Xelebes
Registered User
I went with the safe bet: No.
It hasn't failed me in ten years, why should it be any different this year?
It hasn't failed me in ten years, why should it be any different this year?
Take the Yes vote and subtract about 30% and that is likely the actual number. Most of these polls tend to be skewed with undue optimism until the start of the year.
I've said this before though but how far off is this D from the Islanders that got 100 points?
Larsson = Hamonic
Klefbom = Leddy
Sekera = Boychuk
Davidson + Nurse + Fayne = Hickey + de Haan + Pulock
It's not that far off IMO.
Chiarelli will probably add another d-man, but the group we have as is as long Klefbom doesn't miss 2/3 of the season again is the best one the Oilers have iced probably since 2008 or 2009.
As a roster to be honest the only thing missing is a PP QB d-man, but really beyond that ... winger depth is good, stay-at-home D is OK, center depth is great, size/physicality is now good. Intangibles/experience is still a little thin, but took a big step forward with Lucic.
All you pessimists... hell yes 'we' make the playoffs this year.
Didn't Chia say that 'we' are going for it this year?
McDavid
New Arena - Lucic - Changes to the Team/Culture
Playoffs
Its all falling into place, almost as if it were planned this way. Heck, what better way to break in a new arena than to come out of nowhere and win the cup?
I think we are a lot closer than people realize. I believe we need to address the PPQB hole to have a real shot a the playoffs. We're close I think, but we need to round out just a little bit more.
But still just close I think that low end of pts will be 85 upper end ?? We still need to get one or 2 defenše men. Reinhart and Nurse in the line up will cause a disaster
Depends on Arizona, they made some decent moves in McGinn, Goligoski. They also found a legit goaltender last season in Domingue.
And I am not sure if Anaheim have found much else scoring other than their #1 line.
Actually it depends on 7 WC clubs somehow being worse than the Edmonton Oilers.
The new and improved Edmonton oilers without Taylor Hall.
The offense, which was already in the bottom of the league, is quite a bit worse
It's debatable that the defense is all that improved with the addition of Eric Brewer 2.0, and the issue of the complete lack of any defensemen that can create offense from the backend has still not even remotely been addressed. If all they could manage this offseason is one addition on the defense, they needed a superstar to make this defense somewhat respectable, and they didn't even get close to doing that. The bottom pairing will also be a mess with Fayne will still be sabotaging the team's efforts defensively on a nightly basis, and Reinhart/Nurse are virtual locks to make the team due to the lack of depth, it's not looking good.
The bottom six is also more garbage than not, and likely provides little offense and porous defense yet again.
Before even factoring in the probable injuries(Klefbom/Pouliot) and potential regressions(Davidson, Drai), it's far more likely the Oilers are picking top 4 again than it is they get anywhere within striking distance of the playoffs as the roster currently stands.
The offence is better as long as McDavid doesn't get hurt for 38 games again.
Lucic replaces a good 80% of Hall's production and he's more responsible defensively, so he gives up less, which makes that move a wash.
Our "bottom six" right now has one of Nugent Hopkins or Draisaitl, Kassian, Pouliot, Hendricks, with the potential of Cagiulla to come up, it's probable Puljujarvi starts on that 3rd line too ... I don't think it's nearly that bad.
Have you actually looked at the bottom six iced by a lot of teams?
Pouliot Draisaitl/RNH Puljujarvi
Hendricks Letestu Kassian
I can tell you, a lot of teams would gladly trade their bottom six for that bottom six.