ESPN.com: What's wrong in Edmonton?

[hockeywiz542]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/27117/oily-start-whats-wrong-in-edmonton

The Edmonton Oilers begin a six-game, Eastern swing in Toronto on Saturday night still struggling to find their way in the early days of the season.

At 1-3-0, the young Oilers are already feeling the heat. Fans want to finally get into the playoff picture after years of rebuilding. And they don’t like what they’re seeing.

So what’s wrong?

I spoke with a team executive on an Eastern Conference team and this was his assessment:

• Aside from Jordan Eberle and Sam Gagner, who hasn’t played yet because of injury, he thought the team’s young forwards aren’t fully committed to becoming complete players. They’re not paying the price to play a 200-foot game. He said that’s especially noticeable on a team where the blue line, aside from Justin Schultz -- whom he refers to as a "stud" -- has "neither depth nor dimension."

• He thought the Oilers were in "denial" about Devan Dubnyk, who he doesn’t believe has the goods to be a No. 1 netminder.

I disagree with the last assessment. I know Dubnyk is off to a rough start, but I thought last season he proved a lot, putting up a .920 save percentage -- which was better than Kari Lehtonen, Marc-Andre Fleury, Ryan Miller, Jonas Hiller, Mike Smith, Pekka Rinne, Evgeni Nabokov, Niklas Backstrom and Cam Ward -- on a team that couldn’t play defense, facing quality chance after quality chance.

I do wonder, however, what impact Edmonton’s pursuit of Cory Schneider the weekend of the NHL draft in June had on Dubnyk. Did it shake his confidence knowing the Oilers tried to trade for another starter?

Click to read more...

 

[Jumptheshark]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/27117/oily-start-whats-wrong-in-edmonton

Oilers were going for either Luongo or Scheider-- and if the reports are correct. The Devils got Schneider for less than the offer from Edmonton for either

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

I do wonder, however, what impact Edmonton’s pursuit of Cory Schneider the weekend of the NHL draft in June had on Dubnyk. Did it shake his confidence knowing the Oilers tried to trade for another starter?

Oh please. If goalies were that affected by stuff like this then Luongo should be in a mental institution.

 

[Del Preston]

The Oilers are in denial about Dubnyk despite trying to replace him this summer? I doubt he's back next year.

 

[hawks889]

Pretty good chance he wont be, Not sure who the ufas are after season, I believe ryan miller is, Tim Thomas, Ilya Brygalavov ,

 

[Ukgoalie]

Oilers were going for either Luongo or Scheider-- and if the reports are correct. The Devils got Schneider for less than the offer from Edmonton for either

The price was different for trading in division though

 

[shoop]

I can't believe Pierre LeBrun wrote a defence of Dubnyk. He said the Oilers were trying to set up a 1-1A scenario with Schneider. Usually an astute guy.

I hope he's right about MacT potentially looking for a goalie at the 10-15 game point.

 

[Captain Catatomic]

Dubnyk said after his last game when he played better "now that I can actually see the puck" implying he was screened by his own players on most of the bad goals. I know on some of them he was screened for sure, but I did not look at all of them, so I cannot say for certain. I would like to see what he can do and am rooting for him, if he does well I think he will be back next season on a Gagner type bridge deal.

Who really cares what "ESPN" has to say anyways. For example .. saying that RNH is not dedicated to becoming a complete player is completely ridiculous. He was throwing his weight around pretty good last game, and pretty much a complete player already, pending practice and mastery I think he will be one of the top complete players in the league. This writer is out to lunch, especially by saying that Gagner is more of a complete player thusfar than RNH.

 

[smackdaddy]

Dubnyk said after his last game when he played better "now that I can actually see the puck" implying he was screened by his own players on most of the bad goals. I know on some of them he was screened for sure, but I did not look at all of them, so I cannot say for certain. I would like to see what he can do and am rooting for him, if he does well I think he will be back next season on a Gagner type bridge deal.

Who really cares what "ESPN" has to say anyways. For example .. saying that RNH is not dedicated to becoming a complete player is completely ridiculous. He was throwing his weight around pretty good last game, and pretty much a complete player already, pending practice and mastery I think he will be one of the top complete players in the league. This writer is out to lunch, especially by saying that Gagner is more of a complete player thusfar than RNH.

It was bang on. Not sure what you're arguing about. It's a legit outsiders perspective, and echos a lot of what we whine about day to day.

 

[Jumptheshark]

The price was different for trading in division though

that is what the reports were at the time.That Gillis was very worried about putting a good goalie in Edmonton with the team that was being put together

 

[Captain Catatomic]

It was bang on. Not sure what you're arguing about. It's a legit outsiders perspective, and echos a lot of what we whine about day to day.

I'm gonna disagree here with the following, and my reasons are in my previous post.

"Aside from Jordan Eberle and Sam Gagner, who hasn’t played yet because of injury, he thought the team’s young forwards aren’t fully committed to becoming complete players."

 

[McShogun99]

Dubnyk said after his last game when he played better "now that I can actually see the puck" implying he was screened by his own players on most of the bad goals. I know on some of them he was screened for sure, but I did not look at all of them, so I cannot say for certain. I would like to see what he can do and am rooting for him, if he does well I think he will be back next season on a Gagner type bridge deal.

Who really cares what "ESPN" has to say anyways. For example .. saying that RNH is not dedicated to becoming a complete player is completely ridiculous. He was throwing his weight around pretty good last game, and pretty much a complete player already, pending practice and mastery I think he will be one of the top complete players in the league. This writer is out to lunch, especially by saying that Gagner is more of a complete player thusfar than RNH.

Nuge is probably the most complete player on the team.

 

[Suxnet]

Aside from Jordan Eberle and Sam Gagner, who hasn’t played yet because of injury, he thought the team’s young forwards aren’t fully committed to becoming complete players. They’re not paying the price to play a 200-foot game. He said that’s especially noticeable on a team where the blue line, aside from Justin Schultz -- whom he refers to as a "stud" -- has "neither depth nor dimension."

What kind of ****ing bizarro world does this exec live in? Gagner and Eberle, especially, are mediocre defensively. And don't even get me started on Justin Schultz. Stud offensively, yes, but defensively he's a total mess.

 

[Cassano]

The Oilers are in denial about Dubnyk despite trying to replace him this summer? I doubt he's back next year.

Lundqvist is a free agent.

7 years, 70mil.

 

[BarDownBobo]

Pretty good chance he wont be, Not sure who the ufas are after season, I believe ryan miller is, Tim Thomas, Ilya Brygalavov ,

Jaroslav Halak and Jonas Hiller are names that would intrigue me as of right now.

 

[Roof Daddy]

Lundqvist is a free agent.

7 years, 70mil.

It's not going to be about money for that guy. He's a big city guy and fits perfectly with the New York lifestyle. There is nothing about E-Town that would appeal to him.

 

[stratedge]

Save percentage save percentage save percentage.... when will you people learn.

A goalie is as good as how he plays: what kinds of shots he stops, and when. People all over this board were pointing this out the previous 2 seasons but there are so many people here who just don't understand hockey in the slightest, all they see are stats. The game isn't won on paper and that's MORE true in net than it is at any other position.

 

[stratedge]

What kind of ****ing bizarro world does this exec live in? Gagner and Eberle, especially, are mediocre defensively. And don't even get me started on Justin Schultz. Stud offensively, yes, but defensively he's a total mess.

You have to remember that while this guy might be an "NHL exec", just like the guys on CBC, they probably actually watch 10 Oilers games a year if that, and they derive their opinion off a very small sample size.

 

[Comrade Blunderbore]

now, i kid you not, if i ever read again about .920 goaltending just one more bloody time...

 

[McShogun99]

Some of the best goalies from the last 30 years had average save percentages. It's all about when you make the save. (average career SP)

Patrick Roy .912
Martin Brodeur .913
Grant Fuhr .887
Dominik Hasek .922
Curtis Joseph .906
Ron Hextall .895

Devan Dubnyk .913.....

 

[Replacement*]

Dubnyk said after his last game when he played better "now that I can actually see the puck" implying he was screened by his own players on most of the bad goals. .

Apparently the Montreal game was the first game where he moved his head side to side to get a decent look at the shots. The other games, including tonight, he couldn't be bothered.

Apparently its too much effort or something. Wish I was making this up. This guy is like Catatonic in net most of the time. Its like he forgets to do things that are absolutely basic for any goalie.


I can't imagine what the team is thinking about Dudnyk if he's making these kind of blaming comments when not glaring at his D.

Screw this guy.

 

[RoboNerdOK]

now, i kid you not, if i ever read again about .920 goaltending just one more bloody time...

At this rate we're going to be aiming for .0920.

 

[plikestechno]

Goaltending. Beginning, middle and end of story. The rest of the team is better than last year's and has been playing better. They must hate Dubnyk's guts right now. If they were on the fence before tonight, they have to hate him after tonight's crapfest on the HNIC prime time game.

 

[russ99]

Q

I'm tired of hearing how the Oilers kids don't play the 200 foot game.

Do all the scoring players in he league do?

No. Some players do and other don't. This is why most teams have a shutdown line, who's responsibility is to play the other team's toughs, and penalty kill - a concept the Oilers brass can't handle. IMO, the Oilers struggles this year reflect that every player is expected to play a two-way game and there's little room for creativity and originality.

We have one player who could fit on a shutdown line, and that's Gordon. Most of our division opponents have more that three.

 

[Gone]

Dubnyk is not even on the top of the list of things wrong with this team.
1) KLowe
2) pro scouts
3) amateur scouts
4) lack of centre depth
5) lack of a 4th line
6) lack of grit - sandpaper
7) coaching carousel
8) Tambo - is he still alive somewhere and on the payroll?
9) too many bold moves
10) questionable goalies

The list is far from complete, but what we need to do is fire everyone of those in management, and hire a real hockey guy (not some has been ex Oiler meathead) to bring in a new team with a new vision.

Wonder how that Calgary rebuild is looking compared to ours.."