Bear & Jones Pairing - This Ain’t It Chief

[Zenos]

People pining for Russell clearly didn't watch the play-ins.

Disclaimer: This is in no way meant as an endorsement of Russel, but did you even watch the play-ins?
Rusty was (sadly) one of the better Oilers defenders. I realize that's not saying much, but at least get your story right.

 

[CupofOil]

Jones has had a rough year, but he's a young developing player. It happens. Russell...exists. It's funny, he's missed seven straight games and I doubt anyone has even noticed his absence. Best case scenario is Seattle grabs him for his gritty warrior ways and we can watch Mcdavid and Co torch him over and over again.

Well, I'd rather have the player who merely "exists" in the playoffs than a player who had a rough year (even by your admission) and needs more development time.

In other words, Russell isn't as fun to watch as Jones is (when Jones isn't fumbling and bumbling in his own zone) but he is absolutely the more reliable player in his own zone and is better at battling with bigger forwards down low where a lot of playoff hockey is played. When you're talking about a 3rd pairing D, merely "existing" and breaking even isn't a bad thing kind of like a 4th liner in that sense. Jones is just too unreliable even if he's more dynamic with the puck.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Disclaimer: This is in no way meant as an endorsement of Russel, but did you even watch the play-ins?
Rusty was (sadly) one of the better Oilers defenders. I realize that's not saying much, but at least get your story right.

I certainly remember him scoring a few goals on the wrong net.

 

[CupofOil]

I certainly remember him scoring a few goals on the wrong net.

That was just bad luck and you know it. The same happened to Bear, shit happens.

The fact of the matter is that outside of the flukey bounces, Russell was arguably their best Dman in that series. Sad I know but he was one of the more reliable ones. Only somebody with extreme bias would say otherwise.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

That was just bad luck and you know it. The same happened to Bear, shit happens.

The fact of the matter is that outside of the flukey bounces, Russell was arguably their best Dman in that series. Sad I know but he was one of the more reliable ones. Only somebody with extreme bias would say otherwise.

Once is bad luck. More than once is bad positioning.

Besides, Russell's play this year has not garnered much confidence.

 

[belair]

Lagesson is a trash fire defensively, dude. he had two ok games paired with Larsson, but otherwise he's AHL-calibre.

Jones has had a rough year, but he's a young developing player. It happens. Russell...exists. It's funny, he's missed seven straight games and I doubt anyone has even noticed his absence. Best case scenario is Seattle grabs him for his gritty warrior ways and we can watch Mcdavid and Co torch him over and over again.

If there's an instance where the other team establishes possession in our zone, I want Lagesson out there over Jones. That's for damn sure. Mistake prone Jones has a tendency of ending up with puck in his net pretty frequently when he makes a boneheaded decision.

Jones' only saving grace are his inflated team shot metrics that you seem to regularly value over actually seeing how the player performs when he's on the ice. To me it's pretty clear that he has very little impact on them.

Jones is a waiver-eligible depth defenseman. This was his year to make a name for himself and was given an opportunity to be a top four option. Instead he's shown he can't be trusted to be an NHL regular. End of the road.

 

[Mrgnwllm]

Send Russel out to pasture . Play Jones

 

[Stoneman89]

Goodness, this better not be a pairing in the playoffs. Bear is off this season and Jones just isn’t good enough to be an NHL regular.

Give me Russel and 4K on the left side ALL DAY.

It's the playoffs, and guys get hurt due to the intensity and number of compressed games. And defence is the position that historically gets banged up the most (therefore the higher asking prices for dmen at the trade deadline and teams stocking up on them). If we go anywhere, we're going to need each and every one of them.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Russel is much more reliable than Jones. He just won’t make an outlet pass, but neither can Jones so it’s a wash there. Russel will bring elite shot blocking, a warrior mentality, and sacrificing the body. For the playoffs, gotta get Russel in over Jones. 4K would work too if not too rusty.

4K is a much worse player than Jones.

We shouldn't be playing him over anyone in the playoffs.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Jones hasn't been good at any point and imagine finding a way to be -7 with easy minutes, limited use, in only 33GP and on topten club with great goal differential. Jones has worst per game numbers than anybody on the club except dead Turris who retired and forgot to alert his agent, and Holland.

4K managed to get to -7 in 17 games.

He had been much worse than Jones.

 

[McDoused]

4K managed to get to -7 in 17 games.

He had been much worse than Jones.

To be fair the whole team was garbage at the start of the season. He was actually our best defenceman during his first few games. Barrie struggled a lot then as well and -8 to start the year. It can take guys a while to adjust. Having said that, its probably not what you want in a guy that's about to start a playoff series.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

To be fair the whole team was garbage at the start of the season. He was actually our best defenceman during his first few games. Barrie struggled a lot then as well and -8 to start the year. It can take guys a while to adjust. Having said that, its probably not what you want in a guy that's about to start a playoff series.

He was very good the first 3-4 games of the year but his play tailed off pretty quick.

 

[LTIR]

And he's still better than Lagesson.

Kulikov is probably the best of the four listed above, but if we're talking about who plays 3LD, he's not in the conversation.

He certainly isnt. You wouldnt be able to count mistakes made by Lagesson on one hand where you will run out of fingers and toes if counting mistakes by Jones.

Lagesson-Larsson pairing is good enough to play top 4 mins.

Jones is a train wreck even when playing 12 mins a night

 

[GMofOilers]

Bear to slow for the NHL and loves to cover air in the D zone.

Jones covers so much for Bear he gets left hung out to dry the same way Nurse did. At least that guy can skate.

Overall the pairing is just bad, maybe the worst in the North Division.

 

[TheNumber4]

4K is a much worse player than Jones.

We shouldn't be playing him over anyone in the playoffs.

How do you figure that? What about Jones game puts him over 4K exactly?

 

[Tobias Kahun]

How do you figure that? What about Jones game puts him over 4K exactly?

Because 4K is just not very good, he had a solid 3 games to start the year and then just started bleeding chances like no other.

he also was making mistakes as often or more than jones

 

[McShogun99]

I’d put in Jones or Lagesson over Russell. He’s probably our 2nd worst D right now with 4K being the worst.

Jones might now be a defensive stalwart but at least he keeps moving the puck forward and doesn’t collapse back into the goalie while the other team sets up a shooting gallery.

 

[TheNumber4]

Because 4K is just not very good, he had a solid 3 games to start the year and then just started bleeding chances like no other.

he also was making mistakes as often or more than jones

I don't remember 4K bleeding chances nor turning over pucks and failing executions like Jones does. 4K's game is a lot quieter though, doesn't risk as much. But IMO I'd rather someone who doesn't try high reward plays if he can't execute, let someone else make those plays and just play a quiet steady game. Unlike Jones who constantly tries high reward plays and has like a 95% fail rate.

 

[TheNumber4]

I’d put in Jones or Lagesson over Russell. He’s probably our 2nd worst D right now with 4K being the worst.

Jones might now be a defensive stalwart but at least he keeps moving the puck forward and doesn’t collapse back into the goalie while the other team sets up a shooting gallery.

Moves the puck forward? By missing his outlets constantly and it going down the ice for an icing or turning over to the other team. Dude does not make plays, any plays. Tries a lot though. But he should stop trying if he can't execute.

 

[Paralyzer008]

I actually agree with OP that Bear and Jones together isn't good.

But also then saying they shouldn't play over Russell and Koekkoek is why I am glad OP is not coach.

 

[Mr Positive]

I don't remember 4K bleeding chances nor turning over pucks and failing executions like Jones does. 4K's game is a lot quieter though, doesn't risk as much. But IMO I'd rather someone who doesn't try high reward plays if he can't execute, let someone else make those plays and just play a quiet steady game. Unlike Jones who constantly tries high reward plays and has like a 95% fail rate.

There is a benefit of Jones over Koekkoek, but for a bottom pairing guy I prefer Koekkoek, especially for these playoffs.

I feel like against the intensity of playoff opposition, where even lower teams will up their tenacity, Jones could get badly exposed. Jones' skills are useful in that situation too, but considering our D and team in general, we should opt for stability over aggression for our depth D, and leave the gambling for Barrie, Bear, and Nurse. Or even Kulikov and Larsson.

Plus that bottom pairing will have either Bear or Barrie on it. You want the other guy to be a responsible veteran like Koekkoek or even Russell.

But I do support Tippett giving Jones so much rope. I think he will be a solid playoff option to change the look of the D if we want to, and perhaps even to draw in the odd game to be a puck moving D who is also fresh.

 

[TheNumber4]

There is a benefit of Jones over Koekkoek, but for a bottom pairing guy I prefer Koekkoek, especially for these playoffs.

I feel like against the intensity of playoff opposition, where even lower teams will up their tenacity, Jones could get badly exposed. Jones' skills are useful in that situation too, but considering our D and team in general, we should opt for stability over aggression for our depth D, and leave the gambling for Barrie, Bear, and Nurse. Or even Kulikov and Larsson.

Plus that bottom pairing will have either Bear or Barrie on it. You want the other guy to be a responsible veteran like Koekkoek or even Russell.

But I do support Tippett giving Jones so much rope. I think he will be a solid option to change the look of the D if we want to, and perhaps even to draw in the odd game to be a puck moving D who is also fresh.

Agreed, Let Nurse, Barrie, Bear, and occasionally Lars make plays with the puck. Atleast these guys pick their spots and can execute. Jones keeps being called a "puck moving D-man". I don't get it, sure he moves the puck upward, but he misses his passes 90% of the time. The only puck moving he does is the puck back into opposition's hands. That being said, I do see now why the Oilers keep trying to make him work... He's got quickness, agility, athleticism, and has creative ideas.... he really just needs to pick his spots better because this last year all the spots he picked to try to make something happen turned out bad.

 

[AsparaGus]

4K managed to get to -7 in 17 games.

He had been much worse than Jones.

Koekkoek demonstrably outperformed every single Oilers defenceman in last year’s play-ins.

There is no scenario where you’re going to convince anyone that Caleb F. Jones is better than anyone on the Oilers depth chart. What an absolute joke.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Koekkoek demonstrably outperformed every single Oilers defenceman in last year’s play-ins.

There is no scenario where you’re going to convince anyone that Caleb F. Jones is better than anyone on the Oilers depth chart. What an absolute joke.

Who cares what happened in the play ins?

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I don't remember 4K bleeding chances nor turning over pucks and failing executions like Jones does. 4K's game is a lot quieter though, doesn't risk as much. But IMO I'd rather someone who doesn't try high reward plays if he can't execute, let someone else make those plays and just play a quiet steady game. Unlike Jones who constantly tries high reward plays and has like a 95% fail rate.

For 4K not risking much, the puck sure ends up in his net a lot