News Article: Chiarelli thinks that the Oilers will not make SC playoffs

[GMofOilers]

Even if we over achieved a bit last year, there is no reason to be under achieving this year. This team is not a bottom 5 NHL team. Its pretty much the same team as last year. The biggest difference is goaltending and defense. Russell leading our d in scoring and Nurse 2nd. That says alot.

 

[McJadeddog]

I think it's time for the Draisaitl for OEL trade to happen. Give OEL the same contract. Trade a couple of small pieces at the same time.

Arizona desperately needs a franchise centre. We desperately need a top D that can score.

Nuge is good enough for our second line centre.

The problem is that Drai is NOWHERE NEAR good enough to return OEL on his own, especially when you consider his albatross of a contract

 

[Crude]

I think guys with positive trade value are Sekera, Nurse, Caggiula, Maroon, Larsson, Talbot and McDavid.

Guys with trade value with $2-4mil retained are Draisaitl, Nugey, Russell and Lucic.

The rest aren't going to get you much worthwhile return.

Overall Chia's options to sell at the deadline are limited with Maroon and Nurse being the most likely candidates. We could probably trade Maroon to the Jets for a second or third and Nurse to a team like Las Vegas for a 2nd.

As for next year we likely need to fill out the roster with a bunch of PTO type guys for $1m each. There's lots of those guys out there who can still play (Cammalleri, Versteeg, Sharp etc.).

This is insane. You honestly think retaining $4M per year for the next half decade on multiple players (+ having to pay for replacements) is going to put this team in a better position?

 

[Mr Positive]

The percent chance that we make the playoffs is ultimately based on cold statistics. It doesn't take subtleties into account. I do believe we have a better chance to make the playoffs than the teams directly above us in the standings because we showed we have the talent to be a power in this division last season, and we did not change a whole lot since then.

At the very least, our 'real' percent chance of making it must be higher than the cold statistics show. We are a team that is more likely to put it together and go on a run that a lot of other teams. The talent here is substantial. We are not a rebuilding team anymore. We are a near-complete team that is suffering from a lot of issues holding us back.

 

[BudBundy]

The team will almost certainly not make the playoffs now. It would take an epic 60 games and the team has shown zero ability to do that at the 1/4 pole. This is who we are.

I never expected the team to be this bad. My major concern to start the year was the total failure to address the 2nd pairing RHD, with Chia marrying the team to Russell instead of getting better. Ridding Eberle and his cap space shouldve allowed that but it didnt happen. Now the team is playing so poorly, far less than the sum of its parts, that i think there are issues beyond the ice. Money changes people. Maybe its that. Who knows. The problems are many and the team will have to sort them out internally as its not like one or two tweaks will do.

Now is not the time for blockbusters. Cap considerations and predatory GMs mean you get mugged in deals until the off season. No choice but to ride it out. Maybe exploit another bottom feeder in a small deal or two to pick replacements for guys we are likely to lose (Maroon, Letestu) July 1st.

Not even December and we have to consign ourselves to next year plans and the bloody draft.

 

[GMofOilers]

The percent chance that we make the playoffs is ultimately based on cold statistics. It doesn't take subtleties into account. I do believe we have a better chance to make the playoffs than the teams directly above us in the standings because we showed we have the talent to be a power in this division last season, and we did not change a whole lot since then.

At the very least, our 'real' percent chance of making it must be higher than the cold statistics show. We are a team that is more likely to put it together and go on a run that a lot of other teams. The talent here is substantial. We are not a rebuilding team anymore. We are a near-complete team that is suffering from a lot of issues holding us back.

Really eat up our division we have a really good chance of still making it.

 

[Crude]

The percent chance that we make the playoffs is ultimately based on cold statistics. It doesn't take subtleties into account. I do believe we have a better chance to make the playoffs than the teams directly above us in the standings because we showed we have the talent to be a power in this division last season, and we did not change a whole lot since then.

At the very least, our 'real' percent chance of making it must be higher than the cold statistics show. We are a team that is more likely to put it together and go on a run that a lot of other teams. The talent here is substantial. We are not a rebuilding team anymore. We are a near-complete team that is suffering from a lot of issues holding us back.

This is an oxymoron.

 

[GMofOilers]

The team will almost certainly not make the playoffs now. It would take an epic 60 games and the team has shown zero ability to do that at the 1/4 pole. This is who we are.

I never expected the team to be this bad. My major concern to start the year was the total failure to address the 2nd pairing RHD, with Chia marrying the team to Russell instead of getting better. Ridding Eberle and his cap space shouldve allowed that but it didnt happen. Now the team is playing so poorly, far less than the sum of its parts, that i think there are issues beyond the ice. Money changes people. Maybe its that. Who knows. The problems are many and the team will have to sort them out internally as its not like one or two tweaks will do.

Now is not the time for blockbusters. Cap considerations and predatory GMs mean you get mugged in deals until the off season. No choice but to ride it out. Maybe exploit another bottom feeder in a small deal or two to pick replacements for guys we are likely to lose (Maroon, Letestu) July 1st.

Not even December and we have to consign ourselves to next year plans and the bloody draft.

Why does every one think Russell was a failure? Hell without him we are the worst team in the league.

We should of sold high on Klefdum and Talbot, they are way bigger reason why this team is bad this year then Russell and replacing Eberle with Strome.

 

[Mr Positive]

This is an oxymoron.

what I meant was that we have most of our key positions filled, but we probably need some more tinkering, and more than that we need to develop in the ways that aren't about having the right players. That's up to coaching to find ways to build chemistry and also the players themselves have to step up and play to their potential

 

[belair]

This is an oxymoron.

No, it means that they are under-performing. A fully firing roster would have a winning record and it's a fair assessment. When your bottom six fails to provide you depth scoring, it's extremely difficult to win hockey games. Look at the Penguins.

 

[TheRebuild]

I don’t think playoffs, but there is absolutely no reason for them to finish where they currently are. Like for f*** sakes, sake the damn coaching staff already (ALL OF THEM) and bring in a new voice.

 

[hjghkabsdkc]

Why does every one think Russell was a failure? Hell without him we are the worst team in the league.

We should of sold high on Klefdum and Talbot, they are way bigger reason why this team is bad this year then Russell and replacing Eberle with Strome.

He's on the third pairing getting paid $4m. That's why. He's a possession nightmare that can't move the puck out of the zone. Locking up a third pairing defenseman long term for $4m per is so bad.

 

[Crude]

No, it means that they are under-performing. A fully firing roster would have a winning record and it's a fair assessment. When your bottom six fails to provide you depth scoring, it's extremely difficult to win hockey games. Look at the Penguins.

Right. And we have a bottom six that is failing to provide depth scoring (and have for quite some time). So how are we a complete team?

 

[belair]

Right. And we have a bottom six that is failing to provide depth scoring (and have for quite some time). So how are we a complete team?

It provided scoring as recent as last season. The addition of Ryan Strome actually addressed it. He's pretty much the only one doing anything. It's hard to prepare for a guy like Mark Letestu completely falling off of the map. You can't just have another 4C special teams whiz lying around just in case. Slepyshev, Puljujarvi, Khaira, Malone, Caggiula, Pakarinen, Jokinen....all duds. You don't win hockey games with that kind of consistency.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

The percent chance that we make the playoffs is ultimately based on cold statistics. It doesn't take subtleties into account. I do believe we have a better chance to make the playoffs than the teams directly above us in the standings because we showed we have the talent to be a power in this division last season, and we did not change a whole lot since then.

At the very least, our 'real' percent chance of making it must be higher than the cold statistics show. We are a team that is more likely to put it together and go on a run that a lot of other teams. The talent here is substantial. We are not a rebuilding team anymore. We are a near-complete team that is suffering from a lot of issues holding us back.

Did u take into account how the schedule works. Theres a reason why american thanksgiving is a good barometer of whos in and whos out.

Oilers being 8 pts back of a playoff spot isnt the main problem...its the fact that they would have to jump 6 or more teams ..

The problem is those 6 or more teams will play eachother lots as well which gurantees someone getting 2 points. That 8 pts is probably more around 17 pts if u consider what i just listed.

 

[Mr Positive]

Did u take into account how the schedule works. Theres a reason why american thanksgiving is a good barometer of whos in and whos out.

Oilers being 8 pts back of a playoff spot isnt the main problem...its the fact that they would have to jump 6 or more teams ..

The problem is those 6 or more teams will play eachother lots as well which gurantees someone getting 2 points. That 8 pts is probably more around 17 pts if u consider what i just listed.

I acknowledge that the Oilers probably have less of a chance of making the playoffs than making them. I just don't think our playoff odds are the 3% chance that some sites are saying.

 

[GodPucker]

It's quite simple. They have not shown it, so there shouldn't be much hope, but they need to go on a Calgary Flamish run of a 10 game winning streak. That might not eve help a ton. Could squeak in...

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

I dont think its at 3% but the mathematical percentage of the Oil making the playoffs is definitely in the single digits.

 

[Jeff Lebowski]

It's time for a coaching change. This coaching staff has lost the room IMO. They've got these guys gripping their sticks so tight that they can't even make 2 tape to tape passes in a row. They're an unconfident group and in need of a new voice. I don't think McLellan is the right coach for this group. Chiarelli has assembled a team that need to play an emotional, physical, nasty game to be successful and it feels like Tmac has them overthinking the game. He doesn't seem like the coach that can get them emotionally charged up for the game. This team has too much talent to be playing as poorly as they are. This is on the coaching staff.

 

[DaGap]

I dont think its at 3% but the mathematical percentage of the Oil making the playoffs is definitely in the single digits.

Yep 3.2% woohooo!!!!!

 

[McDrai]

what up with this thread?not needed Oilers will make the playoffs.

How about now?

 

[Canada Drai]

Why are players playing with the flu if they are going to lose anyway? Just sit out a couple games and get some rest.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

The problem is that Drai is NOWHERE NEAR good enough to return OEL on his own, especially when you consider his albatross of a contract

OEL has two years left on his contract prior to being UFA and small murmurs have persisted for a year that he wants out or atleast isn't happy with the direction of the team. Draisaitl just turned 22 and he already finished top 8 in scoring last year and a great playoffs on top of that, he is paid a heck of a lot, but he still carries a lot of value, if I was Arizona that is a piece I'd want. A potential franchise center is something that organization has never had and while elite D is even more important, a high end C who puts up big points will fill more seats.

 

[frag2]

Why does every one think Russell was a failure? Hell without him we are the worst team in the league.

We should of sold high on Klefdum and Talbot, they are way bigger reason why this team is bad this year then Russell and replacing Eberle with Strome.

This. Especially Klefdum. I sorta have some time for Talbot since there's not much else out there for us but Klefdum...I always wondered how his game would be since he never had much offense consistently even in lower tiers and his defense was most definitely questionable.

There was synergy last year with Larsson but in hindsight, it appears that Larsson was such a defensive stud that it hid most of Klefdum's flaws.

I suspected Eberle played with no balls because he didn't want his face nicked just before his wedding since he seems to play with a bit more hustle this year, unfortunately, not with us.

We're screwed

 

[Mr Positive]

OEL has two years left on his contract prior to being UFA and small murmurs have persisted for a year that he wants out or atleast isn't happy with the direction of the team. Draisaitl just turned 22 and he already finished top 8 in scoring last year and a great playoffs on top of that, he is paid a heck of a lot, but he still carries a lot of value, if I was Arizona that is a piece I'd want. A potential franchise center is something that organization has never had and while elite D is even more important, a high end C who puts up big points will fill more seats.

we would only consider making that trade after July 1st. That way we could sign OEL at the exact same time that we lose Drai, something we can't do now, and trading Drai for someone who then signs somewhere else is not acceptable.

I'm not sure I want that trade, but man it is tempting. For this whole rebuild I've wanted us to get a OFD like OEL. Imo it would unlock a lot of the potential of this team. It's not easy to find these guys either. RNH is a respectable fallback for 2C.

I love Drai though, so that makes me unsure.