What if Edmonton hits the Sophmore Slump Wall Next Year?

McIce Whole

Registered User
Jan 7, 2008
6,399
1,324
Edmonton
It's all just excuses! every team gets hit with injuries. I have a hard time believing that Oilers would be sitting just outside a playoff spot if they where healthy.

No one here is saying that the Oilers are definitely a playoff team if they are healthy but there is that chance that if they were healthy, they wouldn't be half as bad. With Ryan Whitney in our line up, we were only 6 points out of the playoffs. Once Whitney went down, Hemsky went down and then the rest of our team just went down and we just slid to the bottom of the standings. Also do you have any idea how it works with young teams? Taylor Hall, MPS and Eberle were all rookies this year and are very likely going to improve. It's not like these guys aren't going to get any better. There going to get better and that itself can make a huge difference. Also depending on our PP and if Dubnyk actually plays makes a huge difference as well. Also, if your going to say that what if they dont improve? Well they already played the top players, especially Hall and Eberle and MPS got tough minutes towards the end but next season he should be back to getting second line minutes, with Hall getting first. Usually rookies that get sheltered minutes in their rookie years struggle in their second year.
 

Ogopogo*

Guest
It's all just excuses! every team gets hit with injuries. I have a hard time believing that Oilers would be sitting just outside a playoff spot if they where healthy.

So, there would be no impact to the Canucks if both Sedins missed half a season?

I don't care why we ended up getting first pick, I just know it is a great thing. You can hide from the reality of the situation or you can choose to understand it. If we were talking about Zach Stortini and Liam Reddox missing significant time, it wouldn't matter. Over the past two seasons significant time was missed by Hemsky, Khabibulin, Souray, Gagner, Whitney and Hall. That is just about all the talent. When the talent is missing from a thin team, you end up last.
 

McOvechking

Registered User
Apr 28, 2009
11,339
2,674
Edmonton, Alberta
Really? playoffs? we heard that song last offseason too. No way Oilers make the Playoffs who are they going to beat out for a spot? Canucks, Sharks, Preds, Wings, King, Yotes, Hawks, Kings or Ducks? cause Oilers as of now are not better than any of those teams.

On paper, they are better then the Predators, Kings, Coyotes, Blackhawks, Kings, and the Ducks. Potentially the Redwings too depending on how the team continues to age.


Remember, youth > proven talent here on HF.

Seriously, though. As an Oilers fan I have to remain overly optimistic. They lost a lot of 1 goal games last year, and if they can turn some of those losses into wins, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to compete. Two 1st overalls, a 6th overall, a 10th overall, and a 22nd overall leading the charge. They'll be alright.
 

BLAME CANADA*

Guest
So, there would be no impact to the Canucks if both Sedins missed half a season?

I don't care why we ended up getting first pick, I just know it is a great thing. You can hide from the reality of the situation or you can choose to understand it. If we were talking about Zach Stortini and Liam Reddox missing significant time, it wouldn't matter. Over the past two seasons significant time was missed by Hemsky, Khabibulin, Souray, Gagner, Whitney and Hall. That is just about all the talent. When the talent is missing from a thin team, you end up last.

Canucks were rated at 7th in the NHL for most games lost well Oilers didn't make the top 8 list... Canucks had a lot of injuries to deal with this season too but that's not the team in questioned. I'm just saying with what the Oilers have now, which can change in the offseason, I don't see them improving their standings much, if at all, for next season. Oilers would need to pull off some big moves this offseason if they want to be a team that can compete at the NHL level.
 

BLAME CANADA*

Guest
On paper, they are better then the Predators, Kings, Coyotes, Blackhawks, Kings, and the Ducks. Potentially the Redwings too depending on how the team continues to age.


Remember, youth > proven talent here on HF.

Seriously, though. As an Oilers fan I have to remain overly optimistic. They lost a lot of 1 goal games last year, and if they can turn some of those losses into wins, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to compete. Two 1st overalls, a 6th overall, a 10th overall, and a 22nd overall leading the charge. They'll be alright.

hahaha you gotta be kidding me?... you think the Oilers are in the top 3 best teams in the West on paper?...
 

Ogopogo*

Guest
Canucks were rated at 7th in the NHL for most games lost well Oilers didn't make the top 8 list... Canucks had a lot of injuries to deal with this season too but that's no the team in questioned. I'm just saying with what the Oilers have now, which can change in the offseason, I don't see them improving their standings much, if at all, for next season. Oilers would need to pull off some big moves this offseason if they want to be a team that can compete at the NHL level.

And my point is, the number of man games lost is irrelevant - it is who was injured that made the difference.

When you are not a very good team and you lose your three best players for a long period of time simultaneously, that is a devastating blow.

Picture the Canucks without both Sedins for half a season. Where do they end up? Do they make the playoffs?
 

McOvechking

Registered User
Apr 28, 2009
11,339
2,674
Edmonton, Alberta
Canucks were rated at 7th in the NHL for most games lost well Oilers didn't make the top 8 list... Canucks had a lot of injuries to deal with this season too but that's no the team in questioned. I'm just saying with what the Oilers have now, which can change in the offseason, I don't see them improving their standings much, if at all, for next season. Oilers would need to pull off some big moves this offseason if they want to be a team that can compete at the NHL level.

No argument here.


Our injuries hurt the Oilers more because they are a much younger team with less developed depth. Next year will be another step in the right direction.


And for what it's worth, I have the Oilers finishing 11th in the West next year.
 

BLAME CANADA*

Guest
And my point is, the number of man games lost is irrelevant - it is who was injured that made the difference.

When you are not a very good team and you lose your three best players for a long period of time simultaneously, that is a devastating blow.

Picture the Canucks without both Sedins for half a season. Where do they end up? Do they make the playoffs?

But the a not very good team, what you said, isn'tgoing to jump that much in the standings. Oilers might finish 5ish if healthy but even then I could still see them in the top 3. ANd you didn't lose Hall till the very end of the season. Also the Sedins impact to a team is a lot more than Hemsky and Whitney. I don't know but I just don't see the Oilers doing much better with being healthy all season and if I had to bet I'd bet the Oilers will have another top 10 pick next and very likely top 5, depending on the moves or lac of in the offseason.
Honestly I hope you guys make the playoffs next year, you guys have been in the dumps for awhile now and I bet it really sucks as a fan. Anyways we'll see how things play out in the offseason before predicting where the Oilers should be next year.
 

Ogopogo*

Guest
But the a not very good team, what you said, isn'tgoing to jump that much in the standings. Oilers might finish 5ish if healthy but even then I could still see them in the top 3. ANd you didn't lose Hall till the very end of the season. Also the Sedins impact to a team is a lot more than Hemsky and Whitney. I don't know but I just don't see the Oilers doing much better with being healthy all season and if I had to bet I'd bet the Oilers will have another top 10 pick next and very likely top 5, depending on the moves or lac of in the offseason.
Honestly I hope you guys make the playoffs next year, you guys have been in the dumps for awhile now and I bet it really sucks as a fan. Anyways we'll see how things play out in the offseason before predicting where the Oilers should be next year.

I disagree with that point.

When you only have two good players, losing both of them is far more devastating than if you have 6 or 8 good players and losing the two best of that group.
 

BLAME CANADA*

Guest
I disagree with that point.

When you only have two good players, losing both of them is far more devastating than if you have 6 or 8 good players and losing the two best of that group.

My point was your comparing star, art ross, 100 pt player to 2 good players and theirs a big difference on the impact that the 2 different groups bring and the Sedins bring much more. But I understand what your saying, I just don't agree with your comparison.
 

Angelus*

Guest
My point was your comparing star, art ross, 100 pt player to 2 good players and theirs a big difference on the impact that the 2 different groups bring and the Sedins bring much more. But I understand what your saying, I just don't agree with your comparison.

He was comparing the situation not the players themselves.

God the internet is such serious business to some posters.
 

Christ

Registered User
Mar 10, 2004
12,131
474
Canada
I really don't see how the dreaded sophmore slump would really make matters any worse in Edmonton...they are bottom of the league and probably will be there for a few seasons at least. Having the said slump may actually help the franchise in the long run...imagine 3 straight 1st overall picks?
 

vezna*

Guest
good for them. it's not like they're vying for a playoff spot anytime soon. whoever they draft this year will need time to develop in the nhl anyway
 

Miller Time

Registered User
Sep 16, 2004
22,837
15,037
They easily could. It's one of the side effects of a complete rebuild.

It certainly wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

seriously...
watch them struggle so bad that they get yet another # 1 overall...

Hall, Eberle, MSP, Gagner... and then add 2011 & 2012 first overall... they'd have themselves another Oilers dynasty in the making.
 

driller1

Dry Island Reject
Feb 4, 2010
2,220
448
I think the Sophomore slump of the young studs is not going to determine the success of the Oilers next year. Unless their defense tightens up substantially, they may still end up in the lottery regardless of the play of the forwards.
 

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