Oilers lose 4-1 to Montreal.

[ohheyhemsky]

He doesn't have Petry shielding him anymore.

Eakins did one thing - he identified Smid's inability to support Petry's puck-moving ability on the top pairing against top opposition. That's why he demoted him to bottom pairing duty.

Now that Petry's with Belov there's a little more fluidity there. They're our best puck-moving pairing right now.

As for Smid-N.Schultz - it gives me nightmares of the Staios-Smith pairing of 6-7 years ago. No one can move the puck.

I'm not happy with Belov. He forces passes in traffic and is terrible "QBing" the PP.

The only time he's making a smart play is when he has tons of time and isn't pressured whatsoever.

 

[Mr Forever]

Call up Nurse

 

[McAsuno]

Ya, I actually thought we played a good game. Pucks weren't going in, some times it is just breaks. I think Arco really hurts us, need gags back big time. Other than that we are fine.

Arco wasn't that bad. I just don't think he's good enough to play consistently in the NHL. Gags is much missed.

 

[The Perfect Human*]

First season watching the oilers?

No. 4th season of watching Hall - hence my reaction. He's starting to make those cross-ice passes from the LW with speed now. It's going to get him more points.

Traditionally most of his assists come off the right half-boards, both on ES or PP.

 

[Bure]

Look at the bright side guys, looks like you guys picked up a solid top 4 d man in Belov for free. Looked really good in the oilers games I've watched.

Yakupov not so much. Looks like he has no confidence.

 

[Kshahdoo]

J Schultz 24:43
Belov: 21:50
Ference: 19:34

Petry: 17:58
Smid: 14:23
N.Schultz: 13:10

Eakins has turned top-pairing defensemen into bottom-3 defensemen, and bottom-pairing defensemen into #1 defensemen.

No wonder this keeps happening.

You mean Belov, who didn't was on the ice for a single goal against in the last 3 games while having almost an hour toi? Considering the team let 14 goals in those 3 games? Why are you so surprised? Coaches usually trying to use defensemen who are good in, well, defense.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

He's gotten 3 minutes of PP time a game. He's played with combinations of Hall, RNH, Arcobello, Perron, Gordon, Joensuu and yes... Smyth.

It's not the coaches fault the guy stands around like a moron in the defensive zone 1/2 the time.

3 minutes of PP a game without a look on his hash-mark isn't really much at all.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

I hate to say it. Galchenyuk is the better player. Anybody who says otherwise is a homer.

Right now.

If Yakupov was playing in the top6 on a good team, he'd be tearing it up. I have a feeling that if Galchenyuk was playing for the Oilers, he'd be terrible. That's what happens when you don't have a true #1 dman. It's just such a boost to the team in every aspect of the game.

 

[McGlassbangers]

everybody is upset. have a rat.

made small edit.

 

[Wheathead]

Losses aren't the problem here, it's how we lose. Take a real good look. When you realize nothing has changed since 2009 and the team still struggles with 2009 problems, you'll realize how bad it's gotten.

Oilers dominated the Habs tonight. It wasn't very often the Oilers outshot or outhit another club and lost.

Yes, a loss is a loss no matter how you cut it, but I'd rather lose with the type of compete they showed tonight compared to the sad sack efforts in 2009.

Face it, this place is a haven for overly dramatic Oiler fans who plan parade routes after shoot out wins and want to banish the club from Edmonton after a loss. There's no happy medium here. There's no "level-headedness." If this board were one individual, it would be the most bi-polar psychotic individual on the face of the earth.

 

[McGoMcD]

Arco wasn't that bad. I just don't think he's good enough to play consistently in the NHL. Gags is much missed.

He isn't terrible, he just doens't have the offensive ability to really generate anything.

Gags is really missed.

 

[Mr Forever]

Right now.

If Yakupov was playing in the top6 on a good team, he'd be tearing it up. I have a feeling that if Galchenyuk was playing for the Oilers, he'd be terrible. That's what happens when you don't have a true #1 dman. It's just such a boost to the team in every aspect of the game.

Yeah, Yak was better last year, but right now Gally is the guy. It can change though.

 

[ithxan]

Yakupov needs to sit a game.

And who takes his spot? I agree we need to get him going, but ...

 

[tiger_80]

I love Yak, he's a beauty and he'll be a good player - but Galchenyuk is clearly better.

I think he'd do better on a different team. I am afraid he'll never realize his potential on the Oilers. This team has no structure, no veteran ability throughout the line-up to shelter and mentor these kids. Teams that re-built successfully all had the support network in place--even teams like Pittsburgh had Lemieux, Roberts, Rechchi, Malone--guys who could play the game while Crosby and Malkin, much better talents, were rookies.

 

[The Perfect Human*]

You mean Belov, who didn't was on the ice for a single goal against in the last 3 games while having almost an hour toi? Considering the team let 14 goals in those 3 games? Why are you so surprised? Coaches usually trying defensemen who are good in, well, defense.

I'm more upset that Justin Schultz is getting a disproportionate amount of TOI.

IMO the minutes should look like this right now:

Petry>Belov>J.Schultz>Ference=Smid>N.Schultz

 

[Mr Forever]

Belov is pretty sick actually

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Actually, in terms of starts to the season, this is the exact opposite of the last few years.

yes,but we are still seeing so many dumb mistakes that were occurring all the way back to 2009.

 

[Oiltankjob Fail]

Weren't you the one blaming Dubnyk in the GDT thread? Seems like you're 0 for 2 here.
When are some of you going to realize that maybe it isn't the coaches fault anymore and that maybe the players aren't very good?

Lol was not blaming Dubnyk for loss learn how to read. the second goal is saved by goalies all the time anticipating and sliding across, also We as a team obviously have no set plays as Eakins is blendering everyone on top 6. No game plan what so ever. Krueger was doing better last year. Also pulling goalie with 4:30 left is going to burn us all year really shows faith in his players. And maybe if we kept a coach long enough to build chemistry within the team we might have a chance ,we start rebuild new every year with new system and coach. And Eakins is off to worst start of them all.

 

[Suxnet]

You mean Belov, who didn't was on the ice for a single goal against in the last 3 games while having almost an hour toi? Considering the team let 14 goals in those 3 games? Why are you so surprised? Coaches usually trying to use defensemen who are good in, well, defense.

Belov has been mediocre.

 

[McGoMcD]

Oilers dominated the Habs tonight. It wasn't very often the Oilers outshot or outhit another club and lost.

Yes, a loss is a loss no matter how you cut it, but I'd rather lose with the type of compete they showed tonight compared to the sad sack efforts in 2009.

Face it, this place is a haven for overly dramatic Oiler fans who plan parade routes after shoot out wins and want to banish the club from Edmonton after a loss. There's no happy medium here. There's no "level-headedness." If this board were one individual, it would be the most bi-polar psychotic individual on the face of the earth.

I like the optimism. I thought we played a good game.

The bolded part really is true, I don't know any other board that is like this.

 

[dustrock]

I think we have to remember that if not for the RNH turnover that led to the 2 on 1, this game could have been totally different. Not blaming RNH for the loss obviously, but just saying, we were still in the game.

I don't really get all the Hall bashing here. I was critical of his play through the first 3 games, but tonight he looked pretty confident to me. The dekes weren't really working, and we'd all rather see him shoot through the defenseman instead, but when he did lose the puck, he did a nice job of recovering it. He wasn't turning it over like in the previous 3 games.

Don't even get me started on Eberle though.

Yeah Hall was playing hard and making better passes. But one of the best plays he developed last year was entering with speed and then stopping with control of the puck. If teams back off him because of his speed he has time to pass.

Montreal did play him very well and I think they realized if he is shut down the rest of the team sputters as well.

 

[Captain Catatomic]

J.Schultz needs to use more out of control violence to make up for his lack of strength in the crease area. I wanna see some crazy $hit in there. I think it's his only way, otherwise... fail

 

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

Belov is pretty sick actually

That's not good,hopefully he'll play the next game.

 

[MessierII]

And who takes his spot? I agree we need to get him going, but ...

Hopefully Joensuu is back soon. Wouldn't even mind giving Hamilton a look.

 

[smackdaddy]

Oilers dominated the Habs tonight. It wasn't very often the Oilers outshot or outhit another club and lost.

Yes, a loss is a loss no matter how you cut it, but I'd rather lose with the type of compete they showed tonight compared to the sad sack efforts in 2009.

Face it, this place is a haven for overly dramatic Oiler fans who plan parade routes after shoot out wins and want to banish the club from Edmonton after a loss. There's no happy medium here. There's no "level-headedness." If this board were one individual, it would be the most bi-polar psychotic individual on the face of the earth.

The way this team plays, it doesn't seem like they even care. They can't even carry over momentum from one game to the next, only losses.

How badly do you think Ference or Perron are second guessing this franchise? Where was Ference tonight? O captain our captain. He roughed up somebody out of frustration. This team is a giant pile of frustration.