Are the Oilers a top 5 contender next season with Jack Campbell?

[Sidney the Kidney]

Not quite. They lost Keith and he is being replaced by Broberg. On top of that, they had their stars scoring at literally historic paces and they STILL barely squeaked by a rebuilding LA kings. They also had the easiest path they could have asked for. Let's see this season what happens.

Bouchard's one year more experienced, so there's one defender who should be better than he was last year.

In any case, I don't think the loss of Keith drops a defense from "contender" to "not a contender". Sure, I'd never consider them in their current state as a Cup *favorite*, but I think last year proved they're a contender.

 

[Three On Zero]

Captained one of the most embarrassing eras of my teams history. It's not his fault, but a large part of the issue was he was the guy and simply wasn't good enough.

Oilers will be in cap hell in as soon as 2 seasons with all the aging guys on that team who play styles that don't age well. This is it for them and Nurse is the best they have on defense and 2nd best is Ceci. How delusional do you need to be to think that is a contenders defense?

We used to away call him. “Dion Had-Enough” or “Dion Not Good-Enough”

This is the all in season for Edmonton, it’s harder starting next season

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Bouchard gets this goal in game 2 to tie it up and we never looked back gentlemen sweeping the Flames.

Bouchard is going to pile up the goals and assists against the Flames for years to come.

Total thrashing, Flames fans talking shit with their little Leafs minions is adorable. I bet the Sens win a series before that soft ass Leafs team does.

Somebody's cranky. you alright bud? Don't like people attacking your team? welcome to life as a Leafs fan

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

It never ceases to amaze me how much other fanbases like to talk about the Oilers.

Why? We have a huge presence on HF and fans of other teams are super triggered we have 2 of the best players in the NHL playing in Edmonton

 

[belair]

Not quite. They lost Keith and he is being replaced by Broberg. On top of that, they had their stars scoring at literally historic paces and they STILL barely squeaked by a rebuilding LA kings. They also had the easiest path they could have asked for. Let's see this season what happens.

Keith is actually being replaced by Kulak, who they re-signed. If you were actually paying attention last season, he was one of Montreal's more reliable defensemen. When he came to Edmonton, he and Barrie were a very effective pair.

It's funny to see the inconsistencies in these arguments. Going through Calgary was the 'easiest path' but the Flames are also somehow a better team than them this season despite shedding 50 or so expected goals over the summer?

Was it an 'easy path' for the Oilers to have Darnell Nurse hampered by a torn labrum that prevented him from pivoting properly. Or Draisaitl's ankle that made him lose most of his skating ability?

The Oilers were in the Conference Final last season because they deserved to be there. And they're going into next season with a stronger roster.

 

[JadedLeaf]

huh? Jack Campbell had a .914 save percentage last year

.890 save percentage after Christmas.

 

[belair]

Captained one of the most embarrassing eras of my teams history. It's not his fault, but a large part of the issue was he was the guy and simply wasn't good enough.

Oilers will be in cap hell in as soon as 2 seasons with all the aging guys on that team who play styles that don't age well. This is it for them and Nurse is the best they have on defense and 2nd best is Ceci. How delusional do you need to be to think that is a contenders defense?

This is the first time I've heard anything about this. I'm interested to see the reasoning why.

Players with bad contracts don't necessarily trigger cap issues. Two years from now the Oilers have well over $30m in cap flexibility with the majority of their competitive core locked up.

Not to mention the salary cap is due to rise pretty significantly in the coming seasons and the majority of people the Oilers would be paying are secondary players. Keeping 10 years of 1st round picks tends to have its benefits.

 

[MessierII]

Just because a goalie plays more games because the other goalie is injured, doesn't make him the team's #1 goalie. I would say the number of playoff games that each goalie plays in the playoffs, when both are healthy, is a great indication of who the #1 goalie is. As you say... not complicated.
So I guess you're insisting that Koskinen was the Oilers #1 goalie (despite hundreds of posts to the contrary by other Oiler fans) and Skinner is replacing Smith as the backup. Sure .... LOL

I mean yeah obviously when healthy smith was the guy. Like I said playoffs are a different discussion. What I was saying was in terms of workload IN SEASON Campbell is replacing what Koskinen did for us last year.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Unless you watched all 82 Oiler games and all of the goals our goalies let in, your doubt is wrong. As I said over and over, the Oilers were next to the Avs in games won with sub 900 goaltending.

Maybe Campbell implodes? I do not see him being worse than the tandem we have been putting out there. I wanted Jeff Skinner in over the two we had.

The Leafs played with well below 900 goaltending for the better part of 4 months with Campbell in net. He is a good goalie but extremely flawed goalie. Weak mentally, injury prone and inconsistent. Maybe he is a slight improvement but he is no savior.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Well they were conference finalists with a worse goalie so it's possible. I think they are closer than many realize but there are a few variables, like with nearly any other team.

They were conference finalists with two players. One has a down year, or suffers an injury, they’re toast. Oilers have zero depth, which is what it takes to make it in the playoffs.

If both are healthy, and having a great year, yeah they can make it, but that’s a high risk / high reward recipe.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Nm.

.890 save percentage after Christmas.

Now do April

 

[Bankerguy]

Toronto's D is better than Edmonton's.... Campbell will be in for a surprise.
Kulak, Ceci, Broberg... these guys should not be getting top four 5on5 minutes but one or two of them will be.
That''s not even accounting for the fact im penciling in Bouchard as being a legit top 4 guy... him and his 100 games of NHL experience.

I'm a Canucks fan and i hate the leafs, but cmon, Rielly, Muzzin Brodie, is a top 3 that the oilers cannot match.

You guys remember those nights when campbell imploded when the leafs D let him down? you're going to see MORE of those types of nights with him on the Oilers.

Edmonton will finish high in pacific due to their two top line studs... , make the playoffs and prob crap out early when they face a team with discipline and structure.

 

[La Bamba]

Tell me you didn't watch a single leafs game last year without telling me you didn't watch a single leafs game last year

Leafs D was one of their biggest strengths last year, they were top 5-10 all year in pretty much every defensive metric and by the eye-test. Guess what their weakness was ? The guy you just signed 5x5.

Sorry that you're offended that Toronto is a top 5 team and Edmonton is not, definitely salty about it not sure why you're pretending that you're not. It's written all over every one of your posts. I wasn't even taking a shot at them lol, dude just started raging because I said Toronto is a top 5, and Edmonton is 6-10. If you think Edmontons blue line = Torontos, all I can do is just laugh tbh.

If Edmonton can add a legit top pairing guy, I'd move them into the top 5, but as of now they are not.

Again, why would I be offended? It's just a hockey discussion, you can attach emotions all you want but I seriously don't have any emotional attachment to how you view the Oilers lol. Cups or games aren't won on a hockey forum. I got to enjoy my fave team make it to the Conference finals, your team got dumped in the 1st round again for the 6ixth straight season with the same core. Freddy Anderson thrived once he left that top-notch D of the Leafs

I think you're just delusional since you believe the Leafs are a top 5 team and mention the Oilers aren't because they have weak D and goaltending. Sure, the Oilers' D isn't top notch and goaltending is not truly proven yet but the Leafs sure as hell have sketchy goaltending and similar-tier defence

Edmonton will finish high in pacific due to their two top line studs... , make the playoffs and prob crap out early when they face a team with discipline and structure.

Remind me how the Flames' series went again

 

[McPoyle]

Not quite. They lost Keith and he is being replaced by Broberg. On top of that, they had their stars scoring at literally historic paces and they STILL barely squeaked by a rebuilding LA kings. They also had the easiest path they could have asked for. Let's see this season what happens.

Lol, losing Keith. How on earth will this team survive?

LA series went to 7 but the Oilers dominated possession. Oilers spanked a contender in the Flames. All while Nurse and Draisaitl could barely skate.

Oilers have a solid and underappreciated defense. Losing its arguably worst player in Keith, and continued steps forward from Bouchard and Broberg. Team is looking great. This defence coupled with arguably the best forward group in the league and average goaltending is a true contender.

 

[The90]

I’m sure you’ll make another shitty take thread like how the Oilers won’t make the playoffs or how they won’t win a game in the playoffs or how you’ll bet money (and lose money) on them losing in the first round.

Duncan Keith is the undoing of the Oilers lol.
HockeyVirus and bad takes. Name a better combo on this website, you can’t.



Ironic from a guy who cries about how people bully the Leafs fandom. You’d think someone like that wouldn’t take shots but hey, hypocrites are everywhere.

So much salt about the leafs lol. Your personal pet peeve is when trolls get called out. Gotta love it.

 

[Rubi]

So much salt about the leafs lol. Your personal pet peeve is when trolls get called out. Gotta love it.

Who you talking to? Your posts would make much more sense if you quoted the person you are directing your comments at.

 

[Three On Zero]

Who you talking to? Your posts would make much more sense if you quoted the person you are directing your comments at.

You must have the person blocked?

 

[Rubi]

You must have the person blocked?

Ha ha. That could be. That didn't occur to me. LOL. Thanks

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Oilers should have traded for old man Giordano last year. He would be their #1 defenseman.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

I’m sure you’ll make another shitty take thread like how the Oilers won’t make the playoffs or how they won’t win a game in the playoffs or how you’ll bet money (and lose money) on them losing in the first round.

Duncan Keith is the undoing of the Oilers lol.
HockeyVirus and bad takes. Name a better combo on this website, you can’t.



Ironic from a guy who cries about how people bully the Leafs fandom. You’d think someone like that wouldn’t take shots but hey, hypocrites are everywhere.

did you miss the part where I said welcome to life as a Leafs fan?

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

You sipping on so much copium lol. Gotta try and justify everything with random asides that don't even address the original point.



Campbell let in a lot of deflating goals over the course of the season. Maybe not as bad a Smith, but he did it a lot. Also he has a really weak mental. If he let's in a bad goal during a game, it's likely just the beginning.

Also, there is a goal in that video that is straight up from him puck handling it and passing it to the other team. Enjoy

As least Campbell isn't known for his Oscar calibre diving like Mike Smith is. Or smashing his stick across his posts or throwing his team under the bus

 

[The90]

Who you talking to? Your posts would make much more sense if you quoted the person you are directing your comments at.

Whispers ‘somebody has you blocked’ lol

 

[Rubi]

Whispers ‘somebody has you blocked’ lol

Nah... I have that person blocked and their posts removed from my feed. LOL

 

[Heldig]

It never ceases to amaze me how much other fanbases like to talk about the Oilers.

They have the best player in the world on their team. People will talk.

 

[JadedLeaf]

Nm.


Now do April

.915, whats your point? He had one average month after christmas? What's his stats in all games after Christmas combined including in the post season where he had three games under .900 and a stinker game under .700.

Jan - .880
Feb - .894
Mar - . 845 ( only played in 2 games )