How do we score more?

[Perfect_Drug]

Loosely inspired by a thread on the main boards:


We have obvious trouble with Pretty much every facet for creating offense.

We're a 1-dimensional puck possession team that has tremendous trouble possessing the puck.

- Bad Breakouts.
- Inability to gain the zone.
- Zero ability to maintain puck possession/faceoffs
- Difficulty generating traffic
- Out muscled for all rebounds.
- Out muscled along the boards.
- No Point shot on ES.
- Predictable setups.

The only time we ever seem to score at ES is on the rush.

Anyone else have any theories on why so much talent can't score?
(Currently at the time of post, we are sitting at 25th in the league in Goals for).


Any coaching strategies we can use to generate more offense?

Who should get moved out / Brought in for us to score more?

Click to read more...

 

[Beerfish]

Watching the team this year.

Reason one: We have a total lack of first pass outlets from our dmen to forwards moving with momentum. Whitney is still the only guy that is a really good passer from the back end at this point and he is a train wreck on the ice other wise.

Reason two: We have a very flawed system in which we are trying to imitate certain other teams by bringing down an extra forward into our zone almost all the time. Thus when we do get puck possession and move it forward we are constantly moving up the ice in a 2 on 3 rush with one forward lagging well behind. thus we often lose possession quickly when we enter the opposition zone.

 

[joestevens29]

Young players that refuse to change their ways? It only takes so long before teams watch film and realize that we don't have many tools in our toolbox when going from our zone to the offensive zone. Even if we do get into the offensive zone we are limited with what we can do. D-men don't have to be afraid to put pressure on us because they know we won't be chipping the puck by them and going for the dump and chase.

 

[Gord]

well, the OP makes some very good points.
it has come out that RNH was playing hurt, and there are still runmors Eberle was also playing hurt.
that has to be added as a factor, when two of your best players are unable to make offensive plays.

 

[Pros and Cons]

Successful teams have systems and a plan going into games/seasons. The reason those teams continue to win after other teams watch the video (of those successful teams) is because they excel at the systems and plans at which they adhere to.
The Oilers do not technically have a system or a type of game style, for many years it is loosely connected to waiting for the other team to make a mistake.

If you were to compare baseball to hockey managing styles:
In baseball, the manager usually has a direct say in how the batter approaches his at bat (some players have earned the right to "swing away").
In hockey the coach usually has a strategy going into the game, in baseball the game can change pitch by pitch (meaning a hands on approach for the manager).

This hands on approach element is missing from the Oilers, it used to be there up until 2006. Bascially my point is, if the Oilers cannot play the up tempo style (cateriing to the kids speeds) they usually are done after the first period. That is insane managing.

 

[Koto]

defensemen who can win puck battles and pass the puck forward.



forwards who can win puck battles and create shots on goal.

 

[T-Funk]

No one wants to score a garbage goal, no one wants to forecheck, and no one wants to take a hit to make the right play in the offensive zone. Everyone wants someone else to do the dirty work for them, but the entire team is a bunch of princesses. Management was so worried about bringing in good kids, they completely castrated the team. No first pass hurts too, but not every single one can be from your own hash marks to their blue line like they are trying.

 

[BowDangles]

Improve the defence. It is by far the worst in the NHL right now..

Better defence leads to more puck possession which will translate to more goals..

 

[dustrock]

Not enough size and aggressive forechecking by the forwards, and a possibly league-worst D corps in terms of offensive support.

People look at the Chicago model and I say to you: Keith, Seabrook, Campbell, Leddy, etc.

 

[s7ark]

Better passing on the back end, more size up front to win puck battles, a better system of play than "wait for the other team to make a mistake"

 

[McDNicks17]

With better puck support.

More often than not a player is left outnumbered and is expected to advance the puck on their own.

 

[s7ark]

With better puck support.

More often than not a player is left outnumbered and is expected to advance the puck on their own.

That is because the Oilers play like a bunch of individuals rather than a team. Everyone has their responsibility and if everyone does their job it's all supposed to work out. Other teams actually support their players and the play, and don't often leave a guy alone facing 2 forecheckers with no passing lanes to use.

No surprise that our "system" doesn't work.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

not enough "garbage" goals...especially when the game get tighter

I attribute that to small forwards getting out muscled by bigger and better defencemen
also, the flat-out refusal to shot and able to hit the net...which cause rebounds and "scrums"

bottom line: not enough simple plays

 

[toewsintangibles]

Call up Toni Rajala

 

[Replacement*]

Not forcing ill advised passes through traffic all day any day. Use your god gifted puck control talents and actually retain the puck and look for outlets that are open. Don't try to hit gold on every pass, take the open ice that is there and send it there. Keep skates moving, keep rotation in offensive end and DO cycle the puck.

This team spends complete 60min games trying to score off the rush and nothing else. Gone is any semblence of gaining line and working to retain puck while pressuring.

Finally go to the net and STAY there.

Theres a lack of comfort this year in hanging around the net. Good things happen when you bang in front of the net. Where NHL goals are scored. Instead when this team can't make tape to tape passes for an empty goal mouth tap in they just dry up and die. "Wah, you took the goalmouth pass away, I'm not playing.."

That folks is the goal scoring resilience of this here hockey team. Can't make the youtube plays then don't bother trying anything else.

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

By upgrading our AWFUL defense .

 

[Oilfan2]

With better puck support.

More often than not a player is left outnumbered and is expected to advance the puck on their own.

That is because the Oilers play like a bunch of individuals rather than a team. Everyone has their responsibility and if everyone does their job it's all supposed to work out. Other teams actually support their players and the play, and don't often leave a guy alone facing 2 forecheckers with no passing lanes to use.

No surprise that our "system" doesn't work.

All that sounds nice but that's not what I usually see out there. Others have mentioned it already..Our players are too small and weak to retrieve the puck, no matter how many there are...

Look at last game alone. We had a PP in Ana end we had 3 on 1 fighting for control along the side boards and still lost friggin control of the puck.

I've seen that way too many times the last few years. That's why we need the strong, skilled players up front. Yeah we need size/strength in the bottom 6 as well but we need that mix in the top 6 or we'll continue to be mediocre, no matter what we do to the back end/bottom 6.

 

[oilermeister]

Better passing on the back end, more size up front to win puck battles.

In my opinion its as simple as what it says above.

The skilled forwards need some players with sized to play with that can win battles to get them the puck and create more space for the skill guys. These bigger players generally have an easier time getting to the front of the net to create havoc and pick up the garbage if the is any.

 

[oilermeister]

All you have to do is look at the size of the teams that have won the cup the last few years and most of the teams that are in the playofs this year. LA, Boston, St. Louis this year is huge, SJ, Anaheim for the most part, Pittsburgh (perfect combination of size and skill), etc.

 

[Replacement*]

All that sounds nice but that's not what I usually see out there. Others have mentioned it already..Our players are too small and weak to retrieve the puck, no matter how many there are...

Look at last game alone. We had a PP in Ana end we had 3 on 1 fighting for control along the side boards and still lost friggin control of the puck.

I've seen that way too many times the last few years. That's why we need the strong, skilled players up front. Yeah we need size/strength in the bottom 6 as well but we need that mix in the top 6 or we'll continue to be mediocre, no matter what we do to the back end/bottom 6.

How do the Sedins ever even play in this league?

The bolded is absolute nonsense. Lack of size is more than made up for by keeping a creative cycle going, finding the open spots, puck support, and keeping feet moving. When you are smaller it is integral that you use your jump and anticipation to create open spots and beat your man to the spots. Small players should have a qucker first step and superior maneuverability or they shouldn't be here.

When size comes into question is when pucks are poorly distributed into ill advised areas.

What I see often with this club is a stubborn lack of puck support and providing open ice outlet for passes. Or not putting the puck into open areas where a team mate is likely to get it. Gagner and Yak being two players that seem to understand the concept of leading a team mate to an open area by throwing the puck there. Nearly everybody else on the team passes to where the static player is. This in itself creates no movement.

 

[Koto]

the sedins arent really small...

 

[AlowlyMcOilersfan]

Step 1: put puck in net
Step 2: repeat
Step 3: repeat step 2

 

[T-Funk]

Hold on, I forgot step 1.

 

[Replacement*]

the sedins arent really small...

Both Sedins weigh considerably less than a much younger Gagner.

Fight for puck ability is predicated on core strength, solid legs, low center of gravity NOT height.

The Sedins win because they maintain open ice passing at all times and have the puck on a string. Not because they go through people.

Not so strangely, concerted talent, properly employed, yields results

 

[Jumptheshark]

question

"How do we score more goals?"

Answer

"SHOOT THE ****ING PUCK on net more!"