BigFuzzyDice
the giant Kane in your azz
- Jul 8, 2016
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Is torpedoing 3 teams in a single season considered the triple crown?
Proposal: Rumors and Proposals Thread: An Athanasiou a Day Would Keep the Flames at Bay
- Thread starter Bryanbryoil
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It absolutely is an opportunity. However if we look at the guys we have on the team it's really hard to see that in an open night. Khaira, Cave, Russell and Ganger are barely NHL players. Chiasson is pretty useless, Neal is hurt, Drai RNH and Yamamoto are good. Sheahan and Archibald hold there own. So right now we have 5 guys that pull their weight and 7 who don't. 7 guys who shouldn't being an NHL lineup most nights. I guess Haas is a wild card.
Those guys could step it up but they have shown even this year they simply don't have what it takes. If they suddenly do, great, I just don't see a guy like Khaira stepping it up, he is as good as he will ever be. We have Draisaitls line and 3 4th lines. Those guys stepping up would just not allowing goals when they are on the ice which other than Sheahans line sounds extremely difficult
McDNicks17
Moderator
If not Galchenyuk, are there any other guys out there that wouldn't be bad on McDavid's LW, but can also play a little center in the meantime while he's hurt?
I don't think I'm being defeatist so much as offering up an honest assessment of what this team is without McDavid based on what we've seen from their play when he hasn't been on the ice this season to make the case that they need to make a trade for some reinforcements, something they should have done months ago. Given we're on the same page on that score, everything else is just a difference of opinion.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
- Mar 3, 2004
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Its 2 weeks. The team has to come together for 2 weeks. Neal is due back on the weekend so thats a positive.
Gagner is fine as a temporary 4th line player....so is Cave.
The key is to tighten up defensively...that solves a lot of problems.
I want to see how this team deals with this adversity....so unlike you I dont see this scenario as season ending.
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Worth a try. haha.....since Zucker could've been had for something like JP and magic beans.
Fourier
Registered User
The post I was responding to said that they were barely an NHL level team *with* a healthy McDavid.
8 points in 10 games is a pace that gets you 66 points over a season. That is the type of pace that typically sees you right in the running for the first over all pick.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
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Your assessment is rather pessimistic...no?
I am just suggesting that we wait and see what happens....there is opportunity here.
I want to see how the team reacts to this adversity.
Khaira, Sheahan, Archibald, Gagner, Chiasson, Haas, Russell, Cave all are 4th line players or less. That's over half our forwards.
My issue is that k think most of those guys are playing pretty close to their best hockey as is
Ya people sometimes get too caught up in flashy names and stats lines. Not saying Oilers shouldn't look to upgrade but i think people over value trying to get those sexy names at all costs. More important is usually how the team rallies together and buys in and develops that solid playing and mental culture and come together and play properly as a team. Sometimes those flashy names can disrupt what the team is trying to build together.
Even on the Coyotes board a poster is contemplating that. Basically saying they might have been better last year with the "jobbers" or lesser players they had than the sexier names they have this year..... Addition by Subtraction?
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
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Look...if you want to paint the most neagtive picture possible then knock yourself out.
I have explained why I think the way I do about this development multiple times now.
I dont see this situation as you do and to be honest I dont feel a need to go in circles trying to convince you otherwise.
You are entitled to your pessimism. I am entitled to view things differently.
Samus44
Enjoy the ride.
- Aug 5, 2010
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The TSN brodcast crew at the WJC's, Bob McKenzie, and his OHL performance/accomplishments suggest otherwise. OHL coaches poll had him winning best hitter, best defensive dman, and 3rd best PKer in his conference and he made the OHL 3rd All Star team (i.e. top 6 dman in the league). Add that to leading OHL dman in scoring for the playoffs with an unreal 10 goals and 28 points in 24 games and i'm going to suggest he's a blue chipper. The dude has a complete skillset and immense physical gifts, he's got top 4 written all over him.
https://thehockeywriters.com/oilers-prospect-update-dmitri-samorukov/
That's a blue chipper in my books.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
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Teams ave to play though injuries all the time. It helps define them as a team.
Not to get philosophical but....
The only way we as individuals find out who we are in life (and what we are capable of) is by facing adversity.
So with that in mind I want to see how this team responds. It will tell me a lot about the character (or lack of) on this team.
They have to commit to 2 things...outworking the opposition and committing fully and completely to the defensive structure.
So no I dont think the season is over...not at all. Lots to be written yet.
That to me is a much more reasonable approach than embracing a posters POV who is overtly pessimistic 90% of the time.
Stud Muffin
Registered User
Granlund probably could and Athanasiou as well. But the more likely scenario is Nuge switch to C for the 10 or so games.
Absolutely... i posterd a couple posts in the McDavid injury thread saying just this.... that if short term this may be a good thing and to see what kind of gumption the rest of the team has in the face of adversity. Honestly if they step up it would not surprise me if they went 6-3-1 in the next bit without connor.
I'm not saying you can't be optimistic, just curious on who you think has the ability to step it up
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
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Maybe you should post a prediction thread for the next 10 games.
lol, i already regret that last post.... but i want to believe tips and the boys can get their s*** together and buckle down and hopefully surprise some people.
I stand corrected then.
They had 7 points in 10 games between Dec. 1 and 20 with McDavid.
guymez
The Seldom Seen Kid
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Its a temporary situation and we see players step up for short stints all the time. Sometimes even the most unlikely of players.
Ultimately though they have to all make sure they are pulling on the same side of the rope. Commit to team play.
So they step up as a group.
They tighten up their play with and without the puck.
They need to keep the games low scoring to have a chance to win.
They have to completely embrace and execute Tippets system as a group.
I want to see how that plays out.
You probably wont accept this possibility but this situation could actually galvanize this team.
Adversity tends to do that.
Fourier
Registered User
That stretch was likely more due to horrendous goaltending than lack of scoring. And of course it is absolutely possible that they don't win many. But I think it would be prudent to let it play out because even without McDavid this team is capable of 8 points in 10 games on a regular basis is they get even average goal tending. It's juts that kind of league.
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