Peter Chiarelli Appreciation Thread

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Well I guess we were since we were right about this team not being good. It doesn't take a genius to realize that many players wouldn't repeat their career highs and Talbot wouldn't be a top 3 goalie again.

No one predicted this team to be this bad but myself and many others predicted that they would struggle to make the playoffs and I put money on them missing before the season started. Anyone who thought this team was actually going to be a cup contender was delusional.

Thank you. Nobody predicted the team would be this bad.

I thought we were vulnerable to serious regression from Talbot and Maroon. Talbot was the one who worried me the most when we put our eggs in the LB basket. To predict literally every player to regress and the team being in 29th at the quarter pole...nobody has that sort of crystal ball and anyone that is now taking credit and saying "I told you so", should not be taken seriously.

But to say that Bob McKenzie on down who predicted the Oilers as a top team, and the Las Vegas Oddsmakers at major casinos who had them as odds on favourites are delusional? Cmon, thats way over the top.

 

[gordonhught]

Should have drafted Sergachev like was the plan. Puljujaarvi "fell into their laps", but this was the wrong pick (especially when considering that the CBJ Finnish GM did not draft JP).

If Oilers had drafted Sergachev, then there is no need to sign Russell to that extension.

Oilers probably would have then addressed right wing depth in the last offseason and there would not be as much issue there.

The Reinhart trade (viewed in hindsight) was devastating, considering that the Oilers could have drafted two players to potentially fill in at RW / D if needed.

The mistakes (individually) do not put the Oilers in the present situation. The accumulation of error upon error is why the Oilers still have obvious significant issues.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Should have drafted Sergachev like was the plan. Puljujaarvi "fell into their laps", but this was the wrong pick (especially when considering that the CBJ Finnish GM did not draft JP).

If Oilers had drafted Sergachev, then there is no need to sign Russell to that extension.

Oilers probably would have then addressed right wing depth in the last offseason and there would not be as much issue there.

The Reinhart trade (viewed in hindsight) was devastating, considering that the Oilers could have drafted two players to potentially fill in at RW / D if needed.

The mistakes (individually) do not put the Oilers in the present situation. The accumulation of error upon error is why the Oilers still have obvious significant issues.

There is a lot of truth to this. I have heard that the Oilers pick was going to be Sergachev. When it was clear that Columbus was going another route and that PJ was available the team changed their pick.

I am not saying PJ will turn out to be an effective player but we repeated draft mistakes of the past by going for position rather than BPA. And you build from the net on out and down the middle.

Hindsight is 20=20 and I totally agree that the Reinhart trade and losing the picks for Chiarelli Talbot and McLelland have seriously hurt this hockey teams depth.

Given hindsight and knowing that we lost draft picks in the 1 year executive and coach compensation fiasco and one for the Talbot trade, we should never have given up more for Reinhart.

Even though it looks like Joel Erickson Ek will take some time to develop (sent back to Iowa by the Wild yesterday).

 

[StevenF1919]

Thank you. Nobody predicted the team would be this bad.

I thought we were vulnerable to serious regression from Talbot and Maroon. Talbot was the one who worried me the most when we put our eggs in the LB basket. To predict literally every player to regress and the team being in 29th at the quarter pole...nobody has that sort of crystal ball and anyone that is now taking credit and saying "I told you so", should not be taken seriously.

But to say that Bob McKenzie on down who predicted the Oilers as a top team, and the Las Vegas Oddsmakers at major casinos who had them as odds on favourites are delusional? Cmon, thats way over the top.

Not every player regressed. McDavid, Drai, Maroon, Nuge, Lucic, and Caggiula are all set to match or exceed their point totals from last season. That's our entire top 6.

I'll repeat, anyone who had the Oilers contending for the cup was delusional. How anyone could look at this roster and think that they're even capable of winning a playoff round is beyond me. Everyone fell for the hype and didn't realize that our goaltending, forward point totals, and injury luck were not going to happen again.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Not every player regressed. McDavid, Drai, Maroon, Nuge, Lucic, and Caggiula are all set to match or exceed their point totals from last season. That's our entire top 6.

I'll repeat, anyone who had the Oilers contending for the cup was delusional. How anyone could look at this roster and think that they're even capable of winning a playoff round is beyond me. Everyone fell for the hype and didn't realize that our goaltending, forward point totals, and injury luck were not going to happen again.

Point total is not reflective of overall play. The overall play of each one of those players has dipped, some seriously, save RNH and his defensive play the past 3 games has left a lot to be desired. There is more to hockey than offence.

I agree regression was predicted but not to this scale. You come back that others are delusional...including every LV Casino and the best hockey scribes and insiders on the planet. Sorry, but that is too much and can't take you seriously. That is just overreactive posting.

 

[StevenF1919]

Point total is not reflective of overall play. The overall play of each one of those players has dipped, some seriously, save RNH and his defensive play the past 3 games has left a lot to be desired. There is more to hockey than offence.

I agree regression was predicted but not to this scale. You come back that others are delusional...including every LV Casino and the best hockey scribes and insiders on the planet. Sorry, but that is too much and can't take you seriously. That is just overreactive posting.

I honestly don't think the top 6 is playing that much worse this season. I think the awful defending (which has regressed for sure except for the massive leap forward by Nurse) is making them look worse than they're actually playing.

When you looked at this roster did you see a cup contender? Because I saw a lottery team without McDavid.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I honestly don't think the top 6 is playing that much worse this season. I think the awful defending (which has regressed for sure except for the massive leap forward by Nurse) is making them look worse than they're actually playing.

When you looked at this roster did you see a cup contender? Because I saw a lottery team without McDavid.

Maroon has been a boat anchor on the top line. He is not keeping up and he is not finishing his chances, I have lost track of how many open net tap ins he has flubbed.
McDavid and Drai have contributed to 3 (at least) game losing goal turnovers at the opponents blue line. For a spell they were turning over the puck like crazy. Defensive play has been lacking with these 2 despite them carrying the team for most of the season.
Lucic has struggled with unforced turnovers at the wall, I did not see that to the extent it is happening now. It is insane how many turnovers he is creating with no pressure.
And (insert RW here) with McDavid has been a revolving door.
The Maroon McDavid pairing is not working. The RNH Lucic pairing works every other game it seems.
The defending has been brutal, we agree there.

When I looked at this roster I expected a playoff team but I did not see a team that was beating Anaheim and had Anaheim and Tampa Bay as my Cup finalists. I still feel that way.

But I did see them as a playoff team, 2nd in our very weak division, getting beaten out by a much deeper Anaheim team with one of the leagues best defence corps despite what they think in Cowtown LOL.

 

[StevenF1919]

Maroon has been a boat anchor on the top line. He is not keeping up and he is not finishing his chances, I have lost track of how many open net tap ins he has flubbed.
McDavid and Drai have contributed to 3 (at least) game losing goal turnovers at the opponents blue line. For a spell they were turning over the puck like crazy. Defensive play has been lacking with these 2 despite them carrying the team for most of the season.
Lucic has struggled with unforced turnovers at the wall, I did not see that to the extent it is happening now. It is insane how many turnovers he is creating with no pressure.
And (insert RW here) with McDavid has been a revolving door.
The Maroon McDavid pairing is not working. The RNH Lucic pairing works every other game it seems.
The defending has been brutal, we agree there.

When I looked at this roster I expected a playoff team but I did not see a team that was beating Anaheim and had Anaheim and Tampa Bay as my Cup finalists. I still feel that way.

But I did see them as a playoff team, 2nd in our very weak division, getting beaten out by a much deeper Anaheim team with one of the leagues best defence corps despite what they think in Cowtown LOL.

Maroon was a boat anchor for large parts of last season too. He's not a talented player but he produces by scoring greasy goals.
McDavid and Drai are high event players who've always had lots of turnovers. Elite players turn the puck over lots because they try things regular players don't have the skill to do. The only difference this year is that the D and goaltending can't bail them out.
One thing I hated about Lucic last year was that he rarely won puck battles and it's continued this year. At least he's somewhat productive I guess, despite his Horcoff hands.

Seeing them as a playoff team but not a contender is fair. Seeing them as the team most likely to win the cup is complete delusion.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Maroon was a boat anchor for large parts of last season too. He's not a talented player but he produces by scoring greasy goals.

Agree and those greasy goals just have not happened with the regularity he needs them to happen to justify that spot in the lineup.

McDavid and Drai are high event players who've always had lots of turnovers. Elite players turn the puck over lots because they try things regular players don't have the skill to do. The only difference this year is that the D and goaltending can't bail them out.

Absolutely, the Wings when they were the class of the league had some of the highest giveaway numbers among their most talented players, same with 97 and 29, however those two have become very predictable in their zone entries over last year and were getting picked apart for odd man rushes the other way, with regularity. That was not happening last year to the degree it is this year, despite Talbots heroics last year.

One thing I hated about Lucic last year was that he rarely won puck battles and it's continued this year. At least he's somewhat productive I guess, despite his Horcoff hands.

I have to disagree, last year he was very effective along the wall in puck battles. I don't know if there are stats but I would be surprised if he was on the wrong end of that. But this year he is turning the puck over without pressure, without a battle, and making a pass into nowhere or just being picked off and the play goes the other way in transition fast usually in an odd man rush and again, Talbot has not been there like he was last year. Unforced turnovers are killing him this year. He is rushing his passing or making blind passes much too often.

Seeing them as a playoff team but not a contender is fair. Seeing them as the team most likely to win the cup is complete delusion.

Expectations were set very high and I think much too high and is part of why this team is failing so miserably this year.

 

[StevenF1919]

Agree and those greasy goals just have not happened with the regularity he needs them to happen to justify that spot in the lineup.

Absolutely, the Wings when they were the class of the league had some of the highest giveaway numbers among their most talented players, same with 97 and 29, however those two have become very predictable in their zone entries over last year and were getting picked apart for odd man rushes the other way, with regularity. That was not happening last year to the degree it is this year, despite Talbots heroics last year.

I have to disagree, last year he was very effective along the wall in puck battles. I don't know if there are stats but I would be surprised if he was on the wrong end of that. But this year he is turning the puck over without pressure, without a battle, and making a pass into nowhere or just being picked off and the play goes the other way in transition fast usually in an odd man rush and again, Talbot has not been there like he was last year. Unforced turnovers are killing him this year. He is rushing his passing or making blind passes much too often.

Expectations were set very high and I think much too high and is part of why this team is failing so miserably this year.

We may disagree on some things but I think we both want this team to succeed. The roster Chiarelli has built isn't good enough and he's squandered way too many valuable assets to be given a second chance at fixing this team. They've had some crappy luck that has definitely affected their record but if absolutely everything went right they'd be a bubble team. This is McDavid's last cheap year and to not have built a contender with all the pieces he started off with is just plain unacceptable.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

We may disagree on some things but I think we both want this team to succeed. The roster Chiarelli has built isn't good enough and he's squandered way too many valuable assets to be given a second chance at fixing this team. They've had some crappy luck that has definitely affected their record but if absolutely everything went right they'd be a bubble team. This is McDavid's last cheap year and to not have built a contender with all the pieces he started off with is just plain unacceptable.

For sure we want them to succeed . I dont see this as being a black and white issue like many. Chiarelli has made some bets and some moves that aren't working out. I give him the benefit of the doubt as to why he made many of the moves and some I scratch my head. For me, I can accept he expected overall improvement (some regression but mostly improvement), but not this insane regression team wide.

That said using my backwards looking crystal ball, I find the worst move not having an NHL qualified backup goalie. Plenty were available and for cheap in the offseason. LB was not NHL ready and if Talbot struggles or gets hurt we are screwed as we are reliant on top end goaltending until we gather more defensive and scoring depth in the coming years.
Getting another D in the off season to replace Sekera till he came back and when he is back it creates internal competition and depth was also a huge mistake.

At the end of the day this is a results oriented business. He may wind up paying the price at the end of the season.

 

[StevenF1919]

For sure we want them to succeed . I dont see this as being a black and white issue like many. Chiarelli has made some bets and some moves that aren't working out. I give him the benefit of the doubt as to why he made many of the moves and some I scratch my head. For me, I can accept he expected overall improvement (some regression but mostly improvement), but not this insane regression team wide.

That said using my backwards looking crystal ball, I find the worst move not having an NHL qualified backup goalie. Plenty were available and for cheap in the offseason. LB was not NHL ready and if Talbot struggles or gets hurt we are screwed as we are reliant on top end goaltending until we gather more defensive and scoring depth in the coming years.
Getting another D in the off season to replace Sekera till he came back and when he is back it creates internal competition and depth was also a huge mistake.

At the end of the day this is a results oriented business. He may wind up paying the price at the end of the season.

There were a ton of small moves that could have helped massively. Getting a solid backup, a decent stopgap D until Sekera gets back, a veteran RW on a 1 year contract to help with scoring, not buying out Pouliot.

These are all minor deals that should have been made in the summer. It baffles me that Chia re-signed the big two + Russell, signed Jokinen, and called it a day.

 

[joestevens29]

One thing that bothers me is what happened today on Jamieson's show. They read a text about how this team is built wrong and that you can't expect to win when you only have two guys in your lineup that were drafted here.

How is that even relevant to the current situation? The funny part is those guys aren't even PC's picks in the first place.

Realistically since PC took over how many d-men should he have in the NHL? His first draft he drafted 4 d-men out of the 6 picks. 2 of which are Bear and Jones. Seems to me that's pretty decent?

Why doesn't he get credit for Benning? To me College signings are pretty darn good valuable to a GM's resume.

I understand that the farm is pretty bare, but it could be a lot worse.

 

[guymez]

There were a ton of small moves that could have helped massively. Getting a solid backup, a decent stopgap D until Sekera gets back, a veteran RW on a 1 year contract to help with scoring, not buying out Pouliot.

These are all minor deals that should have been made in the summer. It baffles me that Chia re-signed the big two + Russell, signed Jokinen, and called it a day.

I am trying to remain positive here but its tough to argue with any of this.

I was very concerned about the defence prior to the season. I did not think that Benning and Nurse would both take a step forward this season. Nurse has but Benning has taken a step back.

I was also very concerned about Strome being a replacement for Eberle. It turns out that I was right to be concerned. Strome has been terrible for the most part.

I liked the Jokinen signing. I was really surprised to see how slow he looked. I was wrong about his addition.

I also liked Poulliot despite all his warts. His speed was an asset on the PK.

All that being said I am still dumbfounded by how this season has gone so far.

 

[StevenF1919]

Lol.

 

[lakai17]

Thank you for signing McDavid, klefbom and Drai long term.

Thank you for gambling on Kassian.

Thank you for bringing in Koskinen and what looks like could be a good contract as well

Thank you for some decent drafting as well. Should be the odd gem in there.

 

[Jamin]

Someone saw Burke in the intermission

 

[BlackDogg]

Thread voted least likely to be bumped....

 

[McFlash97]

Thank you for signing McDavid, klefbom and Drai long term.

Thank you for gambling on Kassian.

Thank you for bringing in Koskinen and what looks like could be a good contract as well

Thank you for some decent drafting as well. Should be the odd gem in there.

Thank Tippet the most. Thank Holland for ridding us of an anchor in Lucic and replacing him with a powerplay wizard. Thank Ethan Bear for being Ethan Bear, Thank MacT for Drafting Draisaitl and not Bennett.

 

[ujju2]

Thank Tippet the most. Thank Holland for ridding us of an anchor in Lucic and replacing him with a powerplay wizard. Thank Ethan Bear for being Ethan Bear, Thank MacT for Drafting Draisaitl and not Bennett.

But also thank Holland for hiring Tippett. A coaching hire was the the downfall of MacT. It's proving to be one of the things Holland has done very well.

 

[Soundwave]

Every GM in the league would've signed McDavid and Draisaitl long term.

We are now where we should have been all along the last two years. Quite frankly right now we should be a legit Cup contender, not just hoping for a playoff berth.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Thank you for signing McDavid, klefbom and Drai long term.

Thank you for gambling on Kassian.

Thank you for bringing in Koskinen and what looks like could be a good contract as well

Thank you for some decent drafting as well. Should be the odd gem in there.

Yeah but I'm remiss to give Chia credit for both the Koskinen and Draisaitl signings as their value when they were signed did not match up to the offer given.

I still think we could have signed Draisaitl at 8 x 6.5-7 because his closest comparable at the time was probably David Pastrnak who went for 6 x 6.6. Chiarelli looked like a dumbass when he signed Drai and only looks better now because Draisaitl has turned into a top 5 NHL player.

Then we get to Koskinen, probably his most egregious deal yet. The early returns aren't bad but it's still early, but for all intents and purposes lets say Kosko plays about as well has he has so far for the remainder of his contract. Similarly to Drai, the contract looks good, but there was no way he was worth 4.5 million last year. If we would have waited until the end of last year and had Holland do the signing, you're likely looking at another 2 x 2.15 deal or a 4 x 3-3.5 deal.

The fact is, in the cap era these deals matter and looking at current production to justify a past contract is silly. The fact is, if Chia had been less of an idiot and been a significantly more shrewd negotiator you're likely looking at an additional 4.5 million of cap space that he undoubtedly would've filled up with clones of Ryan Spooner.

But if you adjust to today and give Ken Holland an extra 4.5 million dollars of cap space, that allows him to go out and acquire a AAA free agent or trade for a bonafide top 6 winger. The fact is that we'd be able to acquire Hall for a pick and a guy making around 1.5-2 million instead of needing to clear 6 million in one trade.

Chiarelli was, is and always will be a terrible GM and an absolute dingus. Even his wins are often sub-par because, just like in trades, he cannot negotiate.

 

[BlackDogg]

If Chiarelli was in charge, the team would not be doing as well as they are this year. They would still be in perpetual nuclear winter as well, not to mention the trades and signings that have bolstered the roster's speed instead of "toughness" since last year.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

He definitely made some good moves, I will not dispute that. However, he made some really bad ones as well.

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

Thank you for being so incompetent that even when you tried to sabotage the team you failed at that too.