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

[CascadiaPuck]

last year the 2nd wildcard in the West had 95 points

they need 90 points in their remaining 71 games to hit that now which is a 104 point pace

still doable but they do need to turn it around pretty soon

This is the harsh math Canucks fans have faced early in seasons for so many of the last few years, with the team digging a big hole for itself again and again. It’s a cliche, but every game counts.

The Oilers can obviously still turn it around, but people eye rolling about it being only a dozen games or so need to do the math.

 

[EdJovanovski]

 

[mphmiles]

I don't think you'll see any blockbuster
moves. Without knowing the future of
McDavid and drai It would be crazy to trade away any assets for an organization that might be rebuilding again after the end of next year.

With their star players looking human and that defense, I don't know that even a top 5 goalie in the league is the answer. There's almost too much to be fixed all at once.

They're going to do anything and everything they can to keep McDavid and Drai and try to win with them.

 

[CorgisPer60]

Who in Edmonton saw his body of work the last five years in Detroit and thought yes that's our guy.

Bob Nicholson and Daryl Katz loves their old boys club. They'll fire Jay Woodcroft and hire that pinch faced loser from Columbus in a heartbeat.

 

[Cup or Bust]

As much as different areas of the team have struggled to start the season, nothing has hurt the team as much as the goaltending. You can just see it deflating this team game after game. I was completely dead set against going into the season with this pair of goalies. I would have done whatever it took to rid the team of Campbell in the offseason.

I thankfully never thought the Oilers were Cup contenders with their current roster. I felt they could be if they made a few good additions this season, a goalie and a decent right handed d-man and also likely another bottom 6 forward. The Oilers were never Cup contenders as is coming into the season. I didn't think they would be this bad and I also think they will get better but if the goal is the win the Cup, even if they were 9-2, I still wouldn't feel they were a Cup contender with their current roster unless the goaltending was playing well and they were getting decent bottom 6 scoring. I never expected either of those to happen coming into the season, they have made the playoffs multiple times with those same problems.

The Oilers have also always struggled when McDavid is in a slump. If you count the number of wins in the last number of seasons when McDavid didn't have at least 2 points, it's not a very long list.

 

[saska sault]

Who in Edmonton saw his body of work the last five years in Detroit and thought yes that's our guy.

My exact thoughts. Between Babcock and Holland we had about the worst combination to give Datsyuk and Zetterberg cups in their later careers. To think Babcock won one cup with some of the rosters he had and Holland left behind salary cap hell and zero prospect depth. I'm sorry Edmonton fans are dealing with Holland... he is not the guy.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Everyone talks about how expansion doesn't thin the talent pool because Vegas is good and Seattle is okay. But then I look at the bottom sixes and defense cores of the Leafs and Oilers and I think maybe people are looking in the wrong place. Woof.

At least for the Leafs it is a cap problem not a league talent problem. Oilers it is both cap problem and scouting problem as they commited to the wrong D. Leafs D core will be completely replaced in the next 2 seasons outside of Rielly.

 

[robertmac43]

Yep. I am a dull believer they can bounce back.

Commitment to defense will be key. I am not a fan of only blaming the goaltending.

Many issues up and down the lineup. Hard to just peg it all on the goaltending.

Some secondary scoring would help as well.

 

[jackjohnson]

Doesn't seem like they are getting the penalty calls they have the last couple years. That is where the Oil did their damage. RNH having a career year last year as well. Now injuries I just don't se them getting to the playoffs.

If they lose the San Jose next game....oh boy.

You mean they didn't get more cheap calls so they lost?? Because they couldn't score without a PP? Lol some cup contending team

 

[Tairy Greene]

So many things going wrong right now. Ekholm and McDavid not playing great, no depth scoring, defensive breakdowns and dreadful goaltending. Not replacing useful depth like Bjudstad, Kostin and even Yamamoto has hurt them. They should look at whatever it might cost to pry someone like Tanev from Calgary, steady up the defense a bit and the goaltending might improve.

 

[Coffey]

Edmonton is still the cup favorite. Just a rough patch.

The patch in question

 

[Fatass]

There was one specific goal last game that just highlights the Oilers’ thought processes without the puck. Bouchard, while in the neutral zone, got on the wrong side of Hoglander. He let Hoglander skate past him and got stuck on the wrong side. As a result, Hoglander gets to a rebound and scores. If Bouchard stays in the right side of the puck (player too) then there is no goal on that play. And it’s not just Bouchard. Too many of the Oiler players are getting caught on the wrong side of the puck. They are giving up high danger rush chances, like the Hoglander goal.

 

[Coffey]

even Yamamoto has hurt them

We replaced him with Gagner. Better in all regards.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Pretty sure no one wants you to feel bad for the Oilers. The main boards obsession with them humors me though, keep pretending you guys know what is happening. It's fun to watch.

So if we don’t know, could you please enlighten us on why Edmonton is so embarrassing this season?

 

[MCR74]

You mean they didn't get more cheap calls so they lost?? Because they couldn't score without a PP? Lol some cup contending team

Someone finally said it.

 

[KingsFan7824]

This is the harsh math Canucks fans have faced early in seasons for so many of the last few years, with the team digging a big hole for itself again and again. It’s a cliche, but every game counts.

The Oilers can obviously still turn it around, but people eye rolling about it being only a dozen games or so need to do the math.

You get roughly 30 regulation losses before you have to worry about missing the playoffs. The Oilers have used 27% of that.

 

[Putt Pirate]

You mean they didn't get more cheap calls so they lost?? Because they couldn't score without a PP? Lol some cup contending team

Pretty much yeah. Or they aren't playing hard enough to get those calls as a previous poster stated. Either way the PP % was unsustainable and their 5 v 5 play was often a question.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Once McDavid starts scoring 2 points a game the Oilers will start winning again, the problem being that recipe of McDavid carrying the team on his back doesn't win you a Cup, they have already tried that enough times. When he is just scoring above a point per game this is what happens to the Oilers. It has happened in the past as well.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

It's going to be so awesome to watch them hire Mike Babcock.

 

[pockets321]

Fans of Canadian teams bashing other Canadian teams is laughable, no matter who's chirping who.

Other than montreals improbable cup run during the first covid season, what has any Canadian team done lately? Most are just looking to sniff the playoffs, or just "exist" in mediocrity. The leafs manage to put together decent regular seasons and then their stars routinely check out in the playoffs.

It's like it's a requirement to be able to mismanage a team into the ground to get a front office job on any Canadian team.

Are you new to sports or something?

 

[LuGBuG]

Pretty sure no one wants you to feel bad for the Oilers. The main boards obsession with them humors me though, keep pretending you guys know what is happening. It's fun to watch.

I mean. The main boards “obsession” (more like taking humour in their failure) with the Oilers is a direct result to many of their fans antics on these exact boards. If you can’t see that then I don’t know what to tell you. Trolls on both sides of that fence and it’s a lot of them.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Edmonton is still the cup favorite. Just a rough patch.

Why? They were exposed in last year's playoffs as a defensive farce and it has only gotten worse since. What exactly would have lead anybody to conclude that the Oilers were ever a serious Cup contender this season?

 

[MCR74]

It's going to be so awesome to watch them hire Mike Babcock.

And have him go through each player's phone.

 

[pi314]

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Just watched the game highlights again.
As much blame as the goaltending gets (and deservedly so) the D is just as bad.
On the first Vancouver goal during the stretch when the Oilers are dominating the puck goes in off the Oiler D. Then Bouchard does one of his regular ill advised pinches and a two on one on which he waves his stick is in the net. The other goals are scored close to the blue paint on second chance rebounds with no Oiler tying up his man. The PK gives way too much time and space.
No doubt the coach will be fired because it’s easier than fixing the D and goaltending and lack of defense from the forwards, but the problems go much deeper than that. When McDrai play at historic levels they can mask some of the issues but that isn’t happening this year.