Post-Game Talk: Like Manti Te'o's girlfriend, the Oilers disappear. Lose 4-3

[Delta Cubes]

Seeing people talk about drafting top prospects when we are only four games into the season is a little embarrassing.

We should be talking about potential trades to improve our team. I thought we want to be competitive this year. Has everyone given up already?

Too accustomed to failure

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

What do you expect when the competition for 1st overall was between Sean Couturier and Adam Larsson for most of the season.

It was a toss up between four people, and I recall people saying quite some negative things about RNH being drafted, that Larsson should of been drafted.

Then again, we are talking about getting another 1st overall pick, loser mentality.

Four games into the season , people haven't given up already, they given up four years ago when they constantly want the team to gutter it and draft high every season.

 

[CupofOil]

I think management is banking on another Top 5 pick this year, and then they'll look to add quality vets in the summer.

Do you really think that's what management is banking on? If so, they need to be fired immediately, it's sickening that this would be their mentality and it does a disservice to the players and fans.
I guess all this talk about taking the next step and competing for a playoff spot is hot air.

Fortunately, i don't think that management looks at a bottom 5 finish as a success. Otherwise, they would have kept their development coach Renney. I think they view Krueger as the guy to take them to the next level. The early returns don't look good but we'll see.

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

One player that NHL fans are talking much about is Rasmus Ristolainen.

He looks like a top d-man in the future.



I think that he probably be the best defenseman to come out of the draft after Jones.

 

[CupofOil]

Seeing people talk about drafting top prospects when we are only four games into the season is a little embarrassing.

We should be talking about potential trades to improve our team. I thought we want to be competitive this year. Has everyone given up already?

Agreed, it's such a losers mentality.
I'm a bit down on the team as well but this talk about top 3 picks 4 games in is just plain sad.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

Agreed, it's such a losers mentality.
I'm a bit down on the team as well but this talk about top 3 picks 4 games in is just plain sad.

Well, opposition fans and James Mirtle think that we should be so why not?

...

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Agreed, it's such a losers mentality.
I'm a bit down on the team as well but this talk about top 3 picks 4 games in is just plain sad.

What's even more sad was the team's effort against the Flames.


Did they even care about trying to win the game?


60 minutes of pure domination by the Flames.

 

[McDNicks17]

Do you really think that's what management is banking on? If so, they need to be fired immediately, it's sickening that this would be their mentality and it does a disservice to the players and fans.
I guess all this talk about taking the next step and competing for a playoff spot is hot air.

Fortunately, i don't think that management looks at a bottom 5 finish as a success. Otherwise, they would have kept their development coach Renney. I think they view Krueger as the guy to take them to the next level. The early returns don't look good but we'll see.

We've got the coach to hopefully get us to the next level.

It's time to do the same at the general manager position.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

Just posted by David Staples.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhMC4T3agcfmdGJ0SmtVYnVZZ1VhaEhxa21yVF84aGc#gid=0

Smid, Petry and Nick Schultz were absolutely horrible against the Flames.

 

[Suxnet]

Just posted by David Staples.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhMC4T3agcfmdGJ0SmtVYnVZZ1VhaEhxa21yVF84aGc#gid=0

Smid, Petry and Nick Schultz were absolutely horrible against the Flames.

Pretty uncharacteristic for those guys to be bad defensively but, on the other hand, you can't expect to win when you have just 20 sog with the firepower we have.

 

[frag2]

Pretty uncharacteristic for those guys to be bad defensively but, on the other hand, you can't expect to win when you have just 20 sog with the firepower we have.

Smid and Schultz, yes, uncharacteristic but Petry has always been questionable defensively so I've come to expect that from his game.

 

[zar]

It's always the same old crowd.
I don't think we're a lottery team this year.
Rookie head coach, no real training camp, and two rookie players put into heavy roles ... there will be ups and downs but I don't think we're a lottery team.

The change to this year's draft lottery is that as long as you don't make the playoffs, you are a "lottery team". If we finished just out of the playoffs (9 or 10 in Conference) and won the lottery, I would be fine with that!

 

[Dorian2]

This board is getting a little dorky after a loss to Calgary.

Big hairy deal. Calgary outplayed us with a veteran squad.

There seems to be some pretty thin skin around here.

 

[Raab]

The change to this year's draft lottery is that as long as you don't make the playoffs, you are a "lottery team". If we finished just out of the playoffs (9 or 10 in Conference) and won the lottery, I would be fine with that!

I think the hfboards servers would actually catch on fire if we finished a few points out of the playoffs and won the lottery again. Could just see a melt down from every teams fans.

 

[Arpeggio]

This board is getting a little dorky after a loss to Calgary.

Big hairy deal. Calgary outplayed us with a veteran squad.

There seems to be some pretty thin skin around here.

This board won't shut up till the Oilers put together a string of 5-6 wins, and even then if they follow it up with two losses we're back to tanking.

The Oilers are doing ok so far, I think we should still be in one-game-at-a-time mode.

 

[The Perfect Human*]

I feel we should split the season into 12 4-game "series" and try to have reasonable expectations from each series. The goal being (IMO) 25-18-5 to make the playoffs.

Round 1: @VAN, SJ, LAK, @CGY
Result: 2-2 (not bad IMO, to be expected given the competition)

Round 2: COL, @PHX, @SJS, @COL
Expect: 2-2

Round 3: VAN, DAL, @DET, @CBJ
Expect: 2-2

Round 4: DAL, COL, LAK, MIN
Expect: 3-1

Round 5: PHX, @CHI, @DAL, @STL
Expect: 2-2

Round 6: @MIN, @CBJ, @DET, @NSH
Expect: 2-2

Round 7: @CHI, @COL, DET, NSH
Expect: 2-2

Round 8: SJS, STL, @NSH, @STL
Expect: 1-3

Round 9: CBJ, VAN, CGY, @CGY
Expect: 2-2

Round 10: @VAN, @LAK, @ANA, PHX
Expect: 2-2

Round 11: CGY, MIN, @COL, ANA
Expect: 3-1

Round 12: ANA, CHI, @MIN, VAN
Expect: 2-2

That's about 25 wins and 23 Losses (including 5 OTL hopefully).

I'm going to carry out these expectations for the rest of the season in each of these "series" and hope we come through.

 

[The Perfect Human*]

Based on what, hype. I saw Jones play at the world junior and yes he is good. But I also saw Jack Johnson play for the americans and he was hyped up as well. Until these guys play in the show it is all mere speculation and prospecting.

Agreed. I've given up on the ability of scouts to forecast how good a defenseman is going to be based on his pre-NHL play. There've just been too many unpredictable cases with them in the past (Barker at 3, EJ 1st overall, Larsson, etc)

 

[rosemount289]

For the record...........?

For the record......Mante 's girlfriend did not disappear.......she never Existed.....!!!!

 

[LaGu]

Since I've been hard on MPS in the thread I'll respond. Because MPS has zero offensive confidence right now and just skates up ice and loses the puck Continually. On EVERY rush in which he is gaining the line. I can't remember one instance in 4 games where Paajarvi gained the opposition zone and retained the puck. Not one. I'll be frank here. I don't want that player on my first or second line. I don't even want that player playing EV until he gets his head out of his ass and comes up with some version of NHL level confidence. MPS looks EXTREMElY uncomfortable with the puck anywhere but own zone.

My other issue is Gagner getting the "project" players on his line. Finally Gagner has two good players to work with and I just want it to stay that way for awhile and with no Omarks or MPS's in site weighing him down.

Look, I am only saying that if one of the top 2 lines is not working during a game I would like to see Krueger mix it up a bit. I think it could be worth while to try with PRV but I get why you don't think so. As I wrote before I think his mind is focused on performing well as a defensive forward at this moment and I think that is a good thing. There is always the off chance that a player who is not expected to do much of offense and in his own mind will be back on defensive duty before long is able to "over-perform" for short periods of time if put in an offensive situation.

Anyway, I am not really arguing against your specific points here. I basically agree with your assessment of PRV at the moment but I don't like the idea of locking down the lines since I believe that unexpected line rotations can be a great way to get your opponents off balance as well as get the most out of your own players.

 

[The Human Torch]

I know he's not well liked by Oiler fans, but I think Brian Burke could probably do wonders with this group provided they get a goalie in place first. He's good at identifying and acquiring the support pieces, the problem in Toronto was they didn't have the primary pieces in place for him to work with at all.

I'd be a fan of this. Really, though, I'd be a fan of anything that gets Tambicakes as far the hell away from the Oilers as possible.

 

[Turrican*]

Some players in the top 6 need to be moved around.
I'm not feeling chemistry between them.

Like we said when the season started... RNH/Hall/Eberle do not work together.
Put 2 young guys with Hemmer and 2 with Gagner and go with that tonight.

 

[CupofOil]

This board is getting a little dorky after a loss to Calgary.

Big hairy deal. Calgary outplayed us with a veteran squad.

There seems to be some pretty thin skin around here.

They haven't led in regulation in 240 minutes and the team was a no show against a team that a lot around here thought the Oilers "should" beat and this is after many years of being spanked by the Flames and having to deal with the consequences of being the laughingstock of the league for running on 6 years now so it's no wonder that the fans are a little edgy, don't you think?

 

[Replacement*]

Just posted by David Staples.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhMC4T3agcfmdGJ0SmtVYnVZZ1VhaEhxa21yVF84aGc#gid=0

Smid, Petry and Nick Schultz were absolutely horrible against the Flames.

N Schultz has been underwhelming all year and is contributing to breakdowns and out of position play. He was a nightmare in the SJ game, LA game, and now last night.

Where's his stellar, sound, positional, composed play. I keep looking for it. Meanwhile Gilbert is doing everything as advertized in Minnesota and has the best stats on the club. hmmm.

 

[Replacement*]

This board is getting a little dorky after a loss to Calgary.

Big hairy deal. Calgary outplayed us with a veteran squad.

There seems to be some pretty thin skin around here.

While I agree somewhat the fact that we haven't led one game at any point this season is a concern. We haven't competed in any first period this year and that is a concern.
We've completely learned how to perennially lose games and that is a concern.

Theres a lot of vet squads out there who will have us circled on the calendar. At what point does our fortune change?

One of the drawbacks of the Oilers having 2 W's so far is the magical way in which they've got those games. If this team was 0-4 would they be paying more attention to needed change in philosophy. I think the record disguises how bad the overall performance has been.

 

[Raab]

N Schultz has been underwhelming all year and is contributing to breakdowns and out of position play. He was a nightmare in the SJ game, LA game, and now last night.

Where's his stellar, sound, positional, composed play. I keep looking for it. Meanwhile Gilbert is doing everything as advertized in Minnesota and has the best stats on the club. hmmm.

But Tamblowe won that trade.