Analyzing the Future of the Edmonton Oilers

[North Cole]

Wouldn't it be awesome if McDavid joins the Leafs as UFA to join Matthews/Marner/Nylander in their prime?

The Tavares contract would be over by then as well.

Well, since we were making things up.

Wouldn't it be awesome if Telecom was a forceably competitive industry in this country and as a result Rodgers/Bell went bankrupt, thus relocating your franchise to somewhere in New Mexico? Might be close enough to home to keep Matthews interested.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Interesting seeing all these "future is grim" posts when just about everybody in the hockey community pegged them as a perennial contender just 1 short year ago.

They have some holes without question but this is pretty much the same roster that almost made the Conference Finals 2 years ago and was lauded as a Cup contender last offseason.

that's the funny part

last year at this time, many people considered this team as a Cup contender with exact same core...now the future looks grim for some reason and they have no chance lol

proves people literally have no idea what they're talking about

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Well, since we were making things up.

Wouldn't it be awesome if Telecom was a forceably competitive industry in this country and as a result Rodgers/Bell went bankrupt, thus relocating your franchise to somewhere in New Mexico? Might be close enough to home to keep Matthews interested.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if random Leafs fans could stop bringing up their team in threads that have nothing to do with the Leafs?

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

2012-13 Avs = 2015-16 Oilers
2013-14 Avs = 2016-17 Oilers
2014-15 Avs = 2017-18 Oilers

They are well on pace to be a decent bubble team by 2020-21

 

[North Cole]

Wouldn’t it be awesome if random Leafs fans could stop bringing up their team in threads that have nothing to do with the Leafs?

Other Canadians aren't allowed to have nice things. We cant even have a battle of Alberta unless its supervised like some playground adventure. Ontario always wants to be the big kid on the block, what happens when our Oil lunch money isn't enough

 

[Soundwave]

Get a proper GM and things will be fine. They have three good natural centers in McDavid, RNH, Draisaitl, with one of them being the best player in hockey, and both RNH and Draisaitl have shown they can also slide to the wing. So that's enviable flexibility there, the problem is Chiarelli has done dick all to improve anything past those three players he inherited upfront.

The D long term is starting to fill out. If Evan Bouchard can run a PP in time they are alright back there. You always want a superstar back there, but a core of Klefbom + Nurse + Larsson + Bouchard is not bad long term.

The will have to build up the wing positions, but that should be the easier position to address by any decent GM.

The problem is Chiarelli plain and simple. He either makes the playoffs this year or he is gone and they can move on. McDavid is still very young (only 21), and is getting better (which is scary).

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

They should allow Chia to make 1 more trade...lol

 

[Bounces R Way]

Other Canadians aren't allowed to have nice things. We cant even have a battle of Alberta unless its supervised like some playground adventure. Ontario always wants to be the big kid on the block, what happens when our Oil lunch money isn't enough

Then the country elects a Trudeau. Twice now.

One thing that confuses me about the Oilers is who the f*** is actually in charge? Their front office is basically a clown car full of ex-Oiler greats or people that should of been fired ages ago. That kind of management by committee is just a breeding grounds for dissenting opinions and confusion. I'm no Chiarelli fan but hard not to feel for him with Nicholson, Gretzky, Lowe, MacTavish, Howson and whatever other hanger ons are breathing down his neck second guessing every decision.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

Chia, is that you?

What, rnh isn’t good enough to be a number 2 center?

 

[Soundwave]

Then the country elects a Trudeau. Twice now.

One thing that confuses me about the Oilers is who the **** is actually in charge? Their front office is basically a clown car full of ex-Oiler greats or people that should of been fired ages ago. That kind of management by committee is just a breeding grounds for dissenting opinions and confusion. I'm no Chiarelli fan but hard not to feel for him with Nicholson, Gretzky, Lowe, MacTavish, Howson and whatever other hanger ons are breathing down his neck second guessing every decision.

Chiarelli is both GM and president of hockey ops. The buck stops at his desk, plain and simple.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

Then the country elects a Trudeau. Twice now.

One thing that confuses me about the Oilers is who the **** is actually in charge? Their front office is basically a clown car full of ex-Oiler greats or people that should of been fired ages ago. That kind of management by committee is just a breeding grounds for dissenting opinions and confusion. I'm no Chiarelli fan but hard not to feel for him with Nicholson, Gretzky, Lowe, MacTavish, Howson and whatever other hanger ons are breathing down his neck second guessing every decision.

Chia was making bad moves before he left Boston...

 

[Coffey]

Chiarelli is both GM and president of hockey ops. The buck stops at his desk, plain and simple.

That's not a fun narrative.

LOWE AND MACT STILL CALL THE SHOTS

 

[zeke]

It's just crazy. How can a team with McDavid and Drai be so screwed, not just now, but going forward? I can still squint and see a playoff team without much difficulty, but it's much tougher to see a contender there.

hard to fathom.

 

[Soundwave]

I still like the young core, the only young core I would maybe consider over theirs if I had to start a young team would be Toronto (they have put together a lot of talent in 3 years) or maybe Winnipeg (still need to see them do it one more year, Trouba situation is a bit troubling also).

McDavid + Draisaitl + RNH + Klefbom + Nurse + Larsson to start with should be a decent foundation for any GM to work with, then you have Bouchard + Puljujarvi + Yamamoto as younger 1st round picks that can hopefully compliment that group as time goes on.

McDavid is already IMO the best player in the world, but he's getting better too. In the last 30 games on the last season when he started to shoot more he was scoring goals at a 60+ goal pace, that's ridiculous.

They either make the playoffs or Chia gets his ass turfed and they get a good pick in a deep draft. So from that POV I look at whatever happens next year as win-win. The long term future I still look at something any reasonably average GM could do well with.

 

[Rubi]

Wouldn’t it be awesome if random Leafs fans could stop bringing up their team in threads that have nothing to do with the Leafs?

I completely understand why Leaf fans do this. Its been 50+ years since they've been able to brag about the talent on their team. Who can blame them for being slightly over exuberant? The fact that the Leaf fans have the largest fan base on here only seems to amplify their exuberance.

 

[Rubi]

Chiarelli is both GM and president of hockey ops. The buck stops at his desk, plain and simple.

Nah.. the buck stops on Daryl Katz's desk.... which is the problem. Nobody in management was hired without Daryl's input and approval.

 

[Soundwave]

Nah.. the buck stops on Daryl Katz's desk.... which is the problem. Nobody in management was hired without Daryl's input and approval.

Chia's goose is cooked this season if they don't make the playoffs, Chiarelli is not a dynasty Oilers member, Katz will drop him like a pound of bricks if he doesn't bring playoff revenue to the table.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

2012-13 Avs = 2015-16 Oilers
2013-14 Avs = 2016-17 Oilers
2014-15 Avs = 2017-18 Oilers

They are well on pace to be a decent bubble team by 2020-21

except, you know...they have decent underlying numbers

something you fail to mention

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

It's just crazy. How can a team with McDavid and Drai be so screwed, not just now, but going forward? I can still squint and see a playoff team without much difficulty, but it's much tougher to see a contender there.

hard to fathom.

why are they screwed?

 

[Rubi]

Chia's goose is cooked this season if they don't make the playoffs, Chiarelli is not a dynasty Oilers member, Katz will drop him like a pound of bricks if he doesn't bring playoff revenue to the table.

I agree. The same holds true for the coaching position. Katz has stocked the cupboard with Oilers alumni or relatives of Oilers alumni that Katz believes can fill the GM and coach's shoes.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

except, you know...they have decent underlying numbers

something you fail to mention

Yes, McLellan is a coach who gets better "underlying numbers" than Patrick Roy.

However both teams are grossly undertalented teams that had a hot year when their decent starting goalie played at a Vezina level. Not a very reliable plan for success, although the Avs have seemingly pulled out.

 

[Soundwave]

Yes, McLellan is a coach who gets better "underlying numbers" than Patrick Roy.

However both teams are grossly undertalented teams that had a hot year when their decent starting goalie played at a Vezina level. Not a very reliable plan for success, although the Avs have seemingly pulled out.

I'd rather start a team with the Oilers (McDavid) or Avs (MacKinnon) core group than what the Flames have, I'm pretty sure most people on this board objectively would too. Gaudreau is just not in that category, Matthews and Laine are better than him as well, so is Tavares.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Yes, McLellan is a coach who gets better "underlying numbers" than Patrick Roy.

However both teams are grossly undertalented teams that had a hot year when their decent starting goalie played at a Vezina level. Not a very reliable plan for success, although the Avs have seemingly pulled out.

hey we have your old coach Gulutzan too now, who's Flames teams always had great "fancy stats"

then again, you're the guy who said"McDavid= Gaudreau" and the Flames were "5 lines deep" only to be swept in the 1st round...so no one really takes you seriously

 

[FlamerForLife]

I'd rather start a team with the Oilers (McDavid) or Avs (MacKinnon) core group than what the Flames have, I'm pretty sure most people on this board objectively would too. Gaudreau is just not in that category, Matthews and Laine are better than him as well, so is Tavares.

You always manage to bring the Flames into 1 of your posts .
It’s like all you do is think about them

 

[Soundwave]

You always manage to bring the Flames into 1 of your posts .
It’s like all you do is think about them

I'm directly replying to OvermanKingGainer who's clearly a Flames fan. He's talking about the Oilers and Avs talent, buddy go take a look in the mirror, no GM in the NHL (Treliving included) would start a team with Gaudreau + Monahan over McDavid + Draisaitl or MacKinnon + Rantanen. And that's not slighting Gaudreau or Monahan, but lets be real here too.