Around the League: It Smells Like Hockey!

[Mr Hockey]

Look McDavid is better than Matthews but I do wish the fact that McDavid has played 23 minutes a game this season vs only 18 for Matthews wasn't overlooked.

McDavid is a level above everyone in league, he is the Oilers offence, seriously.

 

[Liminality]

McDavid is a level above everyone in league, he is the Oilers offence, seriously.

I'm sure the Oilers would try and play McDavid 30 minutes a night if they could.
They've got to get him some help at some point, the Oil live or die with McDavid.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Im catching up on hockey tonight lol

This Dahlin kid has quite the skill set, he is going to be a really good one! he looks like McDavid rushing the puck.

 

[Liminality]

I'm sure the Oilers would try and play McDavid 30 minutes a night if they could.
They've got to get him some help at some point, the Oil live or die with McDavid.

McDavid knows it too.

 

[Jozay]

Poor mcdavid. Locked in for 7 more years.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Im catching up on hockey tonight lol

This Dahlin kid has quite the skill set, he is going to be a really good one! he looks like McDavid rushing the puck.

I watched the Tampa versus Carolina game last night. It was a pretty good game actually and the Lightning made a push late in 3rd period to put them over the top and to give them the W. Saw most of the 3rd and overtime for the Jets/Oilers game as well. Nurse got the winning goal in OT on a nice play. Oilers have other good players besides McDavid. McDavid is a stud no doubt, but I think the mantra that its all McDavid is a little overdone.

 

[8816 others]

At what point does McDavid regret signing long term or wishes he had signed an offer sheet? Or is it possible he already does?

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Still can't believe they paid $5 mill

What did we pay him? $4.2 m/year IIRC. Not sure we should throw much shade on the Blues .....

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Anyone know what Doughty was saying about the leafs. Something like he only threw out the idea of signing with the leafs, to scare the Kings into giving him a big contract.

I think that was the Stamkos plan all along and that infamous tweet he made was part of that plot. Funny how many people got sucked into that.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Poor mcdavid. Locked in for 7 more years.

Yes, he's probably struggling with that $12.5 m/yr he's getting.

What I wonder about is the assumption that the Oilers will be lousy forever. How does anyone really know that?

 

[Liminality]

Another pretty big injury in the league.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Well, Reimer is a starting goalie, when you don't have a better goalie to start!

Startling news!

 

[CanadasTeam]

Another pretty big injury in the league.

I could be mistaken but will it be his 2nd injury since coming in from camp?

 

[IBeL34f]

Yes, he's probably struggling with that $12.5 m/yr he's getting.

What I wonder about is the assumption that the Oilers will be lousy forever. How does anyone really know that?

No one knows it, but why would they assume any differently? This is their 2nd young superstar core in the past 9 seasons and they haven't been able to turn it around - Makes more sense to assume they'll just keep doing what they've been doing than it does to assume they'll suddenly figure everything out, doesn't it?

 

[HoweHullOrr]

No one knows it, but why would they assume any differently? This is their 2nd young superstar core in the past 9 seasons and they haven't been able to turn it around - Makes more sense to assume they'll just keep doing what they've been doing than it does to assume they'll suddenly figure everything out, doesn't it?

The first 4 words that are bolded are correct/significant, the rest of the words are not. Things can change (we did). What if the Oilers have a great year this year? That could change the dialogue (i.e., 2 of last 3 seasons that they made playoffs, and/or advanced beyond the 1st round possibly).

We also had quantity eight (8) top eight overall draft choices ourselves since 04 (Schenn). So, we managed to do it (have success) despite years of being very unsuccessful. Not sure why we are so quick to throw rocks given this scenario/facts. Perhaps that disturbs the image that we like to paint of ourselves, but it is what it is.

 

[Mr Hockey]

 

[IBeL34f]

The first 4 words that are bolded are correct/significant, the rest of the words are not. Things can change (we did). What if the Oilers have a great year this year? That could change the dialogue (i.e., 2 of last 3 seasons that they made playoffs, and/or advanced beyond the 1st round possibly).

We also had quantity eight (8) top eight overall draft choices ourselves since 04 (Schenn). So, we managed to do it (have success) despite years of being very unsuccessful. Not sure why we are so quick to throw rocks given this scenario/facts. Perhaps that disturbs the image that we like to paint of ourselves, but it is what it is.

Well, considering you were wondering why people were making the "assumption" in the first place, I feel the entirety of my response was correct/significant enough.

You're following up your critique of my answer with a bunch of what-ifs, though, which was exactly my point in the first place - The Oilers haven't done anything to warrant a change in peoples' expectations.

You talk about our past 10 years as if they're at all comparable, when the only similarity is that both teams were mismanaged for a while. The Leafs corrected this 4 years ago, but we still had to prove ourselves - even after drafting Matthews - before anyone actually took us seriously. The Leafs had a top-5 pick in 2008, yes, but they weren't doing the long-term draft-and-develop process that the Oilers have been mired in for the last decade, and Schenn and Kadri, as 5th- and 7th-overall picks, respectively, shouldn't have had the same expectations of turning around a sinking franchise that multiple 1st-overall picks in consecutive years should have.

We went in a different direction, failed, and then corrected. The Oilers have just been a steady clusterf*** for 10 straight years.

Could the Oilers suddenly turn it around? Sure, they definitely have some pretty fantastic pieces on their squad. But if you're going to ask why people assume they'll suck, the obvious answer is because they haven't given anyone any reason to believe they won't suck. We could at least point to new management, new philosophies, and new talent as reasons why we would quickly reverse our fortunes - What are the Oilers pointing to, other than McDavid and Draisaitl?

 

[phillipmike]

11. Carolina’s a good early story, and they’ll be interesting to watch for another reason: They’ve got unusual roster construction. The Hurricanes dress four right-shot defenders — Justin Faulk, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce and Trevor van Riemsdyk. That type of player is always in demand and they’re all good enough to play. Scott Darling is due back soon, and, unless they want to carry three goalies, one of him, Curtis McElhinney or Petr Mrazek will need waivers. Assuming it’s not Darling, the others might be a Toronto target.

 

[1specter]

I remember when I used to get shelled for my belief that Reimer isn't a starting goalie.

Hutchinson was in net

 

[Gabriel426]

I don’t really get all these McD vs Matthews debate. McD is a level above all except for Sid. Matthews will be there and might even win a Hart or Art Ross down the line but McD is just another level.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I remember when I used to get shelled for my belief that Reimer isn't a starting goalie.

we were considered mean.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I don’t really get all these McD vs Matthews debate. McD is a level above all except for Sid. Matthews will be there and might even win a Hart or Art Ross down the line but McD is just another level.

but it doesn't matter if McDavid is a different level.
there were Gretzky v Lemieux comparisons/debates all the time.
McDavid can o a lot of things that Matthews can't. but i think Matty can (or will)do things that McDavid can't. it's why one can debate it.

 

[Mr Hockey]

in my opinion ... Gretzky and Lemieux were same level ... Matthews is a beauty but not on McDavids level.

 

[Daisy Jane]

in my opinion ... Gretzky and Lemieux were same level ... Matthews is a beauty but not on McDavids level.

because?

 

[7even]

Y'all see Laine's Fortnite tag is public? The dude grinds.