Will the real Edmonton Oilers please stand up?

[koyvoo]

Tale of two teams so far this season?

After opening up with a 7-1 record, they’ve only won 3 of their past 9 games.

Which record is more indicative of what this team will actually do this season?

Click to read more...

 

[CraigsList]

I hate the Oilers with a passion, but it's still a very small sample size.

What they need to do is figure out a way of finding some quality depth at a very cheap price. It's much easier to fix a bottom 6 than a top 6, so let's see if Holland can find something there.

 

[OilWagon]

or they're 2-1-1 in their last 4, you can chunk it to frame it however you like. Every team goes through peaks and valleys throughout the season. If you wanna talk about something of substance though, our bottom 6 is completely worthless.

 

[The Panther]

They're fine. Tonight they generally outplayed the Cup champs and it was a 3-2 game.

We all knew their hot start wasn't sustainable. What are they now -- 10-5-2? That's still very good compared to what we're used to.

I do think they'll make the playoffs, but it's probably going to take a transaction that involves receiving another James Neal-ish winger who can score. They just don't have enough juice 5-on-5 besides the top line.

 

[Del Preston]

It has only been 17 games. They are missing four regulars right now. Not top players but still guys that are better than those filling in right now.

 

[Oilers 322]

In my opinion they’ve been playing essentially the same. The hot start was boosted by an unreal 45% PP and a near perfect PK. I think they are a bubble team that has a 50/50 chance of claiming one of the wild card spot. Right now I’m leaning towards missing the playoff because of how unbelievably ineffective the bottom 6, or even bottom 9, is.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

Take a larger sample size like the last 10 years...

 

[OVO16]

The hot start was never gonna last

 

[belair]

They're hard fought games. They're a good team.

 

[Mickey Marner]

They're positive 5 pts on positive 2 goals, so they're fortunate so far. They're a mediocre team being carried into the playoffs by a handful of players, either it will work of it won't.

 

[Bounces R Way]

You're supposed to field a hockey team not a hockey duo.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Tale of two teams so far this season?

After opening up with a 7-1 record, they’ve only won 3 of their past 9 games.

Which record is more indicative of what this team will actually do this season?

So you mean a real team has to go 81-1 the whole season and can't have losing streaks or go on a bad run?

 

[McTonyBrar]

They're fine. Tonight they generally outplayed the Cup champs and it was a 3-2 game.

We all knew their hot start wasn't sustainable. What are they now -- 10-5-2? That's still very good compared to what we're used to.

I do think they'll make the playoffs, but it's probably going to take a transaction that involves receiving another James Neal-ish winger who can score. They just don't have enough juice 5-on-5 besides the top line.

Fabbri may have been a good grab

 

[CupofOil]

They're around a.500 team . The 7-1 start was a mirage as most of us figured at the time. They'll probably finish 10th or 11th in the west which is where they were projected to end up.

 

[koyvoo]

So you mean a real team has to go 81-1 the whole season and can't have losing streaks or go on a bad run?

No, quite simply, as asked in the OP I’m looking for opinions of which run is more indicative of what this team will actually do this year.

 

[McTonyBrar]

You're supposed to field a hockey team not a hockey duo.

Really? Because our Duo doesn't play Defense or play Goalie


Nurse Bear Klefbom Persson Benning Russell Smith Koskinen do that

 

[Del Preston]

You're supposed to field a hockey team not a hockey duo.

Chiarelli begs to differ.

 

[McTonyBrar]

No, quite simply, as asked in the OP I’m looking for opinions of which run is more indicative of what this team will actually do this year.

What run are you talking about? Its less than 20 games....


Ask during the New Year or Christmas.

 

[koyvoo]

What run are you talking about? Its less than 20 games....


Ask during the New Year or Christmas.

Once again, it’s all super clear in the OP. They’ve had two contrasting runs so far this season. One where they went 7-1 to open the season and another where they have won 3 of 9 games since then. I’m wondering which one people think is more true to how things will play out for them.

 

[super6646]

They are due to fall off unless mcdrai total 300 pts or their bottom 6 get it together. It’s only a matter of time before the pdo gods serve their pay.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Once again, it’s all super clear in the OP. They’ve had two contrasting runs so far this season. One where they went 7-1 to open the season and another where they have won 3 of 9 games since then. I’m wondering which one people think is more true to how things will play out for them.

How can we know which one is true when it's less than 20 games. You can't make any accurate assumptions as of what. What are you not understanding? It could be one or the other or neither

 

[CartographerNo611]

They're positive 5 pts on positive 2 goals, so they're fortunate so far. They're a mediocre team being carried into the playoffs by a handful of players, either it will work of it won't.

It wont. Defenses will start to tighten up in the coming few weeks and the lack of decent depth will start costing them close games. Relying on Neal is asking for trouble. Also winter in Edm seems to crush the players moral every year.

 

[perronist]

Really? Because our Duo doesn't play Defense or play Goalie


Nurse Bear Klefbom Persson Benning Russell Smith Koskinen do that

We are a team

 

[Del Preston]

Once again, it’s all super clear in the OP. They’ve had two contrasting runs so far this season. One where they went 7-1 to open the season and another where they have won 3 of 9 games since then. I’m wondering which one people think is more true to how things will play out for them.

They are somewhere in between. They aren't winning as much lately but they're competing better and have been in most games. They also play better defense now.

I'm not expecting a division title but I think they can make the playoffs.

It wont. Defenses will start to tighten up in the coming few weeks and the lack of decent depth will start costing them close games. Relying on Neal is asking for trouble. Also winter in Edm seems to crush the players moral every year. These were the standings this time last year.

1 St. Louis	17	11	3	3	25
2 Edmonton	17	10	5	2	22
3 Vancouver	15	9	3	3	21
4 Nashville	15	9	4	2	20
5 Arizona	15	9	4	2	20
6 Vegas	16	9	5	2	20
7 Calgary	18	9	7	2	20
8 Anaheim	17	9

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Those are the current standings. They were 8-8-1 this time last year under a coach who was about to get fired.

 

[Snakepit]

Like usual the truth lies somewhere in the middle. A

theygoing to be top 2 I. The division all year? Probably not

Are they going to be a bottom feeder again? Probably not.

They'll battle for a wildcard spot with Arizona imo