News Article: Worst start in franchise history

[rboomercat90]

Most of that is false.
He chose Ference during his first camp cause he liked his attitude. He was told he could make decisions about coaching staff so he brought on Acton and kept the other two.

The systems the entire team is playing is awful. Most of our players would look much much better on other teams. Thsts a coaches responsibility

Nobody believed he really had his choice of assistants, aside from Acton, last year. Those statements Mac T made about hoping Eakins kept Buchberger and Smith were hard to ignore. While there's no proof, there was plenty of speculation that Krueger was let go because he wanted different assistants too.

I agree that Ference was Eakins choice for captain.

I also question that Eakins was responsible for player decisions coming out of camp. Mac T's answers to the press about why Hunt was still there sure looked like a GM decision.

 

[MCDAVIDISH]

Well, it could be worse.... Actually no, it really couldn't be worse. Go Oil?

 

[nexttothemoon]

5 games into the season and the Oilers are already 5 points out of a wildcard spot.

Pretty remarkable when you think about it. They literally will be done for the season by the 10 game mark at this rate.

 

[duul]

With a start like this, statistics say we have about a 5% chance at playoffs.

 

[dobiezeke*]

5 games into the season and the Oilers are already 5 points out of a wildcard spot.

Pretty remarkable when you think about it. They literally will be done for the season by the 10 game mark at this rate.

Makes it easier for the establishments in Edmonton to start planning their draft day parties.

 

[Broilers]

Bring back Tambellini. Seriously.

Rambo-Krueger had better recorded than MacT-Eakins

 

[KCC]

Rambo-Krueger had better recorded than MacT-Eakins

But their goaltending was awesome (Dubby) and their PP was insane. Other than that they were still giving up a ton of grade A chances and being hemmed in their zone on a nightly basis. I don't think Krueger was given a fair chance, but the record and what he did is deceiving. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Towards the end of the lock out year, the goaltending and PP dried up. And with it they lost like 6 in a row or something. My point is he may have been a better coach, but when you strip away everything that kept them "in the hunt", he really wasn't much better compared to all the other coaches the team has had since the rebuild.

 

[hallhopkinseberle]

Rambo-Krueger had better recorded than MacT-Eakins

Rambo is the problem that we have had the last two seasons. Mact is still trying to clean up the mess he made.

 

[Tarus]

Rambo is the problem that we have had the last two seasons. Mact is still trying to clean up the mess he made.

He's already overturned pretty much the entire roster, and has created a whole host of new problems in the process.

The "cleaning up Tambo's mess" excuse is already obsolete.

 

[McTedi]

With a start like this, statistics say we have about a 5% chance at playoffs.

Kind of a silly stat. So if you went 5-0 I'm sure the statistics would say something just as ridiculous the other way. Just watching the Flames and Jets, on paper our team seems so much better than Calgary but do they ever play so much better defensively.

 

[Gone]

Kind of a silly stat. So if you went 5-0 I'm sure the statistics would say something just as ridiculous the other way. Just watching the Flames and Jets, on paper our team seems so much better than Calgary but do they ever play so much better defensively.

What are you talking about, Giordano is a true #1 D-man and probably top 15 in the league; Brodie is at least a #2 D-man, and after 7 years of rebuilding we have NOTHING even close to those two.

Monahan will be close to or as good as RNH, and Backland is better than any other center we have.

AND their goaltending tandem looks better than what we have.

So, that team is in a playoff spot and we are bottom of the league because overall they have better players, a real coach, a real GM, and Burke >>>>> KLowe.

 

[dobiezeke*]

What are you talking about, Giordano is a true #1 D-man and probably top 15 in the league; Brodie is at least a #2 D-man, and after 7 years of rebuilding we have NOTHING even close to those two.

Monahan will be close to or as good as RNH, and Backland is better than any other center we have.

AND their goaltending tandem looks better than what we have.

So, that team is in a playoff spot and we are bottom of the league because overall they have better players, a real coach, a real GM, and Burke >>>>> KLowe.

Totally agree with your post - watching the Flames come back after being dominated in the first by the Jets is exactly what the Oilers can't do. They have surpassed the Oilers in the rebuild quietly and effectively without being the subject of ridicule by the rest of hockey nation.

 

[tiger_80]

Why does everyone blame Eakins? The guy has no starter, no #1 defenseman, and no centre depth. While its true that the majority of players are under performing, the guy wasn't allowed to select his captain, select his assistant coaches, and he was hired as amateur.

I always considered him a puppet, doing whatever Lowe and MacT wants

I think you are right to a degree. People here really overvalue the talent Oilers have. The sad reality is there is only one 1st line player on this team--Hall. Then we have a bunch of 2nd liners with major shortcomings, such as lack of size, grit or defensive accumen (RNH, Eberle, Yakupov). Perron is basically the only guy in this group who can play two way hockey. Then there is the lack of center depth.
Then we have a pair of 2nd pairing defensemen in Petry and Fayne and a bunch of guys who are better suited for the 3rd pairing: Schultz, Nikitin, Ferrence, etc.

So yeah, until the team somehow obtains two top pairing d-man and two first line players --whether through natural progression of the talent or through trade and free agent signings, we will see more of the same.

That said, Eakins is a horrible coach, Lowe and Co are horrendous management team and there is no way around it.

 

[jmco]

But their goaltending was awesome (Dubby) and their PP was insane. Other than that they were still giving up a ton of grade A chances and being hemmed in their zone on a nightly basis. I don't think Krueger was given a fair chance, but the record and what he did is deceiving. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Towards the end of the lock out year, the goaltending and PP dried up. And with it they lost like 6 in a row or something. My point is he may have been a better coach, but when you strip away everything that kept them "in the hunt", he really wasn't much better compared to all the other coaches the team has had since the rebuild.

In the lockout year we only played Teams in the West. Krugers record was remarkable for not having any east games with that junk lineup.

 

[Lewy]

Oilers probably need to win 5 of the next 6 to crawl back into this thing. Can't let any more losses pile up.

 

[Suxnet]

Didn't we have the worst start in franchise history last year too? So basically, Eakins just bested himself on that record.

 

[MarkGio]

What are you talking about, Giordano is a true #1 D-man and probably top 15 in the league; Brodie is at least a #2 D-man, and after 7 years of rebuilding we have NOTHING even close to those two.

Monahan will be close to or as good as RNH, and Backland is better than any other center we have.

AND their goaltending tandem looks better than what we have.

So, that team is in a playoff spot and we are bottom of the league because overall they have better players, a real coach, a real GM, and Burke >>>>> KLowe.

I agree that Flames have better elite defenseman and goaltending, but the Flames have been outplaying their opponents. They have good stretches within a system that allows for goal scoring chances, in addition to phenomenal goaltending. If the Flames were rocking Scrivens/Fasth, they would've lost 2 or 3 of their wins.

I'm not sure I agree with your assessment down the middle either. I believe the Flames organization has better centre depth, but I would take RNH over Backlund. Although, Backs is more of a two-way centre and he's finally starting to have an impact, but he was considered a borderline bust prior to last season.

 

[Nunymare]

Didn't we have the worst start in franchise history last year too? So basically, Eakins just bested himself on that record.

Nah, we only lost 2 in a row last year to start off. 5 game losing streak after winning game 3 though. 1 of 5 of those such streaks..

 

[oobga]

In the lockout year we only played Teams in the West. Krugers record was remarkable for not having any east games with that junk lineup.

Plus 1 arm Nuge and busted centers all year aside from Gagner (who Eakins barely got anything out of after rushing him back from injury force feeding him 20 mins a night to get exposed which also required droping Arco down the lineup who was playing obviously better. Plus had him playing his busted gameplan which exposed Gags' defensive inability even more).. Everything was stacked against Krueger that year. Even with the kids playing in the AHL they started the season with crazy bad luck with sub 5% shooting percentages IIRC (nuge couldn't even shoot all year) and didn't really get going until the rest of the league was up to speed again.

I bashed Krueger a lot, but now looking back, a lot of it was undeserved. Same with Renney. I am confident I won't feel the same way about what Eakins has done so far though. He is legit terrible. Quinn was awful too.

 

[jmco]

Didn't we have the worst start in franchise history last year too? So basically, Eakins just bested himself on that record.

I can't see Eakins being here past the end of November. I have us going 6W 12L 1OTL by the end of November for a whopping 14pts in 24games and a record of 6-16-2
Bold = Wins, 1 OTL along the way

DATE VISITOR HOME
MON, 20 OCT 2014 LIGHTNING OILERS
WED, 22 OCT 2014 CAPITALS OILERS
FRI, 24 OCT 2014 HURRICANES OILERS
MON, 27 OCT 2014 CANADIENS OILERS
WED, 29 OCT 2014 PREDATORS OILERS
SAT, 1 NOV 2014 CANUCKS OILERS
TUE, 4 NOV 2014 OILERS FLYERS
THU, 6 NOV 2014 OILERS BRUINS
FRI, 7 NOV 2014 OILERS SABRES
SUN, 9 NOV 2014 OILERS RANGERS
TUE, 11 NOV 2014 OILERS PREDATORS
THU, 13 NOV 2014 SENATORS OILERS
SUN, 16 NOV 2014 COYOTES OILERS
WED, 19 NOV 2014 CANUCKS OILERS
FRI, 21 NOV 2014 DEVILS OILERS
SAT, 22 NOV 2014 BLACKHAWKS OILERS
TUE, 25 NOV 2014 OILERS STARS
THU, 27 NOV 2014 OILERS PREDATORS
FRI, 28 NOV 2014 OILERS BLUES

 

[hallhopkinseberle]

He's already overturned pretty much the entire roster, and has created a whole host of new problems in the process.

The "cleaning up Tambo's mess" excuse is already obsolete.

Not really, just shows how much of a mess tambo made for Mact. Mact doesn't have the assets right now to fix our true problem areas of a #1 Center, Top Pairing, and a #1 goalie.

 

[hallhopkinseberle]

I can't see Eakins being here past the end of November. I have us going 6W 12L 1OTL by the end of November for a whopping 14pts in 24games and a record of 6-16-2
Bold = Wins, 1 OTL along the way

DATE VISITOR HOME
MON, 20 OCT 2014 LIGHTNING OILERS
WED, 22 OCT 2014 CAPITALS OILERS
FRI, 24 OCT 2014 HURRICANES OILERS
MON, 27 OCT 2014 CANADIENS OILERS
WED, 29 OCT 2014 PREDATORS OILERS
SAT, 1 NOV 2014 CANUCKS OILERS
TUE, 4 NOV 2014 OILERS FLYERS
THU, 6 NOV 2014 OILERS BRUINS
FRI, 7 NOV 2014 OILERS SABRES
SUN, 9 NOV 2014 OILERS RANGERS
TUE, 11 NOV 2014 OILERS PREDATORS
THU, 13 NOV 2014 SENATORS OILERS
SUN, 16 NOV 2014 COYOTES OILERS
WED, 19 NOV 2014 CANUCKS OILERS
FRI, 21 NOV 2014 DEVILS OILERS
SAT, 22 NOV 2014 BLACKHAWKS OILERS
TUE, 25 NOV 2014 OILERS STARS
THU, 27 NOV 2014 OILERS PREDATORS
FRI, 28 NOV 2014 OILERS BLUES

is the games we win. I think we win tomorrow mostly due to the fact that no team wants to keep the franchise worse start going, there will be extra fire in their engines.


12-10-2 record, Is what I think what happens. Right now we just need one win and we will starting winning as a team.

 

[Tarus]

Not really, just shows how much of a mess tambo made for Mact. Mact doesn't have the assets right now to fix our true problem areas of a #1 Center, Top Pairing, and a #1 goalie. Here is what Mact has fixed so far:

That's your criteria? He hasn't acquired a number one center, top pairing defenseman, and a number one goaltender? All extremely difficult things to fix regardless of the assets you have to pawn off?

You don't think that it's a bit disingenuous to set that kind of unattainable standard while ignoring that he's replaced all but 6 players(soon to be 5) in a year and a half?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Just sit back and laugh at the team. They're not going to get what they need even if they tried. Every acquisition MacT will make will fail, so just wait until Katz finally awakens from his Dracula like slumber and realizes that the team won't work.

It's not like we're going to win tomorrow, so just laugh every time the Oilers give up a goal (which might be often)

 

[Philly85*]

I'm putting this here too

I'm going to vent a little. I know everyone is saying they are now numb to the pain... people are cheering losses in hope that dramatic change will come... this whole thing disgusts me... the team is a ****ing joke... admit it or not this team is a big part of the fibre of this city and they are embarrassing us. I understand and know the team doesn't make the city and there are a ton of wonderful things happening in E Town right now and we are showing our pride again and happy to be living in a great place, probably one of the best places on the face of the earth to be honest. But this franchise is really hurting me and this whole situation bothers me. I know I shouldn't care as much... and while I fast forward through PVR'd games on occasion, I'd argue I've never felt/been more invested... I am expecting things to turn around HARD. You understand? This pisses me the **** off to no end. Something's got to give. This team, the management group, the coaching, the players, everything is becoming a farce. I mean what in the **** is going on. Save me the Corsi shpiel. I've watched the games and I DO SEE that they look improved at times and it's encouraging for glimpses. Bottom line is though they haven't won. They have one ****ing point. How long is this going to go on for? What the **** is MacT doing? Don't even ask me about Eakins, ****ing joke he is. I think it's clear as day the core is not going to work. Someone needs to go, whether it be Hall, Eberle, Yakupov, Shultz... someone has GOT to go. Beg Kreuger to come back. Lowe and MacT... purge the old boys club I don't care how much they love the team and the city. I can't take too much more of this. For a pro franchise they are becoming almost completely irrelevant. UNNACCEPTABLE. ****.