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

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

People shit on Yamo and Puljujarvi, but the only issue the organization had with them was their AAV that they earned based on production. At ~$800k those are valuable young players that you know have chemistry in the room.

PJ had zero chemistry in the room and even less on the ice where it really matters.

 

[Messrules11]

People shit on Yamo and Puljujarvi, but the only issue the organization had with them was their AAV that they earned based on production. At ~$800k those are valuable young players that you know have chemistry in the room.

Chemistry? We paid Pulju 3M and all he did was lick his face.

 

[Reasonable Oil Fan]

What an odd pair Puljujarvi and Laine have turned out to be

 

[rboomercat90]

I don't buy the whole "toughness" thing anymore. Being tough to play against doesn't mean big and strong. It means being relentless on pucks, constant forecheck pressure, and everyone no matter their size finishing their checks. Being a dogged nuisance that won't let you catch your breath. This doesn't require punching faces or throwing devastating hip checks. Conor Garland plays a tougher game than most players in the league and he's tiny.

But that's just me.

I feel the same about the silly "we're sooooo old" that everyone is spouting now. Like the team is a bunch of geriatrics out of a nursing home. It's a mean nothing buzzphrase being used in lieu of meaningful talking points and critiques.

That McDavid and Draisaitl have both taken retaliatory penalties already has shown how far removed you are from reality with your importance of toughness take. We’re 3 games into the season and these two are already fed up with all the cheap shots they’ve taken because there’s no deterrent for teams to target them. I’m not even talking about somebody like Rempe that the Rangers use to crack skulls. I’m talking about players just willing to throw the body or hit other teams better players. There is no grit in this lineup and that leaves McDavid and Draisaitl to fend for themselves. They’re big boys, they can do it but I’d rather the two of them focus on other things.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

That McDavid and Draisaitl have both taken retaliatory penalties already has shown how far removed you are from reality with your importance of toughness take. We’re 3 games into the season and these two are already fed up with all the cheap shots they’ve taken because there’s no deterrent for teams to target them. I’m not even talking about somebody like Rempe that the Rangers use to crack skulls. I’m talking about players just willing to throw the body or hit other teams better players. There is no grit in this lineup and that leaves McDavid and Draisaitl to fend for themselves. They’re big boys, they can do it but I’d rather the two of them focus on other things.

For 82 games after an extremely long season last season? I think that is a recipe for disaster. Drai got his ribs caved against Vancouver, Connor definitely took a beating, etc. I don't know how physical the Canucks will be this season but the Flames are not going to lay off of us for sure and other contending teams will target our top players.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

The heart isn't showing and the toughness is non existent. What games are you watching?

Well we are 3 games in. I trust the heart they had in the playoffs will come back

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Well we are 3 games in. I trust the heart they had in the playoffs will come back

The heart will but they need a spark a physical leader to drag them into the fight and make guys answer when they take liberties on our top players.

 

[rboomercat90]

For 82 games after an extremely long season last season? I think that is a recipe for disaster. Drai got his ribs caved against Vancouver, Connor definitely took a beating, etc. I don't know how physical the Canucks will be this season but the Flames are not going to lay off of us for sure and other contending teams will target our top players.

You’d have thought that after what happened to McDavid and Draisaitl against the Canucks (and quite frankly every post season) that management’s top priority going forward would have been to make sure that never happened again. Seeing this lineup it looks like they’re fine with it.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Oilers have removed these goals from the lineup (either by choice, trade, offer sheet or injury):

Kane 24
Foegele 20
McLeod 12
Holloway 6
Gagner 5
Ceci 5
Carrick 2
Erne 1
Desharnais 1

Now sure most of those will be very easy to replace... ie Gagner/Ceci/Carrick/Erne/Desharnais will all be replaced in goal scoring by the depth on this team.

Point though is that's 76 goals gone from the lineup by players that at least had some chemistry on the team.

I would also suggest that I highly doubt Hyman can repeat his totals from last season... he could certainly drop back to being a 30-35 goal scorer again which would still be a great asset... but I doubt his 54 goal season is repeatable.

So if you add another 20 goals to the sum up above... that's ~95 goals that has to be replaced by a combination of the players new to the club and the old guard.

Oilers have new players

Podkolzin 0 goals last year
Emberson 1 goal last year
Dermott 2 goals last year
Arvidsson 6 goals last year
Skinner 24 goals last year

That's ~95 goals out and ~33 goals in.

Yes Henrique will score more BUT Henrique will have a hell of a time potting 20+ in the bottom 6 playing with the likes of Janmark and Brown who give their all but have hands of stone.

I know everyone was saying this teams strength is their offense... and it may well be because defense and goaltending are average... BUT even the offense isn't going to be able to instantly replace those ~95 goals as if it were nothing. This team has a target on their heads every game they play and I could easily see this being a regression year in terms of offense... especially when you couple that with the issues of D and in net which is never optimal for a team that is essentially forced to try and "outscore" their weaknesses and issues every single night.

I'm not exactly optimistic that the team can take their C defense and C goaltending and mix it with what might be B- offense this season... and come up with a recipe for success out of all that.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

That McDavid and Draisaitl have both taken retaliatory penalties already has shown how far removed you are from reality with your importance of toughness take. We’re 3 games into the season and these two are already fed up with all the cheap shots they’ve taken because there’s no deterrent for teams to target them. I’m not even talking about somebody like Rempe that the Rangers use to crack skulls. I’m talking about players just willing to throw the body or hit other teams better players. There is no grit in this lineup and that leaves McDavid and Draisaitl to fend for themselves. They’re big boys, they can do it but I’d rather the two of them focus on other things.

This is how soft we are

Today, Elias Lindholm was credited with 8 hits.

 

[GOilers88]

That McDavid and Draisaitl have both taken retaliatory penalties already has shown how far removed you are from reality with your importance of toughness take. We’re 3 games into the season and these two are already fed up with all the cheap shots they’ve taken because there’s no deterrent for teams to target them. I’m not even talking about somebody like Rempe that the Rangers use to crack skulls. I’m talking about players just willing to throw the body or hit other teams better players. There is no grit in this lineup and that leaves McDavid and Draisaitl to fend for themselves. They’re big boys, they can do it but I’d rather the two of them focus on other things.

There's no deterrents lol. It's no different than any other year. That's what it is when you're the best.

They should be dishing it out as well as taking it. Everyone on the team. They're capable of it. But they look lazy, disinterested and uninspired thus far.

 

[rboomercat90]

There's no deterrents lol. It's no different than any other year. That's what it is when you're the best.

They should be dishing it out as well as taking it. Everyone on the team. They're capable of it. But they look lazy, disinterested and uninspired thus far.

I guess where we differ in opinion is whether certain players are capable of certain things. I hope you’re right but I fear you’re not.

 

[Vagabond]

Seriously? Some of our best teams have been a blend of toughness and skill. They knew full well that Kane was going to be out for some time and their answer was Josh Brown.

We had Lucic and Maroon when we went to the 2nd round the one season and then we had Kane and Kostin the year we made it to the WCF. Last season we got murdered against the Canucks and with a hurt Kane had no answer. We cannot afford to run such a soft team when every two bit disturber will be targeting our top players because they know that we won't do the same to theirs or make them shit teeth. You need a mix in this league and right now our mix is soft and it isn't going to be getting better without a move or two.

Agreed. Plus that year we had Matt Hendricks as well.

 

[FlameChampion]

I personally can’t really buy that we look so flat because were old, slow, not physical enough etc. A RD upgrade shouldn’t make or break the team at the beginning of the season.

Sure some of these could be reasons why the team doesn’t ultimately get it done. But what we witness at the beginning of the season with this team doesn’t even make sense. But it feels like it happens every season.

Feels pointless to even really evaluate the team at this point because were just a mess for whatever reason. Too bad we’ll never know what Jackson, Bowman or Knoblauch truly think,