Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | Heritage Classic Forecast: Chance for McFlurries

[ChaoticOrange]

Kulak shows up in the playoffs though, and we might need that.

Fart away too many winnable games against non playoff teams and we might not even make the playoffs.

 

[ujju2]

Fart away too many winnable games against non playoff teams and we might not even make the playoffs.

Don't disagree, but if we're going to hurt our chances of winning in the playoffs just so we can make the playoffs, I'm not the what the point is. It's cup or bust time, just making the playoffs will mean nothing.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

McDavid is definitely not off to a great start.

But they're still tasked with some extremely heavy lifting. McDavid was the only one going in games 5/6 against Vegas.

They're not blameless but they're getting zero help from anywhere in the lineup. The defense/goaltending has been atrocious and once again there's zero offense from the bottom six.

you can't have it both ways, McDrai gets the credits for the wins
Holland gets the blame are all the losses

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Schwartz completely confounds me. I used to defend him a bit, but it's been too long with not much to show. He should just resign if he had any stones.

The Oilers don't have any sort of accountability. Schwartz probably thinks he's doing a bang up job.

Gotta say that third goal last night was very bad. The game was over the instant it went in. Neither Campbell nor Skinner are good this year.

you can't have it both ways, McDrai gets the credits for the wins
Holland gets the blame are all the losses

People seriously underestimate how much better McDrai make the Oilers look when year after year nobody else steps up. If McDavid didn't step up in 2022 when their backs were against the wall vs the Kings Holland is probably out of a job and McDavid is with another team.

Again, I'm not saying they're blameless. I'm saying take them off the team and they will never, ever be a relevant team again.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

People seriously underestimate how much better McDrai make the Oilers look when year after year nobody else steps up. If McDavid didn't step up in 2022 when their backs were against the wall vs the Kings Holland is probably out of a job and McDavid is with another team.

Again, I'm not saying they're blameless. I'm saying take them off the team and they will never, ever be a relevant team again.

and if McDrai actually showed up against the Jets in 2021, Tippett would still be coach

having your best player being your best players is what every team needs

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

The Oilers don't have any sort of accountability. Schwartz probably thinks he's doing a bang up job.

Gotta say that third goal last night was very bad. The game was over the instant it went in. Neither Campbell nor Skinner are good this year.

Yeah it's not boding well at this point. Again, trying not to spiral too much like Sunday, but they need to do something, before the hole is too deep.

 

[Soundwave]

and if McDrai actually showed up against the Jets in 2021, Tippett would still be coach

having your best player being your best players is what every team needs

lol, Oilers fans have the least amount of tight rope to stand on and yell about this.

No team in the league has been carried harder by two players than the Oilers the last 2-3 years.

This organization couldn't put together a half way decent blue line if you gave them 20 years to do it at this rate.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

and if McDrai actually showed up against the Jets in 2021, Tippett would still be coach

having your best player being your best players is what every team needs

What prevented the other 20 players from stepping up vs. the Jets? If your strategy is "rely on two players to score 2-3 points every game" then you're straight f***ed.

They lost three one goal games. They win even one of those and maybe we're having a different conversation.

Do you know who scored the biggest goal in Blues history? It wasn't Brett Hull or O'Reilly or Tarasneko.

It was Patrick Maroon.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Same would be said about those guys in a week from now

A player playing 8 minutes a night is the least of this clubs worry.

The guys playing big minutes need to pull their heads out of their asses.

Doubtful. They have a history of physical play. That's what has kept them in the league. We could use a spark and an answer to other teams physical players. It might make us play bigger as a team "to a man" as Woody would say.

 

[Soundwave]

9 years in and the Oilers still only manage to have only two top four D ... Ekholm and Nurse.

9 years ago they had Klefbom and the freshly signed Sekera and that was it.

Same hamster wheel. They just can't figure out this same puzzle. Is what it is.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

9 years in and the Oilers still only manage to have only two top four D ... Ekholm and Nurse.

9 years ago they had Klefbom and the freshly signed Sekera and that was it.

Same hamster wheel. They just can't figure out this same puzzle. Is what it is.

Their goaltending sucks and their bottom six can't piss a drop. It's like 2019 all over again.

 

[Soundwave]

Their goaltending sucks and their bottom six can't piss a drop. It's like 2019 all over again.

The blue line is main place of rot I think, they've never been able to construct a blue line that has 4 guys that can actually defend on it outside of maybe 16-17 before that went to shit.

Bouchard just threw that game away yesterday.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The blue line is main place of rot I think, they've never been able to construct a blue line that has 4 guys that can actually defend on it outside of maybe 16-17 before that went to shit.

Bouchard just threw that game away yesterday.

It's always someone... Their blueline just doesn't get it done on a consistent basis. If it's not the Nurse/Ceci pairing it's the Ekholm/Bouchard pairing.

 

[Soundwave]

It's always someone... Their blueline just doesn't get it done on a consistent basis. If it's not the Nurse/Ceci pairing it's the Ekholm/Bouchard pairing.

They can't get it done, they don't have the personnel to be good defensively.

Again only 2 top four D. They're missing two defensemen upfront.

Bouchard, Kulak, Ceci are bottom pairing D, Broberg and Desharnais are no.7 D.

Merge that with a coaching staff that's not really good defensively and you're going to have problems.

 

[joestevens29]

Doubtful. They have a history of physical play. That's what has kept them in the league. We could use a spark and an answer to other teams physical players. It might make us play bigger as a team "to a man" as Woody would say.

Erne is one of the most physical guys in the NHL this year, so I'm not really sure what more those guys bring

Yeah. I haven't minded Drai, Nuge, or Hyman at all tbh. Think all 3 have been good (outside of last night when literally every Oiler sucked). But definitely McDavid, Kane, Brown, Nurse, Ceci, Bouchard, even Ekholm need to pull it together, and soon.

Really need Holloway/McLeod to start getting some production as well. Although the way those guys skate sometimes it feels offensively something might happen for them soon.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

What prevented the other 20 players from stepping up vs. the Jets? If your strategy is "rely on two players to score 2-3 points every game" then you're straight f***ed.

They lost three one goal games. They win even one of those and maybe we're having a different conversation.

Do you know who scored the biggest goal in Blues history? It wasn't Brett Hull or O'Reilly or Tarasneko.

It was Patrick Maroon.

and they don't get that "big goal" without the best players performing

I mean, last year the biggest goals came from Hyman and Yammo...

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Erne is one of the most physical guys in the NHL this year, so I'm not really sure what more those guys bring


Really need Holloway/McLeod to start getting some production as well. Although the way those guys skate sometimes it feels offensively something might happen for them soon.

Based on what? Has he thrown a big hit? Gotten into a fight? He wanted no part of Philly's tough guys last game. Erne is slow as molasses and not a very good fighter. What does he bring to the table?

 

[GOilers88]

Holland did? Or McDavid/Draisatl did? Because the same issues that are currently plaguing the team (defense, depth scoring, goaltending) are the same things that plagued the team when he began his tenure.


After the Chiarelli debacle they should've cleaned house. Way too many people have overstayed their welcome in this org.

It's interesting that when the team has any sort of success, it's not because of Holland or the roster he put together, but rather because of McDrai.

But when the team slumps, it's all because of Holland and the roster he put together, and nothing to do with McDrai.

 

[russ99]

I find it amusing how some people ridicule Lavoie for signing 75k extra and how it causes hurdles for the team.

But Browns agent has a 3.225m bonus for simply playing 10g. I honestly hope he gets going. But he needs about 3 more levels before hes a 4m dollar player.

Sometimes you need to make hard decisions. The Oilers will never waive him though. But that’s part of the problem why the organization is at where it’s at. Everyone is too comfortable.

Vegas wouldn’t even think about waiving him if doesn’t pick it up.

Honestly Jackson needs to figure out his plan for this team. I assume Holland won’t be the GM next year. No point saddleing the next GM with a 3m overrage if the team still looks like garbage after the 9g mark.

Maybe Brown should take some responsibility for how he’s playing. Maybe McDavid should take some responsibility for recruiting a player and then not holding the team accountable for the way they are playing.

Bigger problem than Lavoie’s contract is Woodcroft’s track record of not trusting rookies.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

9 years in and the Oilers still only manage to have only two top four D ... Ekholm and Nurse.

9 years ago they had Klefbom and the freshly signed Sekera and that was it.

Same hamster wheel. They just can't figure out this same puzzle. Is what it is.

As I said earlier, you can't have four players eating up more than 40% of your cap when it's down in the $80 million range. $82.5 million gets eaten pretty quick when you have these as your four highest salaries.
$12.5
$9.25
$8.5
$6.0

Nurse is way overpaid, that contract has to go. Ekholm is perfect at 6. But the next McDavid negotiations, the question for him is do you want to win or do you want to get paid? If it's paid, we're trading you. We're not tying up 15-17 million in cap for one player and expect a balanced roster when Drai would also be around Matthews money. If you want to win, you've already made $100 million USD so take a discount and leave some meat and potatoes on the table to build a strong team. If not, tell us where you'll waive for and off you go.

Bloated salaries with a stagnant cap is the biggest c**kblock going.

 

[joestevens29]

Based on what? Has he thrown a big hit? Gotten into a fight? He wanted no part of Philly's tough guys last game. Erne is slow as molasses and not a very good fighter. What does he bring to the table?

About the same as the two you mentioned.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

and they don't get that "big goal" without the best players performing

I mean, last year the biggest goals came from Hyman and Yammo...

You're right. Almost as if sometimes you need lesser players to step up. Because McDavid and Draisatl aren't going to score every single game, and thinking they will is blissfully naive.

The Oilers are a stunningly bad 3-10 in playoff OT games in the McDavid era. Anyone can score, but nobody does.

 

[GOilers88]

As I said earlier, you can't have four players eating up more than 40% of your cap when it's down in the $80 million range. $82.5 million gets eaten pretty quick when you have these as your four highest salaries.
$12.5
$9.25
$8.5
$6.0

Nurse is way overpaid, that contract has to go. Ekholm is perfect at 6. But the next McDavid negotiations, the question for him is do you want to win or do you want to get paid? If it's paid, we're trading you. We're not tying up 15-17 million in cap for one player and expect a balanced roster when Drai would also be around Matthews money. If you want to win, you've already made $100 million USD so take a discount and leave some meat and potatoes on the table to build a strong team. If not, tell us where you'll waive for and off you go.

Bloated salaries with a stagnant cap is the biggest c**kblock going.

I don't disagree with you assessment of the next contracts, but it leads me to one place.

That if you can't win with McDavid and Draisaitl, you aren't going to win with any other prospects or young players.

 

[tiger_80]

I think if they miss playoffs, they'd have to trade Draisaitl and retool substantially. Not sure if McDavid will want to be part of that.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Holloway-McDavid-Hyman
McLeod-Draisaitl-Brown
Kane-RNH-Foegele
Janmark-Pederson-Ryan

Waive Erne

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Ceci
Broberg-Desharnais

I think the top six is too easy to shut down with McDrai together. Split em up.