TSN: picks Oilers to move up in the standings...

[JustinCider]

...from 14th in the West last year, to 13th in the West this year. I guess not all the media is in love with this team. If this ends up being the case, Tambo/Lowe gotta go.

Click to read more...

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

In the end nobody should care. There are people on this board who are more knowledgeable about all of the teams than these guys who get paid.

For the Oilers, I think I might have just heard one guy talk about a guy Hartikainen being a key, etc. They all parrot eachother.

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

In the end nobody should care. There are people on this board who are more knowledgeable about all of the teams than these guys who get paid.

For the Oilers, I think I might have just heard one guy talk about a guy Hartikainen being a key, etc. They all parrot eachother.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Predictions are so overrated.

Nobody knows anything.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

It's Scott Cullen's fault.

In all seriousness both the TSN and Sportsnet panels seemed very enthusiastic about the team and 7 out of the 8 panelists picked them to make the playoffs (Mike Keenan was the only one who said "no playoffs"). I guess that both networks allow everybody on staff to vote.

 

[Kestrel]

In the end nobody should care. There are people on this board who are more knowledgeable about all of the teams than these guys who get paid.

For the Oilers, I think I might have just heard one guy talk about a guy Hartikainen being a key, etc. They all parrot eachother.

Not picking on you, but I found it really amusing to see someone talking about media parroting each other, then self parroting with a double post

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

I think only one person out of any network mentioned how Dubnyk had a good second half last year as well. I don't know. You just don't hear a lot of analysts mention things like that. All I keep hearing is the D is weak and goaltending is iffy.

SNET was very pro Oiler yesterday. Damien Cox was as well which shocked me. He was saying he really hopes the Oilers will be successful because people want to see teams like that go far and they are entertaining.

In the end only one thing will sway peoples opinions. We need to see this team prove something on the ice. That's it.

 

[402]

Predictions are so overrated.

Nobody knows anything.

This!

And sportsnet has us at 11th.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

I'm pretty OK with the 11th place prediction. With the loser point it's just a hop, skip and a jump to 8th place from 11th.

 

[BoHorvatFan]

Can't wait to see you guys play this year. Going to the game Sunday expecting a show from the kids that have been playing all year against a Canucks team that hasn't and will be on back to back nights.

Win or lose the team is fun to watch!

 

[Draiskull]

Fireeee Krugerrr!!


waitt... does that make us a lotto team again??? Bring out the Tambo troll!!!

 

[Draiskull]

Can't wait to see you guys play this year. Going to the game Sunday expecting a show from the kids that have been playing all year against a Canucks team that hasn't and will be on back to back nights.

Win or lose the team is fun to watch!

back to back.... do we draw Luongo??

 

[BoHorvatFan]

back to back.... do we draw Luongo??

That is what I'm wondering, it wouldn't make sense to play Schneider back to back to start the season.

Either way I expect the Canucks goalie to be very busy!

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

AV already hinted that he always plays each goalie on a back to back. Looks like we will get Luongo. Personally I would rather face Schneider.

 

[Jean Ralphio]

While most analysts have predicted the Oilers to finish outside the playoffs, there are a small number of big believers. In addition to Dater, Allan Muir made the Oilers his surprise team, and predicted Krueger to win the Jack Adams.

My cheerful colleague Adrian Dater recently earned universal acclaim for his positioning of the Oilers at No. 3 in his Preseason Power Rankings. All right, so the mockery from some quarters suggests it wasn't exactly universal acclaim, but the pick was hardly made for shock value. Edmonton is poised for a breakthrough this season, not just as a playoff team, but as the most entertaining club in the Western Conference. Look for the Oilers to get off to a smoking hot start thanks to the game readiness of key stars like Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and ride a hot power play and wave of confidence to their first playoff berth since 2006.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nhl/news/20130118/nhl-season-picks-predictions/

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

You'd think that we'd be used to it by now but if this team fails... oy. The mockery will be deafening.

 

[Cloned]

You'd think that we'd be used to it by now but if this team fails... oy. The mockery will be deafening.

But on the other hand, the tears could be sweet.

 

[gooilgo]

I could care less about the predictions.

What is important is we take a significant step forward. Last year we hit 74 points in 82 games. A target of 53 points in 48 games is a reasonable target, anything else is a bonus.
Playing all games in the conference makes things tougher too imo.

 

[SK13]

It's a collective prediction from the TSN crew.

Button says 8th, Ferraro says 7th-11th (a few points either way), Aaron Ward says playoffs. McKenzie was mum, but pontificated on the Oilers being likely the only team to have so many key players playing all year (and many playing together).

The Oilers preview on TSN is actually pretty good. I wouldn't be hung up on the overall prediction.

 

[nexttothemoon]

59 pts is what I personally have them on.

I think it's pretty weak of TSN to talk about how exciting and promising the Oilers are and a bunch of them say they'll make the playoffs then they pick them for 13th overall. Make a bold prediction and stick to it... not try and cover all possibilities.

 

[thadd]

I think it's gotta be a no-brainer. There are more team's who've done nothing to improve and more fewer teams who've become stronger over the off-season and we're one of those teams who've improved their roster since last season.

On top of that, tons of our players have been playing lately. A bunch of our guys who haven't been playing have been enjoying rehab and actually being healthy for the first time in many years.

They do have a point there when they talk about our top six being active, but I think it's also important that Smyth, Horcoff and Whitney haven't been exerting themselves too much and at the same time they're supposedly as heathy as they could possibly be.

 

[thadd]

59 pts is what I personally have them on.

I think it's pretty weak of TSN to talk about how exciting and promising the Oilers are and a bunch of them say they'll make the playoffs then they pick them for 13th overall. Make a bold prediction and stick to it... not try and cover all possibilities.

I think a lot of guys figure we're on the cusp of being great.

The hockey news is the same way. Sometimes they'll say great things about what our team can accomplish while at the same time I think they've got us pegged for 3rd last in the West.

A few seasons ago St. Louis was in the same boat. Now they're pegged to compete for 1st in the west

 

[Jumptheshark]

well we could not really move down

 

[no doubt about it]

Hockey analysts

I think the reason a few analysts are on the fence is that they see so much potential in the oilers young group. The analysts, like myself are waiting for a few of the players to have that break out year. I still see an unproven goalie. A power forward missing. I think the D is better than we think but they don't have a system in place that the forwards come back in to their own end and it puts too much pressure on them . Maybe Mr K will address that.
The range is large to where they will end up. So a 12th to 8th is reasonable. If a few teams have a slow start or run in to injuries, 8th is attainable. Lets' hope for 8th.

 

[Gord]

...from 14th in the West last year, to 13th in the West this year. I guess not all the media is in love with this team. If this ends up being the case, Tambo/Lowe gotta go.

doesn't really matter what the experts say. after 30th, 30th, 29th, the Oilers just actually have to do something. until the team proves they are not a big pile of losers, the perception will remain.
heck, I thought the Oilers had a good enough team to get off of the dungheap last year. I was wrong. hard to say the TV guys are wrong this year, given the Oilers history since the 2005 lockout.