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

[Bourne Endeavor]

I gotta say I don't think tonight's game was on Skinner. Their goaltending hasn't been good enough but tonight pinning it on him is scapegoating imo.

He actually made many big saves, this game could've been 8-2 or more very easily with the way the Oilers were giving up quality looks in the 2nd+3rd. Just look at the goals, how many was he really at fault for?

Maybe the 2-1 goal from Suter he should've had but other than that... one goes off his own player, Miller wires one, Boeser has a tap in, Oil give up an odd man rush & Hoglander scores with a nice shot off a rebound, exc.

Meanwhile the Oilers were down 2 with a full period to go - very much in the game - and they collectively threw a hissyfit instead of trying to win, that's not on Skinner.

This really needs to be emphasised. Skinner and Campbell are undeniably bad but complete baby rage McDavid and Draisaitl displayed, not to horrendous defensive play from damn near everyone, is just as big a factor. They more or less resigned themselves to losing instead of trying to dig in.

Granted, I will say having next to zero faith in your goalies will make players more sloppy. Edmonton came out and absolutely dominated us for the first 12-14 minutes only for a softie to deflate that entire effort. I can easily see several players thinking to themselves "Come the f*** on" and it snowballing from there.

At this point in time, I think you have to find a new goalie option if only because it's clear the team has completely given up on Skinner and Campbell.

 

[RedRocking]

This really needs to be emphasised. Skinner and Campbell are undeniably bad but complete baby rage McDavid and Draisaitl displayed, not to horrendous defensive play from damn near everyone, is just as big a factor. They more or less resigned themselves to losing instead of trying to dig in.

Granted, I will say having next to zero faith in your goalies will make players more sloppy. Edmonton came out and absolutely dominated us for the first 12-14 minutes only for a softie to deflate that entire effort. I can easily see several players thinking to themselves "Come the f*** on" and it snowballing from there.

At this point in time, I think you have to find a new goalie option if only because it's clear the team has completely given up on Skinner and Campbell.

Yea, there’s a reason “timely” saves are so important. It’s not necessarily how many saves you make, or how spectacular they are - it’s whether you can make them at key points in the game. Goalies have to be ready in high leverage moments. And not just saves, but stops - no rebounds or second chances. A soft goal against (or 2), after your big offensive push fails, is so deflating. And if you have shaky goaltending to begin with, it just snowballs on the goalie and onto the rest of the team. It’s gonna be hard for the Oilers to regain any trust playing with Skinner or Campbell.

You see it right now with the Leafs and Samsonov. He lets in goals at the worst times, on shots that have no business going in. I’m familiar with his exasperating play since we unfortunately used a 1st on him, and spent years watching him flail around as he tried to figure it out. You score a big goal to tie or take the lead in the 3rd? He immediately gives it back. Eventually it just kills the spirit of your team. The Leafs have looked immediately better when Woll has come in relief, including some improbable come back wins.

Unfortunately, the Oilers don’t have Woll type replacement available. They might have to bite the bullet and package some picks to send Campbell and his cap hit to some rebuilding team that can send them a goalie back.

 

[HuGo Sham]

Right now oilers need to score 6 goals a game to win. Their D’s Corsi is good.
No one is going to do them any favours on the goalie trade front. No one wants soupy

Three 1st overalls between 2010 and Draisaitl. Then another with McDavid the following year… we’re supposed to feel bad for the oilers?

 

[MCR74]

Right now oilers need to score 6 goals a game to win. Their D’s Corsi is good.
No one is going to do them any favours on the goalie trade front. No one wants soupy

Three 1st overalls between 2010 and Draisaitl. Then another with McDavid the following year… we’re supposed to feel bad for the oilers?

/ thread.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Anaheim being 9 points ahead of the Oilers through the first 4 weeks of the season is something I didn't have on my bingo card.

 

[mphmiles]

It's still really early, but they've dug themselves about as big a hole as possible to start the year. Realistically they probably need to go about .600 the rest of the year to make the playoffs. (Would put them at 44 wins)

I think they can do that, because I don't believe their goaltending will continue to be THIS bad, but if it doesn't improve soon, they're going to have to give up some serious assets to get someone in net.

 

[613Leafer]

If they lose to San Jose on Thursday... Get the popcorn ready.

 

[AlienWorkShop]

Why does McDavid, the most skilled Oiler, not simply eat the other Oilers?

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

If they lose to San Jose on Thursday... Get the popcorn ready.

if the sharks have any respect for hfboards, they will win that game

 

[Rob Brown]

If they lose to San Jose on Thursday... Get the popcorn ready.

I find that hard to believe, but then again I thought they would come out pissed off last night and spank the Canucks.

 

[Paper]

Oiler fans about ready to cancel the parade if they have another 50 or 60 more games like this.

 

[Chadstudsky]

It's gonna be tough, they need to go something like 41-20-10 just to sneak in, but I'm rooting for them

 

[MCR74]

@Tad Mikowsky Do you still think the flaws are not bad enough for the Oilers to miss the playoffs?

How about Stutzle v. Matthews contract-wise. That's the real question.

The Oilers shouldn't miss the playoffs. I was assured they were Cup favorites.

 

[CraigsList]

Couldn’t happen to a better franchise.

Time to do what you do best, win lotteries.

 

[blankall]

The Oilers are just trying to C-block the
Flames from finally rebuilding. The flames are finally on pace to get a top 3 pick and the Oilers have to stick their greasy noses in there.

 

[Cup or Bust]

The Oilers have has stretches like this before but the goalies have never been ths bad. There was a stretch where McDavid and Draisaitl did slump together. I am sure that will end but no confidence in the goaltending.

It really doesn't matter much to me if the Oilers make the playoffs. This team as is, is not winning the Cup anyway. Even if they can make the playoffs with these goalies, they are not going to get the job done in the playoffs.

 

[Paper]

I have never seen fans act like bigger jackazzes on this board based off 10 games then Canucks fans. You would think they have just won 2 or 3 Cups in a row.

Live reaction of me when you blame the Canucks fans:

 

[Bobby9]

Bouchard is absolutely a joke on D.
Darnell is an absolute joke on D
Vinny D is a absolute joke on D

Elkholm is good but is becoming unhinged by seeing the other D fall apart game after game. Imagine going for the structure on the Preds to the ‘just keep scoring’ structure of the Oilers.

Their D men absolutely blow at playing D. Like terrible. Bouchard is such a insane liability.

Counter punch them on the rush and the Oilers are toast.

 

[CorgisPer60]

I see a full wholesale front office change by Thanksgiving. Nicholson, Holland, and Woodcroft should all be on the chopping block. You have two of the top ten centers in the league, and you're unable to build around them? That Nurse contract will age like milk, and your goaltenders can't buy a save. Holland was saved by Duncan Keith retiring, and then they went and spent real money on Evander Kane.

 

[AvroArrow]

Somehow after all of these 1st overall picks they're still in the exact same spot. What a waste of talent.

 

[BayStBullies]

McDavid can just turn it back on and they'll easily crush a weak division. Who are you all kidding?

 

[CorgisPer60]

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Oilers will rebound, but it's hilarious how quiet they are now when going into the season they though they were locks to win a cup.

Not chirping now are you boys??

 

[CupofOil]

I said it near the end of last season, the only reason Edmonton finished so well was because most of the competition was either resting for the post season or so far gone that they didn't go 100%.

Much like Oiler fans are screaming now about the Canucks, they were riding an unsustainable high to end the year

Nah, the Oilers were legit good after the Ekholm addition. It's absurd to say that teams just laid down for the Oilers with McDavid who every team gets up for. The Oilers were, I believe, the 2nd best team in the league in 2023 so all their opponents were "resting" or "not going 100%"? That's a ridiculous take, even for you.

This is a completely different team than the one that closed last season. To say that you or anyone else saw this coming is being completely dishonest.

 

[DFAC]

This really needs to be emphasised. Skinner and Campbell are undeniably bad but complete baby rage McDavid and Draisaitl displayed, not to horrendous defensive play from damn near everyone, is just as big a factor. They more or less resigned themselves to losing instead of trying to dig in.

Granted, I will say having next to zero faith in your goalies will make players more sloppy. Edmonton came out and absolutely dominated us for the first 12-14 minutes only for a softie to deflate that entire effort. I can easily see several players thinking to themselves "Come the f*** on" and it snowballing from there.

At this point in time, I think you have to find a new goalie option if only because it's clear the team has completely given up on Skinner and Campbell.

Yea, there’s a reason “timely” saves are so important. It’s not necessarily how many saves you make, or how spectacular they are - it’s whether you can make them at key points in the game. Goalies have to be ready in high leverage moments. And not just saves, but stops - no rebounds or second chances. A soft goal against (or 2), after your big offensive push fails, is so deflating. And if you have shaky goaltending to begin with, it just snowballs on the goalie and onto the rest of the team. It’s gonna be hard for the Oilers to regain any trust playing with Skinner or Campbell.

You see it right now with the Leafs and Samsonov. He lets in goals at the worst times, on shots that have no business going in. I’m familiar with his exasperating play since we unfortunately used a 1st on him, and spent years watching him flail around as he tried to figure it out. You score a big goal to tie or take the lead in the 3rd? He immediately gives it back. Eventually it just kills the spirit of your team. The Leafs have looked immediately better when Woll has come in relief, including some improbable come back wins.

Unfortunately, the Oilers don’t have Woll type replacement available. They might have to bite the bullet and package some picks to send Campbell and his cap hit to some rebuilding team that can send them a goalie back.

Edmonton passing on drafting Wallstadt still completely boggles my mind. There’s a top goalie prospect that drops into your lap and you trade away the pick and draft a forward? What the actual hell