Oilers are good at hockey again: Back in the plofs

[KCC]

Never seen a team do a 180 like this. Not even that Blues squad.

McDavid is on pace for his worst season. Yet, they are better as a team.

Points are the furthest thing on his mind. He just wants to contribute to the overall team play. No longer has he had to put up 5 points a game just so edm wins 6-5. He‘s basically turned into Crosby when he won those cups. Sacrificing points but contributing in more ways to stsrt becoming a more complete team. At least that’s how I’ve seen it. lol

 

[thaman8765678]

In October and November, many people were calling for the Oilers to blow it up. Fast forward a couple months and they have won 15 in a row and 23 of the last 26.

I just don't understand how a team turns around this drastically. Is it simply McDavid and Ekholm becoming healthy? Or goaltending improving? Or is it the coaching change? A combination of all of this?

 

[Coffee]

playing coordinated team defense night in night out

 

[ViD]

Skinner went from Toskala to Roy with the new coach

 

[mkatcherin00]

Woodcroft tried to make a change to the man to man system and the Oilers looked like a bantam team and confused. They were still generating a lot of scoring chances, but were giving up about 4 goals a game their first 18 games I think? Also goalies were getting peppered, but still letting in bad goals. They would play great to start a bunch of games and then just let in 1 or 2 quickies.

New coach is much more familiar with zone D and the few games they did need it, the goalies have made some big saves to keep a couple games tied. Entire team Defense is reason #1. Play more structured.

PK has been like #1 or close since the coaching change. It was down near the last with Woodcroft. This coach is using THREE pairs of PKers. Woody used a combined 23sh different pairs.

Top guys are all backchecking consistently. You can see it. They rarely cheat for offense. Whole team has a better commitment to team defense.

Besides tonight, the new coach keeps 29/97 split. They usually play together right at the end of a PK.

The funny thing is, I don't even think we have been getting a lot of puck luck. We are not finishing and clicking on offense.

They had some brutal games, but contrary to what people think, the Oilers were not "brutal" in that terrible 2-9 stretch. They have got goalied a ton too during that bad stretch. At least 4 games I think they should have won.

It's funny though. During this streak, McDavid and Drai have not been top 10 in scoring. The PP has been average at best.

 

[Dust]

They were a good team with a bad start. It's not like this is the Sharks of Blackhawks suddenly flipping a switch and winning a whole bunch of games, it was always a pretty solid roster that started clicking.

 

[JaegerDice]

Regression to the mean?

They didnt magically forget how to play hockey. They couldnt get a save and their big guns werent scoring at the predicted clip. Both those problems rectified themselves.

 

[McFlyingV]

Better system and defensive coaching, better team D, full buy in from the players, far more maturity with puck management. All of this has made life for the goalies much easier, and in turn has given them confidence which has also improved their play dramatically.

Thats really the only difference. Obviously a healthy McD and Ekholm helps, but the most dramatic changes are from the things I talked about. Offence isn't doing anything they haven't in years past, but they've been able to maintain most of that offensive production without cheating for it.

Also, as mentioned, they were basically a top 5 team last year with pretty much the same roster. None of this should be surprising.

 

[Chips]

They were underachieving in the first place. Pretty much went from ice cold to burning hot.

Injuries and a new system they struggled to adjust to, compounding goalie struggles early.


This year, I keep saying the league is full of mid teams. It’s not that there’s no great teams but there seems to be a lot more teams I don’t feel super confident in. I looked at the standings when they were at their lowest and saw a pretty easy path back. It’s the regular contenders of the last several years coming down while some young teams aren’t ready to peak.

The oilers were supposed to be one of the teams on the come up peaking, now they’re where a lot of people expected them to be in the summer

 

[ACLEVERNAME]

I'm still not seeing it. They were 'Stanley Cup bound' at season's start and completely floundered. Now they've worked their way back into the conversation (impressive to be honest, not trying to take that away from them) but can we definitively say "these are the real Oilers"? I don't think so.

The extremes of both sides will eventually find its neutral level and that's just not a Stanley Cup winning team IMO.

 

[quat]

They started the year playing like a bunch of individuals and had a difficult time course correcting, or breaking that habit. Poor goal tending didn't help, but their team defense was almost non existent. Coach gets fired and as a group they decide to keep things simple and start actually earning wins instead of expecting them.

They're good value for this run of games and it's not a big surprise they're a good team. A couple tweaks to the roster, primarily on defense and maybe in goal and they should go deep this year. Looking a lot more dangerous than previous seasons.

As a Canucks fan I always felt they'd do well once they decided to play like a team and was surprised they lost so many games. Coincidentally, the turn around happened when McDavid started playing more like Hyman ... a little more sandpaper to his game.

Either that or it's all due to the return of winner Sam Gagner ;-)

 

[McFlyingV]

I'm still not seeing it. They were 'Stanley Cup bound' at season's start and completely floundered. Now they've worked their way back into the conversation (impressive to be honest, not trying to take that away from them) but can we definitively say "these are the real Oilers"? I don't think so.

The extremes of both sides will eventually find its neutral level and that's just not a Stanley Cup winning team IMO.

Advanced stats support that they are a cup contender and their commitment to defensive play under Knoblauch is something they've never shown before. Doesn't mean they'll win the cup because a lot of things have to go right for any team to win, but they are a top contender.

 

[KCC]

Regression to the mean?

They didnt magically forget how to play hockey. They couldnt get a save and their big guns werent scoring at the predicted clip. Both those problems rectified themselves.

Not really? Mcdavid and drasaitl haven’t even been top 10 in scoring during their streak. lol.

I'm still not seeing it. They were 'Stanley Cup bound' at season's start and completely floundered. Now they've worked their way back into the conversation (impressive to be honest, not trying to take that away from them) but can we definitively say "these are the real Oilers"? I don't think so.

The extremes of both sides will eventually find its neutral level and that's just not a Stanley Cup winning team IMO.

who knows. Edm has a really good shot if their goaltending holds up. Something they lacked last pos5 season. And they still took Vegas to 6 in the second round despite skinner being atrocious.

 

[TheNumber4]

Bull!

 

[zar]

Interesting...

I’m pretty sure that’s the most positive thing you’ve ever said about the Oilers.

 

[mkatcherin00]

Not really? Mcdavid and drasaitl haven’t even been top 10 in scoring during their streak. lol.



who knows. Edm has a really good shot if their goaltending holds up. Something they lacked last pos5 season. And they still took Vegas to 6 in the second round despite skinner being atrocious.

Vegas is a great team (when healthy), but people forget. Oilers had a lead in EVERY SINGLE game in that series. Jonathan M said it during the summer. He said the man to man was easy to break. Vegas got a lot of goals just moving around the Oilers zone and crossing up guys. They got into the paint a lot and scored goals there a lot.

Edmonton did not "protect the house" well in that Vegas series. Some bad timed penalties too. I am not saying Edmonton would have won the series, but you don't get up every single game by being a bad team. Flawed yes.

 

[Connor McConnor]

In October and November, many people were calling for the Oilers to blow it up. Fast forward a couple months and they have won 15 in a row and 23 of the last 26.

I just don't understand how a team turns around this drastically. Is it simply McDavid and Ekholm becoming healthy? Or goaltending improving? Or is it the coaching change? A combination of all of this?

Top 5 advanced stat team while being 6-12-1.
It was more goaltending than McDavid but him not being healthy also results in us finishing at a lesser clip. I definitely wavered in hope but I still kept it that it would turn around because I was watching the games and saw us outplaying the other team almost every night and losing.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Easy schedule

 

[Pucklington]

Woodcroft tried to make a change to the man to man system and the Oilers looked like a bantam team and confused. They were still generating a lot of scoring chances, but were giving up about 4 goals a game their first 18 games I think? Also goalies were getting peppered, but still letting in bad goals. They would play great to start a bunch of games and then just let in 1 or 2 quickies.

New coach is much more familiar with zone D and the few games they did need it, the goalies have made some big saves to keep a couple games tied. Entire team Defense is reason #1. Play more structured.

PK has been like #1 or close since the coaching change. It was down near the last with Woodcroft. This coach is using THREE pairs of PKers. Woody used a combined 23sh different pairs.

Top guys are all backchecking consistently. You can see it. They rarely cheat for offense. Whole team has a better commitment to team defense.

Besides tonight, the new coach keeps 29/97 split. They usually play together right at the end of a PK.

The funny thing is, I don't even think we have been getting a lot of puck luck. We are not finishing and clicking on offense.

They had some brutal games, but contrary to what people think, the Oilers were not "brutal" in that terrible 2-9 stretch. They have got goalied a ton too during that bad stretch. At least 4 games I think they should have won.

It's funny though. During this streak, McDavid and Drai have not been top 10 in scoring. The PP has been average at best.

Woodcroft tried to change man-to-man to zone but they kept their breakouts the same, forcing D to make simple plays of the boards.

Knoblauch did keep the switch to Zone, but they also changed their D philosophy of allowing Defense to make plays, vs simple of the board plays. He probably is also better at implementing it.

Was insightful hearing from Stauffer, because it makes sense why they struggled so hard breaking out in with turnovers.

 

[HockeyWooot]

They got healthy. They got a new coach. They have a new system.

They got hot, real hot, and are riding that wave right back to where they were expected to be. It's pretty incredible.

Just as it would be foolish to think their start is who the Oilers are, this recent Knoblauch run shouldn't be assumed as their new norm either. I do expect they'll at least be as good as the team they've been in the last two years.

When they hit a stretch of play where they're not getting bounces or fighting it, then we will see how good their fundamentals, systems and structure is to fall back on.

 

[mkatcherin00]

Woodcroft tried to change man-to-man to zone but they kept their breakouts the same, forcing D to make simple plays of the boards.

Knoblauch did keep the switch to Zone, but they also changed their D philosophy of allowing Defense to make plays, vs simple of the board plays. He probably is also better at implementing it.

Was insightful hearing from Stauffer, because it makes sense why they struggled so hard breaking out in with turnovers.

I missed that. Woody was more of a throw it off the boards and out

Coffey is telling the D to try making plays with the puck and don't be afraid to go up the middle. The breakout has been a big change. Don't see us just whip it off of the glass every second breakout

People need to remember the Oilers went on a heater last year to end the year. Last year the pp and mcdrai were popping off much more

After ekholm they have over 50 wins in the last 82. Something like a 116-118 points pace

Easy schedule

Some of that is true. What was their schedule in the 8 game heater before this one?

When you are the top team in the nhl the last 82 games played, a lot of games can be considered easy......

 

[HolyGhost]

started getting the bounces. This thread will be interesting in a few hours. If it is still open

 

[mkatcherin00]

They got healthy. They got a new coach. They have a new system.

They got hot, real hot, and are riding that wave right back to where they were expected to be. It's pretty incredible.

Just as it would be foolish to think their start is who the Oilers are, this recent Knoblauch run shouldn't be assumed as their new norm either. I do expect they'll at least be as good as the team they've been in the last two years.

When they hit a stretch of play where they're not getting bounces or fighting it, then we will see how good their fundamentals, systems and structure is to fall back on.

Of course. This is a heater. 23/26 won. It will come down, but shouldn't by a ton

Goalies aren't stealing games. Shooting % isn't that great. Pp isn't that great.

The Oilers corrected their season with a massive streak. PDO in all situations is now 100 I think lol. Top ten in January as well maybe 102

The funny thing is that they have pretty much had the same advanced stats all year. Same before the streak

Tops in a lot of offensive and defensive categories

 

[Spawn]

They got healthy. They got a new coach. They have a new system.

They got hot, real hot, and are riding that wave right back to where they were expected to be. It's pretty incredible.

Just as it would be foolish to think their start is who the Oilers are, this recent Knoblauch run shouldn't be assumed as their new norm either. I do expect they'll at least be as good as the team they've been in the last two years.

When they hit a stretch of play where they're not getting bounces or fighting it, then we will see how good their fundamentals, systems and structure is to fall back on.

I know you’re making a joke about PDO, but honestly it kind of checks out.

Analytically they’ve been one of the best teams in the league from day one. Yes, they’ve limited chances against better under their new coach, but even with Woodcroft they weren’t giving a tonne up. It was just that every single chance was going in. And at the other end of the ice the Oilers couldn’t buy a goal.

Once the numbers started to level out they started to win games. Lately they’ve been at a PDO similar to where the Canucks have been all season and they can’t lose a game. At some point that will normalize out a bit too. No team can ride these kinds of heaters forever

 

[Norwegianoiler]

Given the opportunity we have to express our opinions online minute to minute, second to second, we rarely find time to zoom out and take in the view. The Oilers as a team were never as bad as the start would suggest, though they did play horribly. It was just completely out of tune with what that team did in a much larger sample the season before. Moreover, they're not as good as winning fifteen games might suggest either.

"We're not in the business of critiquing wins" they reiterate, but they ought to be, given that some of the wins during the current streak have been nearly as bad as their games during the losing streaks, but hockey is a game of severe randomness if you look closely enough, say a single game at a time.