Are the Oilers for real?

[LeafFever]

There's still no true #1 dman. It seems like every true contending team has one. Hopefully Klefbom gets there.

The Rangers got to the finals and have been a contender without one.

 

[SnoopDogg]

Give them ~30 more games and we'll see, this goes for every team too.

In other words, is Matt Moulson for real? On pace for 41 goals

 

[ecemleafs]

The Rangers got to the finals and have been a contender without one.

the rangers have a number 1 dman.

 

[guzzy]

they are until Mcdavid gets injured, then they are back to a lottery team

 

[Homesick]

If by for real you mean lottery team, maybe.

There's an awful lot of you guys bragging about your team selecting first ovevrals.

There's a lot of sour grapes in this post. I haven't seen any bragging at all

 

[LeafFever]

the rangers have a number 1 dman.

Arguable.

 

[karnige]

a bubble team if they are healthy. they have played decent but their defense isn't great still. obviously far better then the past though

 

[Barrie22]

I don't think they are just yet. I mean the Pacific looks pretty weak this year compared to years past, but you look at the conference as a whole and you see that at least 5, maybe all 7 are better than the Oil it kind of takes you back to reality.

Good thing the oilers only have to be better then the teams in the pacific.

 

[darkwingduck]

Good enough offensive talent to possibly cover up a weak-ish blue line. Will be prone to losing games in the third period even if up by multiple goals. But if they jump out to a lot of points and have streaks like this one, perhaps they catch a sleeping LA or Anaheim like Vancouver and Calgary did in 2015.

Even if they do make the playoffs, I don't think they will go very far with inexperience, but it takes multiple trips to the playoffs for a core to finally breakthrough many times.

 

[McDavyCrockett]

they are until Mcdavid gets injured, then they are back to a lottery team

Nah, even without McDavid we're a 6-10 (draft range) team. Our defense and team size/grit/toughness/physicality has improved considerably.

 

[Juxta Position]

Let me ask you a question, do you really think that edmonton and vancouver will be 1-2 in the division like they are now by the end of the year? There is your answer.

of course not, but that's not the question is it?

the question was, are they for real?

personally I think they end up, like a lot of other posters have said, a bubble team. they may make it in, but they may also end up right at the cut line. but I do believe that they will be playing meaningful hockey into march for the first time in quite a while.

 

[McDavyCrockett]

Nope. We'll finish somewhere around where the Sens did last season. A late playoff push which will eventually fall short.

If we acquire a top-pairing defenseman without sacrificing much (improbable but not impossible), we're a playoff lock.

 

[SirPaste]

They are a borderline playoff team, looking good so far

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

If by for real you mean lottery team, maybe.

There's an awful lot of you guys bragging about your team selecting first ovevrals.

What was the point of this post exactly?

I think Edmonton like every other team in the Pacific aside from San Jose has big questions marks still. That said, I think playoffs are very possible (due to this weak pacific year). Maybe even 2nd in the division...

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Good thing the oilers only have to be better then the teams in the pacific.

This so much. Sharks are the only team that I would bet for sure on the Oilers finishing ahead of.

Anaheim - Not looking great under Carlyle, and still have to make some uncomfortable moves to get Lindholm in there.

Los Angeles - A team that has really shown some struggle these past couple seasons, slowing down and missing Quick for a couple months wont help.

Calgary - Coaching and goaltending. Woof. Without those issues I think Edmonton is a better team on paper as it is.

Vancouver - Very impressed with their start. I, like most, had them pegged for a 30th place finish, but if the Sedins want to show they aren't ready to call it quits, maybe they're they other team that squeaks in.

 

[Master P]

Its only 5 games into the season. I think it would be a better idea to ask this question at around game 30.

A 5 game sample size is in no way a long enough period of time to evaluate a team.

Here are the current player leader boards for the NHL. Do you think these players can sustain these positions?

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Much like Montreal their season last year was derailed by injury and they weren't deep enough to overcome all those injuries.

I think the Oilers will make the playoffs if they stay healthy. McDavid is as good as it gets and Draisaitl, RNH is a nice 2-3.

Their D finally looks decent, but Talbot has been terrible

He's been solid the last 2 games. Hopefully just a shaky start like last year in those first 3.

 

[Draw Me a McElephant]

4-1 looks good, but they've really only played one impressive game and that was against St. Louis. The Calgary games were sloppy but McDavid dragged them to victory, Buffalo was a gong show, and Carolina was a poor game but Talbot stole a victory.

Obviously it is far too early. If Larsson, Klefbom, or Sekera get injured they will probably drop like a rock in the standings.

 

[voxel]

So you are asking if the Oilers are imaginary? I can assure you they aren't the Easter Bunny.

The real question is... who is going to finish last in the league - Yotes or Flames?

 

[La Bamba]

As an Oiler fan, I'm still a bit skeptical about the team but I can agree that this is the best roster the Oilers have iced since 2006 for sure. The team has skill, speed, grit, size, etc. and a generational talent. Just missing that top end D man.

Back in 2011, the Oilers started 9-3-1 I believe during RNH's rookie year but crashed pretty quickly after. I still have PTSD from that season.

If the Oilers can maintain a top 3 spot in the division by the ~35 game mark then I'll start believing. And this is very possible with the current state of the Pacific Division. Anaheim and Los Angeles are missing key players due to contract disputes/issues and injuries. The Flames have troubling issues AGAIN keeping the puck out of their net, the Yotes aren't ready IMO, and the Canucks should come back down to Earth soon.

 

[King1s]

Looks like we are contending for the cup this year.

 

[Juxta Position]

Its only 5 games into the season. I think it would be a better idea to ask this question at around game 30.

A 5 game sample size is in no way a long enough period of time to evaluate a team.

Here are the current player leader boards for the NHL. Do you think these players can sustain these positions?

wow do people really need to keep using this ridiculous argument.

the question is not "brent burns is gonna win the art ross so does that mean the oilers are for real?"

its a poor argument to use. if you don't believe the oilers are actually an improved team, state some legitimate reason or vise versa, all this type of argument does is move the goalposts.

because burns is leading the league in points currently has no correlation to how the oilers are playing as a team.

 

[Tom Collins]

Well in all 5 games we have seen 4 different Oilers teams. The two against Calgary were sloppy games where we scored enough to win. The game against Buffalo was a team-wide fail. The Carolina game our Goalie bailed out the team, and against St Louis we saw an actual complete game from everyone.

Which version of the Oilers shows up more often than not will determine how the season goes. But the fact that different elements of the group were able to bail out the rest is a quality the good teams have to have.

 

[Diatomic]

They could squeak in

 

[LeafFever]

Those Oiler forwards are sick. I'd take them over any team's forwards.