I don't disagree but when Smith is letting in basically every scoring chance, you have to adjust somehow. The Oilers didn't play a great game last night but it got to the point where I had to look away whenever the Wild were in the Oilers zone.
"Figure it out yourself" isn't going to work for this team. We aren't that far removed from when Hitchcock basically did the same thing.
And the Oilers got their **** kicked by the Sens and Canes. Nothing changed. The next one isn't going to wake them up either. The reality check is already here. They're going to be out of a playoff spot by 2020 despite a relatively lax schedule. It's not that hard to picture them losing most of the remaining games of the month. They aren't beating Toronto. They aren't likely to win in Dallas or St. Louis (both houses of horrors for them). They might squeak out a win against Pittsburgh/Montreal. But with the teams no longer so far in the rear view mirror, something has to change otherwise this season will be lost.
And how many more lost seasons do you think McDavid and the fans can handle?
One could say Elvis has already left the building.
Theres not a lot of happy campers now fans, or players.
STL and Dallas will be tough. I'm never all that convinced Toronto is unbeatable..
But really its probably amazing we're in a playoff spot this late in the year.
Some positive notes is Neal getting re engaged, has actually played well for a number of games and clearly getting a wake up call. Haas, Archibald have been playing better and starting to look more like what is expected from them.
As much as we knock the bottomsix of the team these are not garbage players, but its taking some time to gell. Over the last month all of Granlund, Haas, Archibald, Sheahan etc have been better.
Other positives how good Kassian has been all season.
Having the two top forwards in scoring.
Its never as good or as bad as it looks at any given time.