Oilers Lose 3-2 Still can't beat the West...

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

You keep saying this, but you don`t give any examples of guys we could have traded for, and the guys you suggested we sign didn`t want to sign here. You obviously don`t know how NHL teams operate.

Unfortunately neither does MacTavish. You don't trade a center away and then expect a rookie to take his place. That's just stupid.

I don't know who's available. I just know that our center depth still sucks. How is every other NHL team able to shore up their problems and meanwhile we're still staring right at them? Calgary and Vancouver shore up their goaltending in the off-season. The Islanders shore up their goaltending and defense. The Stars get 2 really good centers in back to back years.

I completely understand that the job a GM has isn't an easy one, but why isn't MacTavish able to adequately improve this team? 15 wins against the West in the past season and a bit. FIFTEEN. The West is a difficult conference but how are other teams able to make headway while we still paddle on the shore?

How is every single NHL team able to improve but ours? That's the question I'm asking.

 

[Nunymare]

Can we please do something about Nikitin? The guy is terrible. At this point the only possible reason we could have to want to keep him is for his shot, but when he's bleeding chances against like this there is NO benefit.

I supported the signing to some degree at the time because we do need a shot back there. Right now it's looking like a 4.5 million dollar crater for this season and next. I wish we signed him 6 million for only 1 year now. I could see Eakins and MacT wanting this guy to stay to work out his issues and salvage the signing, but good leadership knows when to pull the plug and admit they were wrong.

Can we address his footspeed, or is that just a lost cause? It would be great to pull him out of the lineup and get him training on nothing but skating for a month or so. The added benefit is that he wouldn't be playing.

Maybe those back spasms are still affecting him? Last year we all saw how much they affected Joensuu's play...

 

[Marc08]

MacT could've gone out and signed a decent center or traded for one instead of slotting Arcobello and Draisatl as our 2/3C. This is not how NHL teams operate. They usually have a plan to fill holes. Not create them then leave them.

Look at this team as a whole, guymez. There are still holes everywhere despite having over a year to work with the team, meanwhile Calgary and Vancouver managed to shore up their goaltending in a single off-season.

Even to overpay those guys?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

You are still not explaining how having Gagner here and not Arco would have been a good idea.

This is a fanbase that cries for big centers. Arco is not a big center. Do you see him lining up opposite Anze Kopitar and winning the battle? What about Ryan Getzlaf? Joe Thornton? Sure he has a lot of try but when push comes to shove... well, just see today's game.

As for the holes.. I have been saying as much since the season started.

I dont care what Calgary and Vancouver are doing....the difference between your position and mine is that I dont have a problem with waiting for the right deal.

Scrivens and Fasth may work out they may not...too soon to tell.

There is no rush at this point to make a deal. Better to be smart as opposed to allowing frustration to make the decisions for you.

This team is basically looking at McDavid before Christmas. And while I would love for that to happen, it's simply not acceptable. Every single team in the West managed to get better (save maybe Colorado and Arizona) and we're still treading water. MacT outsmarted himself with the Scrivens/Fasth deals and they both look like they'd make decent backups, but not starters. I don't know when the right deal is going to come by (if it ever does) and even then do we trust MacTavish to make it? We've seen most of the other teams make deals to shore up their problems, and the Oilers are content to sit on their hands and wait for the next draft.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Even to overpay those guys?

Why not? We're overpaying Pouliot and Nikitin.

 

[Marc08]

No, I don't. I'm sure he's working the phones. But until something gets done (and believe me, something needs to happen with this team), this team is still the team it is. I don't expect him to land Weber, but there were a lot of rumours surrounding the Wild's Brodziak. He couldn't offer them a 5th and a prospect for his services?

It's up to the Wild GM if he wants to trade Brodziak for a draft pick.

Or maybe he wants to hardball on Brodziak trade proposals and waiting for the best offer that he will not reject it.

 

[Mr Positive]

Maybe those back spasms are still affecting him? Last year we all saw how much they affected Joensuu's play...

I would love for that to be the answer. If that's the case, then it means there's hope for him to improve.

Our MO seems to be bringing back players after they are good enough to play but before they are at full health. If he is having residual effects, I can't imagine playing over 20 minutes a night every single game is helping.

 

[FunkyChicken]

Can we please do something about Nikitin? The guy is terrible. At this point the only possible reason we could have to want to keep him is for his shot, but when he's bleeding chances against like this there is NO benefit.

I supported the signing to some degree at the time because we do need a shot back there. Right now it's looking like a 4.5 million dollar crater for this season and next. I wish we signed him 6 million for only 1 year now. I could see Eakins and MacT wanting this guy to stay to work out his issues and salvage the signing, but good leadership knows when to pull the plug and admit they were wrong.

Can we address his footspeed, or is that just a lost cause? It would be great to pull him out of the lineup and get him training on nothing but skating for a month or so. The added benefit is that he wouldn't be playing.

How bad does he need to be before seeing the pressbox?
Every play he makes seems to be overly complicated and about half a second too slow.

 

[Soundwave]

I would love for that to be the answer. If that's the case, then it means there's hope for him to improve.

Our MO seems to be bringing back players after they are good enough to play but before they are at full health. If he is having residual effects, I can't imagine playing over 20 minutes a night every single game is helping.

The Oilers just can't resist playing injured players.

 

[TheNumber4]

My Game Thoughts:

- Fasth is not a 1B goalie. He is playing backup caliber hockey and has all year including the pre-season. No reason he should have been starting tonight, Scrivens has proven to be the better option (if he STOPS PLAYING THE ****IN PUCK!) Oilers management is trying to force this 1A/1B goalie situation, well they need to stop forcing it because it's NOT there.

- Petry continues to suck. Nothing new here.

- Schultz was lackadaisical defensively. As he was in New York. The guy looks like a lazy bum back there. When you see danger developing you get off your ****in ass and you do everything you can to stop it.

- Nikitin is horrible defensively as well. IF the Oilers are playing him while he's hurt then management should take all the blame. The guy came off a Rexall/Horrible Oiler Management induced ankle sprain earlier in the year and if this is the reason he has ZERO foot speed then **** management.

- RNH continues to do good things. But he can't do it all himself.

- Nice to see Yak finally pot one. Nice to see Perron's puck protection skills get rewarded because he really is a beast at protecting that puck.

- Eberle got decent chances, just didn't pot them.

- Pouliot's wrist shot looks good. 2 game scoring streak for him. Hope RNH can continue to find him some space to unleash it. Would really like to see him work out as the 1st line LW freeing Hall to help out the other lines when he's back.

- Aulie has been VERY SURPISINGLY NOT AWFUL. Still barely an NHLer though. But it's nice to see him not get eaten up out there.

 

[guymez]

This is a fanbase that cries for big centers. Arco is not a big center. Do you see him lining up opposite Anze Kopitar and winning the battle? What about Ryan Getzlaf? Joe Thornton? Sure he has a lot of try but when push comes to shove... well, just see today's game.

Gagner isnt a big centre either yet you want him here over Arco.

You are not making a lick of sense.

This team is basically looking at McDavid before Christmas. And while I would love for that to happen, it's simply not acceptable. Every single team in the West managed to get better (save maybe Colorado and Arizona) and we're still treading water. MacT outsmarted himself with the Scrivens/Fasth deals and they both look like they'd make decent backups, but not starters. I don't know when the right deal is going to come by (if it ever does) and even then do we trust MacTavish to make it? We've seen most of the other teams make deals to shore up their problems, and the Oilers are content to sit on their hands and wait for the next draft.

Whats McDavid got to do with this? Did you even read my post?

I'll share an old joke with you...

A young bull jumping up and down says to an older bull..."look at all those cows down there"..."lets run down there and get us each one and have some fun!"
The older Bull says..."whoa...slow down a minute...what do you say we take our time and walk down with a little swagger and bag all of them."

Honestly...whats the freakin rush here?

An 80 point season is still well within reach. that would be a nice jumping off point for the next season to really make some noise.

From a playoff perspective this season was done before it started...the focus should be on progress. Create an identity....learn and refine playing a system.

Once those items are better formed then you can use the assets you have to fill some holes and have a good close to the season. Then you have a foundation to really work with and some cache` for attracting FA's which also helps put together a team that will compete for a playoff position in 2016/17.

 

[guymez]

My Game Thoughts:

- Fasth is not a 1B goalie. He is playing backup caliber hockey and has all year including the pre-season. No reason he should have been starting tonight, Scrivens has proven to be the better option (if he STOPS PLAYING THE ****IN PUCK!) Oilers management is trying to force this 1A/1B goalie situation, well they need to stop forcing it because it's NOT there.

-

With all due respect this doesnt make any sense. Fasth earned the right to play in this game by virtue of his solid play in the 2 previous games.

What sense would it have made to throw out Fasth's success and go with Scrivens? What message does that send to the player?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Gagner isnt a big centre either yet you want him here over Arco.

You are not making a lick of sense.

You really aren't listening to what I'm saying. I don't care if Gagner gets dealt as long as he is replaced with an NHL center. Arco is not an NHL center even if he looks like it on this team (which isn't hard to do. Remember when Potulny had 17 goals?) If MacT dealt Gagner and replaced him with Legwand or Jokinen or Ribiero or Roy or... well, you get the idea. Then it's fine. No issue whatsoever.

Whats McDavid got to do with this? Did you even read my post?

I'll share an old joke with you...

A young bull jumping up and down says to an older bull..."look at all those cows down there"..."lets run down there and get us each one and have some fun!"
The older Bull says..."whoa...slow down a minute...what do you say we take our time and walk down with a little swagger and bag all of them."

Honestly...whats the freakin rush here?

An 80 point season is still well within reach. that would be a nice jumping off point for the next season to really make some noise.

This season was done before it started...the focus should be on progress. Create an identity....learn and refine playing a system.

Once those items are better formed then you can use the assets you have to fill some holes and have a good close to the season. Then you have a foundation to really work with and some cache` for attracting FA's which also helps put together a team that will compete for a playoff position in 2016/17.

We would be fortunate to get 80 points seeing as we can't even beat Vancouver or Nashville. Do you feasibly see this team stealing wins from Chicago, LA, Anaheim, or St. Louis? Because that's a lot of points right there. And you get points by either beating teams or losing to them in OT. We've managed all of one OT game this year (which is nice to see them winning in regulation but they've still lost a bunch in regulation too). We have 1 point in 8 games against Western Conference competition and a few of those games we weren't even in (first Nashville game, LA game).

The worst part is that was the easy part of our schedule and we still didn't make hay. This team is letting points slip away. They aren't winning, they're still losing and giving up a ton of goals in the process.

I'm sure you at least share my frustration with seeing the other teams in Western Canada sitting in a playoff position currently meanwhile we're probably looking at another top 5 pick.

 

[TheNumber4]

Unfortunately neither does MacTavish. You don't trade a center away and then expect a rookie to take his place. That's just stupid.

I don't know who's available. I just know that our center depth still sucks. How is every other NHL team able to shore up their problems and meanwhile we're still staring right at them? Calgary and Vancouver shore up their goaltending in the off-season. The Islanders shore up their goaltending and defense. The Stars get 2 really good centers in back to back years.

I completely understand that the job a GM has isn't an easy one, but why isn't MacTavish able to adequately improve this team? 15 wins against the West in the past season and a bit. FIFTEEN. The West is a difficult conference but how are other teams able to make headway while we still paddle on the shore?

How is every single NHL team able to improve but ours? That's the question I'm asking.

MacT said specifically that he wasn't interested in band-aid solutions to our center depth. Meaning signing guys that will be here temporarily then leave. So your criticisms are warranted because he definitely seems to be implying he would have only made the move if it was a home-run. What he should have done is over pay to fill the holes I agree.

MacT is a riverboat gambler. He gambled on Belov, Draisaitl, Grebeshkov, being able to make an impact at a cheap price. I agree he needs to go for the sure thing.

BUT i can see what his reasoning might be to avoid some of the signings.

Ribeiro has a locker room cancer reputation. Probably didn't want this guy on our team. Could see him not even trying for him. He was signed for 5.5M for 4 years to Nashville. Now we need to ask would we have been comfortable signing him for 6M for 4 years? Because to choose Edmonton over Nashville that the very least you'd have to offer to get him.
Grabovski would only come if Kulemin came along. So now you are committing a large chunk of cap to 2 guys for 4-5 years. Grabovski signed for 5M for 4 years and Kulemin 4.187M for 4 Years. Again would you have offered 5.5 and 4.5 or 10M locked up for 4 years to get this combo?
Legwand was said to have no interest in the Oilers. I think he would have been a good stop gap signing though. Legwand signed for 3M for 2 years. This is a big reason why I think he would have been the perfect stop gap. Give him 3.5M for 2 Years and you are still allowed flexibility.

Trying to remember what else was out there but can't seem to right now. Again, there's no EVIDENCE saying MacT didn't make these offers, only specualation pointing towards most likely not.

 

[TheNumber4]

With all due respect this doesnt make any sense. Fasth earned the right to play in this game by virtue of his solid play in the 2 previous games.

What sense would it have made to throw out Fasth's success and go with Scrivens? What message does that send to the player?

I don't think he made any glaring mistakes the past 2 games. But I don't think he was really challenged either. The Oilers tilted the ice in Buffalo and New York giving him an easy assignment. Throw Scrivens in there and you would have seen similar results (assuming he doesn't touch the ****in puck)

My point is, Scrivens is just better. I think we've seen this through last season to preseason to now. The Oilers management have to see this as well. He should be the defacto number 1 because he has shown the ability to steal games (Fasth hasn't). You play Scrivens tonight if management had the balls to make that call, but they haven't and that's why we are stuck with this ILLUSIONARY 1A/1B situation that allows a subpar performer like Fasth to step in.

 

[guymez]

You really aren't listening to what I'm saying. I don't care if Gagner gets dealt as long as he is replaced with an NHL center. Arco is not an NHL center even if he looks like it on this team (which isn't hard to do. Remember when Potulny had 17 goals?) If MacT dealt Gagner and replaced him with Legwand or Jokinen or Ribiero or Roy or... well, you get the idea. Then it's fine. No issue whatsoever.

You have said that MacT should not have traded away Gagner because it created a hole. You then dragged Arco through the mud suggesting that he was not getting the job done.

I have pointed out to you that Arco is doing a better job than Gagner so replacing Gagner with Arco is an improvement.

You keep going around in circles not adressing the earlier point you tried to make.

Are you following this at all?


I get that there is a hole at centre but the Gagner argument is moot.
You dont seem to realize that you are talking about Draisaitls spot in the lineup..

We would be fortunate to get 80 points seeing as we can't even beat Vancouver or Nashville. Do you feasibly see this team stealing wins from Chicago, LA, Anaheim, or St. Louis? Because that's a lot of points right there. And you get points by either beating teams or losing to them in OT. We've managed all of one OT game this year (which is nice to see them winning in regulation but they've still lost a bunch in regulation too). We have 1 point in 8 games against Western Conference competition and a few of those games we weren't even in (first Nashville game, LA game).

The worst part is that was the easy part of our schedule and we still didn't make hay. This team is letting points slip away. They aren't winning, they're still losing and giving up a ton of goals in the process.

I'm sure you at least share my frustration with seeing the other teams in Western Canada sitting in a playoff position currently meanwhile we're probably looking at another top 5 pick.

So you set up your argument by suggesting that they wont get close to 80 points even though only 15 games have been played. Then you go on at length like its a foregone conclusion.

I get the frustration of all the past failures but what I dont get is why you cant understand the reality of being patient at this point in time.

You havent explained why it would be prudent to make a deal right now as opposed to waiting.

Even if you are right and they wont get to 80 points...how is it better to sell low and make a deal now instead of later in the season?

How is that smart asset management?

 

[Up the Irons]

Unfortunately neither does MacTavish. You don't trade a center away and then expect a rookie to take his place. That's just stupid.

I don't know who's available. I just know that our center depth still sucks. How is every other NHL team able to shore up their problems and meanwhile we're still staring right at them? Calgary and Vancouver shore up their goaltending in the off-season. The Islanders shore up their goaltending and defense. The Stars get 2 really good centers in back to back years.

I completely understand that the job a GM has isn't an easy one, but why isn't MacTavish able to adequately improve this team? 15 wins against the West in the past season and a bit. FIFTEEN. The West is a difficult conference but how are other teams able to make headway while we still paddle on the shore?

How is every single NHL team able to improve but ours? That's the question I'm asking.

I suspect the biggest reason is they still are not competing in the present. They don't care about this year; they don't care if they finish below 20th. They have yet to part with a value asset to improve the team in the immediate, unless they can get a steal, like a salary dump.

They refuse to pay what it costs to improve because the future is so bright and sooooooo guaranteed (in their mind).

 

[guymez]

I don't think he made any glaring mistakes the past 2 games. But I don't think he was really challenged either. The Oilers tilted the ice in Buffalo and New York giving him an easy assignment. Throw Scrivens in there and you would have seen similar results (assuming he doesn't touch the ****in puck)

My point is, Scrivens is just better. I think we've seen this through last season to preseason to now. The Oilers management have to see this as well. He should be the defacto number 1 because he has shown the ability to steal games (Fasth hasn't). You play Scrivens tonight if management had the balls to make that call, but they haven't and that's why we are stuck with this ILLUSIONARY 1A/1B situation that allows a subpar performer like Fasth to step in.

This team needs consistent goaltending...I think we can agree on that. Against Buffalo and New York Fasth gave them consistent goaltending. Thats why he earned the chance to play against Nashville.

I have no idea what metric you are using to support your position because this season Scrivens had not been consistent enough to be considered to start against Nashville.

Its a toss up between the goalies right now and it makes complete sense to give the reigns to the goalie thats has been consistent enough to keep playing.

I start Scrivens the next game because he had a solid 40 minutes against Nashville.

 

[TheNumber4]

This team needs consistent goaltending...I think we can agree on that. Against Buffalo and New York Fasth gave them consistent goaltending. Thats why he earned the chance to play against Nashville.

I have no idea what metric you are using to support your position because this season Scrivens had not been consistent enough to be considered to start against Nashville.

Its a toss up between the goalies right now and it makes complete sense to give the reigns to the goalie thats has been consistent enough to keep playing.

I start Scrivens the next game because he had a solid 40 minutes against Nashville.

Fasth gave them consistent goaltending I agree, but only because he wasn't challenged. This may have "earned" him the shot. But I don't think this shot should have ever been given to him in the first place. My argument isn't about the last 4 games. My argument is one that reads their actual talent and their actual abilities as number 1 goalies. Fasth isn't one. He's never shown to be able to be one. Solid back up tender IMO.

I agree that it might LOOK like the jury is still out as to who is the real number 1. To my eyes Scrivens is better. I'm certain the future will show me as correct assuming Scrivens DOESNT TOUCH THE PUCK.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Ribeiro has a locker room cancer reputation. Probably didn't want this guy on our team. Could see him not even trying for him. He was signed for 5.5M for 4 years to Nashville. Now we need to ask would we have been comfortable signing him for 6M for 4 years? Because to choose Edmonton over Nashville that the very least you'd have to offer to get him.

Ribiero signed for 1 year at just over $1 million with Nashville.

He was bought out from his previous 4 yr @ 5.5 million cap hit contract.

 

[Nunymare]

Ribiero signed for 1 year at just over $1 million with Nashville.

He was bought out from his previous 4 yr @ 5.5 million cap hit contract.

I have serious doubts that he would take that same contract to play in Edmonton.

 

[TheNumber4]

Ribiero signed for 1 year at just over $1 million with Nashville.

He was bought out from his previous 4 yr @ 5.5 million cap hit contract.

My bad. You are correct. So this is definately the stop gap band-aid MacT did not want. Which IMO is a bad move. You take a gamble on Ribeiro even at 2M for 2 Years.

 

[TheNumber4]

I have serious doubts that he would take that same contract to play in Edmonton.

Maybe not same contract. But 3M for 1 year? The mere fact that he was bought out and accepted a 1M/1Year Contract says for sure Ribeiro's options were limited and Edmonton probably could have got a deal done.

 

[guymez]

Fasth gave them consistent goaltending I agree, but only because he wasn't challenged. This may have "earned" him the shot. But I don't think this shot should have ever been given to him in the first place. My argument isn't about the last 4 games. My argument is one that reads their actual talent and their actual abilities as number 1 goalies. Fasth isn't one. He's never shown to be able to be one. Solid back up tender IMO.

I agree that it might LOOK like the jury is still out as to who is the real number 1. To my eyes Scrivens is better. I'm certain the future will show me as correct assuming Scrivens DOESNT TOUCH THE PUCK.

He did the job he was supposed to do but to you he should sit because he wasnt challenged to the degree you thought he should have been challenged?

How exactly is it Fasth's fault that he wasnt 'challenged'?


Thats like saying a players goals dont matter as much because it wasnt against the other teams best dmen so he wasnt 'challenged'.

Fasth has no control over how challenging the shots are. I would rather see an Oiler goalie not be challenged much at all because it tells me the defence is doing a good job.

I think you are way off base here.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Last season... BOLD

Bring On Leon Draisaitl

This season... PROCESS

Poor Results? OK... Connor Eichel Strome... Success


Enigma code broken... if I'm never heard from again... you'll know why.