Oilers hype: Is HF buying in on a 2024 run?

[ChaoticOrange]

I think the leagues figured out how to beat the Oilers.

Most teams can compete with them 5 on 5 and most teams can beat them playing 5 on 5 ,so stay off the PK.

Check hard, especially on Bouchard and Nurse and capitalize on their mistakes.

If the league can bring the Oilers PP down to 25% they'll miss the playoffs.

Essentially, they're the Harlem Globetrotters of the NHL

Despite the shitty record, the Oilers are still top ten or so analytically at 5v5 and have a bottom three PDO. They need to figure some stuff out for sure, but we're not too worried yet.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I don't know whether it's defense, goaltending, a system's thing or all the above but I just can't see Edmonton ever being a consistent threat for a deep playoff run. Can they go the distance? Definitely. They just need everything to go exactly right, or pray enough goes wrong for their opposition McDavid and Draisaitl can just outscore the problem.

They desperately need... defense? Goaltending?

 

[End on a Hinote]

No, it's just more Canadian media propaganda.

No matter how successful their regular season will be, they are just going to eventually fizzle out of the playoffs like every other Canadian teams has been doing for the past two generations.

 

[kranuck]

Thats not really a lazy argument..Crosby plays a 200 ft game..He's an 'all situational' type player..A complete player...McDavid is not that.

Hands down,..offensively, McDavid is the best player on the planet..Edmonton has offensively gifted skill players by the bucket load, which is being squandered by their GM's inability to identify players that can play at the other end of the ice.

My .02 cents.

They have mediocre offensive players after McDavid and Draisaitl. Outside of those two no one else on the team is much of a threat.

Which is not enough to win when they are content to leech points off the big two. Especially when so much comes from the PP and their 5 on 5 offense is meh.

Canucks won't need to worry about playoffs. lol. You Canucks fans sure beak a lot for a team that hasn't done anything in a decade.

There is strong statistical evidence that shows all Canadian teams get the short end of the stick when it comes to playoff reffing, but don't let that get in the way of your homerism.

Edmonton didn’t lose because of anti-Canada conspiracy theories.

 

[kranuck]

Strong statistical evidence my ass , that’s some strong coping for getting blown out constantly. There is no statistical evidence that the NHL is going after Canadian teams in the playoffs when it comes to reffing, Canadian teams just haven’t been good

2011 was probably the only time the Canadian team was favorites and the refs and media (and fans on HF) absolutely produced a toxic cloud of hate for that team, and the finals reffing was terrible, but in the end they were too beat up to get it done.

Ottawa got more respect but Anaheim outclassed them pretty quick.

Though is we want to talk conspiracy theories it was because Campbell wanted his son to win

 

[Mobiandi]

I find it entertaining how they handed the keys over to Jay Woodcroft as the McDrai contracts unwind

 

[kranuck]

Oilers management would probably go for more offense, they think they can outscore their defensive flaws and it starts with their leadership core McDrai.



It's not the just defensemen but the mindset of the forwards who play a one-way game and not as a cohesive unit.

McDrai aren’t the problem at all.

McDavid isn’t GM or coach.

 

[oilexport]

Imo this team would be a better off if they traded someone like Nuge for a shutdown 2nd line center. The unavoidable flaws though are the amount of money they have tied to their goalies and the extra 2.5 mil that's being wasted on Nurse. With an extra 5 mil or so they might be able to add another good dman on top of that shutdown center. That'd make them a legitimate contender if Skinner could be more reliable like he was last year in the regular season. That's just my somewhat uninformed opinion though.

I like it

 

[blundluntman]

Oilers management would probably go for more offense, they think they can outscore their defensive flaws and it starts with their leadership core McDrai.



It's not the just defensemen but the mindset of the forwards who play a one-way game and not as a cohesive unit.

I don't think McDrai are bad leaders, I just think it's a mistake for the team to try and invest so much in their strengths without tending to their weaknesses. We've seen great 1-2 punches play to their strengths on cup-winning teams. It's just that usually, they have other complementary players that can pick up the slack. If you have a shutdown line and 2 defensive pairs capable of supporting a competent goalie, McDavid and Draisaitl are heroes who score key goals and take over games when you need them to. The problem is that the rest of their team isn't diverse enough to win games in other ways. Sure, you have teams like Vegas that have a very thorough team identity, but that's just how the team is built from top to bottom talent-wise. Mackinnon and Rantanen for example, aren't defensive stalwarts by any means. They score goals when the team needs them to and apply the pressure. Luckily for us, we also have an amazing DCorps, great depth (when we won the cup anyway), and decent goaltending. Even Crosby and Malkin had Jordan Staal in 09 after all. The Oilers are too one-dimensional, even if they changed their mentality, I don't think they'd be competent enough collectively to make up for their deficiencies.

 

[MCR74]

McDrai aren’t the problem at all.

McDavid isn’t GM or coach.

Not yet anyway.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

McDrai aren’t the problem at all.

McDavid isn’t GM or coach.

GM can't play defense for McDrai...

 

[Oleksiak]

GM can't play defense for McDrai...

Would at least try harder.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Would at least try harder.

Lmao, Holland tries as hard as you do.

 

[LuGBuG]

Nope I’m actually selling on a 2024 Oilers run.


They will be fine I’m sure. Still compete to win the division. Win the first round of playoffs at least and then lose to a better team. It’s not their fault they just have not enough depth or grit to get out of the west. Still a really good team nothing too be ashamed of. Just the spotlight is on them from McDavid and they get overrated.

 

[Church Hill]

Blew a 2 goal lead tonight, Skinner trying to compete with Campbell for worst goalie on the team

 

[BrendanGaunce4Selke]

i'm starting to believe

 

[KaN19]

They got swept in the conference final two seasons ago despite McDrai averaging 2 PPG and having .910+ sv% goaltending. It's not going to get better for them then that.

Better do something to shake things up the next 2 seasons. After that McDrai likely walk or demand $15-18m on their next extensions.

 

[Bounces R Way]

It’s not their fault they just have not enough depth or grit to get out of the west.

Well then who's fault is it lol? Year 9 of Connor McDavid.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

They got swept in the conference final two seasons ago despite McDrai averaging 2 PPG and having .910+ sv% goaltending. It's not going to get better for them then that.

Better do something to shake things up the next 2 seasons. After that McDrai likely walk or demand $15-18m on their next extensions.

The Oilers were the better team than the Aves and Golden Knights. If Bettman didn't hate Canadian teams the Oilers would be back to back champions.

But the league is holding off until the Nordiques pay a big fat expansion team. Then we'll see fair treatment.

 

[jackjohnson]

Despite the shitty record, the Oilers are still top ten or so analytically at 5v5 and have a bottom three PDO. They need to figure some stuff out for sure, but we're not too worried yet.

Sure, I guess that's why your team will never win the cup. We figured out the Oilers need a number 1 goalie and some D but seems like you guys are still trying to figure that out and why your GM hasn't upgraded the goalie or went after any Dmen except old man Ekholm.

 

[Hank Plank]

The Oilers were the better team than the Aves and Golden Knights. If Bettman didn't hate Canadian teams the Oilers would be back to back champions.

But the league is holding off until the Nordiques pay a big fat expansion team. Then we'll see fair treatment.

This is either next level sarcasm or blatant homerism I can't tell.

 

[jackjohnson]

The Oilers were the better team than the Aves and Golden Knights. If Bettman didn't hate Canadian teams the Oilers would be back to back champions.

But the league is holding off until the Nordiques pay a big fat expansion team. Then we'll see fair treatment.

So full of excuses it's funny. I have never seen a cup winning team have terrible dmen like Kulak, Desharnais, Nurse and Ceci in their defensive group along with 2 backup goalies as goalie tandem win a cup. Name me a team that had similar caliber D and goalie as Oilers that won the cup then I will believe your gibberish of how the league is somehow against Oilers.

 

[kranuck]

Sure, I guess that's why your team will never win the cup. We figured out the Oilers need a number 1 goalie and some D but seems like you guys are still trying to figure that out and why your GM hasn't upgraded the goalie or went after any Dmen except old man Ekholm.

To be fair, flat cap has made moving significant players really difficult.

But they haven’t done themselves any favors in that department.

 

[im gangster]

I am an Oilers guy when I just can't find a reason to like any other playoff team. I worry for them a lot about goal but also the d. Depth f a bit too.

 

[GeoRox89]

This is either next level sarcasm or blatant homerism I can't tell.

It’s the former but very well done since you’re not sure