How Close to the Playoffs Can We Realistically Be?

[yukoner88]

Looking at who made the playoffs last season in the west in no paticular order

Pac Div

Ana
LA
SJ

Cen Div

Dal
Chi
Min
Stl
Nsh


looking at the teams in our division The California teams are still the top 3

Chicago I think might drop a to being a bubble team
Wild got worse I think and they could be team that drops down the standings.
Nashville, St Louis and Dallas are the 3 horses in the central in my opinion which leaves 2 spots in the west up for grabs.

Vancouver, Colorado and Columbus seem to be spinning their wheels.
Calgary is a bit of a wild card but their line-up is far from intimidating.
Phoenix has a lot of talent but their blue line is rather thin and the team as a hole is pretty young.
Columbus is a bubble team and has a chance of getting in if they can some how avoid having a disastrous first half which they seem to suffer from every year.

As for us our forward lines now have a lot more sandpaper to go with our skill but our real question mark is can our d-core keep it together over 82 games and can the monster be a quality back-up.

I think we're a bubble team who'll be in the races till the end, but do you folks think we have enough to sneak in?

Click to read more...

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

We're maybe better than Vancouver in the West.

.....

....Yup.

 

[Mr Positive]

LA and SJ missed the playoffs in recent years. Anaheim is an odd team, and they lost a couple pieces and are going all-in with Gibson basically. These three Cali teams are better than us on paper but we can't know how it will shake out.

edit: realistically, I will say we should be competing as a bubble team and with luck we sneak in.

 

[nightfighter]

Anaheim is a total wild card for me right now. New (old) coach, new systems, same under achieving cast up front as last year and no more safety net for Gibson. They could go like gangbusters or fizzle out.

 

[s7ark]

I think we are closer than the general consensus on HF. McDavid could be the best player in the NHL as soon as next season. Lucic and a full season of Maroon bring a dimension we have lacked for too long. Larsson will be a calming influence back there and has a great first pass. I think RNH and Eberle will have bounce back seasons. The real question is Klefbom. If he plays a full season like he did for part of last year we're in a good spot.

If we don't get killed by injuries again, we could be fighting for a wild card spot.

 

[MinimaMoralia]

Really, we are not a half bad team on paper. Not to mention the culture change this off-season has brought. The Oilers just lost one of their cornerstone players in the blink of an eye. They brought in a cup winning, notorious, all-star to take his spot.
For better or worse, it's a different team, we've passed the Rubicon, the comfort zone is gone, you have to hope that gets through to some of the under-achievers on this roster.
I think we see a better, harder, consistent work ethic and compete level from the entire team this year, and may finish closer to the playoffs than some think. Apathy and injuries have been this teams great malaise during the drought. If they can get rid of those twin pillars of Oiler mediocrity, they'll be fine.

 

[Mikey71]

I think that as much as anything, the Hall trade was a shot across the bow for the non-Hall kids on the team to no longer just wait for it to happen. If they want to be a part of the McDavid era, they have to start making it happen. Of course it was also to help the defence, but a message was sent with the trade that non-Oiler fans don't or won't acknowledge. Look at Lucic's reaction to coming to Edmonton. He could have got close enough to that money on many other teams, close enough to pick there. A skilled vet that could have gone to almost any team in the NHL picked Edmonton.... I think the big change begins this year. This year teams stop looking past Edmonton on their schedule.

Yeah, as an Oiler fan, I don't have much of a choice but to think that, but this time I really DO think that.

 

[Up the Irons]

How long will it take new acquisitions to jell? How big of a mental impact/culture change will Lucic?

Big unknowns

 

[McDrai]

Chia didn't do enough for me this offseason for the Oilers to be considered a playoff contender.
I'm thinking they finish 11th or 12th in the west, which I guess I'll take over the countless last places finishes in the west

 

[s7ark]

Chia didn't do enough for me this offseason for the Oilers to be considered a playoff contender.
I'm thinking they finish 11th or 12th in the west, which I guess I'll take over the countless last places finishes in the west

Hall for Lucic is a downgrade, but not an insurmountable one, and Larsson over no one is a big upgrade. Add in a year of experience for McDavid, Drai, Nurse and I think this team is much better than last season.

We lost a lot of games over the past few year by being out-muscled. Guys like Lucic and Maroon are a big change in that respect.

 

[EakinsMVP]

Columbus? Phoenix?

 

[Draw Me a McElephant]

I think this team could make the playoffs, but they'd need a healthy dose of luck for that to happen. If the team gels quickly, Larsson proves to be a true top pairing guy, Klefbom, Davidson and Talbot pick up where they left off last year, and most importantly, the team actually stays relatively healthy - then they could make it. I wouldn't bet on all of those things happening (especially the healthy part), but it is possible. I think they will still miss the playoffs but move up a tier.

 

[McTrashBoat]

Hall for Lucic is a downgrade, but not an insurmountable one, and Larsson over no one is a big upgrade. Add in a year of experience for McDavid, Drai, Nurse and I think this team is much better than last season.

We lost a lot of games over the past few year by being out-muscled. Guys like Lucic and Maroon are a big change in that respect.

Hells yeah, we were something like 8/17 after getting just Maroon and having Klef and Davidson out (I think)

Adding in Lucic is gonna be huge

 

[Nugey McNugeson]

We might finish ahead of Vancouver but I'm not even sure of that

 

[Soundwave]

If they can stay healthy-ish, they can compete for a wild card spot if not better.

McLellan needs to figure out the PP, Nelson had it working better so it isn't purely a personnel issue.

Talbot needs to play at the same level of the last 2/3 of his season here.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Honestly Im not sure any of the pacific division teams are a lock to make it. It could be any teams 1-6 IMO with Vancouver being last.

 

[jeg]

I also have to look again but next years. Crop of RFas and UFAs are much better and if we can get near the playoffs this year, with the clear capability of reeling in big fish I say the year after next we can go cup hunting.... Pending of course we attract another top D man and solid backup

 

[McDrai]

Hall for Lucic is a downgrade, but not an insurmountable one, and Larsson over no one is a big upgrade. Add in a year of experience for McDavid, Drai, Nurse and I think this team is much better than last season.

We lost a lot of games over the past few year by being out-muscled. Guys like Lucic and Maroon are a big change in that respect.

It pretty much depends on McDavid and what he can do this season. If he gets injured again we won't have a Hall who can carry the load in his absence. Also, the defense is still way too weak, even with Larsson. And our #1 problem (powerplay) was not addressed as we didn't add a PP Quarterback on Defense.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I don't think STL is a playoff team. They lost Backes and Brower. Traded Elliott.

I love their D but there are holes in that lineup that wasn't there last season.

 

[CupofOil]

The 3 California teams are clearly a level above the other teams in the division. The top 7 in the west (Cali, Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Nasshville) are all virtual locks to make the playoffs barring significant injuries so it's a bunch of teams battling for one spot. The Oilers are in the lower end of that group until proven otherwise.
I think the Oilers are a lot better on paper than they were to start last season but they had a Mt. Everest to climb, too steep of a climb to make in one year. Way too many unanswered questions right now.

 

[s7ark]

I don't think STL is a playoff team. They lost Backes and Brower. Traded Elliott.

I love their D but there are holes in that lineup that wasn't there last season.

They can survive those losses for sure.

 

[Mcnofool6110]

Pacific
Anaheim (Down/Stagnant)
SJS (Stagnant/Down)
LAK (Down)
Arizona (Up)
Calgary (Up/Stagnant)
Edmonton (Up)
Vancouver (Down)

Central
Dallas (???)
Chicago (stagnant)
St. Louis (Down)
Minnesota (Down/Stagnant)
Nashville (Up)
Colorado (Stagnant)
Winnipeg (Up)

Anaheim: Just traded their starting(ish) goaltender, didn't address their wings, locked up their vaunted D corps, but hired Randy Carlyle
SJS: Gained Boedker, which is nice, I guess. Thornton and Marleau are old, though.
LAK: Lost Lucic, haven't addressed scoring need - Carter's a one man machine and Doughty is fantastic; they also missed the playoffs with essentially the same core.
Arizona: Getting better with age, but I doubt Doan keeps up. If Smith is a marginal No. 1, they could be a bubble team.
Calgary: Got a starting goalie. Good defence. I doubt Gaudreau/Monahan have the same season they just had. Brouwer is good, but not a first liner.
Edmonton: Lost Hall - secondary scoring could legit be an issue if RNH doesn't get his **** together. But finally have a top pairing, so that's nice.
Vancouver: They're worse, but I like to believe in Eriksson. They need to steal games from every other Pacific team so that we can make the playoffs.

Dallas: !??!?!?!? Traded their #2 and #3/4 defensemen. Brought in Hamhuis, sure. They're obviously still a playoff team, but I think they might be closer to the bubble.
Chicago: Lost TT, But that's about it. As long as Keith-Seabrook remain healthy, they'll be fine.
St Louis: Lost their starter, their unsung hero and their no 1 centre, captain and unabashed leader. Not sold on Allen at all.
Minnesota: Constantly asking what this team is doing. They're a bottom feeder masquerading as a contender thanks to Ryan Suter. Adding Eric Staal doesn't suddenly make me think they're contenders, especially seeing how much of a nonfactor the guy was in NYR.
Nashville: Swapped out Weber for his younger, better version. And they've got Josi. If Rinne can be marginally decent, they'll win the division.
Colorado: No idea what they're doing. Good scoring, crappy defence. Added Fydor Tyutin.
Winnipeg: One year removed from the playoffs, they just need someone better than Pavelec and they'll make life very interesting. Lost Andrew Ladd, but adding Patrik Laine should more than make up for that this season and the next.

If we make it,
SJS
Anaheim
Calgary
Edmonton

Nashville
Chicago
Dallas
Minnesota

Lots of teams to leapfrog.

 

[MDCSL]

I think Calgary is a lock for a playoff spot next year, and Winnipeg will be fighting hard for one too. I think we have a good chance of being better than
- Arizona
- Vancouver
- Minnesota
- Colorado

I think LA will shock people with just how bad of a season they're about to have, I see them fighting for a spot. My guess is we'll be somewhere around 20th place and fighting for a playoff position but not quite there yet.

 

[McTrashBoat]

I think LA will shock people with just how bad of a season they're about to have, I see them fighting for a spot.

It's surprising this isn't a more common opinion, I mean they missed 2 years ago. Is their current roster any better?

 

[McFlyingV]

Hells yeah, we were something like 8/17 after getting just Maroon and having Klef and Davidson out (I think)

Adding in Lucic is gonna be huge

Yeah we were 8-8-1 with Maroon and only 2 games and part of a period had Davidson in the lineup. Not to mention we got screwed on a couple of terrible calls in those games on goals/coaches challenges, and Brossoit basically threw 4 of those games. We were easily the better team in at least 75% of those games and that was without Klefbom, Davidson, Pouliot, and Nuge (missed half those games). I know someone will go on the those games meant nothing and there was no pressure on them rant, but the team was competing and sticking together as a team in a way they haven't done in years.

A lot of negativity expecting the worst in this thread out of players and injuries, but we're due for a generally healthy season at some point and maybe the new arena will help in that regard with better ice. The worries about our power play are really overblown. The team was over 20% when McDavid returned, and they will have better options with Klefbom, Lucic, Puljujarvi, Larsson(?) than they had last year, with Hall's loss being pretty much insignificant on the man advantage.

I expect the team to gel quicker now that the coaching staff has been here for a year and players are more comfortable and accustomed to the systems. I think we'll see growth out of a bunch of our young guys, and some of the guys who weren't in great physical or game shape (Maroon, Fayne and Kassian). The roster from the start of last year has improved at every single position whether it be from trade, free agency, or player progression. The major thing that I'm excited about is our depth compared to past seasons if players are struggling or injuries occur. There's going to be a fight all season long for roster spots from guys like Pakarinen, Caggiula, Khaira, Slepyshev, Pitlick, Sallinen (maybe?), Oesterle, Nurse, Reinhart, etc. In past years we'd call up career AHLers or guys who clearly weren't ready to even get their feet wet in the NHL.

I think the combination of improving at basically every position, more familiarity with the systems and coaches, having a more balanced line-up that can create offence off the rush and off the cycle/puck possession, having better depth, and hopefully being much healthier (as its pretty much impossible for us to be any less healthy than last year) will lead to use competing for a playoff spot.

I think we either make it or finish 9th in the west. There's been false hope in the past, but this year feels different for a lot of reasons.