BOOOOOO Edmonton Oilers, BOOOOO Oilers.

[Replacement*]

I don't get why people on here battle so hard to legitimize and protect these players who have let everyone down, players that frankly are total and complete failures. Taylor Hall is a gutless player who shows up for maybe 40% of games, and frankly none for the past what? Month? Yet the pumper team on here wages war as to why "The Core" is so great. This after one of - if not THE - most pathetic efforts I have ever seen. What a joke.

I'm in the "pumper" team now. Haha, sorry, but most dedicated readers will have a soft chuckle about that.

i'm typically one of the biggest cynics on the board but when it comes to decisions this huge I'm for keeping a calm grip on the steering wheel and identifying which players are good, and of benefit, and which can be traded. As others have mentioned we're not going to get close to value in trade and we're certainly not going to get a ringer D for anybody in trade. Well, except McDavid and nobody wants that.

 

[BlackDogg]

Which great veteran players did Florida attract out of free agency? Jagr signed for the money. He had been following the trend for years prior. Campbell was traded to the Panthers. I'll give you Luongo, but other than that the Panthers haven't attracted any sort of older free agent player that Edmonton wouldn't have been able to get.

They are still a fairly new team yet - just wait. Or we could take a poll of veteran players and see where they'd prefer to play out their careers, Edmonton or Florida.... just saying.... One of the things they are concerned with is becoming unbalanced as a "retirement or aged team" based on the general inclinations of the league's players. It hasn't happened yet, but could. (ie. veterans may go their for a "golfing year round" discount)

The Oilers have one thing going for them now on this - #97.

 

[Replacement*]

Just one thing I'm curious about. The Flames 2nd goal by Backlund was also a shorty. The Oil actually gave up two shorties. As Backlund gets the puck there are 6secs left on the Oilers PP. He puts it in and the clock is at one sec left. Yet on the stats its not called a 2nd shorty which kind of pisses me off.

Because I basically want it known what a rat ass PP failure this is.

The Oilers were -2 on their own ****ing PP during the game.

On home ice.

Only a homer timekeeping call kept that 2nd one from being noted as a shorthanded goal. It absolutely was.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Apparently they had a very tough practice today. It'll be a shock if they actually show up on Wednesday night though.

If not then make them bust their tails in practice again and again. Send a message that if you don't leave it on the ice when the final horn sounds then he'll get it out of you and then some in practice.

 

[EVBetting Site]

in the after game interview Ebs was given the chance to come clean and say....hey that shorty was on me my bad i should have stayed with my man. but what does he say...nothing of the sort leader? ha what a joke.I think Hall,Ebs,Rnh are all gone that leaves Mcd to run this team without any of the issues from the others.trade them for a top D or someone real close.A 3rd line vet center and a hard working vet winger .i really think there days here are over that effort saturday was the worst i think i have ever seen a pro team put in. they should be ashamed of them selves and i hope the next team they go to the vets put them in there place .I didnt see a whole lot of guys out there who really want to be an oiler.....sickening!

Eberle has been one of the worst defensive players in the game since he entered the league. Independent of who he plays with (mostly with Hall, for almost his entire career until this season), situation, role, etc. He bleeds more than any other player in the league (who is still a consistent NHL player). No, it isn't an issue of our defense sucking for his entire career. In fact, it is the opposite, Eberle (and Hall) drags our whole defense down defensively. People only think about it in the inverse. That our defense suck so much offensively that they drag our forwards down. No. It's the opposite. Our wingers drag our defense down defensively. And no, our defense is not good. So when you drag a bad defense down even further, you finish 30th in a 30 team league once again.

30GP filter

Jordan Eberle
GF ON/60 Rank GA ON/60 Rank ES TOI/60 Rank
2010-2011 2.22 236th / 399 3.08 357th / 399 14.10 63 / 399
2011-2012 3.63 7th / 407 3.08 374th / 407 14.00 104 / 407
2012-2013 2.98 63rd / 336 3.06 286th / 336 15.12 31st / 336
2013-2014 2.78 96th / 397 3.13 357th / 397 15.12 33rd / 397
2014-2015 2.77 107th / 411 3.10 379th / 411 15.76 3rd / 411
2015-2016 1.89 231st / 330 3.05 298th / 330 15.44 17th / 330

Averages 2.71 123 3.08 342 14.92 42

Produces 2.71 goals/60 vs giving up 3.08 goals/60, while getting top tier Ice Time at Evens.
That means every game, the Oilers can be expected to give up 0.77 goals when Eberle is on the ice at ES. They will score 0.67 goals.

2015-2016 is the first year that he hasn't been stapled to the Hall/RNH pairing, bouncing around the lineup a little bit
He remains one of the worst defensive forwards in the league, while also seeing his offense plummet. This includes his time with McDavid

Although he often does see stronger competition than, say, Bobby Butler in 2010-2011 or Derek Roy in 2014-2015, he also plays with
the top offensive threats on the team. So it helps his GF/20, while hurting his GA/20.



So, he averages about 3.08 goals against/60, which ranks him ~342nd in the league consistently ever year. The other players in his range are players that are no longer in the league. Again, players like Bobby Butler and Derek Roy, etc. Other guys whose careers are about ~2-3 years long and then drop out of the league.

But Eberle (and Hall) have been given this kind of rope for 6 years now. And awarded 6M long term contracts on top of that.

His only top tier offensive-production season was his 2011-2012 where his offensive "luck" was off the charts, but this production didn't even translate to wins or team success because he, once again, was absolutely putrid defensively. Maybe (without exaggeration) the single worst defensive player in the entire league that season.

When you give a player like this the "A" on your team, all the best minutes at ES and also PP, and then switch out your 4th liners and 3rd pairing defenders every season and wonder why nothing has gotten better, it feels like no one is even willing to acknowledge the real reasons why this team has been mired in its pit of suck, for lack of a better term.

Now, what you have to realize is that for his first ~3-4 seasons, fans loved this guy, absolutely loved him. He could do no wrong. If you criticized him in any form, you were mocked and ridiculed. So, he was given a free pass. Even coaches were fearful of fan reaction if they disciplined him (and Hall, again). When you are changing coaches every season, they know that they will lose their jobs if they are unpopular with both players and fans, and the team is losing again. So, Ebs and Hall could do anything they wanted on the ice as long as they keep leading the team in scoring, which they did.

So, they really never had any reason to change their game or their on-ice (or off) behaviors. Because everything was working great. They were stars, everyone loved them, it was the rest of the team that sucked and we just needed to improve the rest and we would be good. And here we are today, nothing has changed from day one back in 2011 or even 2010.

 

[MessierII]

Eberle has been one of the worst defensive players in the game since he entered the league. Independent of who he plays with (mostly with Hall, for almost his entire career until this season), situation, role, etc. He bleeds more than any other player in the league (who is still a consistent NHL player). No, it isn't an issue of our defense sucking for his entire career. In fact, it is the opposite, Eberle (and Hall) drags our whole defense down defensively. People only think about it in the inverse. That our defense suck so much offensively that they drag our forwards down. No. It's the opposite. Our wingers drag our defense down defensively. And no, our defense is not good. So when you drag a bad defense down even further, you finish 30th in a 30 team league once again.

30GP filter

Jordan Eberle
GF ON/60 Rank GA ON/60 Rank ES TOI/60 Rank
2010-2011 2.22 236th / 399 3.08 357th / 399 14.10 63 / 399
2011-2012 3.63 7th / 407 3.08 374th / 407 14.00 104 / 407
2012-2013 2.98 63rd / 336 3.06 286th / 336 15.12 31st / 336
2013-2014 2.78 96th / 397 3.13 357th / 397 15.12 33rd / 397
2014-2015 2.77 107th / 411 3.10 379th / 411 15.76 3rd / 411
2015-2016 1.89 231st / 330 3.05 298th / 330 15.44 17th / 330

Averages 2.71 123 3.08 342 14.92 42

Produces 2.71 goals/60 vs giving up 3.08 goals/60, while getting top tier Ice Time at Evens.
That means every game, the Oilers can be expected to give up 0.77 goals when Eberle is on the ice at ES. They will score 0.67 goals.

2015-2016 is the first year that he hasn't been stapled to the Hall/RNH pairing, bouncing around the lineup a little bit
He remains one of the worst defensive forwards in the league, while also seeing his offense plummet. This includes his time with McDavid

Although he often does see stronger competition than, say, Bobby Butler in 2010-2011 or Derek Roy in 2014-2015, he also plays with
the top offensive threats on the team. So it helps his GF/20, while hurting his GA/20.



So, he averages about 3.08 goals against/60, which ranks him ~342nd in the league consistently ever year. The other players in his range are players that are no longer in the league. Again, players like Bobby Butler and Derek Roy, etc. Other guys whose careers are about ~2-3 years long and then drop out of the league.

But Eberle (and Hall) have been given this kind of rope for 6 years now. And awarded 6M long term contracts on top of that.

His only top tier offensive-production season was his 2011-2012 where his offensive "luck" was off the charts, but this production didn't even translate to wins or team success because he, once again, was absolutely putrid defensively. Maybe (without exaggeration) the single worst defensive player in the entire league.

When you give a player like this the "A" on your team, all the best minutes at ES and also PP, and then switch out your 4th liners and 3rd pairing defenders every season and wonder why nothing has gotten better, it feels like no one is even willing to acknowledge the real reasons why this team has been mired in its pit of suck, for lack of a better term.

Now, what you have to realize is that for his first ~3-4 seasons, fans loved this guy, absolutely loved him. He could do no wrong. If you criticized him in any form, you were mocked and ridiculed. So, he was given a free pass. Even coaches were fearful of fan reaction if they disciplined him (and Hall, again). When you are changing coaches every season, they know that they will lose their jobs if they are unpopular with both players and fans, and the team is losing again. So, Ebs and Hall could do anything they wanted on the ice as long as they keep leading the team in scoring, which they did.

So, they really never had any reason to change their game or their on-ice (or off) behaviors. Because everything was working great. They were stars, everyone loved them, it was the rest of the team that sucked and we just needed to improve the rest and we would be good. And here we are today, nothing has changed from day one back in 2011 or even 2010.

Thanks for this research.

 

[EVBetting Site]

It's not even research, it should be just obvious to anyone willing to admit it. People had (maybe still have) such rose-colored glasses regarding our "core", especially their first 3-4 seasons. They were just, simply, unwilling to see any flaws in them. Anything they did wrong, just look past it. As long as they were leading us in scoring. It's just a matter of being objective and seeing things as they are instead of as they want them to be.

I posted similar stuff about Justin Schultz after his ~2nd season. People were not ready to hear it.

Some examples of this right now would be Nurse. He is garbage, flat out garbage right now. He has a long way to go before he is anything remotely serviceable on an NHL roster. But fans will jump in "he's young, give him a break, stop". All true, but he is what he is right now. If he is in the lineup next season, he will cost you wins and points, flat out. It is what it is. Yes, he can improve and get better but he can also stagnate, so the best thing to plan off of is his right now, the present.

Another is Davidson. He is AHL fodder. Everyone will hate to hear it. He signed for 2 years at ~1M per after his run that made fans fall in love with him before getting injured. Not because he is a legit top 4, or trending that way. He realizes that he is lucky to even be on an NHL roster right now. Again, yes, he can legitimately improve and become an NHL regular. But right now, he is not a part of any winning NHL program. If he is in the top 4 or even on the roster next season, again, he will cost the team wins and points in the standings. It is what it is.

Another is Draisaitl right now. People are already penciling him in as an untouchable. Future 2C of the team, etc. He has a long ways to go still. Now, he is much more talented and cemented than either of the d-men, but he is far from what people think he is already. I like Drai, and I think he's going to get there, but he is no better a player today, right now, than a Patrik Berglund or Backlund in Calgary. People won't agree but it is what it is.

People just don't want to admit these things. Their vision is clouded by hope. Which is understandable. That is human nature. It's one of the most powerful emotions or thought processes in human history. It's gotten people, in far worse situations than Oiler's fans in the 2000's, through tough times throughout human history. It is what it is.

I could go on and on but people don't like to hear it.

 

[oobga]

Thanks for this research.

Yeah, that's good info. I keep thinking about people that brag for Ebs that he's one of the top point getters since whenever, 10-11 or something. He is in the perfect place to achieve a goal like that. He's been getting the cherry ice time his whole career with zero accountability to put any effort into his own zone play. It's a very unique circumstance he's been gifted here. Nuge burns himself out on shifts all the time now wasting all his energy in our zone trying to be defensively responsible (not to say Nuge is spectacular defensively, but he does try). I wonder if Ebs would have put up the same amount of points if he actually had his ice time restricted until he started putting the kind of effort expected of players on winning teams in his own end. And once he did put that effort in, there's less energy to go dipsy doodling in the offensive zone.

 

[The Perfect Human*]

It's not even research, it should be just obvious to anyone willing to admit it. People had (maybe still have) such rose-colored glasses regarding our "core", especially their first 3-4 seasons. They were just, simply, unwilling to see any flaws in them. Anything they did wrong, just look past it. As long as they were leading us in scoring. It's just a matter of being objective and seeing things as they are instead of as they want them to be.

I posted similar stuff about Justin Schultz after his ~2nd season. People were not ready to hear it.

Some examples of this right now would be Nurse. He is garbage, flat out garbage right now. He has a long way to go before he is anything remotely serviceable on an NHL roster. But fans will jump in "he's young, give him a break, stop". All true, but he is what he is right now. If he is in the lineup next season, he will cost you wins and points, flat out. It is what it is. Yes, he can improve and get better but he can also stagnate, so the best thing to plan off of is his right now, the present.

Another is Davidson. He is AHL fodder. Everyone will hate to hear it. He signed for 2 years at ~1M per after his run that made fans fall in love with him before getting injured. Not because he is a legit top 4, or trending that way. He realizes that he is lucky to even be on an NHL roster right now. Again, yes, he can legitimately improve and become an NHL regular. But right now, he is not a part of any winning NHL program. If he is in the top 4 or even on the roster next season, again, he will cost the team wins and points in the standings. It is what it is.

Another is Draisaitl right now. People are already penciling him in as an untouchable. Future 2C of the team, etc. He has a long ways to go still. Now, he is much more talented and cemented than either of the d-men, but he is far from what people think he is already. I like Drai, and I think he's going to get there, but he is no better a player today, right now, than a Patrik Berglund or Backlund in Calgary. People won't agree but it is what it is.

People just don't want to admit these things. Their vision is clouded by hope. Which is understandable. That is human nature. It's one of the most powerful emotions or thought processes in human history. It's gotten people, in far worse situations that Oiler's fans in the 2000's, through tough times throughout human history. It is what it is.

I could go on and on but people don't like to hear it.

Your last two posts were all kinds of BANG ON! Yes some people definitely don't want to see the truth. It's actually mind boggling how a few here so vehemently defend some of these guys. Too much attachment to numbers and stats.

Loved it when Roy ripped Duchene for the over-exuberant celly on his 30th goal in a 4-1 loss. So selfish. He wanted it to be clear he deflected the puck. I believe this attitude is/was rampant in guys like Ebs Hall and even Schultz. Remember the huge celly for Schultz in a lost season final game when he scored the goal that got him the bonus $. Embarrassing. Selfish. It's that kind of me first or individual first attitude that kills teams. Try hard 110% to get your point(s). Sit back and give 80% in the other areas. Got your points so you can fool people into thinking you're great right? Sickening.

 

[DipsyMcDoodles]

It's not even research, it should be just obvious to anyone willing to admit it. People had (maybe still have) such rose-colored glasses regarding our "core", especially their first 3-4 seasons. They were just, simply, unwilling to see any flaws in them. Anything they did wrong, just look past it. As long as they were leading us in scoring. It's just a matter of being objective and seeing things as they are instead of as they want them to be.

I posted similar stuff about Justin Schultz after his ~2nd season. People were not ready to hear it.

Some examples of this right now would be Nurse. He is garbage, flat out garbage right now. He has a long way to go before he is anything remotely serviceable on an NHL roster. But fans will jump in "he's young, give him a break, stop". All true, but he is what he is right now. If he is in the lineup next season, he will cost you wins and points, flat out. It is what it is. Yes, he can improve and get better but he can also stagnate, so the best thing to plan off of is his right now, the present.

Another is Davidson. He is AHL fodder. Everyone will hate to hear it. He signed for 2 years at ~1M per after his run that made fans fall in love with him before getting injured. Not because he is a legit top 4, or trending that way. He realizes that he is lucky to even be on an NHL roster right now. Again, yes, he can legitimately improve and become an NHL regular. But right now, he is not a part of any winning NHL program. If he is in the top 4 or even on the roster next season, again, he will cost the team wins and points in the standings. It is what it is.

Another is Draisaitl right now. People are already penciling him in as an untouchable. Future 2C of the team, etc. He has a long ways to go still. Now, he is much more talented and cemented than either of the d-men, but he is far from what people think he is already. I like Drai, and I think he's going to get there, but he is no better a player today, right now, than a Patrik Berglund or Backlund in Calgary. People won't agree but it is what it is.

People just don't want to admit these things. Their vision is clouded by hope. Which is understandable. That is human nature. It's one of the most powerful emotions or thought processes in human history. It's gotten people, in far worse situations than Oiler's fans in the 2000's, through tough times throughout human history. It is what it is.

I could go on and on but people don't like to hear it.

I see your point of view but I tend to disagree with your take on Davidson. If you take his short stint at the end of last season and combine it with his body of work this year, I am confident in saying that he is at least a steady #5 D right now. Whether or not he is trending to be a top-4 guy is another discussion, but I'm pretty that if he went on waivers with the contract he has now, he would get claimed fairly quickly. Two years at 1.4 mill per doesn't necessarily mean he's AHL "fodder", it's a fair amount for a bottom pairing defenceman which also serves as a bridge deal as well.

 

[McDNicks17]

Davidson is AHL fodder and will cost the team wins if he's even on the team next season?

 

[McFlyingV]

Davidson is AHL fodder and will cost the team wins if he's even on the team next season?

Only has the best corsi, best high danger chance differential and scoring chance differential, lowest high danger chances against per 60 and lowest scoring chances against per 60 of all our dmen. Definitely AHL fodder.

 

[McGoMcD]

It's not even research, it should be just obvious to anyone willing to admit it. People had (maybe still have) such rose-colored glasses regarding our "core", especially their first 3-4 seasons. They were just, simply, unwilling to see any flaws in them. Anything they did wrong, just look past it. As long as they were leading us in scoring. It's just a matter of being objective and seeing things as they are instead of as they want them to be.

I posted similar stuff about Justin Schultz after his ~2nd season. People were not ready to hear it.

Some examples of this right now would be Nurse. He is garbage, flat out garbage right now. He has a long way to go before he is anything remotely serviceable on an NHL roster. But fans will jump in "he's young, give him a break, stop". All true, but he is what he is right now. If he is in the lineup next season, he will cost you wins and points, flat out. It is what it is. Yes, he can improve and get better but he can also stagnate, so the best thing to plan off of is his right now, the present.

Another is Davidson. He is AHL fodder. Everyone will hate to hear it. He signed for 2 years at ~1M per after his run that made fans fall in love with him before getting injured. Not because he is a legit top 4, or trending that way. He realizes that he is lucky to even be on an NHL roster right now. Again, yes, he can legitimately improve and become an NHL regular. But right now, he is not a part of any winning NHL program. If he is in the top 4 or even on the roster next season, again, he will cost the team wins and points in the standings. It is what it is.

Another is Draisaitl right now. People are already penciling him in as an untouchable. Future 2C of the team, etc. He has a long ways to go still. Now, he is much more talented and cemented than either of the d-men, but he is far from what people think he is already. I like Drai, and I think he's going to get there, but he is no better a player today, right now, than a Patrik Berglund or Backlund in Calgary. People won't agree but it is what it is.

People just don't want to admit these things. Their vision is clouded by hope. Which is understandable. That is human nature. It's one of the most powerful emotions or thought processes in human history. It's gotten people, in far worse situations than Oiler's fans in the 2000's, through tough times throughout human history. It is what it is.

I could go on and on but people don't like to hear it.

Here is the thing, i totally agree with you. Hall and eberle, Ebs especially, are subpar defensive players. They are just not as good of players as we would like. The question being are they some kind of cancer? Do they slack of and not take the game seriously? I dont' think so. I think they just don't think the game as well as we would like. Neither are, or were ever, as good as we wanted them to be. However, every one wants to run them out of town because of their attitudes... yes their attitudes are just fine. So sure if a good deal is there trade them, if not, hang onto them and work with them. They are still very young, if they get on a team that actually wins and demands more of them. I bet they show up more. I mean look at a guy like Hall, all he did was win. It isn't as if you can say he has a bad attitude. He never did.

 

[CupofOil]

Davidson is AHL fodder and will cost the team wins if he's even on the team next season?

I didn't bother to sift through all the rants on the last few pages. Did somebody actually say this without a ?

 

[McFlyingV]

I didn't bother to sift through all the rants on the last few pages. Did somebody actually say this without a ?

Yup lol.

Another is Davidson. He is AHL fodder. Everyone will hate to hear it. He signed for 2 years at ~1M per after his run that made fans fall in love with him before getting injured. Not because he is a legit top 4, or trending that way. He realizes that he is lucky to even be on an NHL roster right now. Again, yes, he can legitimately improve and become an NHL regular. But right now, he is not a part of any winning NHL program. If he is in the top 4 or even on the roster next season, again, he will cost the team wins and points in the standings. It is what it is.

 

[ConnorTO]

dont no why everyones complaining oilers have the best chance at another super star

 

[CupofOil]

Yup lol.

Oh the humanity.

That could wind up happening for all we know but he certainly isn't trending that way and this injury doesn't appear serious enough to have any long term effects.

 

[sportsdynasty]

Davidson was Oilers best D this season. If he is AHL fodder, then the Oilers need to draft more AHL fodder.

Davidson is a prime example of what can be accomplished by drafting well in later rounds. Unfortunately, the Oilers had the worst drafting and player development in the league for a decade, and that's why the team is still full of holes.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

dont no why everyones complaining oilers have the best chance at another super star

Because how many you need. ?

It's like a fat guy stuffing his sweatpants with all the chocolate bars at the convenience store. He decides to stop at Zagnut and walks away, then thinks better of it and returns to grab the whole box of Zagnut.

 

[tikkanen]

It's not even research, it should be just obvious to anyone willing to admit it. People had (maybe still have) such rose-colored glasses regarding our "core", especially their first 3-4 seasons. They were just, simply, unwilling to see any flaws in them. Anything they did wrong, just look past it. As long as they were leading us in scoring. It's just a matter of being objective and seeing things as they are instead of as they want them to be.

I posted similar stuff about Justin Schultz after his ~2nd season. People were not ready to hear it.

Some examples of this right now would be Nurse. He is garbage, flat out garbage right now. He has a long way to go before he is anything remotely serviceable on an NHL roster. But fans will jump in "he's young, give him a break, stop". All true, but he is what he is right now. If he is in the lineup next season, he will cost you wins and points, flat out. It is what it is. Yes, he can improve and get better but he can also stagnate, so the best thing to plan off of is his right now, the present.

Another is Davidson. He is AHL fodder. Everyone will hate to hear it. He signed for 2 years at ~1M per after his run that made fans fall in love with him before getting injured. Not because he is a legit top 4, or trending that way. He realizes that he is lucky to even be on an NHL roster right now. Again, yes, he can legitimately improve and become an NHL regular. But right now, he is not a part of any winning NHL program. If he is in the top 4 or even on the roster next season, again, he will cost the team wins and points in the standings. It is what it is.

Another is Draisaitl right now. People are already penciling him in as an untouchable. Future 2C of the team, etc. He has a long ways to go still. Now, he is much more talented and cemented than either of the d-men, but he is far from what people think he is already. I like Drai, and I think he's going to get there, but he is no better a player today, right now, than a Patrik Berglund or Backlund in Calgary. People won't agree but it is what it is.

People just don't want to admit these things. Their vision is clouded by hope. Which is understandable. That is human nature. It's one of the most powerful emotions or thought processes in human history. It's gotten people, in far worse situations than Oiler's fans in the 2000's, through tough times throughout human history. It is what it is.

I could go on and on but people don't like to hear it.

Great post-can you give stats on this season on Hall-Drai-macd or is there a site for this stuff?

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

They are still a fairly new team yet - just wait. Or we could take a poll of veteran players and see where they'd prefer to play out their careers, Edmonton or Florida.... just saying.... One of the things they are concerned with is becoming unbalanced as a "retirement or aged team" based on the general inclinations of the league's players. It hasn't happened yet, but could. (ie. veterans may go their for a "golfing year round" discount)

The Oilers have one thing going for them now on this - #97.

So you said that the Oilers couldn't attract the Free agents that Florida can because of the weather. And then I point they haven't. And now you're saying that they'll be able to attract them now that they're winning?
D'uh.

 

[McFlyingV]

Another is Davidson. He is AHL fodder. Everyone will hate to hear it. He signed for 2 years at ~1M per after his run that made fans fall in love with him before getting injured. Not because he is a legit top 4, or trending that way. He realizes that he is lucky to even be on an NHL roster right now. Again, yes, he can legitimately improve and become an NHL regular. But right now, he is not a part of any winning NHL program. If he is in the top 4 or even on the roster next season, again, he will cost the team wins and points in the standings. It is what it is.

In all honesty though I'd love to see you back this claim up with numbers if you want to be "objective". I agree with your assessment on Nurse he's over his head and would benefit from AHL time or a sheltered role, but the numbers actually support that. They don't support your claim on Davy.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

dont no why everyones complaining oilers have the best chance at another super star

Assuming this isn't a troll post, I'd rather our current players be better than they have been this season and have us gearing up for the playoffs than looking at another lottery pick.

 

[Throttlehead]

It's not even research, it should be just obvious to anyone willing to admit it. People had (maybe still have) such rose-colored glasses regarding our "core", especially their first 3-4 seasons. They were just, simply, unwilling to see any flaws in them. Anything they did wrong, just look past it. As long as they were leading us in scoring. It's just a matter of being objective and seeing things as they are instead of as they want them to be.

I posted similar stuff about Justin Schultz after his ~2nd season. People were not ready to hear it.

Some examples of this right now would be Nurse. He is garbage, flat out garbage right now. He has a long way to go before he is anything remotely serviceable on an NHL roster. But fans will jump in "he's young, give him a break, stop". All true, but he is what he is right now. If he is in the lineup next season, he will cost you wins and points, flat out. It is what it is. Yes, he can improve and get better but he can also stagnate, so the best thing to plan off of is his right now, the present.

Another is Davidson. He is AHL fodder. Everyone will hate to hear it. He signed for 2 years at ~1M per after his run that made fans fall in love with him before getting injured. Not because he is a legit top 4, or trending that way. He realizes that he is lucky to even be on an NHL roster right now. Again, yes, he can legitimately improve and become an NHL regular. But right now, he is not a part of any winning NHL program. If he is in the top 4 or even on the roster next season, again, he will cost the team wins and points in the standings. It is what it is.

Another is Draisaitl right now. People are already penciling him in as an untouchable. Future 2C of the team, etc. He has a long ways to go still. Now, he is much more talented and cemented than either of the d-men, but he is far from what people think he is already. I like Drai, and I think he's going to get there, but he is no better a player today, right now, than a Patrik Berglund or Backlund in Calgary. People won't agree but it is what it is.

People just don't want to admit these things. Their vision is clouded by hope. Which is understandable. That is human nature. It's one of the most powerful emotions or thought processes in human history. It's gotten people, in far worse situations than Oiler's fans in the 2000's, through tough times throughout human history. It is what it is.

I could go on and on but people don't like to hear it.

Its easy to pick any player on a losing team and rip him to shreds with stats, its a team game after all.

So what do you say about Justin Schultz in Pittsburgh? Would the stat of 15GP 1G 6A +10 make you think he is as bad as every Oiler fan said? Is Jeff Petry the scapegoat in Montreal, and is he still the worst defenceman in the league like Oiler fans said?

Berglund and Draisaitl are not in the same conversation...sorry.

To be judging guys like Nurse at his age and Davidson after his first season (a good one) is ridiculous. If you honestly think you have some kind of genie bottle that no one else has, you should likely be the most sought after scout in the league. You are basing your OPINION off some stats that correlate with a totality of a bad team. Nurse will be an excellent dman one day and it might take more than 1 season, God forbid.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Davidson is AHL fodder and will cost the team wins if he's even on the team next season?

That was pretty rich. And by rich, I mean poor. Davidson may or may not be this or that going forward but this last season he played quite well under very difficult circumstances.