Pre-Game Talk: BLEH!

[JeffSkinner53]

Why the hell not? I don’t get it, there must be bias against certain players or something because guys play well when given the opportunity in camp and get cast aside anyway.

I doubt he’d be some revelation but he’s earned himself a shot.. Kesselring was another guy that had great camps and was just sent down for some reason. Believe your eyes when a player plays well, don’t overthink it.

That trade for Bjugstad still grinds my gears

 

[brentashton]

It's written in the stone tablets that Draisaitl will always get hogtied to shitty wingers.

Just kidding...sort of...

I think Knob's goal is to try to keep as much continuity as possible in the lineup. RNH and Hyman had all year together, so keeping them on one line makes sense.

You’re probably right. This next 3 weeks is going to be a test and KK needs to do what he can to get all the remaining moving parts functioning.

As much as I think Caggiiula is a boat anchor I might have still tried something like this:

caggiula - Drai - Hyman
Skinner -RNH - Arvidsson
Podkolzin-Henrique-Brown
Janmark-Philp- perry

I’d swap RNH and Henrique around too if those lines weren’t doing anything.

Awe shit maybe I’m just re arranging deck chairs on the ocean liner…

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Pre-season is damn too long, when does it start!

 

[rboomercat90]

It's written in the stone tablets that Draisaitl will always get hogtied to shitty wingers.

Just kidding...sort of...

I think Knob's goal is to try to keep as much continuity as possible in the lineup. RNH and Hyman had all year together, so keeping them on one line makes sense.

Maybe the right time to break up two wingers who have played like shit all year together is when their centre is out of the lineup. Force them out of their comfort zone to wake them up. Change up their roles a little. I’m not so sure continuity is the best thing for struggling players. We’ll see, I guess.

 

[The Panther]

I can't see the Oilers being more than a .500 club with their current defence. Their 2nd and 3rd pairings are AHL level. Doesn't really matter if McDavid plays or not -- team will not win more than it loses with current D.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Pretty sad that Ristolainen and Myers have found a new and productive level while Nurse continues to regress

 

[Stoneman89]

I think I know what you mean.

My point though, his financial and love life aside (which means nothing to what I was referring to), is that he seems to always get the second rate wingers and even now with 97 out, it appears he’s getting the B group, as the #1 center. Odd that Hyman who has exclusively played #1 line and Skinner who have been playing on the #1 line with Connor off and on, are now playing second line with Nuge.

All in all though, this line up looks so cold and shitty, it probably doesn’t matter who his wingers are really at the end of the day.

Didn't they bring in supposed former 30 goal scorers and offensive players Arvidsson and Skinner to play with him and make him happy? Looks like that hasn't worked out so now they're trying other things.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Does anyone have the projected lines for tonight. Can't seem to find.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Does anyone have the projected lines for tonight. Can't seem to find.

Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Skinner-RNH-Hyman
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Caggiula-Philp-Perry

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Dermott
Kulak-Emberson

Pickard

(Stauffer from yesterday)

These lines are perhaps the worst lines KK could have imagined. I think he is calling Woody for coaching tips now.

 

[brentashton]

Didn't they bring in supposed former 30 goal scorers and offensive players Arvidsson and Skinner to play with him and make him happy? Looks like that hasn't worked out so now they're trying other things.

Yup agree to your comments. Thats why I’m saying go even further and remove Arvidsson from that new/temporary #1 line.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Skinner-RNH-Hyman
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Caggiula-Philp-Perry

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Dermott
Kulak-Emberson

Pickard

(Stauffer from yesterday)

These lines are perhaps the worst lines KK could have imagined. I think he is calling Woody for coaching tips now.

Is it April Fools or Halloween? Yikes. So who else is out? Philp in for McDavid who is Caggiula in for? I've been away.

 

[FlameChampion]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851719652109619490

Why doesn’t he get more Rythym and Flow for a third line when McDavid is actually playing? Its not like line 1 has done anything much this year anyway.

Feels like coaches either can’t do anything or get dumber as time goes on here.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Is it April Fools or Halloween? Yikes. So who else is out? Philp in for McDavid who is Caggiula in for? I've been away.

Derek Ryan appears to be the odd man out.

 

[GMofOilers]

I can't see the Oilers being more than a .500 club with their current defence. Their 2nd and 3rd pairings are AHL level. Doesn't really matter if McDavid plays or not -- team will not win more than it loses with current D.

D is just fine, they have the analytics to say they are fine. Our AHL level goaltending is another story…

 

[brentashton]

Derek Ryan appears to be the odd man out.

His last few have been horribad. I have nothing but love and respect for DR but I hope Noah P grabs the reins here and never looks back.

Derek appears to not be able to play at the pace of the game anymore (at least as a regular night contributor). Perhaps he can still step in as a depth role guy for short periods. I have to think he’s a solid character influence in the room. I can only imagine the range of emotions when it comes crashing down like this for a pro athlete.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851684149222113533

Dermott in the 2nd pair? good god that's awful

This is the true Halloween horror. The deck chair defense is hideous.

 

[Lacaar]

I can't see the Oilers being more than a .500 club with their current defence. Their 2nd and 3rd pairings are AHL level. Doesn't really matter if McDavid plays or not -- team will not win more than it loses with current D.

I completely disagree.

I can't see how a team that is scoring at a miniscule rate with what's almost a record low scoring conversion rate is having all it's problems placed on the 2nd and 3rd pair d-men. It boggles my mind. Especially when said forwards have been about as bad back checking as they have been converting chances.

Every forward with the exception of Draisitl.. Including McDavid couldn't score on a peewee goalie this year. They are f***ing awful at converting chances. That's the NUMBER 1 issue with the team right now.

When they have achieved whatever level of urgency or embarrassment, When second pre-season ends. Then I think we can really have an honest evaluation of the defense.

But right now the forwards are so god awful at scoring. Like historically pathetic. Hell most games the forwards are every bit as responsible for the mistake that leads to a goal.

This team thinks they're giving a shit. But they aren't truly and honestly giving a shit.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I can't see the Oilers being more than a .500 club with their current defence. Their 2nd and 3rd pairings are AHL level. Doesn't really matter if McDavid plays or not -- team will not win more than it loses with current D.

So losing Ceci / Vinny makes us a 500 club? They must have been game changers.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

So losing Ceci / Vinny makes us a 500 club? They must have been game changers.

Losing them is fine, if their replacements are better.

So far, they're not.

Also, there was another defenseman we lost in the offseason.

 

[K1984]

I completely disagree.

I can't see how a team that is scoring at a miniscule rate with what's almost a record low scoring conversion rate is having all it's problems placed on the 2nd and 3rd pair d-men. It boggles my mind. Especially when said forwards have been about as bad back checking as they have been converting chances.

Every forward with the exception of Draisitl.. Including McDavid couldn't score on a peewee goalie this year. They are f***ing awful at converting chances. That's the NUMBER 1 issue with the team right now.

When they have achieved whatever level of urgency or embarrassment, When second pre-season ends. Then I think we can really have an honest evaluation of the defense.

But right now the forwards are so god awful at scoring. Like historically pathetic. Hell most games the forwards are every bit as responsible for the mistake that leads to a goal.

This team thinks they're giving a shit. But they aren't truly and honestly giving a shit.

I don't understand how anyone can pin this on the D. Not like they've been perfect, but they've been more than good enough to win.

A LOT of the GA sequences where an individual defender looks bad is after a flurry of f*** ups by the forward group either failing to clear, turning the puck over in a dumb spot up ice, a lazy back check, or all of the above.

There is 100% room for improvement, especially net front defence and their current allergy to tying up sticks, but that is far, far behind the problems with goal scoring and goaltending in terms of rank of problem.

Losing them is fine, if their replacements are better.

So far, they're not.

Also, there was another defenseman we lost in the offseason.

That played all of 10 total games in a role above #7 d man.

 

[Mr Positive]

I bet Nuge steps up.

 

[McHelpus]

Will Pickard Trick or Treat the Oilers tonight?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

That played all of 10 total games in a role above #7 d man.

Well he sure seems to be doing well on his new team while Nurse and whatever deck chair they put next to him continue to flounder. Dermott and Emberson are not cutting it. At all.

 

[K1984]

I bet Nuge steps up.

Nuge's play is almost a litmus test for where the team is.

When he's playing with pace and moving his feet the team is usually there with him. When he's plodding around the ice getting pushed around in battles and turning pucks over, so is the rest of the team.

He's the only meaningful player up front that has still showed pretty much nothing. Hyman is still working, and getting chances, just clinically unable to cash. Drai and McDavid have been poor, but they've at least had flashes and signs they are getting traction. Nuge has been a big, fat zero, and a big reason both sides of special teams have been shit IMO.

Well he sure seems to be doing well on his new team while Nurse and whatever deck chair they put next to him continue to flounder. Dermott and Emberson are not cutting it. At all.

His play this year isn't relevant to comparing the D groups on the Oilers this year to last year. He basically wasn't on the team last year.

 

[KCC]

This is the true Halloween horror. The deck chair defense is hideous.

the defense hasn’t been that bad at all honestly. Yes, the team could use better players but losing ceci and Vinny hasn’t affected them much at all. They are the same as last year currently. On average the team is not giving up many shots. 4th in the league for fewest shots a game. Bottom line, you can’t win if you can’t score and they are basically last in most offensive categories which is nuts. If edm had the offense we’ve seen the last handful of years they would be rolling right now. But not being able to score and skinner being good ol inconsistent skinner is killing them. The positive is that they are around .500. Again, the defense can obviously be better but they are not the reason 10 games in.