Edmonton..looks bad

[Drew4u]

The oilers biggest problem is their lack of forward depth. After Mcdavid and Draistal what do they have?

 

[White Out 902]

well, everyone is saying the team has no depth. not easy to have depth with three players signed up for 27M $ of cap space. that's kind of crazy for a team that has achieved one decent playoff run.

playoff run? they won one series. does that count as a run now?

 

[Mr Tadakichi]

How many goals does Mr Eberle have this year?

He has none, just like Strome. At least Eberle has a history of scoring and finishing, something we have none of now. He also has 3 points, which is better than Strome.

I hope you aren't suggesting that having Eberle would hurt this team somehow?

 

[biotk]

He was 7 for 10 or something going in. Sens have good faceoff men, too. He needs work in the dot but most young players do, too. I'm sure he will be an elite FO man before long.

It is astronomically unlikely that McDavid will ever be an elite FO man. Lots of young players struggle with the FO, but they get the hang of it by around 1000 FOs (see Crosby) and then only improve marginally (if at all) after that. McDavid is under 42% career. He hasn't improved over time. It will continue to a weakness for him. I don't think that is a big deal. He is amazing, and many advanced stats guys feel that faceoff prowess is over-rated, plus most games the Oilers can just put him out there with a better FO linemate, but it is a weakness for him.

 

[Puckstuff]

yeah there top 9 is not good. After there two big stars the don't have much. They need a Kessel, Voracek, Ehlers "creator" on the 2nd line.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Ottawa beat someone...must mean that franchise sucks.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

The oilers biggest problem is their lack of forward depth. After Mcdavid and Draistal what do they have?

RNH, Maroon and Lucic. All good forwards.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Ottawa beat someone...must mean that franchise sucks.

It's more that they're on a 3 game losing streak and have looked awful in the process to the tune of 5 goals for and 14 goals against in that stretch

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

RNH, Maroon and Lucic. All good forwards.

No, they're not. They're average at best, and that's being generous.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

It's more that they're on a 3 game losing streak and have looked awful in the process to the tune of 5 goals for and 14 goals against in that stretch

3 minutes tops. You're asking a lot here.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

No, they're not. They're average at best, and that's being generous.

Wait, do you want a top 6 filled with superstars? Good luck.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Wait, do you want a top 6 filled with superstars? Good luck.

Leafs, Winnipeg, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Washington have done it

 

[JurassicTunga]

Underwhelming depth up front and an underwhelming defense.

 

[Spawn]

They're playing some real putrid hockey the last 3 games.

Luckily it's just 4 games into the season.

 

[MorrisSmit89]

overreaction.. i don't think they're making the cup finals but they're definitely a playoff team. its been 4 games

 

[Tage2Tuch]

4 GAMES.

Some teams have played 5-6.

Plus, some times it's the other team and Ottawa is on a mission. They beat ALberta, what, 12-1? And Calgary looks good so Ottawa could just be reeally good after going within a goal of knocking off the cup champs and winning the east/making the finals.

And now they're 3-0-2 WITHOUT Karlsson.

This could just be a reeally good team.

That being said they obviouslty have to pick it up but by no means should they PANIC yet.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

Todd McLellan, ladies and gentlemen. As I said in the game thread, he is like a vaccination against success.

 

[KCC]

Was this a team who overachieved last season? They look awful in every area. What gives?

No one is on the same page. Everyone is out of sync, no one is skating, no one is playing physical. The entire team has been asleep the last 3 games and I don't know why. They looked great in the season opener.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Leafs, Winnipeg, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Washington have done it

Ah yes, Perreault and Little. Superstars.

 

[New User Name]

It's the same old problem in Edmonton. Horrible management. Peter Chiarelli is not a good GM. I still can't believe he traded a first and second for Reinhart and then there's the Hall trade.

I was shocked when they began negotiations with McDavid first. Anyone with half a brain would finalize a contract with Leon Draisaitl first. The reasons should be obvious to everyone.

Then at the 2016 draft they picked 4th and Puljujarvi fell to them. That was the perfect time to trade down and take Sergachev/McAvoy/Chycrun and also get another pick in the 2nd round.

Same old story for the Oilers, the same old boys club and why bring Gretzky back as vice chairman of nothing. Its been almost 30 years since he had anything to do with the Oilers. Had he truly been loyal to Edmonton he would have signed to play his last year there and retire as an Oiler.

Sadly for Edmonton fans, you're a one line team and unless SMART moves are made you aren't winning a Cup with this team.

 

[Crabapple]

MVP's so far this season:
Forward: RNH
Defense: Larsson or Russell
Goal: LB

Yeah...

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

This is one of those bump-worthy threads about a month or two from now when Edmonton gets on track.

It's early. Drawing definite conclusions about teams after 4 or 5 games never ends well (both positively or negatively).

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Ah yes, Perreault and Little. Superstars.

Can't see a difference between Wheeler + Scheifele + Ehlers + Laine vs McDavid + Drai + mediocre + trash?

 

[loyaltotheend]

Too early to criticize this much. Need to add some forwards to improve depth, but it's only 4 games in.
The team might not be as good as some had been saying, but they aren't as bad as these couple of games have looked.

Give it some time. If they still look like this after say, 15 games, maybe it's more fair to be critical

 

[Man Bear Pig]

They aren't deep up front. You can get away with that with a guy like Mcdavid up front, but if he goes cold, you aren't going to win many games.