Fool's Gold - Oilers

[Soundwave]

Well Nelson has them playing at about a 79 point clip (full season prorated) but that's without Hall who's arguably the best player on the team when healthy.

So yeah maybe they are overachieving a bit during this stretch, they have had a nice stretch of Eastern conference opponents here for a while, but counter balance that with Hall returning ...

An 80 point season would be OK next year I guess. It's still sad and far short of the playoffs, but staying in even a poor 3 star hotel is far better than sleeping on the street.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Getting rid of Eakins and putting in Nelson who has had familiarity with most of the players has got to help the Oilers. The players feel a psychological burden lifted from their shoulders as the new coach is usually given a free pass.

Nelson is respected by the stars who played under him in OKC and knows which developing players have the most potential. Eakins had weird and different ideas and never earned the player's respect.

Nelson's the most natural replacement for now.

It also happens to coincide with the team having no hope for the playoffs. Also the bloom of a coaching change may be responsible for the initial spurt.

I've seen the Oilers win in the closing weeks and also lose badly in the closing weeks before. It's not a given they play well with nothing to lose.

To their credit they have beaten some very good teams who needed the points but also lost to bad teams like the Leafs.

I'd give Nelson a 2 yr contract to see what he can do in the future.

MacTavish as head coach: 0-3-2

Is this one of those corpse flowers you are talking about?

 

[Tarus]

the rumors were also that Edmonton offered 4mil/4years and Petry elected to play as a rental.

That's supposedly what they offered leading up to the deadline, long after the Oilers already scuttled the relationship.

The 3.5 mill over 3 years number is from the summer when he was still an RFA

 

[McArthur]

Was that offer before or after Nikitin's 4.5 M per year offer?

after, it was at the trade deadline. sportsnet/tsn I think sportsnet.

That's supposedly what they offered leading up to the deadline, long after the Oilers already scuttled the relationship.

The 3.5 mill over 3 years number is from the summer when he was still an RFA

I remember that's what was going around over the summer. but then again at the deadline they were saying the one year deal over the summer was the only one discussed. who really knows.

 

[KCC]

How many one goal games have they lost this year? I think with a legit starting goalie, and someone who is a legitimate top pairing defensive defenseman the team wins a lot more of those one goal games next year.

4 new players would really do a lot to improve this team. 2 top 4 d-men, a strong bottom six forward and a starting goalie. Add that to Eberle, Nuge, Yak and Klefbom continuing their development, we should do ok I think. Maybe not playoffs, but at least something semi-respectable.

I don't know, but it is insane. 25? 30? I have no idea anymore. I lose count. lol

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Another West team

Beats the crap out of our team

The draft awaits us

 

[Tyrolean]

Jets are big and can score and check. This is what the Oilers need to do in the future otherwise they will never beat the Western teams.

 

[Up the Irons]

You know, it's to the point where I am afraid to be optimistic, but they are shaping up to having 3 good scoring lines.

If Mact could just have a lobotomy and somehow acquire a solid G, 1 good D, another decent D, and a top 9 winger that's kinda like a Tofoli or Bickel or Shaw...

they really do seem only about 3 key players away, it's just that 2 of those players are difficult to get.

... could they go Calgary next year?

 

[AJGass4]

Fools gold?


When you are playing teams that a win means a ton to them and you beat them, well I'd say it's more a case of everyone not taking us seriously and we are not giving up.

 

[Tarus]

Fools gold?


When you are playing teams that a win means a ton to them and you beat them, well I'd say it's more a case of everyone not taking us seriously and we are not giving up.

That's the definition of late season fool's gold.

Misleading results again tired and tense teams who have been making a late season push when they play against a bad team with nothing to lose in a pressure free environment.

If they go into next year with the same roster, playing the same way they are now, they'll be out of the playoffs by November/December regardless of how hard Nelson gets them playing at the start of the season.

 

[guymez]

That's the definition of late season fool's gold.

Misleading results again tired and tense teams who have been making a late season push when they play against a bad team with nothing to lose in a pressure free environment.

If they go into next year with the same roster, playing the same way they are now, they'll be out of the playoffs by November/December regardless of how hard Nelson gets them playing at the start of the season.

Indeed.
We have seen this movie many times over the last 9 years. Hopefully management has caught on by now that this late success is not useful information for player evaluation.

 

[AJGass4]

Yea well let's hope that this team has a little more Tom Foolery in them.

 

[Replacement*]

Fools gold?


When you are playing teams that a win means a ton to them and you beat them, well I'd say it's more a case of everyone not taking us seriously and we are not giving up.

I'm not sure what you mean. Colorado and Dallas are not particularly good teams and they are in the positions they are because of it. Neither had a realistic shot at the playoffs and both teams have been subject to playing poor games and especially poor defensive games.

Its only Eakins that has prevented the Oilers from being in the mix with these clubs.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I'm not sure what you mean. Colorado and Dallas are not particularly good teams and they are in the positions they are because of it. Neither had a realistic shot at the playoffs and both teams have been subject to playing poor games and especially poor defensive games.

Its only Eakins that has prevented the Oilers from being in the mix with these clubs.

Agreed. I think if this team had Eakins and Derek Roy from the start of the season you could reasonably bank on a 15-20 point improvement on where they are now - especially since Nelson doesn't appear to be incompetent coaching against the Western conference.

When Ken Hitchcock is praising your team's own zone play, you know you're doing something right.

 

[Tarus]

Agreed. I think if this team had Eakins and Derek Roy from the start of the season you could reasonably bank on a 15-20 point improvement on where they are now - especially since Nelson doesn't appear to be incompetent coaching against the Western conference.

When Ken Hitchcock is praising your team's own zone play, you know you're doing something right.

Hitchcock praises everything, including the Eakins hiring(and the Kreuger hiring as well). He also gushes praise at all the oilers first round picks every year when the Edmonton media goes fishing for quotes.

He's been in a the league a long time and knows enough to says what people want to hear, not necessarily what he thinks.

 

[Replacement*]

Hitchcock praises everything, including the Eakins hiring(and the Kreuger hiring as well). He also gushes praise at all the oilers first round picks every year when the Edmonton media goes fishing for quotes.

He's been in a the league a long time and knows enough to says what people want to hear, not necessarily what he thinks.

This org, with Lowe and MacT in charge is scared enough of what Hitchcock thinks to have never pursued hiring him. I once heard a quote to the effect that Hitchcock would be interested in coaching in his home town but never a sniff about the Oilers org pursuing that.

 

[rboomercat90]

This org, with Lowe and MacT in charge is scared enough of what Hitchcock thinks to have never pursued hiring him. I once heard a quote to the effect that Hitchcock would be interested in coaching in his home town but never a sniff about the Oilers org pursuing that.

Any chance Hitch would take the donuts away from the media?

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

I cannot be that optimistic until I see these guys win games at a decent clip in the first 3 months of next season.

I think they will be much better next year, but only if Mac T doesn't set them up for failure and somehow upgrades G and D.

We are just wasting away our young players with the way these guys are managing the team.

 

[Tarus]

This org, with Lowe and MacT in charge is scared enough of what Hitchcock thinks to have never pursued hiring him. I once heard a quote to the effect that Hitchcock would be interested in coaching in his home town but never a sniff about the Oilers org pursuing that.

I don't know about that, I was referring more to Hitchcock being a reliable source for positive quotes for the Edmonton media.

I don't doubt that he would be open to coaching in Edmonton, but tough to say it has anything to do with a reluctance to hire him on the organizational's part. He's never been available when the Oilers were actively looking for a new coach, something that has only occurred once in the last two decades(2010's Pat Quinn/Renny hiring, assistant coaches promoted in nearly every other instance until Eakins which was it's own case in lazy tunnel vision).

Not a huge fan of Hitchcock personally though, wouldn't really want to see him coaching the Oilers.

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

Hitch is a good and well respected coach. Not everybody is perfect. Hitch loved Eakins....

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/20...coach-ken-hitchcock-is-big-dallas-eakins-fan/

No pompoms but Hitch was effusive in his praise. He sounded genuine. He didn’t sound like he was blowing smoke as an opposing NHL coach. He just likes the hire of Eakins, who was working as Toronto’s farm coach, a lot.

“That was the most important move (GM) Craig MacTavish made this summer,” said the Canadian Olympic associate coach Hitchcock

“I’ve known Dallas for 10 years, in conversations at coaching clinics. I told people four years ago that this is a young man who’ll be a good coach. His candid approach to things will work long-term. He understands that there’s a certain level of work that has to be put in, he’s demanding of that…you can see that in his personal life (he’s in great shape) The way he carries himself is impressive,” said Hitchcock, who knows Eakins preaches digging deeper.

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

I bet Eakins had a few negative things to say to Hitch after his time here privately..

 

[Tyrolean]

What the team does now may have no bearing for the future. Oilers will go back to the losing skid next year if they don't fix their defence and goal.

 

[Replacement*]

Hitch is a good and well respected coach. Not everybody is perfect. Hitch loved Eakins....

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/20...coach-ken-hitchcock-is-big-dallas-eakins-fan/

No pompoms but Hitch was effusive in his praise. He sounded genuine. He didn’t sound like he was blowing smoke as an opposing NHL coach. He just likes the hire of Eakins, who was working as Toronto’s farm coach, a lot.

“That was the most important move (GM) Craig MacTavish made this summer,†said the Canadian Olympic associate coach Hitchcock

“I’ve known Dallas for 10 years, in conversations at coaching clinics. I told people four years ago that this is a young man who’ll be a good coach. His candid approach to things will work long-term. He understands that there’s a certain level of work that has to be put in, he’s demanding of that…you can see that in his personal life (he’s in great shape) The way he carries himself is impressive,†said Hitchcock, who knows Eakins preaches digging deeper.

I squirmed a little when reading that. Admitted.

Awkward. Almost like Hitch is praising the fitness of Eakins vs himself. The bolded is especially weird.

I'm only glad the interview didn't go further..

 

[Tarus]

I bet Eakins had a few negative things to say to Hitch after his time here privately..

The organization has been poorly run by incompetent idiots for so long, no one needs to bad mouth the team in the back channels of the NHL anymore.]

I'm sure Hitchcock is perfectly aware of how bad the situation is in Edmonton without getting a reference from Eakins.

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

i'm talking more about players. who knows how much blame he really put on some of them.