Around the NHL - Part XLII - (2023-24 Season edition)

[Matt Rentfree]

The thing that amazes me most about the Oilers is how can professional hockey players be THAT bad at Box+1? It's the easiest defensive system on the planet. It's the first system you learn as a kid playing organized hockey. NHL players have been playing Box+1 for most of their lives. Just mind boggling.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Hilarious

Mika, Kakko, Goodrow, Schneider, Domingue for McDavid

Where do I sign

 

[RangersFan1994]

Gut feeling their coach is gone before the 2023 ends, and Gallant or another former head coach is coaching the Oilers by Christmas.

 

[Draft Guru]

Gut feeling their coach is gone before the 2023 ends, and Gallant or another former head coach is coaching the Oilers by Christmas.

Gallant is former teammates with Kenny Holland. Wouldn't be surprised if he's brought in.

 

[egelband]

That game we played worse and blew a 3 goal lead but at least we got a point. Plus, that was practically an 8 game road trip with New York being part of the road trip.

That first Minnesota game was a frigging ambush. Injuries, scheduling, home cooking officiating. Just a terrible job by the league. Unsurprising as it may be.

The thing that amazes me most about the Oilers is how can professional hockey players be THAT bad at Box+1? It's the easiest defensive system on the planet. It's the first system you learn as a kid playing organized hockey. NHL players have been playing Box+1 for most of their lives. Just mind boggling.

They have somehow found a team full of players who only work in the offensive zone. Even the defensemen.

 

[egelband]

Gallant is former teammates with Kenny Holland. Wouldn't be surprised if he's brought in.

Huh? Really? Ken Holland was in the NHL?

 

[Row I Goon]

 

[Profet]

Edmonton is going to get another first overall pick aren't they?

The league must love these young star players being banished to Canadian Siberia.

 

[McRanger92]

If the Oilers fire Woodcroft (and honestly what are they waiting for?) and dont hire one of Q or Sutter, we may as well start the McDavid trade rumors now.

 

[rangersfansince08]

If the Oilers fire Woodcroft (and honestly what are they waiting for?) and dont hire one of Q or Sutter, we may as well start the McDavid trade rumors now.

I doubt he gets traded but hopefully he signs somewhere else as a FA. Hopefully us

 

[Levitate]

If the Oilers fire Woodcroft (and honestly what are they waiting for?) and dont hire one of Q or Sutter, we may as well start the McDavid trade rumors now.

McDavid for player/coach

 

[McRanger92]

McDavid for player/coach

Trouba and Panarin's contracts are up at the same time as McDavid

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

If the Oilers fire Woodcroft (and honestly what are they waiting for?) and dont hire one of Q or Sutter, we may as well start the McDavid trade rumors now.

Pretty sure Q still hasn't been cleared.

 

[McRanger92]

Pretty sure Q still hasn't been cleared.

If there was anything Bettman would wave his magic wand for, I'd think saving McDavid from a lost season would fit the criteria. Sutter seems like the path of least resistance for them though

 

[LOFIN]

Pretty sure Q still hasn't been cleared.

And won't be with the new allegations

 

[will1066]

Oilers approaching the Sharks at the bottom. But the difference is the Sharks know they suck. Oilers need to get to that acceptance stage.

The Nucks have a 33 goal differential, and it's not even December. That's pretty incredible. Almost 60 goals scored already. The top three Pacific teams have scored the most goals in the league.

 

[Larrybiv]

Payback to the Blue Jackets on Sunday, and then our 1st B2B of season as it is in the STARS that we will be 12-2-1 and celebrating Thanksgiving and a 1st place position......... possibly 1st in the league.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Mika, Kakko, Goodrow, Schneider, Domingue for McDavid

I'd do it

 

[Profet]

I'll just put this here.

 

[McRanger92]

I'll just put this here.

View attachment 766188

All these jabronis calling the Oilers a Cup contender are the same ones calling the Devils one. They see flashy skill and nothing else. No goalies, meh at best coaching and an overmatched defense on both teams. Obviously the Devils are a playoff team, and the Oilers arent this bad, but the people who analyze today's NHL are not very informed when it comes to what actually wins.

To expand on this, the layman (or NHL media in this case) would think that teams Tampa Bay and Vegas have won cups because of their high end skill (which they both have). But the truth is they won because of the great team defense they realized they had to play after some near misses and early exits. The Oilers have McD/Drai and literally nothing else any other team covets, and they dont play defense or prioritize having a goalie on top of that. Even after all these years of coming up short.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

All these jabronis calling the Oilers a Cup contender are the same ones calling the Devils one. They see flashy skill and nothing else. No goalies, meh at best coaching and an overmatched defense on both teams. Obviously the Devils are a playoff team, and the Oilers arent this bad, but the people who analyze today's NHL are not very informed when it comes to what actually wins.

Not really a 1 to 1 comparison.

There is no McDavid or Draisaitl in NJ but their full complement of forwards is deeper. Their defense is probably better or at least a push 1-6 too.

Neither team has a goalie worth a f*** though.

 

[McRanger92]

Not really a 1 to 1 comparison.

There is no McDavid or Draisaitl in NJ but their full complement of forwards is deeper. Their defense is probably better or at least a push 1-6 too.

Neither team has a goalie worth a f*** though.

Definitely not a perfect comparison but the bias toward teams that play Tiktok hockey is very apparent with the national media.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

All these jabronis calling the Oilers a Cup contender are the same ones calling the Devils one. They see flashy skill and nothing else. No goalies, meh at best coaching and an overmatched defense on both teams. Obviously the Devils are a playoff team, and the Oilers arent this bad, but the people who analyze today's NHL are not very informed when it comes to what actually wins.

To expand on this, the layman (or NHL media in this case) would think that teams Tampa Bay and Vegas have won cups because of their high end skill (which they both have). But the truth is they won because of the great team defense they realized they had to play after some near misses and early exits. The Oilers have McD/Drai and literally nothing else any other team covets, and they dont play defense or prioritize having a goalie on top of that. Even after all these years of coming up short.

Yeah, Tampa still has their high end skill guys playing at the top of their game , but they are no longer a Cup contender.

But Vegas aren't really a very flashy team at all. Their top scorer last year had what 65 points? They should be all the evidence anyone needs that depth wins in the NHL.

 

[ArPanet]

Edmonton is going to get another first overall pick aren't they?

The league must love these young star players being banished to Canadian Siberia.

gotta keep building value for the next TV contract

 

[rangersfansince08]

Yeah, Tampa still has their high end skill guys playing at the top of their game , but they are no longer a Cup contender.

But Vegas aren't really a very flashy team at all. Their top scorer last year had what 65 points? They should be all the evidence anyone needs that depth wins in the NHL.

Depth, defense and goaltending. Hopefully we bolster our depth because I like our defense and goaltending