You have to give the Oilers credit for not imploding after the tough start where pretty much everything went wrong. It would have been easy to give up on the season at that point and start phoning it in and I think a lot teams would have done just that. In the end, fighting through the adversity might help them.
Oilers are good at hockey again: Back in the plofs
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Climbing out of the hole they were in, could turn out to be a blessing come playoff time. Count 1 under the 'experience' column.
The Oilers definitely had some bad luck, injuries, an ineffective new defensive system that contributed to the horrendous start. But for those of us watching the Oilers, it is evident they play a different style of game under Knoblauch. It's more than a "new coach bump", as it is a pretty drastic change in the overall approach.
Maybe for the first time in McDavid era, the team plays a much more solid defensive game. No more stupid D pinching at the wrong time, opposing players wide open in prime scoring positions, errant passes, and numerous odd men rushes.
Skinner improved his game, without question, but he also faces far fewer dangerous scoring chances than at the beginning of the season. To some extent, all these lapses were there in the previous seasons as well, but were hidden somewhat by a very strong offence. Maybe it even was an unspoken understanding that "we can outscore our defensive problems". If I were to summarize Knoblauch's approach I would say it is "No more cheating for offence, defence takes priority".
We are not out of the woods, of course, they can still hit a bad stretch. But so far I like how Knoblauch transformed this team. I think a similar "coach effect" is in Vancouver. With essentially the same roster as last year, they play great hockey. I would say they are the best team in the NHL right now.
Crazy how much they jumped in standing. They aren’t far from Vancouver with 4 games in hand. They are only 6 points out from Vancouver if they win those games in hand. I remember they were like 25 points out at one point
Czechboy
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My one theory... and I'm a Woody fan and was pissed he got fired. He tried to implement a D system that didn't fit our guys.
This is the best the Oil have looked to me since 2016. I still don't love our D and I really don't like our backup goalie situation at all. But I want small tweaks... a Walker and a Vejmelka. Something like that. Then let Ceci fight it out for 2RD and let Skinner fight it out for 1G.
I will say I've been really enjoying the games lately!
I got tired of typing 'need 6 to win'.
I was hoping Seattle would implode by the trade deadline, because I want Adam Larsson back. But they are still in contention for a playoff spot. I would be surprised if we find an upgrade in goal. Skinner has been actually very solid lately, maybe he really turned a corner.
They're using the same system he was trying to implement.
Except we have a coach who knows how to execute it.
Czechboy
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I don't want an upgrade or a Long Term starter. I'm actually extremely excited for Skinner/Rodrigue as early as next season.
I just want a temporary equivalent to tandem with. Since I have a Czech bias I suggest Mrazek, Vejmelka and Vladar. Not one would be expesnive.. not one would have to stay if they suck and not one would block Rodrigue.
Larsson is EXACTLY what we need. I don't think he'd come though given his Dad died here.
If Holland doesn't aquire a goalie that can be a starter he's an even bigger idiot than I thought.
We have Demko but if a team was willing to overpay for CDS he still wouldn't get moved. Having a backup that gives you almost as good of a chance to win is absolutely massive and we have a massive cushion in our favour.
Skinner has been good the last 20 games but if he gets hurt, game over. Plus the fact that you guys were so far back that it took a 18-3 run to get back in the hunt and have no separation or cushion means Skinner likely has to play almost every game. That didn't work last season. Pickard sucks and can't be counted on against good teams. That's my take anyway
Czechboy
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and all of last season. Calder finalist. Playoffs and start of season were not good at all.
He was good in spot duty the season before too...
Just going back to last season.. he played 50 games and was .914. That is a starter. He was top 10 for goalies that have played 40 games but I had to change it to 30 games to fit in Demko. He was .915 the season prior to Stu's .914.
Czechboy
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And a lot of people on HF loved it.lol So many trade proposals for Drai, McD and Bouch.lol It's been nice to not read that McDrai are leaving for California in a couple of weeks.
LesCanadiens
Hardcore Curmudgeon
Far too talented to be a bottom-feeder. Just like the Canucks, it's amazing what a new coach and starting goaltending can do for a team. Sometimes it doesn't take more than one or 2 changes like that.
McFlyingV
Registered User
He's gone from a goals saved above expected of like -25 to -3.5 in about 15 games. He's hot.
And it’s not like the Canucks have been bad either. They’re 15-4-2 in their past 21 and the Oilers have still gained 4 points on them.
Czechboy
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I cannot see us catching the Nucks.. they've been awesome. I like everything they've done so far. BUT, I am an HF poster and I am dying for us to play them in the playoffs. Not because I think we'd win but because I want the fireworks. The 2 most toxic fanbases on HF going at it!lol
TheNumber4
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- Nov 11, 2011
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Well that’s a dumb take. This lazy argument that the Oilers are just McDrai’s performance or lackthereof as the reason for their struggles or recovery this year is just wrong. If you don’t watch all the games, if you don’t understand how coaching has effected the team, then you are just talking out of your ass. You sound like you heard some dumbass color commentator say it during a Wings game (those senile guys are the worst by the way) and are just parroting it.
I was never complimenting the Oilers, just how great McDavid and Draisaitl are.
North Cole
♧ Lem
- Jan 22, 2017
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I'm not even sure why I bothered with your thought experiment given how much of my previous post you ignored and how obvious your lack of attention to the Oilers has been, but here we go.
His injury was Oct 22, so in the eight games until Woody was fired (Nov 12), we were 2-6 and 26th in GF/G at 2.75. Anyone actually paying attention to the team realized that the much larger issue was being 28th in GA/G at 3.88, a number that was 4+ prior to the game we played that day vs the Kraken (which was ranked 31st for GA/G). Along with almost last in PK. Over those eight games the Oilers scored 22 goals and had 31 against. Simultaneously, Connor McDavid played eight games and had 2 points, for a PPG of 0.33.
The next eight games post coaching change, he had PPG of 2.25 and had 18 points in 8 games. I assume it's fair to say he was back at this moment and it was an equal sample to the games he missed while injured. The Oilers shot up to 2nd in GF/G over that period scoring 35 goals (an increase of 13 over the prior period). You can likely infer that the difference 16 points he had (18-2), had a direct impact on the team scoring 13 more goals (35-22). I concede that point. Interestingly enough, despite this massive boost in production, the team still managed to only go 5-3 because GA/G only rose seven spots to 21st at 3.38, which was a decrease of half a goal per game. The team scoring 1.5 more goals per game wasn't making many strides in the standings due to continued defensive/goaltending failures.
Beyond that stretch of games to the present, the team has played 18 games and seen McDavid's PPG normalize down from 2.25 to 1.61. While that has had a nominal impact on the teams GF/G by decreasing it about 0.60 goals per game, putting them 4th instead of 2nd at 3.67 GF/G, the team managed a monumental 15-3 record... Largely due to GA/G per game decrease by 1.2 down to 2.17. This period saw the Oilers go from 21st in GA/G to 3rd...
It confuses me that your rebuttal to being called out for some laughable 'compliment' was, "what was the production while he was injured", when any analysis at all shows the lions share of recent team success has been due to significant improvement on the defensive/goaltending side of the game.
- The team was floundering in every zone of the ice when he was injured. Fair to question his offensive impact.
- The team was still floundering defensively when he was no longer injured and barely breaking even despite huge offensive contributions from him.
- The team settling in post coaching change to move up from 21st to 3rd in GA, from bottom 5 to top 5 in PK, and top 10 in other shot and possession metrics, along with being top 5 in xG%.
Unless the assertion is that McDavid is playing as a top 3 offensive and defensive forward currently, I don't know how you got anywhere near your original take that he is nearly alone in deserving praise for the team going 15-3. You don't even have to look any further than how much Skinner has progressed over the last 18+ games.
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Fishy McScales
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Then why are you being snarky that fans of the team took exception? Are you simply just a toxic little *****?
Czechboy
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It really has been a hillarious turnaround that I don't think anyone predicted. It looked BLEAK.lol 31st and a .271 points percentage I think. I still don't think we are a cup favorite though. Need a few additions to the roster to bolster up it's D and tandem.
Plus, we aren't even a sure thing to make the playoffs yet... some of the teams we are in the wildcard race with are very good! Seattle is also on a heater!
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