Systems & Coaching Changes

[nabob]

If they had a prolific goal scorer they would probably use them on the PP.

Strome had 4 ppg in a season once, about 5 seasons ago.

The rest of those players have 5 ppg goals combined. Like all of them added together.

And they have about 5 minutes on a top PP unit combined. But hey if you’re loving the 5 LH pass first Players on the top unit them then good for you.

 

[nabob]

I've been screaming about this for ages, we dont need to have Pulju or any right shots if the setup makes sense. Putting Mcdavid on the left gives him 2 bombs in Klefbom and Draisaitl, Nuge himself has a quick release that looked improved from before in that last game and Lucic can use his size to screen and push people around in the paint.

It’s a lot harder to protect the puck and dish passes from that position for a LH player. If anyone can do it McDavid could but there’s a reason why players set up on their off wing on the PP.

 

[Bank Shot]

And they have about 5 minutes on a top PP unit combined. But hey if you’re loving the 5 LH pass first Players on the top unit them then good for you.

Not loving it. Not seeing many other options yet.

5 LH players is better than 5 guys who might not even make the team at this point in time.

If some of these righthanders do something once the regular season starts I'm sure they will get some opportunities.

 

[nabob]

Not loving it. Not seeing many other options yet.

5 LH players is better than 5 guys who might not even make the team at this point in time.

If some of these righthanders do something once the regular season starts I'm sure they will get some opportunities.

You’re right, Lucic is clearly a superior option. Who needs one timers or quick puck movement on the PP when you can pass it around forever while standing still.

 

[GameChanger]

Puljujarvi got about 45 seconds each year. His production was poor both seasons.

Was it really that poor as his PPG/60 was the 2nd best of the team, 2.484? In comparison Drai 1.634, McDavid 1.237, Lucic 1.030, Strome 0.758, Klefbom 0.329, Khaira 0.000.

I know the sample size is very small, but there's no way to say his production was poor for the time he had. Nobody knows what his numbers could be if he was used in his own spot, but I believe with proper usage he'd be a great addition.

 

[Bank Shot]

Was it really that poor as his PPG/60 was the 2nd best of the team, 2.484? In comparison Drai 1.634, McDavid 1.237, Lucic 1.030, Strome 0.758, Klefbom 0.329, Khaira 0.000.

I know the sample size is very small, but there's no way to say his production was poor for the time he had. Nobody knows what his numbers could be if he was used in his own spot, but I believe with proper usage he'd be a great addition.

I am using points/60. Over the last two years Puljujarvi was 2.55/60. Only Desharnais, Strome, Maroon, and Pouliot were worse.

I assume Puljujarvi will be a fixture on the second PP to start the year and will likely move up if he performs well.

 

[nexttothemoon]

McDavid-Drai-RNH-Lucic-Bouchard are a good combo on the PP to try.

Keep things simple with the best personnel together and if it doesn't work... change it.

 

[GameChanger]

I am using points/60.

Oh I thought you were talking the PP. Anyway, I haven't heard a single good or even ok reason why Puljujarvi hasn't been tried in his own place. I guess keeping his numbers down for a cheaper extension is the best I've heard, but then again the team needs goals and points, so they should at least give it a go.

I also believe using Pulju correctly on the PP could be a huge boost to him as he's desperately waiting for a chance to show what he's got there. If that won't happen this season either I wouldn't be surprised if he's not too excited to continue under McLellan.

 

[Oilerfan1000]

The defensive zone break out is much improved. It was terrible last year. Last year their was this idea you could mindlessly backhand up the boards to clear the zone. This is now removed from the playbook it seems

 

[dustrock]

I'm going to wait about 10 games into the season before judging the PP.

Honestly wouldn't be shocked if they were hiding some things in practice or waiting just because of opposing teams scouting in person and on video.

Don't tip your hand early, especially with a very difficult October schedule

 

[Bank Shot]

Oh I thought you were talking the PP. Anyway, I haven't heard a single good or even ok reason why Puljujarvi hasn't been tried in his own place. I guess keeping his numbers down for a cheaper extension is the best I've heard, but then again the team needs goals and points, so they should at least give it a go.

I also believe using Pulju correctly on the PP could be a huge boost to him as he's desperately waiting for a chance to show what he's got there. If that won't happen this season either I wouldn't be surprised if he's not too excited to continue under McLellan.

Yeah. Points/60 on the PP.

Puljujarvi hasn't had success there yet.

It shouldn't be a case where Puljujarvi needs to get some kind of perfect situation set up for him. That's backwards.

He needs to show well and get rewarded. Maybe he'll do it this season. It would really have a big impact on the club so I am hoping he succeeds.

 

[GameChanger]

Yeah. Points/60 on the PP.

Puljujarvi hasn't had success there yet.

It shouldn't be a case where Puljujarvi needs to get some kind of perfect situation set up for him. That's backwards.

He needs to show well and get rewarded. Maybe he'll do it this season. It would really have a big impact on the club so I am hoping he succeeds.

I have to disagree with you a bit. If you put a player to a position he's never played at and give him the worse 2nd PP unit players being the 2nd best at PPG/60 is pretty much the most you can expect. Sure a an assit here and there would look nice, but with the low minutes and the wrong position you can't really draw any kind of conclusions, good or bad.

A player who's always shined at the shooter position should be given a go at that place without having to prove himself as a grinder first. That's not actually that far from making Laine a grinder and waiting until he shines there to try him as a shooter.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

The special teams have been frustrating this pre season but hopefully that's just because the systems haven't been fully implemented yet.

That pp is disgusting though. Whoever thinks those setups are good is blind. As if 5L passers on pp1 isn't bad enough, you have JP floating in the middle of coverage while everyone feeds Strome for floaters from the hashmarks.

I'm no coach, but even I can see that's not gonna work.

 

[GodPucker]

Sometimes it's just mindboggling how much better posters see formations, etc better than coaches. Probably some stupid politics that go on behind the scenes when we see idiotic combos.

Also, the Pk looks the same. One guy floating to the point leaving everybody else exposed.

WPG had a nice aggressive Pk yesterday. That requires a lot of hustle and hard work though.

 

[joestevens29]

The defensive zone break out is much improved. It was terrible last year. Last year their was this idea you could mindlessly backhand up the boards to clear the zone. This is now removed from the playbook it seems

Yawney apparently wants there to be more high risk plays. Less of the easy pass to the other d-man and then out. Was slowing downing the breakout and not really working anyway. At least a few more of those long passes to the other blueline will eventually result in something.

 

[joestevens29]

Sometimes it's just mindboggling how much better posters see formations, etc better than coaches. Probably some stupid politics that go on behind the scenes when we see idiotic combos.

Also, the Pk looks the same. One guy floating to the point leaving everybody else exposed.

WPG had a nice aggressive Pk yesterday. That requires a lot of hustle and hard work though.

Our PK was top in the league last year starting in February or something.

 

[nexttothemoon]

The PP is 5/16... 31.3% so far in pre-season.

Yes it's only pre-season but so far so good. People may not like the personnel or structures being used... but the results are good so far and obviously that's what actually matters the most.

PK is 77.8% after the Winnipeg game... not great... but even there, the team obviously doesn't have their best PK players together and considering the chopped up lineups... both for and against, defensive stats are most likely to take a hit in pre-season games.

 

[Bank Shot]

Sometimes it's just mindboggling how much better posters see formations, etc better than coaches. Probably some stupid politics that go on behind the scenes when we see idiotic combos.

Also, the Pk looks the same. One guy floating to the point leaving everybody else exposed.

WPG had a nice aggressive Pk yesterday. That requires a lot of hustle and hard work though.

I'm pretty sure 99% of fans have no idea about the details involved in NHL systems.

If someone here can give me a detailed breakdown of the Oilers systems last year and why the systems themselves were causes of failure please do so now.

Please go into more detail than "they didn't move enough on the PP" and "they just stood around" on the PK.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

I'm pretty sure 99% of fans have no idea about the details involved in NHL systems.

If someone here can give me a detailed breakdown of the Oilers systems last year and why the systems themselves were causes of failure please do so now.

Please go into more detail than "they didn't move enough on the PP" and "they just stood around" on the PK.

Fans see the same thing the coaches do... It's not like it's some secret technique that only the trained can see.

The pk was too passive, letting the other team walk in untouched the majority of the time, and nobody taking out the trash in front of the net. There was also always a guy open for shots from the point. We didn't pressure them at all.


The pp was simple, too many passers and left handers and no point shot.

The pp worked fantastic the year before last because letestu was on fire from the hashmarks, and when it failed to work last year, they kept trying to make it work until he finally got traded, at which point they threw cagguila and Strome out there in hopes of replicating letestus success, while our two shoot first right handed young guys were lucky to see a single shift with any pp unit.

If you the average hf poster doesn't know why a pp isn't working based on watching every second of it every season, you're sorely mistaken.

Your average joe might not have a clue, and just yell shoot all the time, but most people who go so far as to sign up for a forum like this, are a bit more into it than your average fan.

 

[Porkleaker]

It's weird. He's like the coach who doesn't like to coach.

Just please try and get line match-ups this year.

"I don't believe in line matching" - Todd. Let's just do the exact same thing as last year and expect different results. No, they didn't get a lot of power plays last year but they barely capitalized when they did, special teams were a moot point. He's too stubborn and by the time he changes things up in a way that actually makes sense, like RNH and McDavid, the season is over. I'm not hoping for failure but if they do this season they need to shitcan his dumbass before the playoffs are an unachievable thing.

 

[Porkleaker]

They have JP for a RH shot, but refuse to utilize him on the first PP. McLellan stubbornness knows no bounds.

Right? And he's got a wicked shot too, why for the love of all that is holy is he icing 5 lefties on the PP? I used to think Woodcroft was the problem, well partially but it's pretty evident that Todd just comes up with these idiotic ideas on a whim and is like, "Yeah let's play Lucic 4 on 4" wtf. Just fire him now please.

 

[Porkleaker]

Fans see the same thing the coaches do... It's not like it's some secret technique that only the trained can see.

The pk was too passive, letting the other team walk in untouched the majority of the time, and nobody taking out the trash in front of the net. There was also always a guy open for shots from the point. We didn't pressure them at all.


The pp was simple, too many passers and left handers and no point shot.

The pp worked fantastic the year before last because letestu was on fire from the hashmarks, and when it failed to work last year, they kept trying to make it work until he finally got traded, at which point they threw cagguila and Strome out there in hopes of replicating letestus success, while our two shoot first right handed young guys were lucky to see a single shift with any pp unit.

If you the average hf poster doesn't know why a pp isn't working based on watching every second of it every season, you're sorely mistaken.

Your average joe might not have a clue, and just yell shoot all the time, but most people who go so far as to sign up for a forum like this, are a bit more into it than your average fan.

PK was passive and PP was stagnant, everyone just standing still instead of moving their legs. And then you've got Lucic who refuses to get in the dirty areas and do anything, Klefbom (last season) couldn't hit the net if he tried. When Letestu was here everyone knew the set-up after 2016-2017 - Letestu on the halfboards and scores. Todd's obvious disdain for JP and even trying another D-man on the point is just pathetic and why I bet this season will be similar to last

 

[GodPucker]

Pk was passive and they had that stupid formation that was explained well by Jason Gregor. We all have eyeballs. Then they send one man to go pressure the point. it leaves easy one timers against, etc.

If they kept the same formation last year, how did it get so good after mid jan or Feb? Wasn't it like #2 overall after Todd took over?

If it was the same formation and it improved, that's effort level IMO.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Pk was passive and they had that stupid formation that was explained well by Jason Gregor. We all have eyeballs. Then they send one man to go pressure the point. it leaves easy one timers against, etc.

If they kept the same formation last year, how did it get so good after mid jan or Feb? Wasn't it like #2 overall after Todd took over?

If it was the same formation and it improved, that's effort level IMO.

I noticed less rigidity in the PK in the 2nd half of the season, it morphed more quickly in unison to take away passing lanes. Like in the first half I noticed it was more like one PKer pushed out to create pressure on the puck carrier and then his partner on the opposite side made a partial adjustment to that and the other two PKers remained relatively static, whereas later if felt more like a 4 man unit. I didn't realize our PK was doing that much better down the back half, it just felt improved shortly after word leaked out McLellan took over that role.

 

[MaxR11]

from the bits i've seen, it looks like the PP has a bit better puck support in the offensive zone and seemingly better puck retrieval when the lose control of the puck in the o-zone. that could be partly due to coaching telling them to anticipate certain things and knowing how to support to win back the pack.