Truth. The core problem is that Holland tried to build a team around McDavid and Draisatl, instead of building a team of which they were a part. So the Oilers end up with a team that has two effective lines if McDavid and Draisatl are split, but if the Oilers get behind then they are combined as McDrai and then the Oilers only have one effective line that is inevitably exhausted late in the game. Also, when they get into the playoffs, the Oilers start facing teams with some pretty good defenses that maybe can't shut down the McDrai line entirely, but can keep it under control just enough for their other lines to beat the non-McDrai lines.
Then you get to defense where the Oilers don't seem to have any good lines, but simply different flavors of average to bad ones. Throw in a couple of very average (to be kind) goalies, and the defense becomes a sieve. Credit Woodcroft with the good sense to see that the Oilers' defense scheme was also bad and try to move to a new one (ironically, the Cassidy scheme), but he just doesn't have the personnel to make that work effectively.
So, what the Oilers end up with is a very exciting regular-season team where McDavid and Draisatl try to (and regularly do) simply outscore the opposition, but as they go deeper into the playoffs these fault lines metastasize into canyons and the team finally hits the wall. That has nothing to do with McDavid and Draistatl who are doing their job very well, and everything to do with a fundamentally awful construct by Holland that is not going to be fixed anytime soon. Note that this seems to be the root cause McDavid's frustration: He (and Draisatl) are doing everything they need to do, but their supporting cast keeps falling short and he can see that the outcome probably will not be any different this season either.
My take anyway. Viva la difference.
Perfect summary!
It's not McDavid's fault that Ceci is in Top 4.
It's not his fault we spent 5 million on a decling starting goalie.
It's not his fault that a rookie that was expected to be the backup was thrust into a starting spot.
If you look at the forwards.. they are good enough to sustain a McD or Drai injury. They are deep and a good core of forwards.
If you look at the D .. 100% healthy they are not good enough. Now give Ek or Nurse an injury.. how does that D Core look? They can't sustain one injury and, fully healthy, are around 15th best in the NHL.
The G are a rookie who was thrust into a starter role and a 'starter' who is closing in on 40 games with the majority of them under .900 starts. I've seen them both really bad at the same time (eg. now) and I've seen them both be good but I've never seen them both be good at the same time. This is not a Stanley Cup duo.
For me.. either improve the D and gamble and risk in a trade. Or get a stud goalie. I thought a Campbell buyout and targetting a guy like Vladar of Vlejmelka would've made sense too. Skinner is good and has promise. So does Rodrigue who is developing appropriately. I eat shit when I remind people Walstedt was on the table. I eat even more shit when I suggest Walstedt will get his first NHL start before Xavier B gets his.
I'm not joking when I say a guy like Adam Larsson would make us instantly better. Not saying to get Larsson but boy would that solidify things. We don't need a Makar (although, that'd be nice) but we do need a Larsson type of solid top 4D. That would improve the goaltending.
I see our D like this:
Nurse - ????
Ek - Bouch
Kulak - Ceci
That is now a good D core but I have no idea which ???? we need to target. Chychrum probably could've done it and was available. Larsson would fill it in. Gudas even on pair 2 as he was a UFA. Hronek would fit in well and he was available too. Karlsson would've too. All were available.
Need to get Ceci into a 4/5 slot. One guy to push him down. Kulak is great in his role and no more Niem's and Desharnais unless a lot of injuries pile up. Kulak and Ceci would be a great 5/6 to move up in case of injuries.
I swear, and I was not 100% sober, that I saw the Oil give a 2 on 0 breakaway at 5 on 5 last night.lol
Note: Feel free to replace my Czech suggestions with other nationalities. I have a bias!lol I was just trying to list players that were available as some always argue there was no one available.
