Speculation: Predicting Edmonton's ranking in the West

[Soundwave]

I think we'll finish above Nashville, Winnipeg, and Calgary. So 11th overall.

 

[Up the Irons]

I really have no idea. Anywhere from 8th to 13th. So much on goaltending, key players taking a step (RNH, Schultz, Yak), PP. If things go good, they could even make the playoffs. Goaltending goes south or one bad injury, 13th.

Something tells my Schultz and RNH are going to explode. Fasth will win the starting job. Nikitin and Pouliot will be good, Purcel will be bad. Yak will get about 25 goals, but Drai will tire and fade after a good start.

And Eakins? who knows. if he listens to Ramsey he should be ok. If not, we are hooped.

 

[Oilerz]

Well, I've said a lot on here about optimism, but that doesn't really cut it when the team is chosen and it's a lot less than you'd like. Everybody knows Colorado hit on all cylinders lat year, but you don't get there without something still there. They are still ahead of us. Calgary won't get quite as bad as we did, so they will always be pushing and will win some games against us. Winnipeg has upgraded their backup goalie wth Budaj, who knows, he may be their #1 if he gos on a tear. We will have to go on a roll to be in a fight for 8-9-10 spot. But a LOT of things have to go right. Minimal injuries. Goalies playing well (Both). New linemates have to click. Yak has to be happy, productive and less distracting. Buy in on systems. Coaching has to connect.

Prediction? 9th.

 

[McOilbleeder]

I'm gonna say 12th. Ahead of Calgary and Winnipeg. We're a better team than last year (on D, youngers taking a step), but when your in the division we're in, I don't think you can say we did enough.

 

[EchoesoftheEighties]

13th in the West beating out only Winnipeg.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

14th. The crew on the Titanic is different but the Captains are the same (Eakins, MacT)

 

[Oilfan2]

9th..ahead of Colorado, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Arizona and Calgary.

 

[McDrai]

I'm thinking around 13th
I'll start raising my expectations once they prove that they can become at least a semi-competitive team. I'm talking losing games by 1-2 goals at the most

 

[Canovin]

2014-2015. 9th

2015-2016. Stanley Cup Champs.

 

[dustrock]

This year 10th, next year 8th.

 

[CupofOil]

13th beating out Calgary. Looking at all the other west teams, i just can't picture the Oilers finishing ahead of any of them.

Winnipeg has always been a bubble team hovering around a playoff spot. I see them taking a bit of a step back this season because other teams have gotten better but they still have a solid roster outside of the goaltending.

As long as Nashville has the best Dman in the game and one of the top goalies, they will always be competitive. They added some nice pieces as well with Neal and some decent veteran centers.

Vancouver, forget about it. I think they are clearly still better than the Oilers.

Arizona will be competitive due to system play. Anytime a team buys into a system, they usually remain somewhat competitive and that team has run the same system for years.

Who else??? I'd say that there's an outside chance that they pass Winnipeg or Nashville but it's a remote chance IMO. I'll believe it when i see it.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Team / Centers Depth/ Wingers / (Checking/ Team Defense) / Top Pairing Defense / Top 6 corps / Goaltending Tandem / Average Rating
1. Los Angeles 2 6 1 2 2 1 2.33
2. Chicago 4 1 2 1 1 10 3.17
3. St.Louis 3 3 3 4 3 12 4.67
4. Colorado 7 2 7 11 10 2 6.50
5. Minnesota 8 10 5 5 6 5 6.50
6. San Jose 1 8 6 7 8 11 6.83
7. Anaheim 5 7 4 8 11 7 7.00
8. Vancouver 10 5 8 9 7 4 7.17
9. Nashville 11 12 11 3 4 3 7.33
10. Arizona 9 13 9 6 5 8 8.33
11. Dallas 6 9 10 14 14 6 9.83
12. Edmonton 13 4 13 12 13 13 11.33
13. Winnipeg 12 11 12 13 9 14 11.83
14. Calgary 14 14 14 10 12 14 13.00

I ranked teams by position, and took their average rating and converted it into an index. On paper, that's how the west looks like to me going into this upcoming season.

That's an interesting way to assess them all. I'd also throw in a category for coaching/management as that's an "X-factor" that can have large effects as well.

I personally have a hard time stating the teams that will definitely be behind the Oilers as we all saw how that went last season.

Oilers are on paper a team that could be close to a bubble playoff team IF everything went perfectly for them... but realistically even a couple spots up in the standings seems optimistic because teams like Winnipeg/Calgary who could be worse than the Oilers... could just as easily have better than expected seasons as well... and leave the Oilers sucking hind tit yet again.

 

[ghostnights]

I'll be shocked if the Oil finish behind the Jets this year.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Honestly the smart money is on 14th (and I'm not smart as I chose 12th)... because expecting this team to move up even 1 spot requires something like 35-40 goals improvement in the goals differential.

So that's the equivalent of pulling a 20 goal scorer out of nowhere... plus expecting the goalies to let in 20 fewer bad goals over the course of a year. Could happen sure... but a slump by the goalies and a fizzling PP could just as easily put the team in the same hole it was last season.

One encouraging sign from the preseason (not that preseason means a lot) is that the Oilers may be slightly better defensively as a whole as there were more close 2-1, 3-2 type games.

Win or lose, when the team can keep it close instead of being blown out a lot... that's a sign of some improvement.

 

[PinSeeker]

1.Chicago
2.LA
3.Dallas
4.Anaheim
5.St Louis
6.San Jose
7.Colorado
8.Vancouver
9.Edmonton
10.Minnesota
11.Nashville
12.Winnipeg
13.Calgary
14.Phoenix

 

[dustrock]

I would be overjoyed if we finished ahead of Minnesota.

 

[molsonmuscle360]

I think this is the year for Nuge, Hall, Yak and Schultz to all start fully clicking, so I'm gonna go and say that they finish 8th. The new defense and a full year with half decent goaltending will squeek the team into the playoffs.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Optimistically, 9. Realistically, 13

 

[ManofSteel55]

Honestly the smart money is on 14th (and I'm not smart as I chose 12th)... because expecting this team to move up even 1 spot requires something like 35-40 goals improvement in the goals differential.

So that's the equivalent of pulling a 20 goal scorer out of nowhere... plus expecting the goalies to let in 20 fewer bad goals over the course of a year. Could happen sure... but a slump by the goalies and a fizzling PP could just as easily put the team in the same hole it was last season.

One encouraging sign from the preseason (not that preseason means a lot) is that the Oilers may be slightly better defensively as a whole as there were more close 2-1, 3-2 type games.

Win or lose, when the team can keep it close instead of being blown out a lot... that's a sign of some improvement.

The 20 fewer goals shouldn't be hard considering the crap our starting tandem let in, especially in the first six weeks.

Optimistically, Draisaitl should be better than Garner was last year, and Pouliot should chip in more than any of our bottom Sixers last year. Purcell might too. Plus, if our defense can contribute a bit more and Nugent has a better year, it isn't unthinkable.

 

[Aerchon]

Optimistically 8th. With great coaching it is doable.

Pessimistically 15th. Can't say anything I've seen anything in preseason that gives me legit hope the coaching staff knows what they are doing.

Realistically we should finish 11thish.

Calgary
Winnipeg
Pho

Should beat the above.

Van and Nash

Could/Should beat at least one of those 2 above.

SJ (if they fold like a cheap tent), LA (If they need CPR from their cup hangover), Minny (if they have severe injury problems), and Dallas (if Spezza/Hemsky can't handle the West). And our coaching is vastly improved we have the slightest obscure chance to surpass at least one of these to make the playoffs.

 

[thadd]

Why do you think Arizona will finish below us?

They're a strong team, well-coached, got a solid blue line, and above average goaltending (much better than our questionable duo of Scrivens and Fasths). Mike Smith is a solid starter.

IMO, Arizona will be among the teams that will fight for a playoff spot. Whether they make it is a debate for another day.

Doan and Hanzal aren't going to be any better and while Gagner will give them more offence I don't think he's going to be enough to make them a better team.

Their goaltending isn't going to be any better either. I see them sliding.

 

[thadd]

9th..ahead of Colorado, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Arizona and Calgary.

That would be an insanely awesome season for us and I hope it happens.

Colorado: Either goaltending has to come back to reality or goalie gets hurt.

Vancouver: Goalie or top 2 center gets hurt. Or defence shows it's holes while Miller starts to show his age.

Winnipeg: Jets dont score a ton of goals while goaltending is crappy like last year.

Arizona: Goalie gets hurt, Doan has a horrible year due to age and lack of offence.

Calgary: Lack of anything.

 

[ponokanocker]

12th ahead of 14th Calgary and 1 other team that under performs.

 

[Raab]

That would be an insanely awesome season for us and I hope it happens.

Colorado: Either goaltending has to come back to reality or goalie gets hurt.

Vancouver: Goalie or top 2 center gets hurt. Or defence shows it's holes while Miller starts to show his age.

Winnipeg: Jets dont score a ton of goals while goaltending is crappy like last year.

Arizona: Goalie gets hurt, Doan has a horrible year due to age and lack of offence.

Calgary: Lack of anything.

I don't know why everyone thinks Colorado's emergence was just because of goaltending. IMO it had more to do with the fact that they added Nathan Mackinnon and a 38 point Tyson Barrie on the backend. Anyways I think were somewhere between 12th and 14th. We still have a lot of question marks and everything needs to go right. Not to mention that ******* Eakins is still running the bench. Until he's gone I don't see this team improving much.

 

[thadd]

I don't know why everyone thinks Colorado's emergence was just because of goaltending. IMO it had more to do with the fact that they added Nathan Mackinnon and a 38 point Tyson Barrie on the backend. Anyways I think were somewhere between 12th and 14th. We still have a lot of question marks and everything needs to go right. Not to mention that ******* Eakins is still running the bench. Until he's gone I don't see this team improving much.

Colorado looks great up front, weak on defence and I don't see their goaltending pulling off another year like that.

I think their success last year was a big fluke to some degree and I'll be pissed off if I'm wrong.