Post-Game Talk: THE PRICE IS WRONG - Oilers Lose

[Aerchon]

They went and got wingers and decided they were smarter than EVERYONE else who saw just how dominant RNH - Drai - Yama line was last season.

If there was a book all about the Peter Principle, this organization should literally be on the cover.

I'm not connected. I don't have true sources, but a few times I've ended up talking to people who supposedly are connected to scouts or people in the organization. Then you hear what other organizations seem to think about the Oilers as a franchise...

They always try to be the smartest person in the room. They always do things to the whims of whoever has the biggest voice rather than taking what I would deem a rational or well thought out approach. They don't have a process.

They like to skip steps.

They like to focus on strengths and ignore weaknesses.

They do things from the gut and stick to them for extended periods.

The recent speculation that Puljujarvi may have been looked down on because of his number...

I didn't like the Holland acquisition cause I see him as just another old boy. But I was hoping he would be different and bring a accountable rational process to the organization.

That has not happened yet. Either because I was right off the hop or the Oilers disorganization has infected him already.

If you follow hockey and not just the Oilers you know exactly what I am talking about. Everyone knows the Oilers should be better and yet when they make moves everyone scratches their heads a bit and wonders what the heck organization is trying to do.

 

[Soundwave]

If Tippett is not going to have them ready to play, you know somewhere Mike Babcock is licking his chops. Get it together Tipp, and if this "break up the RNH-Drai-Yamo line" thing isn't delivering results by mid-way through next game ... it's time to f***ing admit it was a mistake to break them up and go back to it.

 

[Mowgli]

So if you don't think the team is complete garbage, you have homer glasses on?

I have no problem with people commenting on the makeup of the team, that's fine. It's the ridiculous hyperbole of saying this team is terrible. Using last season as a reason that they suck makes no sense, because they were second in the division when the season shut down. You have no idea if the slide they were on would have continued, because they sucked complete balls in December, then completely turned it around.

Turned things around?

A 25 or so game hot streak is not "turning things around" in my opinion.

Goalie: We've got a bottom half starter with a below replacement back up
Defense: Without Klefbom we have zero first pairing defensemen, and maybe a couple bottom half of the league second pairing. Add to that a few one dimensional 3rd pairing defensemen.
Forwards: Two elite top 5 (I think top 2) centers with maybe 2 more top 6 forwards (Nuge, Yamamoto). Bottom six is extremely meh.

A Hart Trophy Draisaitl and best player in the world McDavid drug this team to respectability solely by a powerplay clicking at 30% and a top 3 PK. That's not something you can rely on to happen frequently. Powerplays and penaly kill from year to year are not that predictable. Teams get hot. At 5v5 this team is mediocre at very best and there's no evidence it's changing without some actual NHLers being added to this group. The only thing that will keep the Oilers in the middle of the pack will be the PP still being dangerous (though probably not 30%)

We keep signing the players that McDavid banks goals in off of as if they're legitimate top six players (looking at you Kass and Chiasson). Let another team pay Kassian $3.2M for 4 years and put someone else there

 

[Soundwave]

I'm not connected. I don't have true sources, but a few times I've ended up talking to people who supposedly are connected to scouts or people in the organization. Then you hear what other organizations seem to think about the Oilers as a franchise...

They always try to be the smartest person in the room. They always do things to the whims of whoever has the biggest voice rather than taking what I would deem a rational or well thought out approach. They don't have a process.

They like to skip steps.

They like to focus on strengths and ignore weaknesses.

They do things from the gut and stick to them for extended periods.

The recent speculation that Puljujarvi may have been looked down on because of his number...

I didn't like the Holland acquisition cause I see him as just another old boy. But I was hoping he would be different and bring a accountable rational process to the organization.

That has not happened yet. Either because I was right off the hop or the Oilers disorganization has infected him already.

If you follow hockey and not just the Oilers you know exactly what I am talking about. Everyone knows the Oilers should be better and yet when they make moves everyone scratches their heads a bit and wonders what the heck organization is trying to do.

The personnel is OK, they were good enough to do well last year ... this is not that.

This is a team that has had two long breaks with no warm-up and the coach doesn't have them ready to play. Not even close.

 

[Drivesaitl]

They've played 3 games in 4 days. Too much intensity in practice would do more harm than good. I agree about the DRY line though, and I suspect we'll see them reunited sometime soon if things don't change quickly.

Yep. These are not typical times either. Theres not only that but Covid protocols getting tested daily, sorting through all the assigned covid prevention rigor. its very involved. you can't even have video review in a conference room now. They have to do it in a bigger facility, in more of a hall setting, distanced. Nothing is typical now. Again its easy for teams that just run simple pressure and NZ schemes like the habs and have a cheat code Price in net. Its harder for teams that have to work more in transition, and are featuring a new QB in back in Barrie. Transformation takes some time for the skill teams. We're out of sync, breakout is poor, but its no unexpected at this stage. This hockey club has played 7 hockey games Since early March. Thats like 7 games in the last 10mths. yeah they look rusty. i kind of expected that.

 

[Soundwave]

I don't even buy the "they were playing bad at the end of the season last year". They were a bit out of sync trying to add in trade deadline players, which is normal (the 05-06 team looked awful immediately after trading for Roloson and Samsonov).

10 games prior to COVID 19 shut down - Goals Against: 2.7 per game

8 games after that - Goals Against: 3.6 per game

I'm sorry, but this is a coach that doesn't have his team ready to play.

Whatever he did to prep this team to come off these two breaks has been way too laxadasical.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You're not going to see big win streaks this year most likely, the division while not having one superstar team doesn't have any one bad team and Ottawa may well be better than a lot of people think.

You'll likely see a lot of win one, lose one, win one, lose one, etc.

Thats the nature of the all Canadian division. We're not going to be able to walk over teams. Like I said preseason there will be 5-5 game draws and 6-4 splits. doubt we see much other than that. Difference in standings will be slighter than typical, short season, but more competitive season. Teams scheme to shut us down better when they face us 9-10 times versus when only face us twice a season. There will be some dogfights.

The positive is that performances like yesterday MAKE the Oilers have to elevate. Which makes for better competition and better games to watch. Won't be a lot of snorefests this season in our division. looks like some war going on. I mean Nurse pile drived Gallagher head first into the boards and its the first game between these two opponents.

I'm just looking at this from the standpoint that this is going to be an interesting season, and the Oilers should be better possession club with players like Barrie inserted.

shit takes time, and this good thing is worth waiting for. Oilers will make the playoffs.

 

[JianYang]

The Habs are a playoff team. Who thinks they aren't? lol

It is going to be Habs/TO, and then who the F knows

I think it's kind of a mixed bag in regards to predictions involving the habs, or any other team in this division.

There's no heavyweight cup contender in this division, but a bunch of playoff caliber teams, so its wide open, really.

 

[Aerchon]

The personnel is OK, they were good enough to do well last year ... this is not that.

This is a team that has had two long breaks with no warm-up and the coach doesn't have them ready to play. Not even close.

I believe the Oilers have a playoff team on paper and that the coach is the biggest deterrent to them accomplishing that. But the majority of acquisitions over the last year are head scratchers.

The plan B of resigning Smith by itself is imo almost fireable.

Barrie as a replacement for what we are missing without Klefbom is weird. Especially with Bouchard by many many accounts nhl ready.

Turris was an ok acquisition imo but a gamble he will bounce back.

Anywho. I'm going into broken record territory and it is only 3 games in. I hope I'm wrong. I would also point out Tippett has managed to pull things out of the fire before maybe he can do it again.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The Habs are a playoff team. Who thinks they aren't? lol

It is going to be Habs/TO, and then who the F knows

Christ. were you reading TSN? ;0

Based on what? Habs started on fire early last season as well and then folded like a cheap Canadian Tire Garage storage shelf after you put any weight on it. last year it took 20 games for them to get shot down in flames. maybe 15 this year. I like Toffoli, but so far this is bad lost Toffoli. He has 2 looks, goal scorer, vs when will this guy ever score. Think hard how it would be relying on 20 goal scorers to move mountains every night. Soon as other clubs are dialed into their games the Habs are in trouble. Soon as clubs get their fast transtion games ironed out Habs are in trouble.

The habs own zone defending was far worse than either nucks game. Drai got 6 clear looks last night from typical Drai scoring spots, not even pressured, complete misses in coverage. That didn't happen once in first two games and Drai only had 2 shots in first 2 games. 6 last night. The habs D play is vastly overrated. They have to outwork clubs every night to win. Trouble is you can't do that ongoing.

Watch game tomorrow before handing the Habs 2nd place in division, thats not happening.

 

[shoop]

The point is that 3 games is a small sample size to start freaking out, regardless of the season being 82 games or 56.

Not sure why you bother. It's never too early for some posters to start freaking out and being negative.

It’s not the record that’s concerning, it’s how badly they’re getting beat in those losses.

The Oilers have lost two games. The first by two goals.

Such hyperbolistic tripe that is best ignored.

 

[Drivesaitl]

At himself? I doubt it..
Blaming big chunk of every loss on the coach until he reunites DRY.

Kahun can go on the taxi squad and we wont miss a thing

heh

 

[CycloneSweep]

Christ. were you reading TSN? ;0

Based on what? Habs started on fire early last season as well and then folded like a cheap Canadian Tire Garage storage shelf after you put any weight on it. last year it took 20 games for them to get shot down in flames. maybe 15 this year. I like Toffoli, but so far this is bad lost Toffoli. He has 2 looks, goal scorer, vs when will this guy ever score. Think hard how it would be relying on 20 goal scorers to move mountains every night. Soon as other clubs are dialed into their games the Habs are in trouble. Soon as clubs get their fast transtion games ironed out Habs are in trouble.

The habs own zone defending was far worse than either nucks game. Drai got 6 clear looks last night from typical Drai scoring spots, not even pressured, complete misses in coverage. That didn't happen once in first two games and Drai only had 2 shots in first 2 games. 6 last night. The habs D play is vastly overrated. They have to outwork clubs every night to win. Trouble is you can't do that ongoing.

Watch game tomorrow before handing the Habs 2nd place in division, thats not happening.

So if they beat us tomorrow you are saying they are second in division?

I don't think they are second best in division, I think they are as good as anyone in the division though.

We are definitely better than we were last night, that's for sure. I'm still going to give it a bit more time before I judge any team.

 

[JianYang]

Conversely the Oilers could have scored 5 goals in the second period, when they were that much dominating the same Habs team, and got close to 20 shots.

We have an incomplete lineup, we all know that, but I don't know how you figure our best D is 4K. We also acquired Barrie. The team is missing Klefbom, one can see that, and theres growing pains with younger D, but we have those younger D in the pipeline, and Jones and Bear playing though the course, trying to figure it out.

We need better coaching management of games. At some point in that first period you gotta call a time out, get the troops a rest, and reset. Hockey like many sports is a momentum game. The action often occurs one way and in swings. You get toppled in 3 shifts in a row and the whole game swings. Just like a TKO punch in boxing. Sometimes the guy never recovers. Sometimes he scores his own knockout if he can stay on his feed and survive to fight another round.

Its incumbent in such moments to be able to throw your top lines out there and have one of them be able to defy the momentum. Neither did in the first period. Nuge took this game off again, a recurring problem, and The Drai line lacked any sync. Drai line is getting a ton of ownzone starts this season and its being a difficult task to swim up ice. When teams pressure us relentlessly they give us problems. So thats on game film by now. But the Oilers are capable of increasing tempo as well and have the players to effect that pace.

Finally, this was Montreals 2nd game, they were rested, it was our 3rd. WE were without Kass, our 1B goalie, Neal, Klefbom,

Regarding the last paragraph, the condensed season is going to bring up alot of tight scheduling situations this year, so it will interesting to see what which types of teams are best built to deal with that, because it will be a factor that can't be ignored.

In Montreal's case, I've wondered about how quickly they can come together, because they have made alot of changes in the off season, to the extent that I can't even recognize them at times.

With the lack of practice time and exhibition games, I would imagine that teams which resemble last year's line sets the most would have somewhat of an advantage in the January portion of the season at least.

 

[Messrules11]

Like many have pointed out I see the real chemistry as being Nuge- Yamamoto and we know what McDrai can do. Seems foolish not to try it out.

 

[LTIR]

Edit: deleted.. Not worth it

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

heh

I love that show. “Whatever you do... don’t talk about the war”

 

[Drivesaitl]

So if they beat us tomorrow you are saying they are second in division?

I don't think they are second best in division, I think they are as good as anyone in the division though.

We are definitely better than we were last night, that's for sure. I'm still going to give it a bit more time before I judge any team.

Don't mind me. its not every year I can come into a season thinking the Oilers actually improved the team. Additions of Barrie, Kahun, I like. Turris probably also helps.

But in my perspective, and people can challenge me on this. Barrie is the most talented D we have brought in since Pronger, i mean not comparing the two, obviously, just so rare that we bring in very skilled D help. Barrie is miles more talented, and particuarly in offensive support than say Larsson, Sekera, etc. Been waiting a long time for a D like Barrie and its more than just him. he will soon as he figures out schemes be modeling better breakouts to our other D, and guys like Bear, Nurse, Jones, they will all benefit. maybe even Larsson. Barrie is a good emulator. He's a very composed D that is able to stop time out on ice, a rare quality. He makes moves that puzzle D coverage, they don't expect, and this usually buys him a couple extra seconds to make the play he wants. This is going to be huge for us.

We miss Klefbom in back end, and around our net. we sure won't be missing broken Klefbom shots on the PP or in offensive zone.

I even enjoyed some of last night. because of how filthy skilled Barrie is. Been a longtime since I enjoyed an Oilers Defenceman this much. I was never on the Sekera train, I thought his skillset was overrated.

 

[Missing smitty]

They turned it around with putting together the DRY line.

They turned around the turn around by breaking that up and adding crumby one dimensional players...

I'm calling out that exact moment when things started going off the rails. There have been significant negative moves made since.

Hopefully things turn around again, one way or another, but it would be nice if there was some rational moves towards building a team that "works".

Sure we are not hockey execs or x cup winning players but it IS more than just the few on here questioning Hollands/Tippetts moves. Since last year's trade deadline the Oilers have made poor choices.

I agree with that 100%. I think Tippett's decision to spilt the DRY line was asinine. But it's literally 3 games. If the Blues getting destroyed 8-0 doesn't mean their season is over, then these 3 games don't mean the seasons over.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Bringing up race is fine here but a big no no when a poster prefers a punjabi. Got it.

Just saying 'heh' doesnt take away the hint of me being racist towards the german.

oh jebus it was a joke.

The first time I guess, in the history of mankind that a Fawlty Towers was viewed as unfunny and racist.

ps German is not a race. neither are Punjabi.

 

[LTIR]

oh jebus it was a joke.

The first time I guess, in the history of mankind that a Fawlty Towers was viewed as unfunny and racist.

ps German is not a race.

All good.. deleted my post. Good day to you.

 

[Missing smitty]

Turned things around?

A 25 or so game hot streak is not "turning things around" in my opinion.

Goalie: We've got a bottom half starter with a below replacement back up
Defense: Without Klefbom we have zero first pairing defensemen, and maybe a couple bottom half of the league second pairing. Add to that a few one dimensional 3rd pairing defensemen.
Forwards: Two elite top 5 (I think top 2) centers with maybe 2 more top 6 forwards (Nuge, Yamamoto). Bottom six is extremely meh.

A Hart Trophy Draisaitl and best player in the world McDavid drug this team to respectability solely by a powerplay clicking at 30% and a top 3 PK. That's not something you can rely on to happen frequently. Powerplays and penaly kill from year to year are not that predictable. Teams get hot. At 5v5 this team is mediocre at very best and there's no evidence it's changing without some actual NHLers being added to this group. The only thing that will keep the Oilers in the middle of the pack will be the PP still being dangerous (though probably not 30%)

We keep signing the players that McDavid banks goals in off of as if they're legitimate top six players (looking at you Kass and Chiasson). Let another team pay Kassian $3.2M for 4 years and put someone else there

The whole team was playing extremely well in January and February. The whole team, not just 2 guys.

2 guys make 1/6th of the cap for the team, they damn well better be doing the heavy lifting.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The whole team was playing extremely well in January and February. The whole team, not just 2 guys.

2 guys make 1/6th of the cap for the team, they damn well better be doing the heavy lifting.

Thing is 2/3 games we've loaded up the first line and they aren't doing the heavy lifting. Additionally Drai is seeing more own zone starts than first line and also sees pk spot duty. We're riding that horse already.
Its critical for McD-nuge to start outmatching opponents in games, consistently, like in game 2. Whoever gets Nuge should be pulling more cart.

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

I'm pretty sure the Peter principle WAS a book...

Fine, I'll start my own book called the Kevin Conundrum with Lowe's face on the cover.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I love that show. “Whatever you do... don’t talk about the war”

Every person of German heritage I know loves that series and that episode. Fawlty Towers was a huge series in Germany, as was Monty Python. you can't not laugh. Legendary comedy that never gets old.

But enough about the Germans, we won the war...