Post-Game Talk: Oilers Lose to Preds 2-0, Haven't Scored in Years

[Narnia]

Assuming the cost is not exorbitant, I would love to have Chara on the Oilers for a few reasons:
1) He would still be able to play top-pairing on the Oilers
2) He would be a great mentor for Nurse, Klefbom, and Reinhart
3) Add proven, winning leadership to the dressing room. When this happens: http://www.tsn.ca/oilers-reboot-with-focus-on-scoring-goals-1.375808



McDavid would have a 6'9" leader standing beside him.

Chara is 38 and is breaking down. BTW, he's injured and has a NMC and plays for Boston. 3 strikes against Chara.

 

[LaGu]

People just look at numbers. I sometimes wonder if people under stand the game.

That is quite a harsh thing to say in response to my observation on the match-up for the D. Was it misleading to bring up the fact that ference probably played the toughest minutes?

 

[I am the Liquor]

People are getting mad at Chia and Todd for evaluating talent and seeing what works? Cmon guys, its not like Reinheart is Chara or something. He played good, but not so good that its not even worth giving Davidson a shot, when clearly Oilers front office sees something in him.

The start of the regular season isnt the time to be evaluating talent.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Assuming the cost is not exorbitant, I would love to have Chara on the Oilers for a few reasons:
1) He would still be able to play top-pairing on the Oilers
2) He would be a great mentor for Nurse, Klefbom, and Reinhart
3) Add proven, winning leadership to the dressing room. When this happens: http://www.tsn.ca/oilers-reboot-with-focus-on-scoring-goals-1.375808



McDavid would have a 6'9" leader standing beside him.

Chara is done but I get what you are trying to do here and a younger Chara would be just what the doctor ordered.

 

[Frank the Tank]

Chara is done but I get what you are trying to do here and a younger Chara would be just what the doctor ordered.

Chara is 38 and is breaking down. BTW, he's injured and has a NMC and plays for Boston. 3 strikes against Chara.

For some reason I thought Chara's contract was done after 2016-17, not 2017-18. Yes, that is a big risk with basically 3 years left and he is playing without a PCL in one of his knees. We need a 35/36 year old Chara. Too bad #1 defensemen with leadership qualities don't grow on trees because that is exactly what this team needs.

 

[I am the Liquor]

For some reason I thought Chara's contract was done after 2016-17, not 2017-18. Yes, that is a big risk with basically 3 years left and he is playing without a PCL in one of his knees. We need a 35/36 year old Chara. Too bad #1 defensemen with leadership qualities don't grow on trees because that is exactly what this team needs.

We have a potential one in Nurse but it will likely take time. More than most of us would likely have patience for.

 

[KCC]

We have a potential one in Nurse but it will likely take time. More than most of us would likely have patience for.

Come on now. Us Oil fans practically invented "patience" in hockey.

 

[guymez]

Just finished watching the game...my thoughts....

I dont think the defence is the biggest issue. Sure there were a couple of defensive mistakes that led to the Nashville goals. Sure Sekera looks less than comfortable so far and the bottom pairing is in a state of flux. Not too worried about it though. Sekera's history suggests he will be much better and the defensive lapses are going to happen for most of this season until the team can start playing the system more seamlessly.
I also fully expect Reinhart to own the bottom pairing vacancy as time rolls on as well.

The offence is the issue here because the offence isnt providing any buffer at all for the defensive blunders that will almost assuredly never be down to 1 or less per game.

Anybody that thinks the defensive lapses cost this team the game is likely a new fan or a long term fan with a poor memory. I say this because this team the past few years was giving up (on average) easily 5+ golden opportunities via defensive mistakes per game. Giving up 2-3 is actually a major improvement.


So the real issue is the complete and total lack of offence because you will not win in this league if you score less than 2 goals per game. If the Oilers had scored 2 goals in each of their first 2 games then they come away with at least 1 point in each game.

Mclellan needs to find some line combinations that click and the team needs to create more time and space in the O-zone.

I suspect that will start to happen once the team becomes more comfortable with their 200 ft game and I have already seen some very good signs. Better breakouts....better D-zone positioning...better commitment from the forwards...all good signs that the team is learning how they need to play.

Dallas will be a very good opportunity for this team to start to find their game IMO.

 

[guymez]

Just as an add on...I thought the Purcell, RNH, Hall line was the teams best line.

The McDavid, Yak, Pouliot line looked like it might have some potential as well.

 

[swisssabre]

way too early to judge McDavid - it's ridiculous mentioning sending him down back to juniors. Keep calm Edmonton, he'll score 2 goals against Dallas ;-)

Some Sabres fans started to panic as well after losing two in a row.
I said it's Bylsma who defines D first and it's just a matter of time the goals will follow. Yesterday et voilà, exactly that happened against a greedy Bluejackets team.

Good luck against Dallas!

 

[Oilfan2]

The start of the regular season isnt the time to be evaluating talent.

It is if there's some thought they might lose a player (Davidson) on waivers that they like. It will work itself out shortly. Either Ference will be gone, someone will be injured/traded or Davidson will go on waivers.
They're just not rushing into anything...which is the right course, imo.

 

[I am the Liquor]

It is if there's some thought they might lose a player (Davidson) on waivers that they like. It will work itself out shortly. Either Ference will be gone, someone will be injured/traded or Davidson will go on waivers.
They're just not rushing into anything...which is the right course, imo.

No it isn't. That is what preseason is for. Ference isn't going anywhere. He has a nmc and nobody wants a small, old, player who can't perform at the NHL level. They will likely rotate Davidson and Reinhart with Toilet becoming a permanent fixture in the pb.

They may play Toilet every once in a while with the hope he picks up any kind of bruise or muscle pull that would give them an excuse to put him on IR.

 

[jeg]

I feel as if we are juggling lines, switching D pairings and playing certain players not because were trying to put forward the best team at the moment but give all the new management a clear view of what they have. Seems obvious that Ference is playing way worse then Reinhart but they want a more definite look. I support breaking up Hall and McDavid, they wont mesh as well as one would think. Im sure Char is thinking of players from the east who would fit along side him and wantsa to know what bait he has to offer.
Talbot is a breath of fresh air, its early but has been looking like a great decision.
Nurse and Dra will be up, and the team will click and when they do we will score some highlights, but until then the lack of chemistry will lead to a couple lack luster games

 

[Dorian2]

The start of the regular season isnt the time to be evaluating talent.

Not in most circumstances, but I'm willing to give a brand new GM and coach the benefit of the doubt a bit here.

They have to get their ducks lined up pretty quick though.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Not in most circumstances, but I'm willing to give a brand new GM and coach the benefit of the doubt a bit here.

They have to get their ducks lined up pretty quick though.

They had months to prepare. Anyone who is competent will know what's up. It would take only a week or two to watch enough video to catch up if needed. Unless of course this is another "development" year, in which case we hired the wrong dude.

He has already been decisive in making changes, gassing both Scrivens and Nikitin. Ference is a different egg due to the contract handed to him.

 

[Arctic Fox]

They had months to prepare. Anyone who is competent will know what's up. It would take only a week or two to watch enough video to catch up if needed. Unless of course this is another "development" year, in which case we hired the wrong dude.

He has already been decisive in making changes, gassing both Scrivens and Nikitin. Ference is a different egg due to the contract handed to him.

My wild guess is that Reinhart may have a minor injury for a few days. If he's still out of the lineup after today's game I'm pretty sure this is the real reason.