Is the Heat From the Poor Start the Best Thing that Could've Happened to the Oilers?

[Bryanbryoil]

Is it possible that the heat being turned up on coaching and managemenr was actually a good thing if both are here for at least a short while?

It seems to me like the heat from the fans and higher up got Todd to actually put Jesse with Drai at least temporarily. Had the team been doing well maybe he doesn't get that chance either due to the coaches bias or the managers instruction to keep his prime ice time down to keep his next contract down.

I really think that the poor start could work to our advantage in many ways assuming that we have turned the corner.

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[CookiesAndMilk]

Todd doesn't give a flying f*** what the fans, HfBoards or Reddit, his assistant coaches or anybody else suggests. He showed countless of times, that he is stubborn beyond belief and on top of that, I really do think, that he has no game plan at all and he was just lucky that JP and Drai kind of clicked. Like, who the f*** would have thought eh?

I would be surprised (and happy), if he actually puts Drai and JP together for the next game again.

 

[Burnoutboi]

I really think that the poor start could work to our advantage in many ways assuming that we have turned the corner.

I wouldn’t say the team has turned anything yet.

Realistically, as much as everyone would have loved to see everyone get sacked from the front office (again), there’s no magic GM or coach that can right this mess we love to cheer for. At least not immediately.

It’s kind of on the players to overachieve just to keep pace with the rest of the league. Except for McDavid. He’s in his own league.

 

[A91]

We'll find out tomorrow after the Bruins game

 

[Supermassive]

We have not turned the corner. Still ZERO non-McDavid regulation goals in 4 games by three lines. Horrific.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Let's wait more than 4 games to make any judgments. They still have a brutal stretch ahead of them and still don't have any secondary scoring.

 

[Cypress]

Is it possible that the heat being turned up on coaching and managemenr was actually a good thing if both are here for at least a short while?

It seems to me like the heat from the fans and higher up got Todd to actually put Jesse with Drai at least temporarily. Had the team been doing well maybe he doesn't get that chance either due to the coaches bias or the managers instruction to keep his prime ice time down to keep his next contract down.

I really think that the poor start could work to our advantage in many ways assuming that we have turned the corner.

I think you're on to something there.

As painful and drawn out as last year was to fans, the players had to go through the same questions and interviews day in and day out all year, and you could tell they were so sick of losing .

I think when this year started off looking and feeling just like last year, and the team was looking at going back to face the Edmonton fans down 1-3 on the season already, they really didn't want to go down that long road of losing and failing all year again, and found another level of intensity and commitment. I don't remember ever seeing the Oilers have a comeback like that last year. Hopefully that drive carries forward. I'm optimistic it will, as I think the players desperately want to avoid repeating last year.

 

[TheNumber4]

I think this "poor start" is just what the Oilers are, and have been for the last 2 years. A mediocre team that's inconsistent, that's probably more of a .500 team than any Cup contender.

 

[Jumptheshark]

the heat is not off--it is on more

Only McDavud is doing anything

 

[T-Funk]

They need to destroy the Bruins tomorrow for my mind to be changed. They never show up when it matters.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

the heat is not off--it is on more

Only McDavud is doing anything

I guess we should put RNH on the 2nd or 3rd line and take him and Drai off the top PP unit as well since McDavid is doing it all by himself.

 

[Canada Drai]

If this team can ride the momentum from that win and bench Benning for the rest of eternity, we good.

Sadly the Oilers can only channel their negative momentum on the regular so we'll see.

 

[redgrant]

I'm really curious if he was ordered to play nuge with mcd last year. He behaved like a stubborn mule for 60+ games and they were seamless when finally paired.

On that note was there ever any repercussion for his stupid decisions? Did anyone ever ask him why oh why did you stubbornly refuse to pair mcd and nuge together so long?

I suspect he's now dug himself too deep of a hole for Jesse and hence why he's almost scared to try him in the ovy spot on the pp. Let's not forget he's got a much harder shot than Laine or ovy.

 

[KCC]

Seems like every time the media and some people think they could have "turned the corner", they revert back to their old ways. Standing around, no forecheck etc. Like any team in the league, to win consistently you have to put in the work and skate. It's why teams that you would think have no chance surprise despite their lack of talent at times. Vegas last year, Ottawa, Habs to start this year etc. Just show up and skate. I sound like a broken record because that's all I talk about on here but it's true. Win or lose, put in the effort. It's all I ask.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

I guess we should put RNH on the 2nd or 3rd line and take him and Drai off the top PP unit as well since McDavid is doing it all by himself.

I know this post is tongue in cheek, but I just want to point out that RNH and McDavid at 5 on 5 have a 100% GF% this season (all 4 games of it) and a 65.38% GF% last season.

 

[talitintti]

I dunno, I sort of wanna see them win some games before calling anything a turning point. Not getting my hopes up after last years dissapointments after so many supposed "turning points".

 

[GameChanger]

I suspect he's now dug himself too deep of a hole for Jesse and hence why he's almost scared to try him in the ovy spot on the pp. Let's not forget he's got a much harder shot than Laine or ovy.

I'm glad this is mentioned as not even trying that shot is just so strange. But I'd drop the word "much" as Pujlu and Laine are probably pretty close in that regard. The average difference may have been a bit higher, but when they checked the difference with the best shots was just about 1mph.

Anyway, there shouldn't be many harder shots in the NHL so that could really open up a lot of room on the 1st PP unit, and the more limited ice-time considering 2nd unit too.

 

[shoop]

It seems to me like the heat from the fans and higher up got Todd to actually put Jesse with Drai at least temporarily. Had the team been doing well maybe he doesn't get that chance either due to the coaches bias or the managers instruction to keep his prime ice time down to keep his next contract down.

Do you actually think that Chia ordered Koala to play Puljujarvi lower down in the lineup for the purposes of cap management in future years?

I just don't see that. Chia's job could very well be on the line this season. I wouldn't see him ordering the coach to play a less successful lineup this season. Why would Chia care about next year's cap if he is no longer the GM?

 

[soothsayer]

Do you actually think that Chia ordered Koala to play Puljujarvi lower down in the lineup for the purposes of cap management in future years?

I just don't see that. Chia's job could very well be on the line this season. I wouldn't see him ordering the coach to play a less successful lineup this season. Why would Chia care about next year's cap if he is no longer the GM?

I'm not saying Chiarelli is doing this (I don't think there's any way he'd involve himself to such an extent), but such a thing does happen in the NHL. Probably not to the extent that GMs dictate a player's line rotation to the coach, but it's not unheard of for a coach to restrict a player's ice time when he's close to cap-busting bonuses.

To the question you posed, let me ask another one: would Chiarelli keep cap space free for a trade deadline acquisition when his team isn't going to make the playoffs?

 

[StevenF1919]

Given their opponents (minus the Rangers) I'd argue that a 2-2 record isn't poor at all.

I'd also argue that those 2 wins are probably the worst thing that could happen to the team. McDavid is going to singlehandedly keep people employed for far longer than they should be, and he masks a lot of the flaws on this roster. No other player in the league could prevent this roster from finishing bottom 3. McDavid will have them fighting for the playoffs. A poor start would have likely resulted in Chia and TMac finally being fired and (hopefully) being replaced by competent people who can begin righting the ship.

Beating Winnipeg is huge but I don't understand why people think the team has turned the corner. Our secondary scoring is nonexistent, the defence is probably the worst in the league, and despite having the statistically 4th best PP in the league, our special teams our godawful. McDavid is literally Lebroning this team to wins right now.

 

[Oilers in NS]

I will say the team looked really good in the 3rd.
One thing the fans need to understand is travelling is very hard on the body. I just got here yesterday from NS for the games this week and I am still tired. In bed last night at 8. Years ago, I use to work in Saudi Arabia and I would fly home to NS on my days off. It would take me a whole week to adjust. I was useless.
This morning, I woke up at 3 AM. Body use to Atlantic time of 6AM

 

[CornKicker]

I guess we should put RNH on the 2nd or 3rd line and take him and Drai off the top PP unit as well since McDavid is doing it all by himself.

what mcdavid is doing 1 v 5 is astounding to be honest

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Do you actually think that Chia ordered Koala to play Puljujarvi lower down in the lineup for the purposes of cap management in future years?

I just don't see that. Chia's job could very well be on the line this season. I wouldn't see him ordering the coach to play a less successful lineup this season. Why would Chia care about next year's cap if he is no longer the GM?

If he felt more secure in his job at the start of the season than now possibly.

 

[shoop]

I'm not saying Chiarelli is doing this (I don't think there's any way he'd involve himself to such an extent), but such a thing does happen in the NHL. Probably not to the extent that GMs dictate a player's line rotation to the coach, but it's not unheard of for a coach to restrict a player's ice time when he's close to cap-busting bonuses.

Sure. I could see it at the end of the season when the team is essentially out of the running by the all-star game. But in the first five games of the season? No way.

To the question you posed, let me ask another one: would Chiarelli keep cap space free for a trade deadline acquisition when his team isn't going to make the playoffs?

Like the $5.5M in LTIR room he has free now? I suspect Chia is holding on to that for the right deal. If it comes along well before the TDL so be it. But it's a strange thing to ponder. When do you really know your team is out of things?

Last season the Oilers were arguably in the hunt until Christmas then they went 1-6-1 which sewered the season.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

They did you be better defensively before I anoint them even a "decent" team

I think Talbot is back to his old ways though