Post-Game Talk: Classic Oilers

[RegDunlop]

I watched the first five minutes, saw McDavid's goal and a fully engaged, smart-looking Oilers' squad. Then, I had to take care of my baby son because my wife is out shopping, and when I came back to check, the game was over and the Oilers had lost.

This is a very typical Oilers' kind of loss, wherein if McDavid and Draisaitl don't create 3+ goals alone, the team will invariably lose. It's been beyond obvious since fall 2017 (if not earlier) that the team severely lacks scoring depth at wing... and now it's a year and a half later and Chiarelli has done NOTHING to correct this problem (he did, however, let Maroon and Eberle leave in exchange for a bag of pucks, thus exacerbating what was already a problem).

I think any NHL team that was not incompetently built would have won this game easily. I'm telling you, the Oilers looked for real in those first 5 minutes. They should easily be able to take that energy and apply it through three periods with confidence, esp. against one of the worst teams in the NHL. But they can't. And the reason they can't is depth. And the reason for the lack of depth is Chiarelli.


Anyway, as I posted after the last game, I'm of the opinion that these two games (Florida, Arizona) are the Oilers' last hope for a playoff spot. They had to win both of them. They couldn't, and it was only by a miracle that they won one of them.

I'm now convinced another season is wasted and over.

That makes 12 in 13 years, if you're still keeping track and haven't jumped off a bridge.

Having just finished up watching via PVR, I completely agree. Game was very entertaining, kudos to Coyotes as well, in the first 5+ minutes. Oilers were skating, working, and competing. Afyer another press by Arizona, I felt that Immediately after Conners goal, we would take control. Ten minutes later, like everyone I knew we were in trouble.

So WTF happened? We all now how limited our team beyond Ryan McDrai is, but how and why does the compete fall of the cliff?

You said it best.
A very typical Oiler loss.
Unfortunately it's what we're used to.

 

[Oilers in NS]

I got up at 4am to watch this one on a stream. Oh well... can't say it was worth it unfortunately. Sure, the Coyotes got a couple of lucky goals. The thing is though... you can only score a lucky goal when you put the puck to the net. When you get outshot by the opposition on a regular basis, you can't expect to get 50% of lucky bounces. And I can't even remember the last time we outshot our opponents.

Overall, my impression was that too many of our players lacked intensity and effort. The Coyotes outfought us, which is really unforgivable in a game as important as this one. Make no mistake, that was a massive game for us. A win would have brought our tally to 47 points - as many as Minny, who occupy the second WC spot, and only one behind Colorado. I mean, there are a fair few teams in the league who are quite simply better than us, and beating those teams is a tough ask, but the Coyotes are not one of them - certainly not with eight players on IR. A home game against a non-playoff-team, no travelling the day before, coming of a rather lucky win... one could at least expect a decent effort, no? Gotta say I'm really frustrated.

They sure are hard to figure out. They really needed that win. No intensity what so ever. Chiarelli has put us in very bad way. Where do we go from here?

 

[RegDunlop]

Agreed with everything, just that I know the NHL, they were not going to get in the way of a developing story line and man, did that kid ever come to play. A 4year AHL player telling an NHL club team to keep him up. Garland is prepared to do anything to stay in the lineup. he put a smile on my face actually, in pro sport its nice to occasionally see an effort like this.

The NHL ignores most of what isn't on their current hot list of infractions. I found it hilarious when they were cracking down on slashing wrist violations and ignoring concusionable head shots. Its like they have gold fish application. can only focus on a few things at once.

I guess what makes the leagues actions so frustrating is our failure. Probably accept more of thier inference if we were a winning club.

As to Garland. I was actually think of making my first thread. I was going to call it
HUNGER GAMES - Wheres our Garland? And why have we not had one forever?
These players are hungry. They are reaching with everything they have to hold onto something they've worked all thier lives to achieve.
What is it about our organization that flattens that? Why are we consistantly rewarding when not warranted? Why are we not instilling the 'want' in these individuals instead of the seemingly promise they are gifted.

Effort should always be rewarded. That was clearly on display yesterday in Arizonas team. For so many years it has been one of the biggest nullifying factor for us. We all remember, applaud, and accepted the outcome of those 90s teams because they tried. They worked. I've not been able to say that about the Edmontin Oilers for a very very long time.

***edited
Put in Garlands name correctly!

 

[Drivesaitl]

Something is wrong with the room. Sure we're limited in lineup but the players don't believe, and the results are there on the ice. No mistake we got outworked in every area of the ice. Yotes wanted it more. How can that even be explained?

In this game lineup can't really be an excuse. We should be able to beat this lineup. But not by getting outworked, outhustled.

Winning goal is typical. Own zone faceoff. Nuge gets beat CLEAN on the dot by Garland. Shot from the point and then Nuge somehow lets Garland walk right in for the rebound. That can't happen. When I was playing hockey you were instructed, that if you lost the faceoff in own zone ensure you impede the opposing Center. That is your responsibility. Nuge watches Garland go in and get the winning goal. Doesn't even make an attempt to box him out.

So as if to prove nothing was learned from it Nuge loses the very next own zone faceoff and the Yotes almost score again.

Just commenting on this because it was so egregious, and was the winning goal. Drai was pure shite in this one, I've stated that, but the compete shown there by Nuge was abysmal.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I guess what makes the leagues actions so frustrating is our failure. Probably accept more of thier inference if we were a winning club.

As to Garner. I was actually think of making my first thread. I was going to call it
HUNGER GAMES - Wheres our Garner? And why have we not had one forever?
These players are hungry. They are reaching with everything they have to hold onto something they've worked all thier lives to achieve.
What is it about our organization that flattens that? Why are we consistantly rewarding when not warranted? Why are we not instilling the 'want' in these individuals instead of the seemingly promise they are gifted.

Effort should always be rewarded. That was clearly on display yesterday in Arizonas team. For so many years it has been one of the biggest nullifying factor for us. We all remember, applaud, and accepted the outcome of those 90s teams because they tried. They worked. I've not been able to say that about the Edmontin Oilers for a very very long time.

Garland. Look at the orgs. Who is the coach in Arizona. Tocchet. A guy that was through and through the hardest working hockey player on the ice almost any night. if a guy like that is behind the bench people know there are no outs to a complete 100% effort. Before that it was a no nonsense Tippet as coach. These are respected individuals in their prime. In Arizona they have to bring the best performance possible. They are in a market where its harder to sell tickets so the whole org tries harder.

In Edmonton the impetus is to sell condos around the arena, not hockey tickets. This org jumped the shark well before the arena was built. The players suspect they are pawns in a much bigger end game. This isn't about winning here, its about profit margins. When players get too all knowing about that they are moved out like Hall and Eberle.

When an org is rotten to the core the team tends to respond in kind by devolving.

 

[rboomercat90]

Anything short of washing itself from the OBC and replacing Chiarelli is only a band-aid move at best. If it was up to me I'd remove all the banners too, and separate this franchise from its history.

Even Eakins was smart enough to see the organization needed to separate itself from those eighties teams. He didn’t read the room though before he tried it.

I remember those years well and what I remember too from back then was how we looked down on other teams fans for fondly remember their glory years in the fifties. The irony of it all.

 

[RegDunlop]

Garland. Look at the orgs. Who is the coach in Arizona. Tocchet. A guy that was through and through the hardest working hockey player on the ice almost any night. if a guy like that is behind the bench people know there are no outs to a complete 100% effort. Before that it was a no nonsense Tippet as coach. These are respected individuals in their prime. In Arizona they have to bring the best performance possible. They are in a market where its harder to sell tickets so the whole org tries harder.

In Edmonton the impetus is to sell condos around the arena, not hockey tickets. This org jumped the shark well before the arena was built. The players suspect they are pawns in a much bigger end game. This isn't about winning here, its about profit margins. When players get too all knowing about that they are moved out like Hall and Eberle.

When an org is rotten to the core the team tends to respond in kind by devolving.

Interesting take. I can get behind that, but not all of it. These characteristics and traits have been disrupting this team for a lot more than 5 years, or any infrastructure alternative plan.

Since the glory days or even the 'working days', the Oilers have...

- never been ready and / or prepared to start more than 1 game in every 4 or 5 on time.
- have played a style that is not suited to thier personal
- not showed up in important games
- never displayed a tenacious, consistent ethic for any substantial amount of time
- have been one the easiest teams to play against
- have always been pushed around except for thier outlier 2016 year.
- have not been able to scout, draft, trade, or procure any improvement to the players they currently had, unless the obvious draft puck was gifted to them.
- have arrogantly portrayed an undeservered air of entitlement to thier fans and the rest of the league.

And to top it off, they have the nerve to expect and extract incomprehesnsible amounts of money for all thier products. They should be ashamed of themselves. The golden goose will someday die, and when it does, if this organization is still in this stagnant, manilla stage, I will walk away.

As with you and many others whom have supported, cheered, and slid on the blue, copper, and now orange emotional ice, I have always been there. Thought i always would be for the first time ever I can see a point where I'd separate.

Once again, shame on them.
*** and thanks - Garland!!

 

[MikeGrier99]

I don't know how Lowe and MacT haven't stepped down for the sake of the franchise. They've had so many cracks at the can, can't they themselves see that they're hurting the brand? I highly doubt it, this team could miss the playoffs for twenty years and an elderly MacT would still try to cling to his power.

 

[ujju2]

One player, not named McDavid is going to turn things around?

Not saying he will, but I'm saying with Klefbom in the lineup, the team will look better than it did with McLellan. Which was my point.

 

[BlackDogg]

I don't know how Lowe and MacT haven't stepped down for the sake of the franchise. They've had so many cracks at the can, can't they themselves see that they're hurting the brand? I highly doubt it, this team could miss the playoffs for twenty years and an elderly MacT would still try to cling to his power.

MacT has been with the organization since 1985. 35 years almost.

Lowe has been there since 1979, 40 years now. Can't see it happening willingly ever. This is all they know and they think its their right to be there.

 

[Beaumaris]

How much longer before McDavid has had enough? Loyalty only goes so far.

 

[Stoneman89]

Not saying he will, but I'm saying with Klefbom in the lineup, the team will look better than it did with McLellan. Which was my point.

We will see. Because right now, a whole whack of guys have taken a step back. Forwards who do not play defence with Klefbom. My point was and has been, that no matter the coach, this lineup is so flawed, there will be very little difference. There have been a bunch of games where we’ve looked just as bad if not worse than we did under TM. The structure and competitiveness just have not been there too many times, which adds to the problem. I thought that was the part that was fixable, but I guess not. At some point, some people are going to need to stop blaming the way the team is playing on the lack of Klefbom. Wins or losses aside, it’s how the rest of them are playing that is bothersome.

 

[RegDunlop]

@Drivesaitl quoted-
Yotes wanted it more. How can that even be explained?
[/QUOTE]

As you and I and all other posters know there are a thousand other issues but I think this is the biggest question - and the recurring one - why?
Why can a professional not enact effort or seem to want success?

You're right about the lineup. Even if all HF boards are correct in thier assumption of players, and that 2/3rds of team belong in the AHL -
THEY'VE STILL PUT AN EXTRODINARY AMOUNT OF EFFORT IN TO GET TO THAT PLACE.
Where has that gone?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The Ducks have lost 10 straight and we still haven't passed them.

 

[TheNumber4]

This team still has no offensive ability and no offensive system. Too much skating the puck up at top speed, directly into defenders, and running out of options. Where’s the creativity? Where’s the poise? Where’s the execution?

Sounds like a skill issue on this team, was hoping Hitch would come in and through his system make up for the lack of skill up front. Doesn’t look like he has the ideas to overcome a gross lack of talent on our wings.

Atleast defence looks improved with Russell back in. And I like the offensive spurts seen out of Larson and Nurse last night. I hope when Klefbom comes back we can start to defence our way to wins again. But it’ll always be a struggle with our very low ability to generate offense on this team.

 

[space321]

The Ducks have lost 10 straight and we still haven't passed them.

Everyone ahead of us is struggling. Avs, Wild, Ducks... yet we're barely scraping wins against some of the worst teams in the league.

 

[RegDunlop]

True enough. Change might be his outlook on how he decides to run the team. I won’t hold my breath though.

But you've got to think that this fella knows how to run a business. Why all this dysfunction here?
Its ok to say that he does nothing because the org sells itself, but I'm sure he realizes how much more revenue can be obtained if this ship was righted.

I mean....... dosent he?

 

[trick91]

i saw 3-4 BLATANT penalties that werent called in the third. yes we played like shit. why we dont get these calls baffles me. Want to bet Flames end up with 5 or 6 powerplays tonight?

 

[Soundwave]

The issue in the room is the lack of talent.

You guys think you could play McDavid 28 minutes a game (and that means RNH or Draisaitl likely have to play that with him) and not have downsides to it later on?

I see an exhausted team that doesn't have the fire power upfront to get anything done and that leads to frustration and a lack of confidence all around.

They are fragile because they know they can't overcome any deficit and need all world goaltending to ever look good.

 

[Skar]

i saw 3-4 BLATANT penalties that werent called in the third. yes we played like ****. why we dont get these calls baffles me. Want to bet Flames end up with 5 or 6 powerplays tonight?

My theory (other than incompetent refs) is that refs mostly want to call penalties when one team is buzzing in the OZ. Sustained pressure, other team's guys are dead tired etc.

Flames manage to get the other teams on their heels multiple times per game and can have sustained pressure for multiple shifts. We see it sometimes with our top line, but more often than not we're the team that's hemmed in and running around our defensive zone like headless chickens.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

But you've got to think that this fella knows how to run a business. Why all this dysfunction here?
Its ok to say that he does nothing because the org sells itself, but I'm sure he realizes how much more revenue can be obtained if this ship was righted.

I mean....... dosent he?

You’d think. I think it might be easier to solve world peace than right the Oiler ship.

 

[Missing smitty]

I don't know how Lowe and MacT haven't stepped down for the sake of the franchise. They've had so many cracks at the can, can't they themselves see that they're hurting the brand? I highly doubt it, this team could miss the playoffs for twenty years and an elderly MacT would still try to cling to his power.

The were both key parts of the dynasty teams, why shouldn't everyone listen to them?

 

[Missing smitty]

The issue in the room is the lack of talent.

You guys think you could play McDavid 28 minutes a game (and that means RNH or Draisaitl likely have to play that with him) and not have downsides to it later on?

I see an exhausted team that doesn't have the fire power upfront to get anything done and that leads to frustration and a lack of confidence all around.

They are fragile because they know they can't overcome any deficit and need all world goaltending to ever look good.

My problem is some people say they aren't trying, which I believe is false.

They are being asked to play way above their skill level. It's not their fault that guys on the other team are better than them.

Plus, it has to be hard to play for an organization that obviously condones incompetence. Why try when failure isn't punished?

 

[La Bamba]

1. This team is allergic to winning streaks
2. There are no such things as "easy" or "winnable" games for the Oilers
3. You can just feel that a MASSIVE losing streak is coming and they will be in the contention for Jack Hughes - Oiler fans know this feeling

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

My problem is some people say they aren't trying, which I believe is false.

They are being asked to play way above their skill level. It's not their fault that guys on the other team are better than them.

Plus, it has to be hard to play for an organization that obviously condones incompetence. Why try when failure isn't punished?

This would imply a coaching issue.