William Karlsson scored 6 goals last year and this year 23 goals in 40+ games. I think this is good indication of what trust from coaching staff in giving a chance to play higher then what people pegged him and high confidence.
The oilers coaching staff last season had that type environment and the oilers were high on confidence.
But this year when I heard Mclellen harping on the oilers that everything is much harder, collars were shortened and players are holding sticks tighter and they are not playing their game.
As much as the pressure of living up to expectations for the players were heavy, you can tell that the coaching staff broke against it.
Adaptability seems to disappear from Mclellens vocabulary and woodcroft and johnson can't seem to utilize the right combination on the pk and pp.
The oilers confidence has been beaten down not only externally from media and fans but definitely internally from snowball of failed expectations.
Plus hands down, the reffing has been atrocious considering the lack of penalties called for the oilers this year.
Like look at this vegas game, 6 powerplays for Vegas and only 2 for the oilers. I'm sorry but that smells rotten to me.
Look at the confidence at the team when played in front of Montoya. Completely different when in front Talbot when he has recently had poor games.
Confidence is everything. Hands down, I thank God most of you are not coaches since majority of those fans that tear downs players with speaks more about their character then the players, I wouldn't' want those fans anywhete near professional athletes because they clearly dont know how build confidence and build positive character.
Oilers need all the confidence they can get. No matter the outcome this year, they need to make sure they have something to build on next year. I have never heard of any championship team that won on toxic attitudes and cancerous negativity. Which has become insufferable on these boards in recent years.
OT!
Lets Go Oilers!