of watching McDavid play night after night, clearly the greatest player I have ever seen. And I have seen Richard, Howe, Hull , Orr, Lafleur, Perreault, Gretzky, Coffey, Lemieux and Crosby. Nevertheless, in this neutral observer's view, the Oilers won't be able to win a Cup until they significantly upgrade the overall speed and mobility of their defence. The Avalanche strategy was predictable: dump the puck into the corner and watch a largely overmatched defence turn it over. And over. The Oilers' defence was also vulnerable off the Avalanche rush and lacked the mobility to consistently support the Oilers' elite forwards. Spotty goaltending and questionable (awful) officiating didn't help. But in the end, even the greatness of McDavid's talent, could not overcome the gap in mobility between the Avalanche's forwards and the Oilers' defence. It was, however, a noble effort.

 

[Game suspension]

Dumping players isn’t a solution. Upgrading on them is, so unless you can package these players with picks+prospects for better players that make the same money, you’re likely to keep them on the team.

Addition by subtraction works in hockey. Plus the league is just getting younger and younger. So if the Oilers don't have any forwards in their pipeline younger than 24 who want a chance to prove themselves that is a sad state of affairs for the scouting staff lol. The key is to get younger and faster. Not moving dead weight is a mistake.

 

[KlefDown]

in my eyes, no. not a successful season

they took us further than expected by beating flames yes, however everything we've been saying would happen did happen vs Avs

we got rocked

 

[redgrant]

Debrincat is not going to come cheap. My guess is that it would take Bouchard and a very good prospect (Holloway??)) to even start the conversation. and you add from there. He also has a QO of just under $8M next year. The guy is top ten in goal scoring over the last 3 years and is still on his ELC.

Honestly the time to negotiate Debrincat was last summer when the Hawks were desperate to move Keith. Should have been a package deal if they wanted the deal done. Another masterclass from Holland.

 

[Aceboogie]

I don't think Hyman and Kane fell into his lap? he still had to go out and sign them while they were free agents. Every team had a chance to get them. I'd also say with Kane, Holland still had to see past his off ice stuff and make sure he'd be a good fit, where other teams didn't.

Other teams GMs may have also gotten word from owners to not get involved with Kane, the off-ice issues were plenty and a wide variety

Also with Kane- the dude was at near the end of his NHL career with millions in debt to pay off. He joined a team with the best player in the world mid season, who subquently went on a heater. Kane and the Oielrs have yet to go through any true tough/down times. It is very easy to look like a great guy when everyone is having a great time winning

Kane was incredibly disliked on 3 different teams, and wore his welcome out after the first year. He still scored a bunch of goals for the Sharks, but once that team had a rough patch, he got up to his antics and the entire leadership core wanted him off the team

So that is the biggest red flag. Its nice he worked out for the half season and playoffs. But it is the long term that is the issue with Kane

 

[Turbonium]

Yes, a successful year and silly to think otherwise or not appreciate this Oilers team. Been an Avs fan since they moved to CO and was spoiled early on but you realize over time just how hard it is for a team to make it this far.

Hopefully you guys can build on this, make some good moves, and we'll do it all over again next year. Cheers to a great season!

 

[PULSATING]

Mike Smith is such a bad match for this team. The team already has troubling locking it down and holding leads. We don’t need wannabe Maverick back there trying to make stretch passes late in the third. God those turnovers are painful.

This team needs a calm chill guy back there.

 

[Lacaar]

Have to say this is the first time I've not been embarrassed by this team to end a season since 2006.

2021 - You can't get swept and shut down like that. peeeyew.
2020 - Lost to the underdog and didn't look good doing it really.
2017 - Not really the fault of the team but the great pad departing and game 6 was embarrassing as hell.

The other seasons we missed the playoffs.. that's embarrassing as a fan.

I'm really proud of this group and the leadership core. Nurse and Draisitl for playing in obvious pain etc.

Sucks losing to Colorado but that team was just better in pretty much every facet of the game. No shame losing to a team like that imo.

Here's hoping some more players take some steps next year.
Bouchard, Broberg, Halloway, Mcleod, Yamamoto, Jesse

 

[SwedishFire]

Even if its hard to take over a mess like Chiarelli, and find the best.
The real issue the whole season was Smith.

I saw a lot of wiffing, and strange stuff from his side.
ANd Avs IS a powerhouse, and maybe the most offensive team in the whole NHL, but how many goals has he let in?
49 goals in 16 games. a GAA at 3,32 is not a winning goalies statline.

The weakness was D and Goalie. Nurse shouldnt had played injured, he is not Kieth level to do that, hes strength is physichality as many has circled in.

And ofC some forward is always having a bad playoff - its jus tthat way it seems, and Fogele maybe wasnt bad, but didnt either was an impact in other ways, and my guess is that FOgele is one of those who will be let go first. Cap reasons, or whatever.
Another one is to bad not a surprise for me, the top 15 selke contestent, Jesse Puljujärvi.
Very good player, he really has some strtengths, but he is just having sucha hard time when it matters.
He doesnt have the "finnishi it off" attitude- even if you can clearly see he has practiced on it.
I see Jesse as an elite 3rd liner in playoff, and a good defensive foerward and forechecker in regular season. But he better get the correct money if staying.
3m$ max I think is right.

Even if it doesnt matters, Its such a shame for Drai and McDavids statlines. Grettzky can reaelse his breath for now. Im very confident his 47 points was in danger. Not only that, by both.
Im fckn sure McDavdi would have rocked the 50pt barrier if he reached the finals.

 

[Spilot23]

Avs fan here coming in peace. First off I want to say that I've mad respect for the Oilers organization for what they're doing for indigenous people out there as one myself. It's always nice to get some recognition.

Also mad props to Drai who looked amazing despite playing on one leg. You saw him grin everytime he got hit or had to stand up I wonder what the extend of his injury but boy that didn't look good and yet he played an amazing game 4.

As McDavid said in game 5 against the Kings : "We scored four tonight, that needs to be enough to win a playoff game. Obviously, it's not." That's probably the story of the loss you guys had in the playoffs defense and goaltending let you down despite McDrai putting 65pts together freaking hell. There's so much two players can do. That should easily put down the "McDrai" doesn't perform in playoffs takes. I hope you get a good offseason to fix the holes your team has.

 

[Ms Maggie]

Was pulling for you guys. FWIW nobody is stopping the Avs.

 

[foshizzle]

Debrincat is not going to come cheap. My guess is that it would take Bouchard and a very good prospect (Holloway??)) to even start the conversation. and you add from there. He also has a QO of just under $8M next year. The guy is top ten in goal scoring over the last 3 years and is still on his ELC.

Oh I know he isn’t going to be cheap. With the Blackhawks saying everyone is available had me salivating. I don’t think it would be Bouchard and Holloway- that’s even more value than Eichel got

 

[foshizzle]

I don't think Hyman and Kane fell into his lap? he still had to go out and sign them while they were free agents. Every team had a chance to get them. I'd also say with Kane, Holland still had to see past his off ice stuff and make sure he'd be a good fit, where other teams didn't.

Hyman himself said as soon as he knew Toronto was out, his second choice was Edmonton. He didn’t consider any other team. Kane needed the McDavid bump to sign a bug next contract- and that’s exactly what will happen. Kane originally had Edmonton on his no trade list. When you say Holland had to look past his off-ice stuff and other teams didn’t- that speaks to the planning and foresight of other teams- they played it smart. Holland was desperate and his buddy reached out to him about his clients.

 

[foshizzle]

Even if its hard to take over a mess like Chiarelli, and find the best.
The real issue the whole season was Smith.

I saw a lot of wiffing, and strange stuff from his side.
ANd Avs IS a powerhouse, and maybe the most offensive team in the whole NHL, but how many goals has he let in?
49 goals in 16 games. a GAA at 3,32 is not a winning goalies statline.

The weakness was D and Goalie. Nurse shouldnt had played injured, he is not Kieth level to do that, hes strength is physichality as many has circled in.

And ofC some forward is always having a bad playoff - its jus tthat way it seems, and Fogele maybe wasnt bad, but didnt either was an impact in other ways, and my guess is that FOgele is one of those who will be let go first. Cap reasons, or whatever.
Another one is to bad not a surprise for me, the top 15 selke contestent, Jesse Puljujärvi.
Very good player, he really has some strtengths, but he is just having sucha hard time when it matters.
He doesnt have the "finnishi it off" attitude- even if you can clearly see he has practiced on it.
I see Jesse as an elite 3rd liner in playoff, and a good defensive foerward and forechecker in regular season. But he better get the correct money if staying.
3m$ max I think is right.

Even if it doesnt matters, Its such a shame for Drai and McDavids statlines. Grettzky can reaelse his breath for now. Im very confident his 47 points was in danger. Not only that, by both.
Im fckn sure McDavdi would have rocked the 50pt barrier if he reached the finals.

I agree with most of what you wrote, just one point of contention. Holland did inherit a pile of garbage- Holland made it worse. Holland had 97 and 29 take a huge step forward while the rest of the team was the worst in the league. Coaching for sure was part of it, we saw a flip when Woodcroft came in

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[joestevens29]

Yamo should take his helmet off for maximum efficiency.

 

[Oilers]

Hyman himself said as soon as he knew Toronto was out, his second choice was Edmonton. He didn’t consider any other team. Kane needed the McDavid bump to sign a bug next contract- and that’s exactly what will happen. Kane originally had Edmonton on his no trade list. When you say Holland had to look past his off-ice stuff and other teams didn’t- that speaks to the planning and foresight of other teams- they played it smart. Holland was desperate and his buddy reached out to him about his clients.

will have to agree to disagree on this one. I remember Hyman saying Edmonton was up there on his teams, but not his only team.

I think Kane would have taken alot of deals at the time and Holland persuaded him to come to Edmonton... albeit yes selling the McDavid factor but I mean Kane playing with any other star would likely still have gotten him a nice contract. Even if Holland was desperate, still made the right move.

 

[Mr Positive]

So is it banner worthy to be Pacific Divison Champs? I don't follow those things

 

[NeverForget06]

So is it banner worthy to be Pacific Divison Champs? I don't follow those things

Not sure but oh man I really hope the Flames do one for the regular season Division win

Debrincat is not going to come cheap. My guess is that it would take Bouchard and a very good prospect (Holloway??)) to even start the conversation. and you add from there. He also has a QO of just under $8M next year. The guy is top ten in goal scoring over the last 3 years and is still on his ELC.

We probably should have just drafted him.... whoops ! Or Sam Girard