Oilers now 13-12-1: THE THREAD THAT'S FUN FOR EVERYONE

[HockeyVirus]

Draisatl is a product of McDavid and I hope people finally wake up to that.

 

[John Mandalorian]

19-24-9 all time without McDavid

The D has always been struggling. Draisaitl currently sitting at 124th overall in even strength scoring. Can't just be dependent on McDavid carrying the PP, to rack up points. Gotta be able to create and convert chances even strength and without the worlds greatest player.

Bad team getting exposed, they need to string a few wins in a row here if they wanna make playoffs. With 3 point games it gets very difficult to play catch up as the season goes on.

Not disagreeing with that. But if someone can earn an elevated role and click with Draisaitl, maybe they have two strong lines when McDavid comes back and not feel compelled to put them together?

And you’re right, it’s not a guarantee the D comes around. A lot of it depends on Nurse becsause you know he’s getting ice time with that salary. Ultimately, salary shouldn’t matter but it typically does.

One thing different now though is you might see Holland take more chances since he’s in his last year.

 

[bobholly39]

In the span of 2 weeks HFboads went from are the Oilers winning the SC thread to are the Oilers making the PO's. thread.
While I have zero idea what the Oiler team will do going forward I am not willing to make some crazy prediction one way or the other before game 30 at lease. As for McD being out it is time for this Oiler team to prove to themselves that they are more then a stat point making machine for McD.

I know HF tends to be full of recency bias/jumping to conclusions but....in this case I think it's warranted.

Going into the season - Oilers legitimately were one of the top contenders for cup. McDrai are a hell of a duo, and with Colorado/Vegas already winning, it's harder to win a second time sometimes, this could have been Oiler's year in west.

And now...1-5-1 is a truly horrible start. They're barely scoring goals, on top of bad defense/goaltending. With McDavid injured and Drai not picking up the slack so far, they can fall behind even more. I actually think it's warranted to worry about missing playoffs even this early in year.

The one saving grace for them is that the Pacific division is putrid.

I still predict they bounce back and make playoffs, but they have to start to turn things around soon. Game 30 is way too late if they dig too deep a hole.

 

[CookiesAndMilk]

Will you still cheer for him when he comes home to Toronto? This is a serious question.

I know the question wasn't asked towards me but I'll gladly answer. Yes, I would cheer for him, same goes for Drai.

Everything goes except Calgary.

 

[Profet]

I guess ottawa is in the mix.. they are a .... team

I think San Jose would be a better team with McDavid then the Oilers with McDavid.

 

[Guffman]

Draisatl is a product of McDavid and I hope people finally wake up to that.

Not really fair to pull $12.5M of value out of the line-up and not expect an impact to the remaining players.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Not really fair to pull $12.5M of value out of the line-up and not expect an impact to the remaining players.

It's not fair to expect the "second best player in the world" to actually show up and lead the team? He is a product of being a winger to McDavid and being fed by McDavid on that godly PP for the last several years. He has only had to create for himself in very short spurts on his own line, and he is being exposed now.

Same with RNH showing he is not close to a 100 point player in any other system

 

[Sasha Orlov]

It’s been 7 games so yeah, they’re done for sure

 

[JoVel]

It's not fair to expect the "second best player in the world" to actually show up and lead the team? He is a product of being a winger to McDavid and being fed by McDavid on that godly PP for the last several years. He has only had to create for himself in very short spurts on his own line, and he is being exposed now.

Same with RNH showing he is not close to a 100 point player in any other system

Didn't Draisaitl play some of the best hockey of his life the last time McDavid was out?

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

19-24-9 all time without McDavid

The D has always been struggling. Draisaitl currently sitting at 124th overall in even strength scoring. Can't just be dependent on McDavid carrying the PP, to rack up points. Gotta be able to create and convert chances even strength and without the worlds greatest player.

Bad team getting exposed, they need to string a few wins in a row here if they wanna make playoffs. With 3 point games it gets very difficult to play catch up as the season goes on.

[MOD]

Most of those games are from 8 years ago. Where there’s what, 3 non McDavid players from that roster?

What a terrible take.

 

[Stickpucker]

What is their lineup w/o McDavid? Where is Draisaitl slotting?

 

[robertmac43]

I took Drai in fantasy this year and I'm not loving it.

 

[ninetyeight]

Disappointing how bad they are playing without McDavid. In moments like this they should all step up and play even more solid defensive game as a team, but instead it looks like they are playing worse, just completely folding over, 'why even try without McDavid'..

No doubt their depth and quality of players has gotten a bit exposed without McD, but most of all to me this feels like a coaching / culture issue.

 

[X66]

What a waste the the mcdavid and drais contracts have been... Complete steals for what they bring and this is how they surround them with talent. Pathetic. I honestly can't see a world in which they want to stick around. Such a mess. Might actually feel a bit bad for oiler fans...

On this topic...

Everyone dunks on the Leafs for paying Matthews/Tavares/Marner 10+ but in all honesty, sometimes when your hands are tied(flat cap) you make better decisions around the edges.

Oilers value contracts seem really bad compared to what the Leafs have had the last few years.

 

[AvroArrow]

[MOD]

Most of those games are from 8 years ago. Where there’s what, 3 non McDavid players from that roster?

What a terrible take.

They're 4-5-2 without McDavid since 2020

Overall they have an 86 point pace when playing without McDavid, since he entered the league

Since 2020 they have a 91 point pace when playing without McDavid

A whopping 5 point difference. Somehow everybody except Oilers fans can see this. If you want to keep believing it's a good team, I won't tell you to stop being optimistic. Realistically though, this is a very poorly constructed team with overrated players. Overrated largely due to McDavid and the insane PP % they have because of McDavid.

The eye test and the stats all back this up. I mentioned it in another thread as well, Draisaitl's ESP are far more indicative of how good of a player he is. Still puts up very respectable numbers, but you can clearly see the difference in his production when playing with McDavid and on the PP, vs without. Some fans have just been fooled by the numbers.

You take their extremely slow start + McDavid injury + the goaltending situation + the defensive collapses, it will be a huge challenge to get them back into a playoff spot.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

They're 4-5-2 without McDavid since 2020

Overall they have an 86 point pace when playing without McDavid, since he entered the league

Since 2020 they have a 91 point pace when playing without McDavid

A whopping 5 point difference. Somehow everybody except Oilers fans can see this. If you want to keep believing it's a good team, I won't tell you to stop being optimistic. Realistically though, this is a very poorly constructed team with overrated players. Overrated largely due to McDavid and the insane PP % they have because of McDavid.

The eye test and the stats all back this up. I mentioned it in another thread as well, Draisaitl's ESP are far more indicative of how good of a player he is. Still puts up very respectable numbers, but you can clearly see the difference in his production when playing with McDavid and on the PP, vs without. Some fans have just been fooled by the numbers.

You take their extremely slow start + McDavid injury + the goaltending situation + the defensive collapses, it will be a huge challenge to get them back into a playoff spot.

9 game sample size over 3 years.

Stunning analysis.

 

[HockeyVirus]

If anyone was making the same comments like you do about the Leafs, you’d be posting about how rent free and having a nuclear meltdown.

If the Leafs looked as terrible as the Oilers have after declaring themselves cup champs in August I would expect some I told you so's absolutely. Especially if people said the D and goaltending aren't good enough and they have been the main cause of the terrible season so far.

Happy to see you are ok though, I was worried when you vanished after being so active on the main boards. You're right it is early and the Oilers are obviously not a bottom 5 team. I just don't think they are a playoff team.

They're 4-5-2 without McDavid since 2020

Overall they have an 86 point pace when playing without McDavid, since he entered the league

Since 2020 they have a 91 point pace when playing without McDavid

A whopping 5 point difference. Somehow everybody except Oilers fans can see this. If you want to keep believing it's a good team, I won't tell you to stop being optimistic. Realistically though, this is a very poorly constructed team with overrated players. Overrated largely due to McDavid and the insane PP % they have because of McDavid.

The eye test and the stats all back this up. I mentioned it in another thread as well, Draisaitl's ESP are far more indicative of how good of a player he is. Still puts up very respectable numbers, but you can clearly see the difference in his production when playing with McDavid and on the PP, vs without. Some fans have just been fooled by the numbers.

You take their extremely slow start + McDavid injury + the goaltending situation + the defensive collapses, it will be a huge challenge to get them back into a playoff spot.

Bang on. I've been beating this drum for a while now. The team played 0 defense and feasted with a historic PP due to McDavid being McDavid and we were supposed to take the raw offensive output as the Oilers somehow have better players than everyone else.

Nah there is a reason players leave and their production falls off a cliff and players join and it goes up. Other teams and players are asked to play responsible defensive hockey and not cherry pick for 2 on 1's or flop around waiting for a PP to be called for a free point.

 

[nturn06]

Guess what everybody. Secondary scoring, a decent goalie and defense actually matter in the NHL. Who'd have thunk it?

Wait a moment, I thought that the only reason why the Oilers didn't win a cup is because McD is a defensive liability... In that discussion, second scoring, a decent goalie and defence do not matter, or so I have been told

 

[AvroArrow]

Didn't Draisaitl play some of the best hockey of his life the last time McDavid was out?

No, again massively inflated numbers due to McDavid and the insane PP. People staring at a stat sheet were fooled once again.

The year he won the Hart he

Draisaitl had 110 points, 44 powerplay points, 66 even strength points

McDavid had 97 points, 43 powerplay points, 54 even strength points

He has always been the beneficiary of an insane PP being carried by McDavid. At even strength guys like Marner, who are considered pretty bad goal scorers, are scoring more goals than him. Draisaitl is a good player don't get me wrong, but the McDavid effect is very real, but for some reason Oilers fans like to pretend like it doesn't have an effect on Draisaitl.

We've seen what McDavid has done with legitimate plugs like Maroon, turning him into a 30 goal scorer. He turned RNH into a 100 point player, a guy who had never even hit 70. Hyman went from a 50 point to an 80 point guy over the summer just by changing teams lol.

The team just flat out sucks. The goaltending might be the worst in the league, bottom 5 defence, no depth scoring. When there is no McDavid the offence gets exposed.

Draisaitl is a good player but he's in the same tier as guys like Nylander, Marner, Rantanen, Point, Stutzle etc. But some people have been suggesting he should be compared to, Mackinnon, Matthews, Pastrnak, Kucherov, just because of his point totals, failing to realize how he is stacking those points up.

What he can do at even strength and away from McDavid is far more indicative of his skill level. And what he can do is very good, but it's not 2nd best player in the world or even top 5 player in the world, level.

9 game sample size over 3 years.

Stunning analysis.

If I use the whole career sample you complain "OMG why are we talking about 8 years ago!"

If I use recent years sample "OMG such a small sample size"

What do you want lol ? Should I use the sample size we have or should I make something up ? Sorry McDavid hasn't missed more games recently ? Not sure what you'd like me to say. I've watched multiple Oilers games this year and they are completely lost when McDavid isn't on the ice. Draisaitl is a non-factor in most games until Woodcroft throws him on McDavids wing. If they're not on the PP, there is no consistent zone time.

 

[Lahey]

1-5-1 and gave up 30 goals in 7 games.. yikes lmfao

 

[All Mod Cons]

It’s been two games. Then again, you know all about making shitty knee jerk reaction takes.

If anyone was making the same comments like you do about the Leafs, you’d be posting about how rent free and having a nuclear meltdown.

Please keep the Leafs out of this thread. This is about the Oilers. It would be nice if you didn't derail every single thread into being about the Leafs.

 

[JoVel]

No, again massively inflated numbers due to McDavid and the insane PP. People staring at a stat sheet were fooled once again.

I'm not sure you understood what I said, unless you're claiming McDavid inflated Draisaitl's numbers while being injured.

It's a small sample but last time McDavid missed 6 games, Draisaitl scored 12 points without him. But then again you're using a 10 game sample size over a 3 year period to make your agument so I don't think I should be worried about that lol.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

I just refuse to believe a team with prime Connor McDavid will miss the playoffs, especially when you look at the playoff picture in the West.

The West is very top heavy, so losing home ice is likely, but missing? Not unless McDavid misses months.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Oilers eh….

 

[Guffman]

It's not fair to expect the "second best player in the world" to actually show up and lead the team? He is a product of being a winger to McDavid and being fed by McDavid on that godly PP for the last several years. He has only had to create for himself in very short spurts on his own line, and he is being exposed now.

Same with RNH showing he is not close to a 100 point player in any other system

Leon Draisaitl Stats Without Connor Mcdavid | StatMuse

Leon Draisaitl has 20 goals, 39 assists and a plus-minus of +5 in 57 games without Connor McDavid in his career.

www.statmuse.com

51 points in 51 games when McDavid out of the line-up. Yep, Draisaitl sucks LMAO!