Player Discussion Jay Woodcroft

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Yeh, but the PP......

Last time he was our special teams coach we were a league bottom half PP with McDavid lol. He's been great for us so far but man just let someone else run the PP lol Jay.

 

[Del Preston]

this means good for Woodcroft?

I would not be a good addition in a hockey analytics department

Huge improvements over what was happening with Tippett. The biggest is they are no longer getting murdered when McDavid/Draisaitl are on the bench, specifically goals for/against (from -19 to -1).

Under Tippett they were outscored -12 at 5-on-5 and had allowed the 8th most goals. The only teams worse are all lottery teams: Devils, Jackets, Coyotes, Canadiens, Kraken, Wings, and Sabres.

With Woodcroft they are +10 and have allowed the 11th fewest goals while playing more games than all the teams in the top 10.

 

[Fourier]

Huge improvements over what was happening with Tippett. The biggest is they are no longer getting murdered when McDavid/Draisaitl are on the bench, specifically goals for/against (from -19 to -1).

Under Tippett they were outscored -12 at 5-on-5 and had allowed the 8th most goals. The only teams worse are all lottery teams: Devils, Jackets, Coyotes, Canadiens, Kraken, Wings, and Sabres.

With Woodcroft they are +10 and have allowed the 11th fewest goals while playing more games than all the teams in the top 10.

Since Woodcroft took over the team is second in the League in 5 vs 5 GA/game. Small sample size but that also includes teh debacles where Smith could not stop a beach ball.

 

[Stoneman89]

Biggest difference for me is use of the personnel. Woodcroft has increased the minutes of the bottom guys dramatically, and has even given the PP 2nd unit some actual time. There has been a couple times where he has gone dangerously close to Tippet territory with overuse of McDrai, but he's pulled back just in time. Not sure I've crazy with the 7 dman look, especially with Broberg getting killed even in his limited minutes, but having Keith back should really help that, with Lagesson now as your supposed weakest link.

But again, the PP remains the biggest concern for me, as it's really gone wonky. And considering Woodcroft got practically run out of town the last time he was up here as an assistant running the PP, I'm not sure how much more he can add.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

But again, the PP remains the biggest concern for me, as it's really gone wonky. And considering Woodcroft got practically run out of town the last time he was up here as an assistant running the PP, I'm not sure how much more he can add.

I wonder if Gulutzan has run out of ideas?

 

[Cloned]

I wonder if Gulutzan has run out of ideas?

I have my fingers ready for "Fire Gulutzan" ...

 

[brentashton]

I have my fingers ready for "Fire Gulutzan" ...

Did someone say “poll”?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I know it won't happen but I wish someone would ask him why, in his infinite wisdom, he started Smith tonight.

 

[LTIR]

I know it won't happen but I wish someone would ask him why, in his infinite wisdom, he started Smith tonight.

Starting is fine but keeping him in net after he let in 6 and was physically struggling makes Woodcroft a moron and directly responsible for this loss.

 

[Mr Positive]

Starting is fine but keeping him in net after he let in 6 and was physically struggling makes Woodcroft a moron and directly responsible for this loss.

To me it really seems like he is sending the GM a message.

But I agree. If you are pulling the goalie, those called back goals should count

 

[Del Preston]

The special teams are an atrocity.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

Our 5v5 play has gotten better but the special teams have devolved back to 2017 mode when Woody was in charge of special teams. Seriously just delegate that stuff to someone else and don't touch it with a 50 foot pole Woodcroft.

I kinda don't even want to flame him for the goaltending decisions since I know Woody would play Skinner if given the choice but our dick eating general manager is too hellbent on proving greybeard theory to allow that to happen. So it's either try to start Koskinen 2 games in a row (we all know what that looks like) or put in the auto-loss that is Mike Smith. Sophie's choice.

 

[OiledUp]

Our 5v5 play has gotten better but the special teams have devolved back to 2017 mode when Woody was in charge of special teams. Seriously just delegate that stuff to someone else and don't touch it with a 50 foot pole Woodcroft.

I kinda don't even want to flame him for the goaltending decisions since I know Woody would play Skinner if given the choice but our dick eating general manager is too hellbent on proving greybeard theory to allow that to happen. So it's either try to start Koskinen 2 games in a row (we all know what that looks like) or put in the auto-loss that is Mike Smith. Sophie's choice.

PP(and PK) had started to fade before he arrived though, they need a reset in a bad way, first PP looked ok against Habs but after that it was back to forcing plays and struggling with keeping pressure.

My main concern right now with the team that Woodcroft can impact is that they lost the strong neutral zone play, in both directions, from the first few games after his promotion. He made some minor tweaks early to their neutral zone play that made a world of difference and allowed them to control play. It's still better than under Tippett but it's not nearly as tight as it was early on. Think they need to hammer down on that.
Some of it is obviously related to injuries and the young D hitting a wall but still should be able to improve.

He also needs to sit down with Holland and push for an exodus of the spare part forwards and the done like dinner goalie, the whole Turris, Shore, Sceviour, Smith axis of evil just has to go. The Bako boys may very well be just as bad but at least they haven't proven time and time again that they just can't get it done anymore. I get that a new coach with zero NHL head coach experience can't just come in and push the vets out right away, too much politics in pro sports to do that but it's obvious he doesn't trust those forwards and they've gotten their chances under him now it's time to just cut bait. Ryan stepped up under the new coach the rest didn't, bye bye now.

I'm getting ready to give up on Benson too. At least Perlini scores the occasional goal. Benson connects on the occasional nice pass but is arriving too late most of the time to make a reasonable impact. I'm willing to give him some spare games the rest of this season as a warm body and the off season to see if he can recognize what he needs to work to be useful next season but he's running out of rope and I don't see him making any kind of reasonable contribution this season. If he shows up in the fall the same player it's time to cut bait there too.

 

[Oilhawks]

PP(and PK) had started to fade before he arrived though, they need a reset in a bad way, first PP looked ok against Habs but after that it was back to forcing plays and struggling with keeping pressure.

My main concern right now with the team that Woodcroft can impact is that they lost the strong neutral zone play, in both directions, from the first few games after his promotion. He made some minor tweaks early to their neutral zone play that made a world of difference and allowed them to control play. It's still better than under Tippett but it's not nearly as tight as it was early on. Think they need to hammer down on that.
Some of it is obviously related to injuries and the young D hitting a wall but still should be able to improve.

He also needs to sit down with Holland and push for an exodus of the spare part forwards and the done like dinner goalie, the whole Turris, Shore, Sceviour, Smith axis of evil just has to go. The Bako boys may very well be just as bad but at least they haven't proven time and time again that they just can't get it done anymore. I get that a new coach with zero NHL head coach experience can't just come in and push the vets out right away, too much politics in pro sports to do that but it's obvious he doesn't trust those forwards and they've gotten their chances under him now it's time to just cut bait. Ryan stepped up under the new coach the rest didn't, bye bye now.

I'm getting ready to give up on Benson too. At least Perlini scores the occasional goal. Benson connects on the occasional nice pass but is arriving too late most of the time to make a reasonable impact. I'm willing to give him some spare games the rest of this season as a warm body and the off season to see if he can recognize what he needs to work to be useful next season but he's running out of rope and I don't see him making any kind of reasonable contribution this season. If he shows up in the fall the same player it's time to cut bait there too.

Probably one of the most sensible posts tonight. Good points here

 

[Dazed and Confused]

PP(and PK) had started to fade before he arrived though, they need a reset in a bad way, first PP looked ok against Habs but after that it was back to forcing plays and struggling with keeping pressure.

My main concern right now with the team that Woodcroft can impact is that they lost the strong neutral zone play, in both directions, from the first few games after his promotion. He made some minor tweaks early to their neutral zone play that made a world of difference and allowed them to control play. It's still better than under Tippett but it's not nearly as tight as it was early on. Think they need to hammer down on that.
Some of it is obviously related to injuries and the young D hitting a wall but still should be able to improve.

He also needs to sit down with Holland and push for an exodus of the spare part forwards and the done like dinner goalie, the whole Turris, Shore, Sceviour, Smith axis of evil just has to go. The Bako boys may very well be just as bad but at least they haven't proven time and time again that they just can't get it done anymore. I get that a new coach with zero NHL head coach experience can't just come in and push the vets out right away, too much politics in pro sports to do that but it's obvious he doesn't trust those forwards and they've gotten their chances under him now it's time to just cut bait. Ryan stepped up under the new coach the rest didn't, bye bye now.

I'm getting ready to give up on Benson too. At least Perlini scores the occasional goal. Benson connects on the occasional nice pass but is arriving too late most of the time to make a reasonable impact. I'm willing to give him some spare games the rest of this season as a warm body and the off season to see if he can recognize what he needs to work to be useful next season but he's running out of rope and I don't see him making any kind of reasonable contribution this season. If he shows up in the fall the same player it's time to cut bait there too.

I think we're seeing the effects of the long road trip and injuries forcing guys higher the lineup than they should be.

The 11/7 setup worked when you had 3 strong centres; but without RNH, it's too imbalanced. With Keith back and a weaker forward core, they need a more traditional lineup.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

2 key injuries up front has completely screwed our forward depth.

 

[Oilhawks]

2 key injuries up front has completely screwed our forward depth.

That, and, as much as people hate Kassian, he's better (especially when he's playing well) than Turris, Sceviour or Shore.

 

[Tyrolean]

That, and, as much as people hate Kassian, he's better (especially when he's playing well) than Turris, Sceviour or Shore.

Problem is he hasn't been playing well for a while.

 

[Del Preston]

Can we have the PP and PK from October/November and combine it with the 5-on-5 scoring under Woodcroft?

2-0 vs NYI
3-0 @ SJS
3-2 @ LAK
6-1 vs ANA
1-0 @ WPG
2-6 vs MIN
2-3 @ TBL
3-1 @ FLA
1-1 @ CAR
1-0 @ PHI
0-3 @ CHI
2-1 vs MTL

 

[Stoneman89]

That, and, as much as people hate Kassian, he's better (especially when he's playing well) than Turris, Sceviour or Shore.

He's a band-aid.

 

[Oilhawks]

He's a band-aid.

Doesn’t make him a worse player than Shore or Turris, one of which is a band-aid as well anyhow

 

[Stoneman89]

Doesn’t make him a worse player than Shore or Turris, one of which is a band-aid as well anyhow

All of them are lousy choices, but Kassian makes a far bigger coin, and for a longer period of time, which makes him a far larger issue.

 

[Oilhawks]

All of them are lousy choices, but Kassian makes a far bigger coin, and for a longer period of time, which makes him a far larger issue.

Oh agreed. He needs to go but given the choice between the three this season, he’s the one to ice

 

[Stoneman89]

Oh agreed. He needs to go but given the choice between the three this season, he’s the one to ice

Begrudgingly agree. The best of a bad and inconsistent lot.

 

[Del Preston]

The Oilers are top 5, top 10, or just outside the top 10 in a bunch of 5-on-5 stats under Woodcroft.

The PP is 20th (17.8%), and the PK is 26th (72.9%), though. Special teams cost them on Saturday (oustide of Smith's performance). They probably get at least a point tonight if the power play scored a goal.