Same ****. Different day. Oilers lose 3-2.

[McTedi]

Putting him in the press box was a terrible idea IMO. Now the team is spinning its wheels in the mud on its first road trip and many players are struggling to tread water.

A lot of you are completely exaggerating about his defensive acumen, he hasn't been remotely as bad as some people think. He's not helping the solution right now but he's not nearly as big of a problem either. The whole team, aside from maybe Gordon and one or two others, sucks defensively and has poor hockey sense. This is a major problem, the collective.

I don't think they're as bad as their record indicates but something's gotta give. They're going to have to trade one of the "big" 4. They're probably not going to get as much as they want/need either.

Expecting a player to forecheck isn't asking a whole lot. He isn't accomplishing much without the puck and even less with it.

 

[Raab]

Oh, big deal. Come on, man!
He should've been traded for a goalie and defenseman in the off season.

My entire point on Yak: WE DON'T NEED HIM. Holy hell, we are full of scoring wingers. We need more NHL calibre centres, defenseman, goalies. The LAST thing we needed was to keep Yak. Just terrible asset management. He adds NOTHING to this team. NOTHING.

I agree he should be traded and have been advocating it even before the pick. I would have like to see him go for Yandle+ at the time, even now Id have no problems trading him for someone like Carlson or Bogosian. Yak is by far one of the least problems with this team though, and has started to buy in to two way play. I think once he gets his first point the flood gates will open for him.

 

[KlimasLoveChild]

So I thought hall was supposed to be this stud game changer?

All I see is a stat padder fighting with his teammates.

What was that all about eh? Kinda giving it to Yak there.

 

[KarmaPolice]

He led the team in goals last year playing most of the season with Belanger. They weren't going to trade him unless like Tavares/Stamkos/Subban were inexplicably offered or something.

Well then that is horrible asset management on the part of MacT is that is what he realistically thought he could get for Yak. And with all due respect, you don't know that was the case.

 

[Del Preston]

Can we have an HFOil dispersal draft?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Well then that is horrible asset management on the part of MacT is that is what he realistically thought he could get for Yak. And with all due respect, you don't know that was the case.

No team in the league is going to offer up a #1 defenseman for a rookie.

 

[McOilers97]

And why do we need another smallish forward that does not hit, and gives away the puck more than any Oiler(other than Hall)?

Ok...that was just a small part of my post, the bulk of it was about the special teams. Nice to see you being confrontational to a post that was anything but, and blowing one sentence of it way out of proportion. No matter what you think of Gagner, we're a better team with him than without him.

 

[hmminvisiblecola1279]

He led the team in goals last year and led all rookies in scoring? You seriously think he was going to be dealt? Get real.

Blaming this all on Yakupov is just stupid. He's not playing well, but RNH is playing even worse and Yak is not the reason why three Islander players got point blank shots open in the slot that killed us.

Throwing Yakupov under the bus when he flourished under Krueger is laughable. The goaltending, the defensive effort and most of all the individual system play should be concerning all of us more. You guys want to get mad, how about Hall and his constant toe drags, RNH invisible, Eberle disappearing when the play gets rough, Justin Schultz and his constant defensive miscues. Spread the blame around because our best players are ****ing the bed as well. Those four guys defensive play has been embarrassing as well.

 

[syz]

The swarm defense is a ****ing joke. Swarm should not mean leave the slot open at all times.

Whoever decided that changing up the special teams to these abortions we see now needs a bullet sized hole next to the gigantic one existing in their cranium.

None of the forwards go to the net. Why play along the boards? That's where they're the weakest.

The only thing Eakins has successfully implemented is a transition game breakout. Zone entry, offensive zone play, defense, special teams... fails across the board.

The power play last season wasn't really any better at generating shots or chances. The term unsustainable makes its presence felt again...

The penalty kill seems like a personnel issue. The team doesn't have any penalty killers anymore. Eakins is throwing guys out there who never even killed penalties in junior. Although the goaltending certainly hasn't helped the PK at all.

 

[Philly85*]

Same argument was made about Eberle last year.

Difference is Yakupov hasn't been signed to a long term overpayment yet.

Precisely why id much rather move Eberle.

 

[Jean Ralphio]

I long for the days of 8th to 12th-place mediocrity.

 

[knockoutpanda]

Edmonton Oilers ‏@EdmontonOilers 38s
"This is where Duby takes over and starts playing like we know he can. It would have been nice to get a win for him." - Taylor Hall

Exactly!

 

[Soundwave]

Well then that is horrible asset management on the part of MacT is that is what he realistically thought he could get for Yak. And with all due respect, you don't know that was the case.

No team is trading a highly drafted player after a successful rookie season. Do you see Florida talking about trading Huberdeau? Or Colorado trading Landeskog?

You need to go on two-three years of druken benders like Seguin to get dealt, lol (and honestly I think that will be a trade that looks bad on Boston in a year or so).

 

[CupofOil]

Can't blame Dubnyk for this one.
One of the worst efforts that i've seen from a hockey team in a long time. The effort especially in the 3rd was alarmingly bad as if they don't care anymore. Pretty much sucked from head to toe.

 

[dustrock]

Didn't check my posting history but IIRC many people when Eakins was announced thought "well, another inexperienced head coach... But the experienced ones didn't fare any better."

Make a trade, Mac T.

 

[Tarus]

If we could somehow combine Renney-Krueger-Eakins into one we might have a coach that works for everyone on this roster, lol.

Funny thing is all of the sudden we're one of the best teams in the NHL in the face off dot, haha.

No idea why you would want Eakins mixed in with Kreuger/Renny, he hasn't bought anything to the team yet, and doesn't look like he will either.

The faceoffs are improved because Gagner isn't in the lineup, and they replaced faux faceoff specialists Horcoff/Belanger with players who really can consistently win faceoffs in Gordon and Arcobello(big surprise how good he is in the faceoffs).

 

[TimeForAnOilChange]

Hey guys, good game. It was a high pace game, kind of nice to see. Keep the faith people, it should click. Hall is outstanding, but he didn't get much help tonight. RNH was invisible, he needs to show more. Good luck the rest of the way until we play again.

ugh, you know its bad when an Isles fan stops by to give us the "it will get better" proverbial pat on the back....and I like the Isles btw, glad they have turned it around, but my god does that suck when you hear that from an Isles fan.

And like others have said in here, its like a car crash, just cant look away, no matter how uncomfortable it is, and I agree with the poster that said maybe we should just fold the team, its absolutely embarrassing to cheer for this team...for the 1st time in my life, i'm embarrassed to wear my Oiler gear in public (and its worse for me than those who live in Edmonton, because I live in enemy territory in BC and have heard about it for the past few years as it is, never mind this gong show that's happening this year).

 

[KarmaPolice]

For a team that's "chock full" of scoring wingers, we sure could've used a goal or two from some of them not named Hall tonight.

We're not that great offensively.

Because we have a crap D-core that can't move up the puck, and make a decent outlet pass. Yak could've been traded for one, and should've. You can't just expect to be fully loaded with wingers and the offense will be fine. How about the centre position, as well? Even if Yak was traded for a legit top 6 centre that would've been an upgrade for the team. We don't need more wingers. We don't need Yak. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking with it.

 

[oilinblood]

@EdmontonOilers
"On all their goals we had somebody of position trying to help somewhere else. We have to look after our own space." - Coach Eakins

You have failed, coach.

this is actually typical of a new system. Some people pick up systems faster than others... and they get used to the slower players needing help. When you are a good player you sometimes stupidly try to help bail neanderthals out, assist them... and cause more harm. Its better if they all just play their own game and let the weaker players get weeded out...but its a team game and guys try hard for the W so if they think they can cheat on their coverage and help one of the stupid ***** out...than they will play the odds of having it come back to bite them in the *** and make the choice.

 

[dustrock]

Can't blame Dubnyk for this one.
One of the worst efforts that i've seen from a hockey team in a long time. The effort especially in the 3rd was alarmingly bad as if they don't care anymore. Pretty much sucked from head to toe.

This team is afraid and defeated. Too many passengers.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Yakupov in no man's land. The kid was not battling for the puck and how many times was he just standing around away from the play. Our defense is horrible. Not impressed with Ference or the Schultezes.

 

[molsonmuscle360]

Well then that is horrible asset management on the part of MacT is that is what he realistically thought he could get for Yak. And with all due respect, you don't know that was the case.

Why do you dislike Yak so much...Every single post you've made tonight has been about him...You probably harass the kid on Twitter as well. Every goal scorer goes through slumps. Especially young guys. Remember how everyone was writing off Ovi three years ago?

Now that we have high end talent, it's time to trade future draft picks, and prospects not yet in the NHL to get pieces we need, not trade our quality for someone elses quantity.

 

[sync]

i haven't watched much this year, but if this game is indicative of most games, this team doesn't play 60 minutes - simple as that.

 

[Smartguy]

@GenePrincipe: "I knew this renovation was going to be messy. I didn't think it would be this messy." Dallas Eakins

Sounds like someone wishes they had a team that gave a ****

 

[Soundwave]

Because we have a crap D-core that can't move up the puck, and make a decent outlet pass. Yak could've been traded for one, and should've. You can't just expect to be fully loaded with wingers and the offense will be fine. How about the centre position, as well? Even if Yak was traded for a legit top 6 centre that would've been an upgrade for the team. We don't need more wingers. We don't need Yak. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking with it.

Our talent overall is overrated. Hall included (gulp).

Tavares was head and shoulders better than any of our kids tonight, just a total beast, but you could tell that was just another day at the office for him, nothing special.