Please, Chia, please gut this core.

[GretzkytoKurri9917]

A Good Friend of mine asked me at what point do the Oilers start to put their First overall picks on Defense.

 

[frag2]

Aside from Hall, McDavid, Draisaitl, Nurse and Klefbom, everyone can go.
In the AHL, only Brossoit is a keeper.

Every other contracted player can be up for grabs.

I still think Nuge should go. Weak on the dot, weak on his skates [now] and can likely get us Jones-tier D.

Hell, forget D, this team needs to fix more than just that. It's kind of funny that the only thing saving Yakupov from getting traded out of here is likely his injury.

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

Aside from Hall, McDavid, Draisaitl, Nurse and Klefbom, everyone can go.
In the AHL, only Brossoit is a keeper.

Every other contracted player can be up for grabs.

I still think Nuge should go. Weak on the dot, weak on his skates [now] and can likely get us Jones-tier D.

Hell, forget D, this team needs to fix more than just that. It's kind of funny that the only thing saving Yakupov from getting traded out of here is likely his injury.

Yep. That's the core for me.
3 forwards, 2 defenders and a goalie.

That's it. That's all you need for a core.

 

[Replacement*]

I think people jumping and saying he is a bad GM is a bit too soon.

He knew the club had a lot of problems, he wanted to not make huge moves to start to see what he had to work with and see the problems first hand so he could figure it out. If we start next season with a similar roster then yeah, he hasn't done his job.

I don't think that's good enough. This isn't a trial and error process where you get mulligans.

Additions to a team made by a GM can be considered hits or misses and theres enough sample to start discerning how much help has really arrived. This game was very revealing in that sense of just how much the bottomsix of even a bad NHL club was than ours tonight.

Tonight I got the sense of a real short lineup of helpful players. Not much chemistry, and a lineup that isn't really defined on anything. As in "what is this team" what does it do? This club continues to have limited identity.

What strikes me is we didn't really bring in one character guy. One difference maker. Not even in the slightest sense. These were easily obtained players. These were readily available players.

If theres players you think Chia deserves to be given credit for what are the names.
.

 

[orbiter11]

I actually think your brush might be to broad. Im thinking Hall,Mcdavid, maybe Draistail and the rest are up for grabs if it makes the team better. A Nurse for Hamonic might be a good start,Oil fans would freak out if that trade was made but the established leadership Hamonic has is exactly what this team needs and might be the right move.

 

[orbiter11]

Yep. That's the core for me.
3 forwards, 2 defenders and a goalie.

That's it. That's all you need for a core.

Yea but most succesful teams in the Nhl dont have there core exsiting of all under 25, thats the problem. This team needs a Backes to teach these players how to play.

 

[Throttlehead]

I hope we win 2 in a row, so everyone can be a star again.

 

[Seras]

And Chia is an astute assessor of assets. He got us Reinhardt who couldn't win a foot race in an Atom game. Talbot who couldn't stop the world's biggest ball of twine from finding its way into his net; and all of this in the deepest draft in years.

This team just gets dumb, dumber and dummmerer ... there was a reason Chia was fired and a reason he was willing to come to Edmonton.

When does it become a player issue?

 

[doulos]

It's clear that I don't really have emotional attachments to these guys any more outside of McDavid. They do nothing but lose. Hall I'd probably keep, but even he can go in the right deal.

Changes are coming.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Nope. stupidest thing he could do is gut the team.

Build around them.

Quit overreacting over one lose they outplayed the Hawks, Devils and Capitals recently, one bad game is not a reason to trade everyone.
We also have the most man-games lost in the league, wait till they have a full lineup for once.

 

[Replacement*]

When does it become a player issue?

The obtained players have been some of the biggest issues. This is a struggling club that requires helpful additions. Not a random turnstile where we can just audtion all the latest cast off projects.

My own take is that theres been too much player change and I wouldn't even call it lateral change. I think the additions in some cases have helped make us worse.

Compared with last year the most helpful players have been Drai, Nurse, Klef, Mcdavid.

I can't really think of any solid addition among the 8 or so players Chia brought in.

We didn't need change for change sake. We need key additions that actually improve the club. What Chia addition has improved this club from what it had before?

 

[SaskOilers]

I don't think that's good enough. This isn't a trial and error process where you get mulligans.

Additions to a team made by a GM can be considered hits or misses and theres enough sample to start discerning how much help has really arrived. This game was very revealing in that sense of just how much the bottomsix of even a bad NHL club was than ours tonight.

Tonight I got the sense of a real short lineup of helpful players. Not much chemistry, and a lineup that isn't really defined on anything. As in "what is this team" what does it do? This club continues to have limited identity.

What strikes me is we didn't really bring in one character guy. One difference maker. Not even in the slightest sense. These were easily obtained players. These were readily available players.

If theres players you think Chia deserves to be given credit for what are the names.
.

I don't think we've had 1 of those guys since the cup run. Over the hill Smyth doesn't really cut it. Good teams are full of character guys. I've been very on board with adding good character players for quite some time. It's why I'm in favour of moving Eberle for Hamonic, it's a step in the right direction of adding some leadership. I know a lot of fans don't like it but if we ever pull up our socks and get back to the playoffs I sure as hell would rather go to battle with guys like Hamonic.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I'm done with this ****.
You guys can have fun with Katz as he hangs on to his favorite pals: Lowe, MacT, and the rest of the scum that have kept this team down for almost a full decade.

Pocklington may have sold Gretzky, but at least he put together a management and GM that built a team that won 4 'Cups before he sold Gretzky. I would easily take 4 cups if it meant we had to sell McDavid right after. Anyone who wouldn't is a fool. I'm not even a Pocklington fan. I hate him. But I hate Katz much more. Katz is the worst owner in the league.

HOW the HELL is Lowe and MacT STILL employees in this organization? HOW???

Please, someone give me ONE good reason to keep these two in management. Just ONE reason. Please, someone enlighten me.

Katz is a ****ing joke. Worst owner of all time, which explains everything: Lowe, MacT, Tambo, Eakins, the Yak pick, and so much more.

 

[doulos]

I think people jumping and saying he is a bad GM is a bit too soon.

He knew the club had a lot of problems, he wanted to not make huge moves to start to see what he had to work with and see the problems first hand so he could figure it out. If we start next season with a similar roster then yeah, he hasn't done his job.

Chia's moves have been a mixed bag. Sekera has been fine, Talbot has been mostly a disappointment but there's time for him to turn things around. Nilsson had been better than I figured he would. Grayba has surprised me for sure.

The bottom 6 has been an utter disaster for the most part though.

I trust Chia to make several good trades and turn the ship around and time is up to keep waiting on the worm to turn.

 

[doulos]

I don't think we've had 1 of those guys since the cup run. Over the hill Smyth doesn't really cut it. Good teams are full of character guys. I've been very on board with adding good character players for quite some time. It's why I'm in favour of moving Eberle for Hamonic, it's a step in the right direction of adding some leadership. I know a lot of fans don't like it but if we ever pull up our socks and get back to the playoffs I sure as hell would rather go to battle with guys like Hamonic.

Boyd Gordon and Matt Hendricks are both stellar character guys. One of them even STILL plays for the Oilers!

 

[rboomercat90]

I think people jumping and saying he is a bad GM is a bit too soon.

He knew the club had a lot of problems, he wanted to not make huge moves to start to see what he had to work with and see the problems first hand so he could figure it out. If we start next season with a similar roster then yeah, he hasn't done his job.

Yeah, this is how I see it too. For the most part anyway. Big moves are pretty much only made in the off season now. I think it's fair to have him actually want to see his big money guys play with his own eyes before he decides who he wants to keep and who he wants to move out. That's the biggest reason, IMO, nothing major happened last summer. With today's limited movement during the season I think he's stuck with what he has the rest of the season. I felt that before the start of the year and figured things had the potential to get get really ugly again. He needs to revamp the top end of the roster this summer without question. This isn't working yet again. I was ready to do it when Mactavish was named GM, I think it was that obvious three years ago. I'd be disappointed and frankly, baffled, if we went into next season with the same core.

I also agree a bit with Replacement in that the guys he did manage to bring in over the summer have been underwhelming and it is a bit of a concern to me. I just hope having bigger trading chips to use can bring in better talent than what we've seen him acquire so far. Maybe having him watching the Western Conference exclusively for a year will also give him a better idea of the kind of players we need. Here's hoping anyway.

 

[doulos]

Nope. stupidest thing he could do is gut the team.

Build around them.

Quit overreacting over one lose they outplayed the Hawks, Devils and Capitals recently, one bad game is not a reason to trade everyone.
We also have the most man-games lost in the league, wait till they have a full lineup for once.

One bad game is understatement of the decade. They are in dead last yet again. That doesn't happen from one bad game.

 

[Joey Moss]

I'm not sure if "gut the core" is the right approach, but there clearly needs to be a shakeup. The effort level is just so inconsistent. They come out flat, they get manhandled, they do their post-game interviews agreeing that the effort was crap.. and do it all over again.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

It took 22 games for HFOil to turn on Chiarelli. And people think I'm bad.

The team is toxic. McDavid aside I don't think anyone should be off the table.

 

[Mcnofool6110]

Oilers fans always be like

 

[SaskOilers]

Boyd Gordon and Matt Hendricks are both stellar character guys. One of them even STILL plays for the Oilers!

I absolutely agree. I emphasized "good" character players though, our good players have not been "character" players.

 

[orbiter11]

Nope. stupidest thing he could do is gut the team.

Build around them.

Quit overreacting over one lose they outplayed the Hawks, Devils and Capitals recently, one bad game is not a reason to trade everyone.
We also have the most man-games lost in the league, wait till they have a full lineup for once.

So when Nuge is 25,Eberle 28,Yak is 24 and hall is 25 and then you replace Letestu&company with different 3rd liners they'll be a playoff team?

 

[KarmaPolice]

I don't think this is Chia's fault at all. Look at that crap team he inherited from MacT. A team that had no depth, terrible D, terrible goaltending. You can't rebuild an entire team in one off-season. This is WAY more on MacT and the previous crap management than Chia. This should be completely obvious.

Or does someone think that if MacT was still the GM that we would have a better team, or a better future? Give me a break. MacT was a ****ing joke of a GM. Chia is going to need a lot more time.

Gordon wanted to go back home (Phoenix). No use keeping a guy around who doesn't want to be around. Besides, I don't think we'd have many more points than our current 15 if we still had Boyd ****ing Gordon. Or are we going full ****** here? Because you never go full ******.

 

[Faelko]

it took 22 games for hfoil to turn on chiarelli. And people think i'm bad.

The team is toxic. Mcdavid aside i don't think anyone should be off the table.

100%.

 

[Replacement*]

I don't think we've had 1 of those guys since the cup run. Over the hill Smyth doesn't really cut it. Good teams are full of character guys. I've been very on board with adding good character players for quite some time. It's why I'm in favour of moving Eberle for Hamonic, it's a step in the right direction of adding some leadership. I know a lot of fans don't like it but if we ever pull up our socks and get back to the playoffs I sure as hell would rather go to battle with guys like Hamonic.

Yep. This is an org that had Ference as captain and thought he offered useful leadership.

Yeah, for the boyscouts.

When people praise Eberle the only thing mentioned is goals scored. Not that he's chronically a minus player, a limited player, who is small in the WC and gets outworked regularly. The player brings no intangibles. does not hit, does not challenge anybody, is one of the easiest players in the league to play against playing on a butter soft team.

Eberle is a good player. He has value, it strikes me he may not be the right player for this team.

Eberle is also part of a leadership core on this club that is not nearly resilient enough.

The measure of a valuable player is how they play when the bounces are not going well. By that yardstick a lot of the Oilers look to have really bad habits. They simply still don't know what solid contributions they can make when goals aren't coming like gravy.