Peter Chiarelli Appreciation Thread

McDrai

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Mar 29, 2009
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This is a ridiculous statement and I've seen a lot of these from you.

Chia was hired by Boston in 2006 and won the Cup in 2011. He did not inherit a Cup winning team, he added a lot of pieces that turned them into a Cup contender. His problem was running them into cap trouble post-Cup which btw happens with most Cup winning teams and the Seguin trade which, rightfully so, will haunt him forever but he did play a big part in building that Cup team.

How did he run the Oilers into the ground? It has been a very disappointing start no doubt but 2-5-1 after a 103 point season isn't running the team into the ground and those calling for him to be fired are being way overdramatic. He had a disappointing offseason but sorry, these kind of statements calling for him to be fired 8 games after a remarkable turnaround season are absurd.

I think people's main concerns are that Chia has put this team in cap hell without even winning a cup yet. The team has also regressed big time from last year (a large part having to do with Chia failing to address our needs this offseason). He is decent at drafting (yet I need to see how our specs turn out in a couple of years), and good at lesser trades/acquisitions such as Maroon/Kassian. However, he is HORRIBLE at managing high value assets and HORRIBLE in free agency. Now I wouldn't mind the guy as an assistant gm to focus on the lesser acquisitions and drafting but he is not the right guy to man the ship imo
 

Canovin

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Trust me, I've been pushing hard for McDavid and Drai to split up so no argument from me about separating the line drivers. The problem is that the Oilers have failed to develop proper support players so they are stuck with stacking the top line to generate any kind of offense and that has to change if they are to ever take that next step to Cup contender. A big problem has been players like RNH and Eberle not being developed properly.

There is no easy fix through trade and free agency and it has be done through drafting and developing and the Oilers are still failing at that even with the new regime. Chia not bringing in some depth players in the offseason isn't why they are struggling this season, it has played a small part perhaps but it isn't the main culprit. I'm starting to think that Mclellan deserves some blame for not getting the most out of his players, way too many underachievers on this roster.
I agree with you that Mclellan isn't getting the best out of his players. Even RNH, Ebs, Lander, Pouliot played much better under Todd Nelson
 

Weitz

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Sep 23, 2014
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I agree with you that Mclellan isn't getting the best out of his players. Even RNH, Ebs, Lander, Pouliot played much better under Todd Nelson

McLellan has never been a coach to get the best out of his players. Don't expect that.
 

Weitz

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wait, I was under the impression we had career years from tons of players last year, hence getting 103 points?

When you have guys playing in their first couple years of course they are goign to have career years.

You think guys like Maroon or Talbot had their career years because of McLellen? How about Letestu? Talbot played out of his mind, the other 2 played with McDavid. If McL could get the best out of his players our f***ing bottom 6 would have a goal by now.
 

CantHaveTkachev

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When you have guys playing in their first couple years of course they are goign to have career years.

You think guys like Maroon or Talbot had their career years because of McLellen? How about Letestu? Talbot played out of his mind, the other 2 played with McDavid. If McL could get the best out of his players our ****ing bottom 6 would have a goal by now.
so no credit for putting Letestu on the PP, or Maroon on a line with McDavid..or Kassian and Pitlick in positions to succeed last year
but all the blame for the bottom 6 stinking this year
solid logic
 

Drivesaitl

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This is a ridiculous statement and I've seen a lot of these from you.

Chia was hired by Boston in 2006 and won the Cup in 2011. He did not inherit a Cup winning team, he added a lot of pieces that turned them into a Cup contender. His problem was running them into cap trouble post-Cup which btw happens with most Cup winning teams and the Seguin trade which, rightfully so, will haunt him forever but he did play a big part in building that Cup team.

How did he run the Oilers into the ground? It has been a very disappointing start no doubt but 2-5-1 after a 103 point season isn't running the team into the ground and those calling for him to be fired are being way overdramatic. He had a disappointing offseason but sorry, these kind of statements calling for him to be fired 8 games after a remarkable turnaround season are absurd.

Just to try to give a reply.

To me, this is the scorched Earth that has resulted from Chia's wheeling and dealing only 2 years in;

Were dressing all the following marginal players in an NHL lineup;

Caggiulia (not worth a mention)
Jokinen (looks like he has nothing left, has been so ineffectual already a hs)
Strome ( did something once, has never panned out in the league)
Pakarinen (I like him but he's a fill player.)
Khaira (my lord this isn't close to being an NHL player)
Slepyshev ( I like him, but again, not at all an established NHL player)
Yamamoto (love the kid, but way too soon.)
Malone (game but a borderline NHL player, more AHL at this point)
Kass (good player at times, but was last year a rebound outlier?)
Gryba (not good enough)
Auvitu (ditto)
Benning (I won't even say anything)

Brossiot (hopeful thinking)

That's a dozen players, half a roster, not even including Kassian who has been poor this season and has been an unknown quantity several times before.

We're a few seasons in and this is half an oilers starting lineup. The ugly half as it were.

We've gone from a club that had 4 first picks in the lineup, that had Eberle, other longterm support players like Hendricks, Pouliot, Gordon, Purcell, Korpi. ( Regarding this nature of supporting player really it seems like we've only made lateral exchange if that under Chia)

Now we have a club with a sparse forward lineup, not great D, and a goalie that fell into our lap thanks to Sather. Interestingly we're icing a considerably less experienced NHl lineup. What kind of help is that to McD etal?

Half our lineup is players you have to carry. You can't carry this many.

Ask yourself how bad this lineup would be without McD and without the blessing of Draisaitl knocking it out of the park.
 
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CupofOil

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Just to try to give a reply.

To me, this is the scorched Earth that has resulted from Chia's wheeling and dealing only 2 years in;

Were dressing all the following marginal players in an NHL lineup;

Caggiulia (not worth a mention)
Jokinen (looks like he has nothing left, has been so ineffectual already a hs)
Strome ( did something once, has never panned out in the league)
Pakarinen (I like him but he's a fill player.)
Khaira (my lord this isn't close to being an NHL player)
Slepyshev ( I like him, but again, not at all an established NHL player)
Yamamoto (love the kid, but way too soon.)
Kass (good player at times, but was last year a rebound outlier?)
Gryba (not good enough)
Auvitu (ditto)
Benning (I won't even say anything)

Brossiot (hopeful thinking)

That's a dozen players, half a roster.

we're two years in and this is half an oilers starting lineup. The ugly half as it were.

We've gone from a club that had 4 first picks in the lineup, that had Eberle, other longterm support players like Hendricks, Pouliot, Gordon, Purcell, Korpi. ( Regarding this nature of supporting player really it seems like we've only made lateral exchange if that under Chia)

Now we have a club with a sparse forward lineup, not great D, and a goalie that fell into our lap thanks to Sather.

Half our lineup is players you have to carry. You can't carry this many.

Ask yourself how bad this lineup would be without McD and without the blessing of Draisaitl knocking it out of the park.

Well, a lot of these moves looked adequate to great last year so I don't think 8 games is going to turn these moves from gold to shit.

I see teams all over the league that have overachieving players relative to talent level but the Oilers seemingly every year for a decade can get the most out of anybody and anybody that does overachieve hits a big thud the next season.

There's only so much Chia can go after two offseason of constant roster turnover, at some point they are going to have to depend on some internal development, not constantly add through free agency and trade. How many players are left from when Chia took over? Nuge, Draisaitl, Klefbom and ???
The core is established, the big free agents are already here, it's time to start getting something from some of the young guys. It doesn't help that a "vet" like RNH can't provide any meaningful contribution but I blame the previous regime and the player somewhat for that failure.

This is where I put some blame on the coach. Good coaches get the best out of their young players. Look at all the good teams, they have multiple young players overperforming relative to talent and draft position or under the radar signings that are paying off. This never happens to the Oilers. Internal development, they need more of it. Every other team is able to do it. Where is the Oilers diamond in the rough? What was the last one? I can't remember. Development, it's lacking.... still.
 

Drivesaitl

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Well, a lot of these moves looked adequate to great last year so I don't think 8 games is going to turn these moves from gold to ****.

I see teams all over the league that have overachieving players relative to talent level but the Oilers seemingly every year for a decade can get the most out of anybody and anybody that does overachieve hits a big thud the next season.

There's only so much Chia can go after two offseason of constant roster turnover, at some point they are going to have to depend on some internal development, not constantly add through free agency and trade. How many players are left from when Chia took over? Nuge, Draisaitl, Klefbom and ???
The core is established, the big free agents are already here, it's time to start getting something from some of the young guys. It doesn't help that a "vet" like RNH can't provide any meaningful contribution but I blame the previous regime and the player somewhat for that failure.

This is where I put some blame on the coach. Good coaches get the best out of their young players. Look at all the good teams, they have multiple young players overperforming relative to talent and draft position or under the radar signings that are paying off. This never happens to the Oilers. Internal development, they need more of it. Every other team is able to do it. Where is the Oilers diamond in the rough? What was the last one? I can't remember. Development, it's lacking.... still.

Well, Chia moved Hall and Eberle and retained the least effectual player, Nuge. That's on him and the coach as both have the wrong read on that.

Teams don't just have overachieving players (and the oilers had plenty of that last season) they draft better, get jewels in later first round, later in draft, in acquisitions, etc. The Oilers don't get much from their development prospects because they aren't much to begin with. Has that even changed with Chia. I don't even see that this club is drafting better. I still haven't seen one good game out of Pulju and don't know who to be high on in the system. Regardless this club needs established help now.

Heres something I raised in GDT yesterday. Everybody had the pitchforks out for McLellen for putting his second pair out in OT.

The thing is who in this lineup do you put out 3 on 3 after say McD and Drai? Its real slim pickings after that. Want a see a team that has lightning fast become very deep, look at the Leafs. Its depressing how much different that roster is from this. Its hard to even spot a pretend fill player on that roster.

Even down south in Calgary almost every player is legit NHL.
 

CupofOil

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Well, Chia moved Hall and Eberle and retained the least effectual player, Nuge. That's on him and the coach as both have the wrong read on that.

Teams don't just have overachieving players (and the oilers had plenty of that last season) they draft better, get jewels in later first round, later in draft, in acquisitions, etc. The Oilers don't get much from their development prospects because they aren't much to begin with. Has that even changed with Chia. I don't even see that this club is drafting better. I still haven't seen one good game out of Pulju and don't know who to be high on in the system. Regardless this club needs established help now.

Heres something I raised in GDT yesterday. Everybody had the pitchforks out for McLellen for putting his second pair out in OT.

The thing is who in this lineup do you put out 3 on 3 after say McD and Drai? Its real slim pickings after that. Want a see a team that has lightning fast become very deep, look at the Leafs. Its depressing how much different that roster is from this. Its hard to even spot a pretend fill player on that roster.

Even down south in Calgary almost every player is legit NHL.

Hall was dealt to fill a very big need and outside of some hiccups, Larsson has come as advertised.
Eberle was a salary dump plain and simple. This is a player, much like Nuge, who was completely devoid of confidence (still is, no goals in 20+ games now) and had no place here anymore so addition by subtraction. This is a case of point totals not really being indicative of player contribution so I don't blame him for these two trades.

I do blame him for not adding some quality depth players this offseason but as I mentioned previously, these guys wouldn't have moved the needle much anyway.

They NEED to develop internally, it's an absolute necessity in a cap world even if you have elite talent at key positions. The Oilers are still failing in this regard. Even their best prospects can't score while other teams all over the league have lesser talented players who can score and contribute in multiple ways.

I don't agree that prospects who aren't much to begin with don't develop. There are many many cases of 2nd-7th round picks turning into useful NHLers, happens all around the league except for here. Those players weren't much to begin with which is why they weren't drafted highly, they were developed through the system. This seems to be lost on the Oilers and still is although early days of this regime.

As far as the OT last night, anybody but the slug would have been a good choice. I like Lucic and what he brings by my god, that guy doesn't belong anywhere near a 3 on 3 situation with so much open nice. Anybody, including Letestu, would have been a better choice. The moment I saw Lucic hop over the boards, I just knew that there would be at least one odd man rush the other way if they didn't score immediately, I just knew it. Anyway, that's a minor detail in the grand scheme of things. They need to develop these young players, it's imperative. Won't ever win a cup without that happening.
 

Tyrolean

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Well, Chia moved Hall and Eberle and retained the least effectual player, Nuge. That's on him and the coach as both have the wrong read on that.

Teams don't just have overachieving players (and the oilers had plenty of that last season) they draft better, get jewels in later first round, later in draft, in acquisitions, etc. The Oilers don't get much from their development prospects because they aren't much to begin with. Has that even changed with Chia. I don't even see that this club is drafting better. I still haven't seen one good game out of Pulju and don't know who to be high on in the system. Regardless this club needs established help now.

Heres something I raised in GDT yesterday. Everybody had the pitchforks out for McLellen for putting his second pair out in OT.

The thing is who in this lineup do you put out 3 on 3 after say McD and Drai? Its real slim pickings after that. Want a see a team that has lightning fast become very deep, look at the Leafs. Its depressing how much different that roster is from this. Its hard to even spot a pretend fill player on that roster.

Even down south in Calgary almost every player is legit NHL.
Nuge and Ebs were great in the 3 vs 3 OT last year.
 

Jesus Take the Wheel

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Jul 9, 2015
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Heres something I raised in GDT yesterday. Everybody had the pitchforks out for McLellen for putting his second pair out in OT.

The thing is who in this lineup do you put out 3 on 3 after say McD and Drai? Its real slim pickings after that. Want a see a team that has lightning fast become very deep, look at the Leafs. Its depressing how much different that roster is from this. Its hard to even spot a pretend fill player on that roster.

Imo if you know that Malkin and Kessel are the second forward group for the 3v3, you either split up Drai and McDavid or run two D for the second group with RNH
 
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Drivesaitl

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Imo if you know that Malkin and Kessel are the second forward group for the 3v3, you either split up Drai and McDavid or run two D for the second group with RNH
Good answer, better than the one Mclellan provided. But I also don't pick THIS game to scratch Jokinen, who has played the Pens a lot before, and could possibly even play a role.

But two D is in my boathouse. I like that answer. My approach is to survive a Malkin-Kessel shift and live to the next shift.
 

Drivesaitl

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I remember the trio of Nuge, Ebs, and Sekera dominating in OT two seasons ago- multiple times, don't recall them looking particularly great last season.


Sure, but hockey can be strange and especially 3 on 3, it can be random. Essentially its about what can be created as long as you possess the puck. The 3 could dangle and possess well enough with open space, and actually looked better 3 on 3 than they did 5 on 5, but this config was not as successful when NOT having the puck. What could occur then is a prolonged period of not having the puck. This would be adventuresome against the likes of Malkin-Kessel.

I wouldn't want to have Lucic, RNH, (I think it was Klef or Russel) out there, but if I did the clear instruction would be numbers back, simply try to survive the shift. Don't trade line rushes, whatever you do, don't trade chances. Additionally Larsson would have been matched with those two. McD, Drai, don't need as much help.
 

Paralyzer

Oilers Win Cup in 2025
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Either make your own thread or stop complaining about this one.

How about you? You and Drivesaitl are the only ones creating a rift in this thread. With the amount of posting and *****ing you both do, I'm shocked you don't have the time to post one.

you're the only one *****ing about the *****ing in the Chia thread. ;)

Why not just join in?

Come sit and have a coffee. We're nice folks. ;)

Yeah, when you are posting in an 'appreciation thread' and we've asked you to post in another thread, I don't think common sense is there, so I'll pass.
 
Apr 12, 2010
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How about you? You and Drivesaitl are the only ones creating a rift in this thread. With the amount of posting and *****ing you both do, I'm shocked you don't have the time to post one.

Yeah, when you are posting in an 'appreciation thread' and we've asked you to post in another thread, I don't think common sense is there, so I'll pass.
You've been at HFOil for awhile, you see shitposting in every single "Appreciation" thread.

For what it's worth I appreciated a lot of what Chia did last year. He really needed to work hard to improve the team and make them a playoff team and he did exactly that. Which is why his offseason strategy was super puzzling this year.
 

Paralyzer

Oilers Win Cup in 2025
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You've been at HFOil for awhile, you see ****posting in every single "Appreciation" thread.

For what it's worth I appreciated a lot of what Chia did last year. He really needed to work hard to improve the team and make them a playoff team and he did exactly that. Which is why his offseason strategy was super puzzling this year.

I get that. But can't you set an example and post in the appropriate thread and show people where it's supposed to go? If you've been around a long time, you should know where the appropriate thread is too.
 

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