Jumptheshark
Rebooting myself
yep but people just need to complain--I have concerns but I am going to wait till at least game 20 before I start freaking out or other things
GDT: Preseason Game 7, Oilers at Kraken beer leager. Oilers + 8 PM
- Thread starter 5 Mins 4 Ftg
- Start date
yep but people just need to complain--I have concerns but I am going to wait till at least game 20 before I start freaking out or other things
nexttothemoon
and again...
Personally I'm pretty happy with Stecher... I've watched him before and he's a guy that works his bag off and doesn't take anything for granted... as you really can't when you are that size and no pedigree to fall back on as a 30 year old undrafted guy.
Sure I'd be a lot more comfortable if Emberson was more experienced as well instead of a big question mark who's played 30 games... but then again so was Broberg (who I was never high on to begin with and is certainly not worth $4.6 million at this stage) and also... the Oilers would have never gotten Emberson for peanuts if he was more proven in the NHL.
Every team has a few weaknesses at certain spots and Oilers have a few... RD on the 2nd pairing "might" be one... maybe... unless Emberson and/or Stecher look decent there... which is entirely possible but we won't know for sure until the season starts for real.
I'm possibly more worried about offense... Skinner/Arvidsson HAVE to click or it's all down to McDrai yet again. Hyman had 54... very likely won't repeat that and RNH had 18... maybe can expect 20 out of him. McDrai hopefully score more than the 73 they did last year or else this team will take a dip in offense.
Goaltending is only "ok"... but that duo will only go as far as the team offense and defense takes them as they are very average at best.
I'm just saying this right now doesn't feel like a team at the top of the league that's coming in hot from the 7th game in the SC finals. It feels like they are jetlagged and will take some time to get up to speed again especially with every team in the NHL clearly gunning for them every game they play. No easy games for the Oilers,
Sure I'd be a lot more comfortable if Emberson was more experienced as well instead of a big question mark who's played 30 games... but then again so was Broberg (who I was never high on to begin with and is certainly not worth $4.6 million at this stage) and also... the Oilers would have never gotten Emberson for peanuts if he was more proven in the NHL.
Every team has a few weaknesses at certain spots and Oilers have a few... RD on the 2nd pairing "might" be one... maybe... unless Emberson and/or Stecher look decent there... which is entirely possible but we won't know for sure until the season starts for real.
I'm possibly more worried about offense... Skinner/Arvidsson HAVE to click or it's all down to McDrai yet again. Hyman had 54... very likely won't repeat that and RNH had 18... maybe can expect 20 out of him. McDrai hopefully score more than the 73 they did last year or else this team will take a dip in offense.
Goaltending is only "ok"... but that duo will only go as far as the team offense and defense takes them as they are very average at best.
I'm just saying this right now doesn't feel like a team at the top of the league that's coming in hot from the 7th game in the SC finals. It feels like they are jetlagged and will take some time to get up to speed again especially with every team in the NHL clearly gunning for them every game they play. No easy games for the Oilers,
Fishy McScales
Registered User
The team spent $10m on Arvidsson, Skinner and Henrique on day one of free agency. There were options out there to spend less on shoring up the forward group and prioritizing adding a more proven option to cover that 2nd pair RHD spot.
Dazed and Confused
Ludicrous speed, GO!
Watching the highlights, it was better than I was expecting seeing the 6-2 score.
Team seems to be playing not to get injuried, which is fine imo.
Outside of Brown, most of the mistakes on the backend seemed to be on passing assignments vs. individual miscues. Considering only Ekholm and Bouchard have played together that's not overly surprising. Still, Brown has to have managed to play his way out of the #7 job. I imagine the team will grab someone off the waiver wire or sign Dermott.
Skinner-Drai doesn't seem to work. Both want to play things slow, waiting for the breakdown before jumping in and it just kills the pace of the line. Imo Drai doesn't excel with linemates that drift to open ice, trying to disappear in coverage. I think Arvidsson a great fit with him, but RNH and Skinner need to be swapped. I would also be tempted to see Lavoie on that line.
Considering the Oil have been overly optimistic about their injury timelines, I wonder if they should also be looking at a goalie on the wire? I don't trust Rod, and I don't want to rush Pickard back (who also didn't find his game this preseason).
Team seems to be playing not to get injuried, which is fine imo.
Outside of Brown, most of the mistakes on the backend seemed to be on passing assignments vs. individual miscues. Considering only Ekholm and Bouchard have played together that's not overly surprising. Still, Brown has to have managed to play his way out of the #7 job. I imagine the team will grab someone off the waiver wire or sign Dermott.
Skinner-Drai doesn't seem to work. Both want to play things slow, waiting for the breakdown before jumping in and it just kills the pace of the line. Imo Drai doesn't excel with linemates that drift to open ice, trying to disappear in coverage. I think Arvidsson a great fit with him, but RNH and Skinner need to be swapped. I would also be tempted to see Lavoie on that line.
Considering the Oil have been overly optimistic about their injury timelines, I wonder if they should also be looking at a goalie on the wire? I don't trust Rod, and I don't want to rush Pickard back (who also didn't find his game this preseason).
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Fishy McScales
Registered User
Yeah I'm not saying there aren't alternatives, I just get a bit jaded when people say "upgrade this, upgrade that" as if the team had unlimited assets to spend or no salary cap.
Personally I think sacrificing Ceci to add/extend those guys is worth the risk, especially since it allows us to evaluate our RHD during the season and find a solution at the deadline.
Jimmi McJenkins
Sometimes miracles
Nice to see Nurse back, I suspect he was a little rusty and Rodrigue had a really tough night. I suspect they'll be looking at the waiver wire for a backup.
Also I think Brown "impressed" again lol
Also I think Brown "impressed" again lol
barry halls
Registered User
- Nov 13, 2018
- 928
- 1,496
Skinner stinks, I would rather be paying Holloway 3m. I’ll bet he won’t eclipse 20 goals this year and brings nothing else to the table.
Good thing this team totally doesn’t have a history of cracking under the weight of high expectations and we can count on a great start to the regular season next week.
Good thing this team totally doesn’t have a history of cracking under the weight of high expectations and we can count on a great start to the regular season next week.
alphahelix
Registered User
- Feb 15, 2007
- 7,246
- 3,075
I think the point is the Oilers for whatever reason just can't find any consistent play early in seasons. and early in playoff series. They have to get punched in the face. Never the team that comes out with an agenda.. sets it.. and never looks back. Like the last 4 cup champs.
Until Edmonton starts setting the pace and dictating the terms. They'll always be playing Rocky Balboa hockey. The comeback kids.... the you wrote us off gang... the second half warriors.
I admit it's kind of fun watching your horse come back from mediocrity to challenge for the win. Unfortunately it hasn't really proven to be an effect tactic towards winning that cup. They came awfully close last year though. Close enough that maybe.. maybe they know. If they got their f***ing shit together earlier last year they may have won enough games to get home Ice in game 7. Or maybe they don't go down in 3 of 4 series and to quote Leon "make it hard on themselves". Maybe they're in better shape and not beat to f***ing shit. Vancouver had no business taking them to game 7 and it cost them dearly in round 4 imo.
Just an add on.. not saying this pre-season game indicates such things either. But if these guys are a 500 team a quarter way into the seaon.. same old.. same old.. fire up the come back.
Jimmi McJenkins
Sometimes miracles
I mean if we're lucky it will probably be like last year, because they didn't learn anything.
Your personal insecurity about this team is really a bit much.
KeithIsActuallyBad
You thrust your pelvis, huh!
Losing any one of the D we did shouldn't have been an issue, but losing all three definitely leaves a hole.
CantHaveTkachev
Jealousy
But why did they have to potentially make the D worse? I get not re-signing Desharnais, he's not worth it...Broberg the same thing (even though I'd have matched)
but when they traded Ceci I thought for sure they were gonna bring in someone better, not some SJ castoff that Grier wasn't willing to keep...despite being the exact type of player the Sharks need
they're relying on 3 defenseman now, with one of them having a putrid 2nd half of the season with a worse playoffs in Nurse
it's worrisome
