Player Discussion The Eating Crow Thread

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Mikko Smithanen. Still not there on this team's goaltending. But love Smith making people (me) wrong.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I’ve always been decently amenable to Smith.

We all know how Smith has a "f*** you and your cat too" mentality. I think him being put on the backburner and circled back to by Holland when he ran out of options was that moment for him. He's come to play so far this season. I wonder what their record would be if he didn't miss the first month. Very good chance we'd be neck and neck with Toronto.

 

[Cloned]

We all know how Smith has a "f*** you and your cat too" mentality. I think him being put on the backburner and circled back to by Holland when he ran out of options was that moment for him. He's come to play so far this season. I wonder what their record would be if he didn't miss the first month. Very good chance we'd be neck and neck with Toronto.

Probably at least 2 more wins, so something like 13-5...

 

[Wretched Oil]

Haas for me as well. I was not a fan of him last year but really like his play this season.

Haven't he only played 2 games?

 

[LTIR]

I proposed Pulju for Bennett a month ago.

In you go, crow!

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Probably at least 2 more wins, so something like 13-5...

That seems about right, I think these three for sure.
4-3 loss to Toronto
6-4 loss to Winnipeg
6-4 loss to Calgary

I still refuse to pin the 6-5 loss on him the other night.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I proposed Pulju for Bennett a month ago.

In you go, crow!

I don't think you were the only one...hope there's enough to share lol.

 

[LTIR]

Two strong games for Russell but i dont think anyone would ever eat crow there.

He will remain the punching bag til his last game with Oil.

 

[space321]

Nothing yet. Let me know when Kassian does something noteworthy and I'll eat crow then. That contract was terrible the second it was signed.

 

[belair]

Turris. He's just not bringing it. He's a guy who is three years removed from signing a long-term $6m a year contract and he's barely a serviceable depth forward at this point.

I'll say Puljujarvi, too. But I was never really down on him enough to say he wasn't gonna make it.

Still a long way to go with the rest.

 

[LTIR]

Nothing yet. Let me know when Kassian does something noteworthy and I'll eat crow then. That contract was terrible the second it was signed.

Holy crap, just skimmed through your post history. Looks like you joined HF just to hate on Kassian.

I think we are kinda out of cap hell now so his 3.2M per wont sting too much.. Hopefully he becomes a quality 3RW for us or gets claimed by Seattle.

 

[JayE]

Mike Smith, definitely. To a lesser extent Khaira as I had mostly written him off after his disastrous first few games. I had higher expectations for Kahun than he's been able to meet, but I think he'll show better in time. Expected a lot more from Jones.

 

[GOilers88]

I generally kind of over positive when it comes to Oiler players...but I was ready to throw Khaira in my trunk and drive him to the airport earlier this year.

he’s been very good since getting back into the lineup.

I'm with you. Try to keep it light. Keeps the disappointment low, lol.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

I've been highly critical of Nurse and Pulju at different times, but I never wrote either off, I laid out the hurdles/obstacles they'd need to overcome and they have been doing just that, I will say though that I undersold Nurse's offensive potential I never thought he'd be more than a 40 point d-man besides a single one-off season where he's running hot/lucky, but it seems like he might pass that threshold many more times in his career with the way he's trending and I also didn't think he was deserving of his $5.6M extension, but at this moment he's certainly earning that deal and then some.

I'll eat crow on Draisaitl, despite being on the right side of the Draisaitl vs Bennett debate, I had his upside capped as more along the lines of a Nicklas Backstrom a quality 1st line forward for many years, but Drai has blown that projection out of the water, he's legitimately a top 5 forward in the league and has a realistic shot at being in the Hall of Fame one day, I didn't see that coming till it was staring me in the face.

 

[Aceboogie]

Nurse-although he was on a PDO bender to start the year and I think his goal totals have glossed over some sketchy play. Still better than expected

maybe Smith but too early to tell

Team really hasn’t been good enough to have more than 2 surprise good players. JP had amazing underlying numbers in the Finnish league so expected this somewhat

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

Pulju and Lagesson for sure

 

[5 14 6 1]

Nurse and Khaira thus far

 

[OilerTitanFan]

I proposed Pulju for Bennett a month ago.

In you go, crow!

I proposed JP for PLD a week ago, then changed it to JP for Laine.

Looks like JP might be the best out of the three soon.

 

[CravenMH]

For me, definitely Puli. A few weeks ago i said he'd be lucky to be a 3rd liner. But he has completely transformed recently. His balance is much improved as well as his puck control. Amazing. I don't know who this kid is working with in practices but man is it working.

I would almost say Khaira but he's played rope-a-dope with us too many times. You know what they say in Texas.. fool me once shame on you, fool me twice.. uhh.. you can't fool me again. But seriously if he stays consistent like he has recently, I will gladly eat crow.

 

[Patch101]

Smith, but its a bit early. That said, he looks way more grounded around the net. I like it.
Maybe Bouchard after, I thought it was a bit to early.

Disappointments are larger with Turris, and Kassian I'd say.
You know there is more there ...

 

[CravenMH]

Theres room on the potato cart. I mean Smith is nothing exceptional, but clearly the best we got, and hard to comprehend people not seeing that. He'll have his off games for sure at this age and one bad tendency is when the team in front of him is not playing, Smith doesn't knock himself out trying to save them. if the team bails on Smith, its not pretty. But when teams are on board playing within their schemes Smith is solid most nights. Sure is showing up in the W/L column which is the ONLY stat that matters.

Thing with Smitty too is that he will keep players accountable. If they're hanging him out to dry you can bet he lets them know about it. And you don't want to be on the wrong side of that guy. He might have off nights but it's not for a lack of trying. He wants to win more than anyone every night.

 

[Ninety7]

Nurse for sure lol

 

[Captain Controversy]

-Khaira has me eating some crow.
-Smith as well because that play in against Chicago left a bad taste in my mouth..but he is playing well.
-Adam Larsson to a degree but I have always been a fan and cheered for him to bounce back.
-I was pulling for puljujarvi all along but his game is on a whole new level. I thought he would he better but not this good so...some crow.
-Tyler Ennis looked done at the beginning of this year and low and behold..I am eating crow because he is injecting life into each line he plays.
-yammamoto is feeding me crow because the play in, he was invisible. Now, he is a machine again on the forechek.

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

In China, they eat bats instead of crows.

JP for sure. It looked like he was going bust city for the early part of his career, but he's turned it around this season. I was impressed for his play and efforts 2 games into this season. The determination and efforts are there and I'm hoping he continues to improve.

Nurse. He stepped up big time in Klef's absence. It looks like he's putting it all together. I'm seeing less of the bone headed plays he usually makes.

 

[Mr Positive]

I'd say Smith. I figured at his age he wasn't going be our saviour in net but it looks like he's been that. So I'm pleased we can ride this tandem to some success for now. I was wrong.

about JP, I was basically right (not amazing insight, just in principle we don't let talent walk away for no reason), but what happened to the people who wanted him gone for principled reasons, because he "gave up on the team". It was an unforgivable sin to a lot of people. That's a lot different than just saying he's a bust, and would stay that way.

I figured if he panned out everyone would accept him but I'm wondering how they think about that? He is still guilty of having done that so do you just change your own way of thinking about players?