Post-Game Talk: McDavid out? Have no fear, Melissa is here!

[Stoneman89]

Yep. Some posters were roasting me for suggesting that he was still dealing with wrist pain.

Wasn't me but I did state that I sure as hell hoped that it was an injury he was playing with because if not, he looked like he had checked out.

 

[Samus44]

We can have Connor, Drai, Hall, Ebs etc back on this team now and they would do worse than this current team (sans connor) if the buy in and on ice habits/culture of importance to defence, attention to details and effort/urgency aren't there. And people would scratch their heads wondering why or blame it on the goaltending etc etc or finding some other explanation or excuse. It's really simple and it's all about buy in and playing as a team for each other etc. etc.... general culture. And this is not to say this team may not eventually struggle as they could possibly use some scoring depth but i'm saying you can have talent and depth but if they don't play the right way it's all for nought.

You're right but it's not just on the players to buy in. Coaches have to get guys to buy in by making everybody a part of the team and give them roles they can succeed in. McLellan is a great coach for top players but not so much for depth guys. Depth guys didn't develop under him and it was the same thing in San Jose. Players need a purpose and to feel valued and if guys don't have a role and aren't rewarded when they do what's asked it's tough to get the buy in. Certainly this team lacked effective depth to the degree we have now but there's no reason it couldn't have been developed more. Chiarelli was certainly more to blame but McLellan wasn't exactly patient with guys and didn't develop guys into roles they could succeed in. It would be really interesting to see if Tippett could turn Puljujarvi around, if anyone can i think it's him.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[Oil Dood]

I'll see your Michaels and raise you Jack Edwards haha.

Ooh Jack Edwards is great too.

 

[MaxR11]

You're right but it's not just on the players to buy in. Coaches have to get guys to buy in by making everybody a part of the team and give them roles they can succeed in. McLellan is a great coach for top players but not so much for depth guys. Depth guys didn't develop under him and it was the same thing in San Jose. Players need a purpose and to feel valued and if guys don't have a role and aren't rewarded when they do what's asked it's tough to get the buy in. Certainly this team lacked effective depth to the degree we have now but there's no reason it couldn't have been developed more. Chiarelli was certainly more to blame but McLellan wasn't exactly patient with guys and didn't develop guys into roles they could succeed in. It would be really interesting to see if Tippett could turn Puljujarvi around, if anyone can i think it's him.

Ya i agree. And I think Tips and Holland has done a good job with young guys and new guys coming in (from AHL or from Europe or other teams) and making them feel comfortable and setting them up for success. Mental confidence is huge and it can be a tricky thing to nurture in young/new guys. I think it requires a certain general team philosophy and culture to to have this proper nurturing.

But i do think, like an article earlier stated, that the general turn around is based of culture and adherence and buy in to it. We saw a bit of a lapse or buy out in mid Nov and december (where the attention to detail and effort was not there and too much cheating and floating) but tips steered them back on course. Here are some quotes:

JONES: McDavid, Draisaitl driving Oilers culture change

Earlier this year, new GM Ken Holland was asked about bringing a new culture to the Edmonton Oilers.
“Culture isn’t something I pack in a suitcase or put in the trunk of the car and I drive it from Detroit with me or put it on the plane to fly to Edmonton. You have to build it,” he said.

“People in Edmonton need to shut up about players not scoring because then they start to cheat to score. The Oilers are playing the right way. Let it play out now. The wheel has turned in Edmonton,” said the observer, who did not wish to be identified because he’s talking about somebody else’s hockey team and that tends to be frowned upon (a highly respected NHL hockey man in appreciation of Holland personally offered a perspective).
“Now it’s a work-based team. The Oilers are building a culture based on work and checking that’s resulted in winning hockey games for a long, long time in this sport.

“Their best players do it and the others have no choice but to follow. It doesn’t matter who comes in, they have to follow it. The Oilers are winning now because they are willing to check the puck back hard. Even the top players do it. Look at No. 97 and No. 29. They lead in that area,” he said of McDavid and Draisaitl.

“It started with them last year and Dave Tippett has done a great job of moving it along. If you are willing to check to create scoring chances, you win all the close games. That’s what winning teams do. And that’s a culture change in Edmonton.”

"There's a culture change within the room where all everyone cares about is winning," defenseman Darnell Nurse said, "and that's all that really matters."

 

[iCanada]

Please cite your work re: the bolded

But but but all the players cite that company line to the media!

 

[MaxR11]

But but but all the players cite that company line to the media!

Not just players. Highly respected NHL execs from other organization has stated the oil improvement is because of culture change.... see above post.

It's baffling how some posters here just don't want to accept the notion that culture is extremely important. I thought Edmonton was a knowledgeable hockey fan base.

 

[Samus44]

But i do think, like an article earlier stated, that the general turn around is based of culture and adherence and buy in to it. We saw a bit of a lapse or buy out in mid Nov and december (where the attention to detail and effort was not there and too much cheating and floating) but tips steered them back on course.

Oh yeah 100% I wasn't suggesting otherwise. I was just saying this is how Tippett gets buy in and has fixed the culture. Pretty much everyone is going to want to give a new coach a chance and buy in but results, consistency, and feeling valued is what keeps the players bought in. Tippett has accurately identified the strengths and weaknesses of his players and asked them to play in roles that fit those skills and is willing to reward those guys when they work towards becoming the player he's asking them to be. It's why Kharia has been getting opportunities despite not playing at his best, he's trying to play the right way. He's trying to be a strong PKer, he's trying to be more physical and agitating, he's trying to scrap for his teammates. Tippett is willing to work through the mistakes if the mistakes are honest and that goes a long way. Believe in your players and they'll believe in you.