Biggest Disappointment This Season

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

I will wait until the end of the playoffs to judge. At this point, I don't think many of our fans care about regular season stats anymore, and if any of these players suddenly turn it around in the playoffs we will not call their performance a dissapoitment. Remember Brown last season?

TBH, I actually hope that McD is taking it slow to save his energy for the postseason.

Agreed, but there is team stuff (turnovers, PP, etc) that we need to get fixed up before playoffs.

 

[FlameChampion]

Funny how in the last 9 months;

Ottawa addressed goaltending.
Colorado addressed goaltending.
LA addressed goaltending.
Washington addressed goaltending.
New Jersey addressed goaltending.
Seattle addressed goaltending.
Hell - Even San Jose and Chicago addressed goaltending.

But we are constantly told goalies aren’t out there and when they are we sign Jack f***ing Campbell. Only to be fed “SkInNeR gOt ThEm To GaMe SeVeN”.

Dustin Schwartz has cast an evil spell on this franchise.

Uh I get the impression that aren’t looking for one because they don’t think its a problem. Which is probably worse than not being able to find one.

 

[FlameChampion]

I think its all the above.

I’m disappointed with Jackson but not necessarily just because of his moves. I’ve watched this team start slow at the beginning of the season, periods, playoffs rounds etc for years. This team continuously has line chemistry problems etc. As good as this team has been in the past, it always feels like they lack urgency and consistent play. They are one of the most up and down “contenders” that I can think of. Team always feels like they need to have their back against a wall to finally get going. I was hoping in all of JJ’s wisdom and best in class rhetoric that he would figure something out. But somehow he just made it worse.

I think losing Holloway was a massive mistake. I’m not sold on the others so much though personally. I’m not really convinced had we kept Foegele, McLeod and Broberg (if Broberg even wanted to be here) that we would be as far ahead as some claim. I think we would still be in 2/3 in the Pacific but yes, we would probably be playing with more pace. I don’t think Holloway, Broberg, McLeod and Foegele would have the same productivity here as their current teams. Sure some of it is more opportunities like PP time. But I think theres more to it than that. Likewise I think Henrique, Arvidsson, Jskinner would of had more productive seasons elsewhere. My question is why? That’s what I was hoping Jackson would figure out.

Instead we have just been plagued with lots of things that don’t make sense between management/coaching. Why are they so comfortable with their goaltending? Why is Draisaitl still getting scrubs? How come no adjustments have been made to the special teams? Why is the offense so underwhelming? The line combos and goalie usage makes no sense.

Knoblauch could do no wrong last year. Every adjustment worked. This year his decisions make no sense half the time. But this team looks very similar after 1 year of a new coach regardless of who it is. I personally don’t think Knoblauch turned into a dummy after 1 year. I have no idea how this organization operates at this point though so everyone looks incompetent at the moment.

 

[Slats432]

I think that the offsheets were something they weren't prepared to deal with. So for me it is probably a tie between poor goaltending and the offseason. Holloway should have 1000% been matched. Broberg I thought at the money was too much. I have said it before, the team would have been better doing very little.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Oilers are not getting the St. Louis version of Holloway here if we did match. There's a possibility he ends up as the same fringe NHL player he was at the end of his time with the Oilers. And people would be complaining why we even bother matching.

The biggest hiccup is our goaltending. 3 times in a row we rolling with Stuart? How stupid can you be?

Holloway showed signs of coming into his own last year. Does he become a 60 point player? Tough to say but you need youth in your lineup. This crusty lineup of vets will be cooked if they go on a deep run again.

Even if Holloway doesn't show progress, it was still a relatively cheap contract to sign.

 

[AM]

My biggest disappointment this year is that fans don’t have any faith.

 

[brentashton]

Has anything worked out this year or is it all bad?

Draisaitl
Kulak
Old Man Corey Perry
Suzy in Accounting

All have been solid.

Drai should be the Hart winner, but, you know.

 

[McShogun99]

Oilers are not getting the St. Louis version of Holloway here if we did match. There's a possibility he ends up as the same fringe NHL player he was at the end of his time with the Oilers. And people would be complaining why we even bother matching.

The biggest hiccup is our goaltending. 3 times in a row we rolling with Stuart? How stupid can you be?

He wouldn't be getting the PP time here that he's getting in STL but he started the season on the 3rd line and has worked his way up. The same would have happened here with how poorly our wingers are playing and even if he scored something like 15/15 it would still be decent for his contract.

 

[9GWG9]

Had to go with the first choice however i think his hands were tied. We think we are a destination but I'm not so sure. I think there is a reason that Fogel and the offer sheet boys left. There is something going on in the room.

I hope they all start clicking before playoffs and we become the juggernaut we should be. A lock to win it all.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Oilers are not getting the St. Louis version of Holloway here if we did match. There's a possibility he ends up as the same fringe NHL player he was at the end of his time with the Oilers. And people would be complaining why we even bother matching.

The biggest hiccup is our goaltending. 3 times in a row we rolling with Stuart? How stupid can you be?

We've glued Podkolzin to Drai almost all season despite him botching almost every scoring chance that comes his way. In the absence of Foegele, McLeod, Holloway would be getting more time this season with Drai and would be producing with him and theres no reason not to think so.

Or that Holloway would be better in every facet than the disappointments that Drai has been with this season. The only argument that could be made is that Holloway is higher event than say Podkolzin. But of course Holloway would be scoring goals too.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Had to go with the first choice however i think his hands were tied. We think we are a destination but I'm not so sure. I think there is a reason that Fogel and the offer sheet boys left. There is something going on in the room.

I hope they all start clicking before playoffs and we become the juggernaut we should be. A lock to win it all.

Jackson stated what had been going on. The org had looked off Broberg and Holloway so many times and kept sending them back to the minors and keeping them there. To wit, Holloway, who was already ready playing most of the season in Bakersfield last season. There was an aversion particularly with Woodcrap to avoid having Bro or Holloway in the lineup or playing much minutes. This seemed to continue. The players knew they were ready.

What it would've taken is the Oilers braintrust to sit down with both players and commend them on playoffs and indicate to them that they would get serious consideration here this season. To basically say they would start. The org did the opposite grabbing 3 forwards in July and signaling that minutes here would be even harder to get. They also moved McLeod signaling no loyalty to present players. These are the leadups to the players deciding elsewhere. I don't think the problems were in the room but in management, as per usual.

 

[Canovin]

We've glued Podkolzin to Drai almost all season despite him botching almost every scoring chance that comes his way. In the absence of Foegele, McLeod, Holloway would be getting more time this season with Drai and would be producing with him and theres no reason not to think so.

Or that Holloway would be better in every facet than the disappointments that Drai has been with this season. The only argument that could be made is that Holloway is higher event than say Podkolzin. But of course Holloway would be scoring goals too.

That's too bad. Now we have to put up with Walman and Frederic, along with Podz, Kane, Arvid, Jeff Skinner etc while Holloway won't being see playoffs for at least 5 years

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

That's too bad. Now we have to put up with Walman and Frederic, along with Podz, Kane, Arvid, Jeff Skinner etc while Holloway won't being see playoffs for at least 5 years

You know they're tied with the last WC spot, right?

And do you think this team wins a Cup? Because anything less than that is a total failure.

 

[Canovin]

You know they're tied with the last WC spot, right?

And do you think this team wins a Cup? Because anything less than that is a total failure.

I'm aware of that and it's downhill from there. Blues players are playing at their best and Oilers are comfortably in the playoffs with most of the players asleep

 

[Stoneman89]

I have to quit reading the Blues boxscores after their games. Gets depressing.

 

[K1984]

For me the biggest disappointment isn't a specific thing, but more this team's inability to learn lessons and grow in a macro sense.

I thought that the circus that we're used to here might subside or even go away completely. Talking about how they rotate between looking like the best and the worst team in the world for long stretches within the same season. Thought the start of season experience last year combined with the result would be enough for them to grow in this respect. Nope.

The worst part of all of it is I've given up hope that we aren't going to do this anymore. This form of bullshit is ingrained in this team, if we win its because the stars align and they play a "best team in the world" stretch at the right time. They simply don't have a command of their game, and that's very disappointing.

 

[Slats432]

My biggest disappointment this year is that fans don’t have any faith.

The team drives the faith. If you watched since the 4 Nations, do you see contender? The Rangers game was a nice step because they were good without Hyman and Ekholm. But, overall they need to take a bunch of steps to be a contender.

 

[Soundwave]

For me the biggest disappointment isn't a specific thing, but more this team's inability to learn lessons and grow in a macro sense.

I thought that the circus that we're used to here might subside or even go away completely. Talking about how they rotate between looking like the best and the worst team in the world for long stretches within the same season. Thought the start of season experience last year combined with the result would be enough for them to grow in this respect. Nope.

The worst part of all of it is I've given up hope that we aren't going to do this anymore. This form of bullshit is ingrained in this team, if we win its because the stars align and they play a "best team in the world" stretch at the right time. They simply don't have a command of their game, and that's very disappointing.

You can't demand consistency when the roster has massive roster flaws.

Right off the bat, which year in/year out 100+ point team has a sub .900 goaltending tandem?

These are the results the Oilers deserve, you want to be one of those teams that's always solid for the most part, then invest properly and be solid at all three positions (forward depth + defense + good goaltending). There is no magic formula to it otherwise.

And yes, this will be the Oilers reality every year as long as they want to run these kinds of poorly built rosters.

 

[McDNicks17]

You know they're tied with the last WC spot, right?

And do you think this team wins a Cup? Because anything less than that is a total failure.

Man, that makes the Wild Card system look like a joke.

Teams with -20 goal differentials making the playoffs haha.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Man, that makes the Wild Card system look like a joke.

Teams with -20 goal differentials making the playoffs haha.

The one that did last year is currently leading the Eastern Conference.

 

[McDNicks17]

The one that did last year is currently leading the Eastern Conference.

How'd the playoffs go for them last year?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

How'd the playoffs go for them last year?

Not great. But the year before the 8th place team made the Cup Finals.

 

[McDoused]

NHL PPG leaders if you exclude empty net points:

MacKinnon from 1.52 to 1.33
Draisaitl from 1.52 to 1.45
Kucherov from 1.50 to 1.35
McDavid from 1.42 to 1.4

McDavid's downfall is overexaggerated somewhat because of a relatively poor stretch of hockey in the last ~15 games. Arguably the first genuinely bad stretch of hockey in his entire career. And the teams general inability to score on empty nets this season. (Colorado has scored 25 EN goals, Tampa has scored 25 and the Oilers have scored.... 8 lol).

Even with McDavid's somewhat down year and awful depth scoring, by far the biggest issue on this team is goaltending and the management teams inability/unwillingness to address it. When we get average goaltending or better we're virtually unbeatable. Unfortunately we get average or better goaltending far too infrequently.

Maybe its an oversimplification but the fact that we are now 32-6 with .900 goaltending seems like the obvious answer. That's a .84 win% which would roughly translate to 69 wins and a 138 point season.

Given how good the Oilers xGA has been and how poor the GSAx have been I think it's reasonable to point the finger at the goalies. Knoblauch is coaching a much more defense first team this year, so it's no wonder that we would see less scoring.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You can't demand consistency when the roster has massive roster flaws.

Right off the bat, which year in/year out 100+ point team has a sub .900 goaltending tandem?

These are the results the Oilers deserve, you want to be one of those teams that's always solid for the most part, then invest properly and be solid at all three positions (forward depth + defense + good goaltending). There is no magic formula to it otherwise.

And yes, this will be the Oilers reality every year as long as they want to run these kinds of poorly built rosters.

Prior to the last game where Nuge got 3 invisible pts we had only two forwards with over 40pts. Holy jebus that goose don't fly.

The roster is composed of a vast majority of forwards not pissing a drop. Has nothing to do with coaching and a helluva lot more with who put this sorry roster together.

McDrai are getting the least help since Chia traded Hall and Eberle away. yes that bad. This is the worst forward roster we've had in several years.

 

[Drivesaitl]

NHL PPG leaders if you exclude empty net points:

MacKinnon from 1.52 to 1.33
Draisaitl from 1.52 to 1.45
Kucherov from 1.50 to 1.35
McDavid from 1.42 to 1.4

McDavid's downfall is overexaggerated somewhat because of a relatively poor stretch of hockey in the last ~15 games. Arguably the first genuinely bad stretch of hockey in his entire career. And the teams general inability to score on empty nets this season. (Colorado has scored 25 EN goals, Tampa has scored 25 and the Oilers have scored.... 8 lol).

Even with McDavid's somewhat down year and awful depth scoring, by far the biggest issue on this team is goaltending and the management teams inability/unwillingness to address it. When we get average goaltending or better we're virtually unbeatable. Unfortunately we get average or better goaltending far too infrequently.

The other thing though is we have 11 OTW this year. Thats 11 goals weve scored in 3 on 3 action and we know who's getting pts on those.

It is a down year for McD. But its quite possible we've already seen his halcyon year. I wouldn't bet on it, but its possible.

Thing that has to be considered with McD specifically is how steep a drop its been in goals. Its pretty striking.