Pre-Game Talk: BLEH!

[Mr Kot]

Make gdt?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

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.

Okay, so in that case... who on the Oilers that was on the team last year is doing better this year? Because it isn't Bouchard or Nurse, that's for sure.

 

[fuswald]

Deleted

 

[NeverForget06]

On paper our defence should be the problem but it's actually that our goalies can't keep the puck out of our net, and our forwards can't put the puck into the other net

To win, our team has to score more goals than the other guys. We are not good at doing that

 

[Mr Kot]

Arviddson showed some flashes, so fingers crossed he is back and hopefully wont get injured again.

 

[K1984]

Okay, so in that case... who on the Oilers that was on the team last year is doing better this year? Because it isn't Bouchard or Nurse, that's for sure.

What about the defence in any respect is responsible for the forward group playing like dogs across the board and our goalies inability to make any saves?

It's a red herring. We probably have 2-3 more wins if the team scored more than 2 goals per game and nobody would care, and we'd probably be talking about how we can roll this D group into the deadline. Whining about the defence is an exercise in people trying to make the problem what they want it to be, not what it is.

The team can't score goals and can't save anything. Nothing about the D changes that.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

What about the defence in any respect is responsible for the forward group playing like dogs across the board and our goalies inability to make any saves?

It's a red herring. We probably have 2-3 more wins if the team scored more than 2 goals per game and nobody would care, and we'd probably be talking about how we can roll this D group into the deadline. Whining about the defence is an exercise in people trying to make the problem what they want it to be, not what it is.

The team can't score goals and can't save anything. Nothing about the D changes that.

So the defense has no impact on the ballooned GA/G and terrible PK?

 

[K1984]

So the defense has no impact on the ballooned GA/G and terrible PK?

The defence doesn't stop pucks.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The defence doesn't stop pucks.

Pretty sure blocked shots and clogging up passing lanes are a thing, but sure. Goalie doesn't have to stop the puck if the defense ensures it never gets to him.

The bottom 4 also aren't contributing much to the offensive side of things, either. So what precisely are they doing well? Are they hitting anyone?

 

[K1984]

Pretty sure blocked shots and clogging up passing lanes are a thing, but sure. Goalie doesn't have to stop the puck if the defense ensures it never gets to him.

The bottom 4 also aren't contributing much to the offensive side of things, either. So what precisely are they doing well?

Limiting shots and chances against which they've done well at, even against strong competition? You know, what D men are supposed to do? Nurse is really the only dog in that group not named Dermott, whose presence in the lineup is mystifying. Emberson and Stecher have been more or less fine.

You're delusional if you think that a lack of "clogging up passing lanes" is responsible for the Oilers having the two worst goalies in NHL by almost every measure. Was it the defence's fault when they limited the second best team in the NHL last year to 10 shots through 2 periods before Skinner decided to hand them the game?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Limiting shots and chances against which they've done well at, even against strong competition? You know, what D men are supposed to do? Nurse is really the only dog in that group not named Dermott, whose presence in the lineup is mystifying. Emberson and Stecher have been more or less fine.

You're delusional if you think that a lack of "clogging up passing lanes" is responsible for the Oilers having the two worst goalies in NHL by almost every measure. Was it the defence's fault when they limited the second best team in the NHL last year to 10 shots through 2 periods before Skinner decided to hand them the game?

They collapsed like a house of cards after that point and Dallas ran their show. Nurse has been Nurse, Dermott and Emberson don't look like NHL players. Stecher's passable, but that's about it. The defense is worse than last year, I don't know how anyone could argue that. And that defense wasn't good enough to win it all.

 

[McBeastMode]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1852026640160686539

 

[brentashton]

 

[K1984]

They collapsed like a house of cards after that point and Dallas ran their show. Nurse has been Nurse, Dermott and Emberson don't look like NHL players. Stecher's passable, but that's about it. The defense is worse than last year, I don't know how anyone could argue that. And that defense wasn't good enough to win it all.

At no point did I claim the defence isn't worse than last year. It isn't the reason we're losing though, and I don't know how it's even possible to claim otherwise when the team sits in 32nd in total goals scored and 32nd in team SV%. This despite being among the league leaders in expected goals for and expected goals against.

But ya, it's Emberson and Stecher's fault.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

At no point did I claim the defence isn't worse than last year. It isn't the reason we're losing though, and I don't know how it's even possible to claim otherwise when the team sits in 32nd in total goals scored and 32nd in team SV%.

It's still not good enough, that's my point. They're not getting it done at either end of the ice. When a team in our position is doing poorly, there's a good chance that nothing is going right.

 

[bobbythebrain]

On paper our defence should be the problem but it's actually that our goalies can't keep the puck out of our net, and our forwards can't put the puck into the other net

To win, our team has to score more goals than the other guys. We are not good at doing that

I don't trust on paper when it comes to these things. Goaltending is a massive product of team defense

"On paper" it showed that Bos defense was pretty bad and that Swayman and Ulmark were doing all the work.
Now Ulmark can't save a beachball?

Goaltending in a large part comes from how well you trust your D and knowing where the shots come from. The eyetest shows 2 lines of our d are all over the map when it comes to defending right now

 

[K1984]

It's still not good enough, that's my point. They're not getting it done at either end of the ice. When a team in our position is doing poorly, there's a good chance that nothing is going right.

I don't know what they're supposed to do to make the forwards put the puck in the net and the goalie stop a puck.

1 more goal per game on average probably has us somewhere around 6-3-1 and nobody panics. Even with this shit goaltending.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I don't trust on paper when it comes to these things. Goaltending is a massive product of team defense

"On paper" it showed that Bos defense was pretty bad and that Swayman and Ulmark were doing all the work.
Now Ulmark can't save a beachball?

Goaltending in a large part comes from how well you trust your D and knowing where the shots come from. The eyetest shows 2 lines of our d are all over the map when it comes to defending right now

They looked far more structured in the playoffs than they do right now.

 

[TheNumber4]

So many vampires, what is this a Bettman tribute thread?

 

[Stoneman89]

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

 

[Gordy Elbows]

View attachment 924440

Behold….Curly invents hip-hop moves!

 

[brentashton]

Behold….Curly invents hip-hop moves!

He’s better than that girl at the Olympics. I’ve already forgotten her name.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

At no point did I claim the defence isn't worse than last year. It isn't the reason we're losing though, and I don't know how it's even possible to claim otherwise when the team sits in 32nd in total goals scored and 32nd in team SV%. This despite being among the league leaders in expected goals for and expected goals against.

But ya, it's Emberson and Stecher's fault.

One thing to consider in comparing our Defence to last year….we’re tending to compare a “raw version” of this season to a matured / playoff version from last season. Recall that Knoblauch is s still fiddling with D pairings, D positioning and PK assignments. Apart from Ekholm and Bouchard, it’s been a blender process. Even flipping Dmen to play on their offsides at times is a head scratcher, unless it’s part of a bigger experiment he has in mind.
Personally, I can’t wait for it to settle down….develop their chemistry and communications….then find their rightful TOI allotments.

 

[CupofOil]

Their 8 wingers dressed tonight have a combined 4 goals.
McLeod, Holloway and Foegele have 4 goals each. Rough

People complaining about the defense this season are really not paying attention to the real issues. Team can't score for shit, the starting goaltender has had like 2 good starts. Those have been the main issues. Long term the defense is likely the biggest issue that needs to be addressed but this season, it's been far down the list of problems.

 

[Soundwave]

View attachment 924456

The D was worse this time last year.

If y'all want Ceci and Desharnais back that badly, San Jose and Vancouver will likely return them for peanuts.

Vancouver fans already talking about how to dump Desharnais for nothing.