AmabileCassarole
Registered User
- Nov 4, 2023
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It'll make for a hell of a documentary someday. At least a few good books. It'll be up there with shit like WCW being sold to Vinny Mac for pennies on the dollar.
Jekyll and Hyde- What should Edmonton do with Evan Bouchard?
- Thread starter UrbanImpact
- Start date
It'll make for a hell of a documentary someday. At least a few good books. It'll be up there with shit like WCW being sold to Vinny Mac for pennies on the dollar.
SeanMoneyHands
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- Apr 18, 2019
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Neither is Ceci as a top 4 NHL dman. And that's where the problem lies, Ceci and Bouchard both playing top 4 minutes when they both are bottom pairing dmen. Add on top Dehainais who isn't even an NHL calibre dman and he's a regular in the Oilers lineup. Every dman 1-6 is playing 2 spots too high on the Oilers.
Kulak is fine though. Kulak is their 3rd best all round defender. Maybe even first as he's better defensively than Nurse.
The problem with Edmonton isn’t Ceci or Bouchard or Kulak.
Nurse-X
Ekholm-Ceci
Kulak-Bouchard
Desharnais
The problem is that they need X to be a top 4 rd that can defend and move the puck. It would also move the others down. Someone like Pulock, Spurgeon, Pesce, Weegar, or Faulk would be perfect. But Tanev or Murphy would also suffice. Maybe even a Jensen or Walker.
Nurse-X
Ekholm-Ceci
Kulak-Bouchard
Desharnais
The problem is that they need X to be a top 4 rd that can defend and move the puck. It would also move the others down. Someone like Pulock, Spurgeon, Pesce, Weegar, or Faulk would be perfect. But Tanev or Murphy would also suffice. Maybe even a Jensen or Walker.
HockeyWooot
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- Jan 28, 2020
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Addressing the back end should have been the Oilers top priority this off-season.
As a Canucks fan we know well what it's like to have a tire fire of a dcorps with several players in roles way beyond their capability (eg OEL, Myers, Bear/Schenn).
Allvin was able to drastically improve it in the past 12 months with Hronek, Cole, Soucy stabilizing the group along with a wider defence focused structure.
Still more work to be done before (need 2nd pair RD), but is definitely leaps and bounds better than before.
I think the Oilers can improve their group, but they need to take action now.
HockeyWooot
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- Jan 28, 2020
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I think there was a window where they could have considered trading RNH for a really good dman a legit no 2.
He's a great player but he's not been maximized at wing imo and could have been used to address more pressing needs.
BB88
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- Jan 19, 2015
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Oleksiak
Registered User
He's not even a top 4 on a decent AHL team. Not sure why they drafted a guy who had zero chance of ever learning how to play defence.
SeanMoneyHands
Registered User
- Apr 18, 2019
- 15,334
- 14,735
Voight
#winning
We were told that Toronto & Pittsburgh fans were wrong about Ceci, he's underrated.
Oilers should put the screws to Bouchard and make him pay attention to D. Bench him when he makes bonehead plays. Force him to learn the defensive side of the game.
At the moment, there is no consequences for atrocious play. Its that culture that is ruining the Oilers.
At the moment, there is no consequences for atrocious play. Its that culture that is ruining the Oilers.
Bouchard is just like every other Oiler defender in that he would be much better if he had no defensive responsibilities.
