Could Things Finally Start to Go Our Way?

[Bryanbryoil]

This season is lost and we could land an elite player in the 1st round of the draft. If it's McDavid he could be just what the Yak ordered. If he couldn't get Yakupov going no one outside of Crosby or Malkin could. If he does it's like adding two 1st overall talents in one season which would be huge.

We are sellers, already landing a 1st for Perron. Potentially adding another 1st or 2nd for Petry and another 2nd for Gordon or Hendricks if we decide to deal one of them. This has been said to be the best draft in many years so if there is a draft to stockpile picks in it is this one.

Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse could make big pushes to make the team next season along with our top couple of picks.

Todd Nelson if he's retained seems to be much more well liked than his predecessor and seems to be having the guys play hard and not fold like cheap tents like they did under Eakins and MacT in his short time behind the bench.

This may just be a bunch of wishful thinking but things may finally be aligning for this team to get of of the gutter in the near future. Now if only we could get a new GM and POHO in here.....

Click to read more...

 

[McDraekke]

Go home, Positivity, you're drunk.

In all seriousness, I think it might be the start of things finally turning a corner... but I'd say with the history we have, there is an equal chance of things coming full circle back into crap again. If MacT thinks that since we have a few high quality prospects that might make the team, and due to that he fails to try hard to make trades/signings in the off-season, then I think we're likely on the path to more frustration. IMO, MacT needs to go into the off season assuming that none of our current prospect group will make the team. Trade a bit of future for now, sign some good depth vets and quality players and for the love of god, don't sign 8 dmen that are all on the edge of failing or passing. Pick one or two that are actual NHLers with experience.

I'll always be optimistic that this team will turn a corner... so hopefully this is the start of something good.

 

[BarDownBobo]

Hate to say this, but the odds of us getting McDavid are extremely low, no matter where we finish. But yes I've had the same thought, the way McDavid would handle the puck and draw attention would take a lot of pressure off of Yak, and let him find the open spots in the O-zone.

 

[Bangers]

I'm resigned to the fact that Petry will probably be dealt, but I really hope Hendricks and Gordon are kept.

The team needs veterans who can actually play more than it needs more draft picks. Dealing either of them = more of the same from the Oilers.

I also hope Nurse and Leon spend at least half of next season in the NHL unless they blow everyone away at camp.

 

[gqmixmaster]

The Oilers will win themselves out of the top two and finish outside of bottom 2.

Then they will blame it on the fans as not being able to select mcdavid or eichel being the cost of appeasing the fans.

Then we will probably not sign another center, draisatl still wont be ready but they'll play him anyway, and they will have nurse up while not having replaced petry.

Eberle, yak, schultz will regress somewhat and hall and hopkins will not show improvement. We will make another bad free agent signing and we will finish in the bottom 5 again.

Todd Nelson will coach through the end of next season and be fired.

 

[thadd]

I admire anyone who's got the will power to remain the least bit positive at this point.

Please, pat yourself on the back.

I'm not willing to be positive about anything until we either make some big changes or until 2/3 of our players really turn things arounds for a few months straight.

 

[Spawn]

Things will not turn around until Lowe/MacT/Howson are put on a rocket and sent into orbit.

After what... 4 years now of plugging in 18 year olds you'd think that people would have realized that an 18 year old player, no matter how good isn't going to be good enough to keep a bad team from being a bad team.

We're still talking about prospects coming in and fixing this team? Seriously? It didn't work the first time with Gagner/Cogliano/Nilson. It didn't work the second time with Eberle/Hall/Paajarvi. Nor the third time with Nuge. Or the 4th with Yak, and certainly not the 5th time with Draisaitl (I remember more than a couple arguments in the summer where people said we needed to pick him because he'd help this season... yeah that sure worked wonders).

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin put up 100 point seasons as teenage rookies sensations and their teams both still managed to be bottom 5 teams that season.

Even if the Oilers managed to draft McDavid, and even if he managed to come in and exceed all reasonable expectations, this team still wouldn't have a starting goaltender, it would still have the worst defense in the league, it would still have entirely too many defensively suspect forwards and it would still be be run by a bunch of brain dead idiots.

I'm sorry, but we've been sold this same ticket every single year for 5 years now. It doesn't work. Flat out. Draisaitl, Nurse, McDavid or whoever else they end up getting... these are guys that need to be brought in to supplement a team of good NHLers. Not guys that are going to have to come in and expect to turn the team around.

The only thing that will turn it around is real bona fide NHL hockey players. We're one shorter now that Perron has been dealt for a useless draft pick that wont help this team for 3 to 4 years if ever. And the only way that happens is if we have smart people running this franchise.

I can't believe we've still got people talking about selling off legit NHLers for draft picks as if it's a good thing.

So no... things could not start going our way. Not if the answer is selling off more NHLers and counting on the new wave of unproven draft picks to come in and save this mess.

 

[Jumptheshark]

This season is lost and we could land an elite player in the 1st round of the draft. If it's McDavid he could be just what the Yak ordered. If he couldn't get Yakupov going no one outside of Crosby or Malkin could. If he does it's like adding two 1st overall talents in one season which would be huge.

We are sellers, already landing a 1st for Perron. Potentially adding another 1st or 2nd for Petry and another 2nd for Gordon or Hendricks if we decide to deal one of them. This has been said to be the best draft in many years so if there is a draft to stockpile picks in it is this one.

Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse could make big pushes to make the team next season along with our top couple of picks.

Todd Nelson if he's retained seems to be much more well liked than his predecessor and seems to be having the guys play hard and not fold like cheap tents like they did under Eakins and MacT in his short time behind the bench.

This may just be a bunch of wishful thinking but things may finally be aligning for this team to get of of the gutter in the near future. Now if only we could get a new GM and POHO in here.....

you theory hinges on us getting McDavid or the other guy--I predict we draft 4th. Dont know why--but I see buffalo, Canes and flyers going on losing streaks--and I see the flyers doing some trades to shake up their team


still want to know how calgary is 18pts a head of us

 

[DisgruntledGoat*]

The plan seems to be lose Petry for magic beans and replace him with Nurse.

That tells you right here everything you need to know about hope for next year.

 

[Halibut]

I agree. This upcoming draft will bring us the final pieces we need to turn the corner. Once some of these picks develop in 4 or 5 years we should be well on our way. The 2018-19 or 19-20 seasons should see us close to a playoff spot. We just have a few years of Oilers wasteland to get through and we're there!

 

[Kepler 186f]

I agree. This upcoming draft will bring us the final pieces we need to turn the corner. Once some of these picks develop in 4 or 5 years we should be well on our way. The 2018-19 or 19-20 seasons should see us close to a playoff spot. We just have a few years of Oilers wasteland to get through and we're there!

Unfortunately Hall, Hopkins, Eberle, etc will be long gone by then. But there will be more draft picks to replace them!!! Whee.

 

[CupofOil]

I agree with the sentiment since there is nowhere to go but up, although there is always a more bottom rock that the Oilers can reach, but I think a lot of it is wishful thinking.

McDavid is possible but far from likely and I don't think even McDavid can save Yak and furthermore, the Oilers need a lot more than an 18 year old McDavid to save this sinking ship.
I have a feeling that they deal Yak in the offseason for another reclamation project.

The Oilers won't get a 1st for Petry, more likely a couple of mid round picks like the Hemsky return and they certainly wouldn't get a 2nd for Hendricks as much as I like him. It would actually be more of a positive if they kept those guys rather than deal them anyway although a Petry deal seems inevitable with a rookie of course replacing him.

I think Nelson is only a placeholder and the Oilers will go for a big fish in the offseason, likely all in for Babcock so hopefully Katz loosens the purse strings.

Klefbom and Nurse do seem like positives but it will be a few years before they are ready to make a big impact if ever, maybe Klef next season depending on supporting cast.
Draisaitl is going to require more patience. I think it will be a couple of years before he's ready to be an impact NHLer especially if they throw him to the wolves again next season.

The biggest positive to me this offseason would be the entire purging of the management team and the addition of a proven GM who will then hire a proven coach. If the Oilers need to give Babcock the dual GM/Coach role to entice him to come here then so be it.

This is why I'm a bit nervous about them winning some extra games this season. Not only would it take them out of the McEichel sweepstakes or should I say greatly lower their chances but more importantly, it would give ownership more reason to keep the status quo and keep the LoweTson stink in the organization. Absolute worst case scenario.
Fortunately, they still suck despite the minor improvements under Nelson and should still lose plenty enough to get Katz and/or Nicholson's attention. In the meantime, as long as the LoweTson stink is in the organization, I find it very difficult to be positive about anything going forward.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Our forwards can't score, our defense can't defend and our goalies often can't stop beach balls.

Granted the goaltending has been better as of late but the last game... Well, the Wings were pretty much in complete control after the first period.

 

[Musashi]

Things will not turn around until Lowe/MacT/Howson are put on a rocket and sent into orbit.

After what... 4 years now of plugging in 18 year olds you'd think that people would have realized that an 18 year old player, no matter how good isn't going to be good enough to keep a bad team from being a bad team.

We're still talking about prospects coming in and fixing this team? Seriously? It didn't work the first time with Gagner/Cogliano/Nilson. It didn't work the second time with Eberle/Hall/Paajarvi. Nor the third time with Nuge. Or the 4th with Yak, and certainly not the 5th time with Draisaitl (I remember more than a couple arguments in the summer where people said we needed to pick him because he'd help this season... yeah that sure worked wonders).

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin put up 100 point seasons as teenage rookies sensations and their teams both still managed to be bottom 5 teams that season.

Even if the Oilers managed to draft McDavid, and even if he managed to come in and exceed all reasonable expectations, this team still wouldn't have a starting goaltender, it would still have the worst defense in the league, it would still have entirely too many defensively suspect forwards and it would still be be run by a bunch of brain dead idiots.

I'm sorry, but we've been sold this same ticket every single year for 5 years now. It doesn't work. Flat out. Draisaitl, Nurse, McDavid or whoever else they end up getting... these are guys that need to be brought in to supplement a team of good NHLers. Not guys that are going to have to come in and expect to turn the team around.

The only thing that will turn it around is real bona fide NHL hockey players. We're one shorter now that Perron has been dealt for a useless draft pick that wont help this team for 3 to 4 years if ever. And the only way that happens is if we have smart people running this franchise.

I can't believe we've still got people talking about selling off legit NHLers for draft picks as if it's a good thing.

So no... things could not start going our way. Not if the answer is selling off more NHLers and counting on the new wave of unproven draft picks to come in and save this mess.

Excellent post and not sure how anyone can disagree with the reality of the situation.

Sorry Bryan but I think it's pretty crazy to get excited about the small sample size since Nelson has took over while ignoring the issues that have been plaguing this organization for years.

 

[Halibut]

Unfortunately Hall, Hopkins, Eberle, etc will be long gone by then. But there will be more draft picks to replace them!!! Whee.

Right, so we have a one or two year window where we might get a playoff appearance before the next rebuild starts!!!

 

[Fourier]

Things will not turn around until Lowe/MacT/Howson are put on a rocket and sent into orbit.

After what... 4 years now of plugging in 18 year olds you'd think that people would have realized that an 18 year old player, no matter how good isn't going to be good enough to keep a bad team from being a bad team.

We're still talking about prospects coming in and fixing this team? Seriously? It didn't work the first time with Gagner/Cogliano/Nilson. It didn't work the second time with Eberle/Hall/Paajarvi. Nor the third time with Nuge. Or the 4th with Yak, and certainly not the 5th time with Draisaitl (I remember more than a couple arguments in the summer where people said we needed to pick him because he'd help this season... yeah that sure worked wonders).

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin put up 100 point seasons as teenage rookies sensations and their teams both still managed to be bottom 5 teams that season.

Even if the Oilers managed to draft McDavid, and even if he managed to come in and exceed all reasonable expectations, this team still wouldn't have a starting goaltender, it would still have the worst defense in the league, it would still have entirely too many defensively suspect forwards and it would still be be run by a bunch of brain dead idiots.

I'm sorry, but we've been sold this same ticket every single year for 5 years now. It doesn't work. Flat out. Draisaitl, Nurse, McDavid or whoever else they end up getting... these are guys that need to be brought in to supplement a team of good NHLers. Not guys that are going to have to come in and expect to turn the team around.

The only thing that will turn it around is real bona fide NHL hockey players. We're one shorter now that Perron has been dealt for a useless draft pick that wont help this team for 3 to 4 years if ever. And the only way that happens is if we have smart people running this franchise.

I can't believe we've still got people talking about selling off legit NHLers for draft picks as if it's a good thing.

So no... things could not start going our way. Not if the answer is selling off more NHLers and counting on the new wave of unproven draft picks to come in and save this mess.

There are a few things here that I do agree with. The team will not suddenly get better by adding another high 1st even if it is McDavid or Eichel. But none the less for the long term that would be fantastic. I also think that the team needs to add the right "real NHl'ers" and I am not confident that this management group knows how to do that.

However, pretty much everything you wrote here could have been said about the NYI last year and this year to me they look like a legitimate NHL contender. The main veteran additions were Boychuk, Grabovski, Kulemin and Nick Leddy. Really though Boychuk was the only established NHL of consequence that has made a big difference. Leddy has played well but had been struggling as a young defenseman prior to this. Grabovski and Kulemin have not really done that much as it is the young Islanders that are really carrying the load. But Boychuck has made an immense difference.

As much as I'd love McDavid adding a Johnny Boychuk could do a world of good for this team. He'd be a great mentor for a kid like Klefbom or Nurse. But unfortunately, I really think he will stay on Long Island so the Oilers management's task is to find that one guy who can make a difference.

 

[TarTransition]

I feel bad for Nelson. He's getting canned either way. Obviously he's gone if he does bad. If he does good, management will feel they have finally turned the corner and replace him with Messier (Like they did with MacT the last time they thought they had their dynasty assembled)

 

[Faelko]

Until the people that run this gong show are fired we will be bottom feeders. It's really that simple.

 

[Musashi]

However, pretty much everything you wrote here could have been said about the NYI last year and this year to me they look like a legitimate NHL contender. The main veteran additions were Boychuk, Grabovski, Kulemin and Nick Leddy. Really though Boychuk was the only established NHL of consequence that has made a big difference. Leddy has played well but had been struggling as a young defenseman prior to this. Grabovski and Kulemin have not really done that much as it is the young Islanders that are really carrying the load. But Boychuck has made an immense difference.

Can it really? Islanders have made some similar mistakes in the past but not to the same extent. I don't see the Islanders ignoring center depth and at least they were going into the season with two legit top 6 centers. Not to mention they allow their prospects at center to earn their way up to the NHL and the minutes they play. Also they have been a lot better at giving their young defenseman manageable minutes and have had a nice mix of experience on the back end to give them a chance to develop so I don't really think it's the same situation.

I also disagree with your analysis on Leddy. I hope your not basing his "struggling career" because of him getting his ice time cut in a couple playoff games. Here's a guy who was developed on one of the best teams in the league and has put up some nice seasons in a low pressure role. I don't think it was far fetched to think he was ready for a top 4 role with his experience and the Islanders were smart to target him and are reaping the benefits.

Add that to also adding a dman like Boychuck and of course it would make an immense difference especially to our developing dmen. Unfortunately our pro scouts and management seem to be striking out time and time again when it comes to finding that player so it's tough to have any faith in them. Hopefully we can find that player(s) but we also need to find the same thing to improve our experience down the middle. Until that happens I don't see us having the building blocks to take the next step like the Islanders and right now we still seem to be stuck in a way where we try and develop our prospects in roles that stagnate their development while getting beaten down mentally.

 

[Spawn]

There are a few things here that I do agree with. The team will not suddenly get better by adding another high 1st even if it is McDavid or Eichel. But none the less for the long term that would be fantastic. I also think that the team needs to add the right "real NHl'ers" and I am not confident that this management group knows how to do that.

However, pretty much everything you wrote here could have been said about the NYI last year and this year to me they look like a legitimate NHL contender. The main veteran additions were Boychuk, Grabovski, Kulemin and Nick Leddy. Really though Boychuk was the only established NHL of consequence that has made a big difference. Leddy has played well but had been struggling as a young defenseman prior to this. Grabovski and Kulemin have not really done that much as it is the young Islanders that are really carrying the load. But Boychuck has made an immense difference.

As much as I'd love McDavid adding a Johnny Boychuk could do a world of good for this team. He'd be a great mentor for a kid like Klefbom or Nurse. But unfortunately, I really think he will stay on Long Island so the Oilers management's task is to find that one guy who can make a difference.

Yeah, they definitely need to be the right players. And I definitely agree that this management group is not the one to identify this team. And I of course agree that long term adding a McDavid or Eichel would be huge for this organization. My point was just that they wont right the ship on their own. Not even a little bit.

As for the Islanders... they had already made the playoffs and then missed the following year when Tavares went down to a year ending injury (although they were bad that before he went down) and you forgot that they brought in Halak as well who is a legit starting goaltender. So not only were they further along than the Oilers were, they also have had much more successful key acquisitions.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Excellent post and not sure how anyone can disagree with the reality of the situation.

Sorry Bryan but I think it's pretty crazy to get excited about the small sample size since Nelson has took over while ignoring the issues that have been plaguing this organization for years.

Bryan is actually a Positive Paulina in a Negative Nancy's clothes. He once believed that Schremp would save us!

 

[McPuritania]

I used to hope we were turning the corner every off season for like, the last 5 years. Every time a new season started I was positive as hell, and wanted to believe in the team.

This team broke me. Now, I won't hope any more, I won't be positive at the start of the season, and I won't expect anything other than abysmal failure. It's up to this team now. It's up to them to show that they are capable for me to have the slightest bit of enthusiasm whatsoever.

They'll probably have to make the playoffs before I start to believe.

 

[Replacement*]

The islanders sure don't look like a legit contender. Is this what passes for contenders in the EC?

We got a lot of work here to be competitive in the WC. The trouble with the comparison is basically any team improvement is significant in the weak kneed east. In the West if you're not fullscale loaded theres no entry to the playoff ball.

 

[birchy]

The Oilers will win themselves out of the top two and finish outside of bottom 2.

Then they will blame it on the fans as not being able to select mcdavid or eichel being the cost of appeasing the fans.

Then we will probably not sign another center, draisatl still wont be ready but they'll play him anyway, and they will have nurse up while not having replaced petry.

Eberle, yak, schultz will regress somewhat and hall and hopkins will not show improvement. We will make another bad free agent signing and we will finish in the bottom 5 again.

Todd Nelson will coach through the end of next season and be fired.

The Tier 1 fans, or the Tier 2 fans...?

 

[Fourier]

Can it really? Islanders have made some similar mistakes in the past but not to the same extent. I don't see the Islanders ignoring center depth and at least they were going into the season with two legit top 6 centers. Not to mention they allow their prospects at center to earn their way up to the NHL and the minutes they play. Also they have been a lot better at giving their young defenseman manageable minutes and have had a nice mix of experience on the back end to give them a chance to develop so I don't really think it's the same situation.

The discussion was not about what got the team here but what could happen next year with the right moves. Even before Tavares got hurt they were a bottom 5 team last year that has morphed into a legitimate contender with a relatively small number of additions over one off season. I don't expect the Oilers brass to be smart enough to make the same positive changes but it's not like there could not be a big improvement with even two particularly successful additions.

I also disagree with your analysis on Leddy. I hope your not basing his "struggling career" because of him getting his ice time cut in a couple playoff games. Here's a guy who was developed on one of the best teams in the league and has put up some nice seasons in a low pressure role. I don't think it was far fetched to think he was ready for a top 4 role with his experience and the Islanders were smart to target him and are reaping the benefits.

Struggling is perhaps the wrong word for Leddy. Like a lot of young defensemen his path to the NHL has had its ups and downs. In 2011-12 he put up solid offensive numbers but really struggled in his own end. He has had such periods throughout his career so far despite playing on a team that covers for your mistakes. He has worked out for the Islanders this year but his impact would have been less without Boychuk to really carry the heavy load. If you played Klefbom across from Boychuk next year for example I'll bet he'd look even better than he already does.

Add that to also adding a dman like Boychuck and of course it would make an immense difference especially to our developing dmen. Unfortunately our pro scouts and management seem to be striking out time and time again when it comes to finding that player so it's tough to have any faith in them. Hopefully we can find that player(s) but we also need to find the same thing to improve our experience down the middle. Until that happens I don't see us having the building blocks to take the next step like the Islanders and right now we still seem to be stuck in a way where we try and develop our prospects in roles that stagnate their development while getting beaten down mentally.

This I agree with. There is a difference between what is possible and what will likely happen. I think it is very possible for the Oilers to improve substantially. I don't trust their management to make it happen.