Pre-Game Talk: Oilers VS Jets -Oiler fly home for 48 hours

[Little Fury]

People losing their minds over the coach juggling bottom pairing D is pretty funny.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Watching Carolina and Toronto is also a treat right now. Push the pace, assertive forecheck, can't say that Carolina has a more talented roster than Edmonton, so it isn't that. I get the sense our plodders - Drai, Lucic, Khaira - do not allow that type of game, which is alarming

The Oilers aren't a fast uptempo team in a league that is leaning towards those teams.

The team that's been built is for an era that has already passed by.

 

[PinSeeker]

The coach doesn't like it either. Dump, chase, retrieve, move it back to the point for a muffin shot. That's the game plan.

Agreed, have not seen data on games 2 and 3, but I imagine they are similar to game one. Something like 50 zone entries, 35 dumps, 8 retrievals, 9 shots or whatever.

In today's NHL that is a beyond terrible gameplan

 

[McIce Whole]

Hilarious. I thought to check what the lineup would be on twitter and before I did I was assuming something stupid like Benning back in and Bouchard out.. Sure enough that's exactly what it looks like.

Brilliant decision making McLellan. Take out the defenseman who has actually shown the most composure with the puck for the one who handles it like a grenade. Should work out wonderfully against the Jets.

It's comical how poor of a coach he is.

He’s trying to get fired. His decisions are just beyond stupid right now.

 

[McGoMcD]

The Oilers aren't a fast uptempo team in a league that is leaning towards those teams.

The team that's been built is for an era that has already passed by.

Yes. Sadly true. We have the fastest most exciting player in the game. But our team as a whole is unskilled and slow. Sigh

 

[TheNumber4]

If the Oilers win tonight in dominant fashion I'll beleive that Chias hope and pray that every player gets better strategy actually works' and I won't have all time high early season pessimism.

But it's like 100% likely they'll get destroyed tonight.

 

[McTrashBoat]

People losing their minds over the coach juggling bottom pairing D is pretty funny.

I'd like to say I'm a pretty even tempered guy

but when you lose 2 games with benning in, win the first game you take him out

and then immediately put him back in, it's a tad maddening

 

[ujju2]

I'd like to say I'm a pretty even tempered guy

but when you lose 2 games with benning in, win the first game you take him out

and then immediately put him back in, it's a tad maddening

Agreed. I like to think I'm an even-tempered guy as well, but this makes no sense to me. That being said, we'll see what happens. Maybe Bouchard benefits from a break and getting to watch this one from up above?

 

[McJC]

I like Benning, think he's a good kid but he should only be in the lineup in a minor role for now. Right now, this team doesn't have a good enough top 4 to shelter the bottom pairing. I think Benning has good potential but he needs to learn the game a bit better from the pressbox.

 

[VainGretzky]

People losing their minds over the coach juggling bottom pairing D is pretty funny.

Benning has been atrocious , and a major factor in the 2 losses to open the season, putting him back in shows a coach who's ego is more important than the team.

 

[iCanada]

Ugh. Benning...

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Benning has been atrocious , and a major factor in the 2 losses to open the season, putting him back in shows a coach who's ego is more important than the team.

Well I mean there is that weird assumption, they could also be wanting to "right" a struggling player, which teams and coaches have been known to do.

 

[McTrashBoat]

Agreed. I like to think I'm an even-tempered guy as well, but this makes no sense to me. That being said, we'll see what happens. Maybe Bouchard benefits from a break and getting to watch this one from up above?

maybe

I'll just say I don't like it and move on, I won't post all day about it

 

[ZJuice]

Well I mean there is that weird assumption, they could also be wanting to "right" a struggling player, which teams and coaches have been known to do.

It would great if McLellan took that approach with Poolparty (I cant spell it )

When there is zero offence outside of the McDavid line I don’t understand why he still plays favourites!!!

 

[McFlash97]

People losing their minds over the coach juggling bottom pairing D is pretty funny.

your a little out to lunch if you think Benning, who has been directly responsible for 4 goals against by himself in his first 2 games will have little impact tonight against the Jets ....

 

[belair]

I'd like to say I'm a pretty even tempered guy

but when you lose 2 games with benning in, win the first game you take him out

and then immediately put him back in, it's a tad maddening

Meh. Benning is miles and miles better than Jason Garrison, especially when he's on his game. Obviously Benning just isn't at the point where we can put him in a situation that's over his head right now.

I'm surprised more people weren't pointing out how bad Garrison looked against NY. It's only a matter of time before he gets victimized.

Edit: Oh, he's coming out for Bouchard. Well that bottom pairing is going to be interesting to watch. Who's holding up who?

 

[McTrashBoat]

Meh. Benning is miles and miles better than Jason Garrison, especially when he's on his game. Obviously Benning just isn't at the point where we can put him in a situation that's over his head right now.

I'm surprised more people weren't pointing out how bad Garrison looked against NY. It's only a matter of time before he gets victimized.

to be fair I didn't get to watch the rags game

no idea how garrison looked

I'm just remembering the benning gaffes from prior games

 

[Fourier]

The Oilers aren't a fast uptempo team in a league that is leaning towards those teams.

The team that's been built is for an era that has already passed by.

Is this really true? Aside from Lucic who in the top 6 is built for a past era. Puljujarvi, Rieder, and Kassian can skate. Even JJ has pretty decent wheels for a guy his size.

The Oilers play slow but I think much of that is by design despite what we have been told.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

A point would be satisfactory, but they should really strive for two.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Just can't keep career AHL'er Matt Benning out of the lineup.

This coach is a f***ing joke.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

It would great if McLellan took that approach with Poolparty (I cant spell it )

When there is zero offence outside of the McDavid line I don’t understand why he still plays favourites!!!

Yeah, I don't and won't pretend to understand that.

I wonder if the larger worry is to overwhelm him v. challenging him. Either way they need to challenge this player a lot more (icetime and situations)

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Just can't keep career AHL'er Matt Benning out of the lineup.

This coach is a ****ing joke.

This isn't a thing.

 

[Little Fury]

your a little out to lunch if you think Benning, who has been directly responsible for 4 goals against by himself in his first 2 games will have little impact tonight against the Jets ....

It depends on how he's deployed.

 

[backhandsauce]

Benning probably in because he is more physical that EB.

Jets are a big nasty team.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yeah, I don't and won't pretend to understand that.

I wonder if the larger worry is to overwhelm him v. challenging him. Either way they need to challenge this player a lot more (icetime and situations)

I feel like either play him in the top 6 or don't play him at all, but I'm not sure if he's earned a top 6 spot either.

If it were up to me I'd send both him and Kailer down to the AHL for a while just to get some good playing time and confidence.