Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | Where's the Beef?

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Talbot - same issue.

Very true, I think his first year he was doing his own thing before he fell under Schwartz's "tutelage". Talbot was so, so good in 2016-17.

 

[CupofOil]

From the numbers I was looking at there seems to be one clear common denominator both the 2nd and 3rd pairing flourish when Kulak is on the ice and either suck or tread water without him.

I do agree that Emberson has stabilized quite a bit from his shakier play in the early season, but really the only person who deserves a lot of credit amongst our bottom 4 d is Kulak, who is the only player on the team greatly exceeding expectations; in saying that I have no idea if his present level of play is sustainable.

Kulak has been doing this for years, the offense isn't sustainable but he's been a rock back there for years, yet there are a group of posters who are sore at Oilers management for not trading him.
There was a path to keeping Kulak and finding minutes for Broberg for those that thought Kulak HAD TO be traded to fit in Broberg.

 

[bucks_oil]

I think back to the fanbase's criticisms about Koskinen (Glove hand, first shot goes in, etc) and see that they're applying the same to Skinner. Definitely a coincidence, for sure.

Those specific criticisms go all the way back to Dubnyk and Scrivens as well.

Must be old guys who remember generational flashy gloves like Ranford and Fuhr and think that all NHL goalies have 'em.

 

[Fourier]

Isn't that the point? We've had a similarly disasterous start both seasons with different coaches.

I think last years start was far worse. On this date last year the team was sitting with a 3-9-1 record and pretty much every aspect of their game was problematic. They were also 8 points back of a wild card spot and 18 points off the division lead. Right now they are 7-7-1, one point out of a wild card spot with a game in hand and 6 points back of the division leader with 2 games in hand. If the pp and pk were even average the Oilers would likely be more like 10-5-0. I like their chances of turning around their special teams.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

I wish ANA had some star studded goalie prospect coming so they could trade us Dostal lol. #1 in GSAA

3 GSAA above Igor and Helly. Stolarz is next. We couldn't be in the position to even look at him b/c we have hitched out wagon to a good backup.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Kulak has been doing this for years, the offense isn't sustainable but he's been a rock back there for years, yet there are a group of posters who are sore at Oilers management for not trading him.
There was a path to keeping Kulak and finding minutes for Broberg for those that thought Kulak HAD TO be traded to fit in Broberg.

I don't think you understand how far above his normal curve he is right now

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856336152770306389

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Once Oiler fans run Skinner out of town, he’ll do the same in another town

No chance.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

No chance.

I get that Skinner got thrust into the starters role and it is not "his fault", but what do some posters see here that makes them think he would go elsewhere and be great? I am trying to comprehend this. What do they see from his mechanics and puck tracking that tell them this?

My only conclusion is that they know him in their personal lives or they are attached to him 9I can't get attached to any one player). The Oilers have been a top team in preventing high dangers for 2 years. This is the best he will get.

He is sitting at the bottom with COL's goalie and Ingram in some categories.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I think back to the fanbase's criticisms about Koskinen (Glove hand, first shot goes in, etc) and see that they're applying the same to Skinner. Definitely a coincidence, for sure.

Lol must be the fans.

I get that Skinner got thrust into the starters role and it is not "his fault", but what do some posters see here that makes them think he would go elsewhere and be great? I am trying to comprehend this. What do they see from his mechanics and puck tracking that tell them this?

My only conclusion is that they know him in their personal lives or they are attached to him 9I can't get attached to any one player). The Oilers have been a top team in preventing high dangers for 2 years. This is the best he will get.

He is sitting at the bottom with COL's goalie and Ingram in some categories.

Some people just like him. Fair enough but it makes them blind to reality. Everything says he’s playing terrible but people just refuse to believe it.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Lol must be the fans.

Huh? That's what you got from my post?

I get that Skinner got thrust into the starters role and it is not "his fault", but what do some posters see here that makes them think he would go elsewhere and be great? I am trying to comprehend this. What do they see from his mechanics and puck tracking that tell them this?

My only conclusion is that they know him in their personal lives or they are attached to him 9I can't get attached to any one player). The Oilers have been a top team in preventing high dangers for 2 years. This is the best he will get.

He is sitting at the bottom with COL's goalie and Ingram in some categories.

This team hasn't properly drafted and developed a goalie in over 3 decades. Whatever's going on behind the scenes isn't working. Skinner has the tools and he can show flashes of brilliance. If Skinner was as bad as people say this team doesn't get nearly as far as they did in the playoffs last year.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I get that Skinner got thrust into the starters role and it is not "his fault", but what do some posters see here that makes them think he would go elsewhere and be great? I am trying to comprehend this. What do they see from his mechanics and puck tracking that tell them this?

My only conclusion is that they know him in their personal lives or they are attached to him 9I can't get attached to any one player). The Oilers have been a top team in preventing high dangers for 2 years. This is the best he will get.

He is sitting at the bottom with COL's goalie and Ingram in some categories.

clearly Dustin Schwartz is holding him back...watch him flourish with a real goalie coach

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Huh? That's what you got from my post?

This team hasn't properly drafted and developed a goalie in over 3 decades. Whatever's going on behind the scenes isn't working. Skinner has the tools and he can show flashes of brilliance. If Skinner was as bad as people say this team doesn't get nearly as far as they did in the playoffs last year.

Yes. Dur dur the fans shit on Dubynk. As if that means anything.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yes. Dur dur the fans shit on Dubynk. As if that means anything.

Yeah, that uh... wasn't my point in the slightest. But thanks for the free strawman I suppose.

clearly Dustin Schwartz is holding him back...watch him flourish with a real goalie coach

See, this one gets it.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Yeah, that uh... wasn't my point in the slightest. But thanks for the free strawman I suppose.


See, this one gets it.

I’ll admit I read that wrong. Dur dur me. I’m in battle with a grumpy new born trying to get him to nap.

Apologies.

 

[Soundwave]

we said the same thing about Dubnyk

What's Mikko Koskinen doing these days?

Skinner's problem is his limited athleticism, I don't think it's going to get any better for him.

Schwartz sucks but I doubt there's a goaltending coach that's going to make Skinner move post to post beyond his low athletic roof.

 

[Soundwave]

Very true, I think his first year he was doing his own thing before he fell under Schwartz's "tutelage". Talbot was so, so good in 2016-17.

Thing is Talbot had three reasonable seasons here.

15-16: .917 on a bad team
16-17: .919 on a playoff team (great)
17-18: .908 on a non-playoff team (still ok)
18-19: .893 on a non-playoff team

18-19 he was bad, but I think we overreacted to one poor year. He had all told in the NHL 5 seasons worth of play and .908 was his worst year until then, there was always a good chance a guy is closer to a 5 year sample than a 1 year outlier.

 

[TheNumber4]

I think last years start was far worse. On this date last year the team was sitting with a 3-9-1 record and pretty much every aspect of their game was problematic. They were also 8 points back of a wild card spot and 18 points off the division lead. Right now they are 7-7-1, one point out of a wild card spot with a game in hand and 6 points back of the division leader with 2 games in hand. If the pp and pk were even average the Oilers would likely be more like 10-5-0. I like their chances of turning around their special teams.

If McDrai were producing at their usual Top 3 pace, we’d be laughing. They’ll get back to form. Knob hockey is still solid AF. This team will go on a run soon.

 

[guymez]

Isn't that the point? We've had a similarly disasterous start both seasons with different coaches.

Well...if you go back through the years you have to go back to 2017/18 to find a season where the team started slowly. That was not a very good team either so the expectations were much lower.
Every season up until last season the team started strong.

This is a very good team...so was last years team.
So what happened last season?
Its possible that coaching had something to do with it.
Maybe the team was still maturing...still understanding what it takes to win and the coach just didnt have the experience to properly deal with that?
Thats what I would suggest.

This is now a more mature team. Going to the SCF will have that effect. I also think that Knoblauch is a better coach than Woody. A lot of evidence last season to support that as well.

As a result this season hasnt been nearly as bad as last season. The team is right in the thick of things but just dosnt look mentally sharp. Doesnt look as mentally enagaged as they should be.
They seem to fatigue mentally quicker in games than they should especially considering what we saw last season after the coaching change.

So I do think that there is a mental element to whats going on this season. I do think that going to game 7 of the SCF and losing the way they did does take a mental toll on the players.
Navigating that is another step in the maturation of the team and especially the Leadership group.

So to suggest that the team is finding their way through that does seem like a reasonable explanation to me..

 

[CupofOil]

I don't think you understand how far above his normal curve he is right now

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856336152770306389

That's not my point though. I even said that this early season play is unsustainable.

My overall point is that Kulak has been a good/valuable Dman for the Oilers for his entire tenure here. Solid enough in the regular season, anchoring good 3rd pairings with a revolving door of D partners, and elevating in the playoffs which gets a lot more points in my book so I never understood this idea of trading him as if he's so replaceable.

The right move to fit in Broberg was trading Ceci then you make it work with the handedness.

 

[ViD]

David Jiricek for Evan Bouchard as a base. Additions can ne discussed,

Any interest for the Oilers ?

 

[soothsayer]

David Jiricek for Evan Bouchard as a base. Additions can ne discussed,

Any interest for the Oilers ?

 

[Scrapin Ice]

Connor: I don't seem to be able to get motivated like last year Mr. Moldaver.
Judd: Don't worry Connor, it pretty normal ...it'll come.
Connor: I'm just so frustrated from last June. You know maybe I need a change....

Hmmm. I wonder?

The first conceptualization seeps in.

 

[unicornBLOOD]

David Jiricek for Evan Bouchard as a base. Additions can ne discussed,

Any interest for the Oilers ?

if the options are that we do one of the following...

1 - make this trade

or

2 - sign Bouchard to a long term deal at 10 million per plus.

...if these are the only options, then I say make the trade. The idea of this player getting the rumoured AAV on a long term deal are very concerning to me. So concerning, that I'd rather the team trade him for a player that isn't as good on paper as Bouchard, just to avoid the potential horrible contract. He looks nothing like the player from last year.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

David Jiricek for Evan Bouchard as a base. Additions can ne discussed,

Any interest for the Oilers ?

Not that much no, this one is better.

To CLB: Nurse, Dermott and 2026 2nd

To EDM: Jiricek & Harris


I think this works better for everyone.

 

[ViD]

Not that much no, this one is better.

To CLB: Nurse, Dermott and 2026 2nd

To EDM: Jiricek & Harris


I think this works better for everyone.

CBJ does not need any LHD