Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | With Klingberg in the Mix Who Are Our 7D After the Deadline?

[Soundwave]

If they go with Skinner this year then he better f***ing get the job done.

No excuses.

No "boo hoo, Adin Hill was really good".

If he is the choice, then the whole "yeah but he's only 2.6 million!" goes out the window. That's who the Oilers have bet the farm on and he better deliver a Cup this year.

Because if he doesn't there is going to be a shit ton of questions about whether or not McDavid should even resign here.

So the Oilers better be as a serious as a heart attack that he can win in the post season not only against the Silvos and Talbots of the world but the Hills and Bobs of the world too. If the playoffs started today, we'd be playing Colorado in round 1, I'm not sure Stu is up for that in a 7 game series, that would be a much harder start than last time around.

 

[MessierII]

Tougher in the sense that that Colorado and Vegas are straight better than LA and Vancouver. If you play weaker teams, you're going to come out fresher than playing a tougher teams.

I don’t follow your logic. Because a team is more skilled it wears you down more? The cheap shots in the Vancouver series our guys took were much more taxing on the body than anything Dallas had to deal with. How were we the fresher team with all the things our top players were playing through?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Tougher in the sense that that Colorado and Vegas are straight better than LA and Vancouver. If you play weaker teams, you're going to come out fresher than playing a tougher teams.

You can only play who's in front of you. Colorado exposed the Jets before getting exposed themselves.

 

[oXo Cube]

Tougher in what sense though? If it’s not taking a toll physically what does that even mean or how is it relevant? I would say we were more physically worn down through the first two rounds than they were.

This take is a bit spicy, but IMO the only reason we have to believe Vegas was a tougher out than LA last year is narrative. No empirical reason to believe that the Golden Knights were all that really.

Vancouver was definitely the worst team in the second round by a large margin though.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

This take is a bit spicy, but IMO the only reason we have to believe Vegas was a tougher out than LA last year is narrative. No empirical reason to believe that the Golden Knights were all that really.

Vancouver was definitely the worst team in the second round by a large margin though.

I'd argue Boston was worse. They were no threat to the Panthers at all.

 

[MessierII]

This take is a bit spicy, but IMO the only reason we have to believe Vegas was a tougher out than LA last year is narrative. No empirical reason to believe that the Golden Knights were all that really.

Vancouver was definitely the worst team in the second round by a large margin though.

I would agree but being a worse team doesn’t mean you come out better off unless you clean them out in 4 or 5 games. Vancouver was the worst team overall but I would argue took a bigger bite from us physically than any team in the second round.

 

[K1984]

This take is a bit spicy, but IMO the only reason we have to believe Vegas was a tougher out than LA last year is narrative. No empirical reason to believe that the Golden Knights were all that really.

Vancouver was definitely the worst team in the second round by a large margin though.

I wouldn't go that far.

Horseshoes are horseshoes, and they had everything rolling in their direction. Even in our series it took a degree of relying on random event for them to push to 7 and they kept getting them. I think they would have had a very good chance at beating any of the Central teams for no reason other than the winds were blowing in their direction basically the whole year.

 

[Canovin]

I don’t follow your logic. Because a team is more skilled it wears you down more? The cheap shots in the Vancouver series our guys took were much more taxing on the body than anything Dallas had to deal with. How were we the fresher team with all the things our top players were playing through?

You don't follow my logic? You never played against a better team in your life? lol

Are the Oilers the only team getting cheap shots in games? I don't get it.

 

[Arpeggio]

Yes, look at vatrano’s contract for example. He’s essentially getting 3x6 but since such a portion is deferred it only comes out to 3x4.67.

Some players do it for tax reasons if they plan on living in a lower tax state, and some players may want income security after their playing career ends.

There’s a reason it’s not the norm, because it takes a special set of circumstances for both sides.

But he's not essentially getting 3x6, because that contract is worth less due to the deferred money. I don't know why he accepted that deal, whether it's for tax reasons or whatever, but I don't see how this is a major loophole that can be exploited. If Draisaitl had set up his deal this way, his total compensation would've been higher, probably the equivalent of like 18+ million a year, and his cap hit would be the same as it is now. Not sure if you were the one who said it was disappointing that he didn't set up his deal that way, but I doubt whatever unique circumstances applied to Vatrano's situation apply to Draisaitl's.

If Vatrano could've signed for 3x6 and decided not to and took the deferred contract, he's just an idiot lol. I think it's more likely that it was 3x5 or something, or the Ducks weren't willing to go three years without the deferral. But if you're in Draisaitl or McDavid's situation, I don't see how deferring any money makes much sense at all. They're already going to get max years. You're just asking them to take less money, which would be the case whether contract was deferred or not.

 

[soothsayer]

I would agree but being a worse team doesn’t mean you come out better off unless you clean them out in 4 or 5 games. Vancouver was the worst team overall but I would argue took a bigger bite from us physically than any team in the second round.

Let's be clear, that series went 7 games because of how bad Skinner played. People like to cite Skinner's play against Dallas, but the Oilers may have been a Brock Boeser blood clot away from being bounced in the second round. That series is over in 5 if Skinner didn't play as poorly as he did. And you could argue that took a toll on the team in the longer run. You gotta eat the whole hamburger with Skinner: he is capable of losing you a series.

 

[iCanada]

It is absolutely true. I remember all the venom on the radio shows. It wasn’t until the playoffs everyone fell in love with him. Oilers barely made it into the playoffs that year and he took a lot of heat. He became bulletproof in the playoffs.

Maybe I just didn't pay attention to the radio call in shows, but I feel like any one that hated Pronger on the Oilers at any point prior to trade were actually just flames fans.

Just like straight up nothing bad happened with him on the ice except when his excess physicality injured people - and the league didn't care/ it wasn't punished at the time.

 

[CupofOil]

Dave Tippett, that was Dave Tippett.

Yeah and the Oilers are way better than they were in 2021

He sure killed us the last time we played him in the playoffs. I don't think the Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson's of the world are going to light him up, and McDavid + Drai wasn't enough to beat him last time.

I also think the Jets are simply better this year.

But sure OK, if you want to bet the entire McDavid era on never having to beat a team with top end goaltending, go ahead and roll that dice. You probably aren't going to be happy with the results in 10 years from now, probably a lot of "woulda/coulda/shouldas".

I don't think we are gaurunteed to have a path as favorable as Talbot (who McDavid/Drai know inside out and have beat in practise a million times) to Silovs to Oettengier in a bad year.

Oh, so the Jets are simply better this year but the Oilers aren't any better than they were in 2021.

Since when is Oettinger a favorable path?
Laughable arguments by you to trash the Oilers but unsurprising.

 

[stewy04]

Don't think it can work but give me Marchand, Carlo and Vejmalka and I'll give my wife the best 45 seconds of her life!

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Let's be clear, that series went 7 games because of how bad Skinner played. People like to cite Skinner's play against Dallas, but the Oilers may have been a Brock Boeser blood clot away from being bounced in the second round. That series is over in 5 if Skinner didn't play as poorly as he did. And you could argue that took a toll on the team in the longer run. You gotta eat the whole hamburger with Skinner: he is capable of losing you a series.

But they weren't bounced in the second round. So it's a meaningless talking point. One bounce in game 7 and the Panthers are forever disgraced as the chokingest team in professional sports history. Doubt they care. Besides, Pickard took over for two games and the Oilers went 1-1 in those games too. I understand it's popular to talk about PDO and all that but the Canucks weren't some complete pushover either.

 

[Dirk Dangler]

Tougher in the sense that that Colorado and Vegas are straight better than LA and Vancouver. If you play weaker teams, you're going to come out fresher than playing a tougher teams.

Style of play has a big affect on the condition of your team after a series. LA and Vancouver were both built to be big and to lean on other teams. To beat them up physically. To be fair, Vegas is built in somewhat of a similar style. But Colorado is a skill team. As long as you beat them on the score board you should come out okay physically.

 

[CupofOil]

I'm not sure Oilers beat Dallas if Dallas didn't have to play Vegas and Colorado

I'm not sure if Florida beats Edmonton if Draisaitl is anything more than like 30% of his usual self and if Kane played. Woulda coulda shoulda

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I'm not sure if Florida beats Edmonton if Draisaitl is anything more than like 30% of his usual self and if Kane played. Woulda coulda shoulda

The Oilers would've beaten the Panthers had they faced actual competition in the East instead of three patsies.

See how this works? You can only play who's in front of you.

 

[foshizzle]

Maybe I just didn't pay attention to the radio call in shows, but I feel like any one that hated Pronger on the Oilers at any point prior to trade were actually just flames fans.

Just like straight up nothing bad happened with him on the ice except when his excess physicality injured people - and the league didn't care/ it wasn't punished at the time.

No- it was definitely oilers fans- and it wasn’t his physical play. It is all the same things you hear about Bouchard. Edmonton has a bad history with D men. The preference is for blocking shots with your face than making a smooth outlet pass.

Same with Paul Coffey. Guy scored 49 goals and Oilers fanned called him a bum.

 

[oXo Cube]

Knoblach coached the pants off of everyone in the playoffs. Edmonton was borderline unbeatable after adjusting to their opponent in every round. Insane record in the back halves of series.

They were just in slightly too big of a starting hole in round 4.

 

[Canovin]

Style of play has a big affect on the condition of your team after a series. LA and Vancouver were both built to be big and to lean on other teams. To beat them up physically. To be fair, Vegas is built in somewhat of a similar style. But Colorado is a skill team. As long as you beat them on the score board you should come out okay physically.

The Oilers walked thru LA in 5 games. Oilers would have swept both LA and Vancouver if it wasn't for Stuart Skinner. Skinner exhausted the Oilers not LA or Vancouver.

I'm not sure if Florida beats Edmonton if Draisaitl is anything more than like 30% of his usual self and if Kane played. Woulda coulda shoulda

Both teams were banged up. It's showed on both side. I would have played Kane and Pickard more.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I mean, who knew that a 4 year sample size was more telling than a 25 game sample size?
Blackwood has ability no doubt but this is a goalie that posted putrid numbers for 4 years running until this year. Bad teams or not, those are habits that are hard to break.

I mean he’s only been bad for a little stretch this year… don’t you think you are also jumping the gun here a bit? His numbers in Colorado overall have still been great.

 

[soothsayer]

But they weren't bounced in the second round. So it's a meaningless talking point. One bounce in game 7 and the Panthers are forever disgraced as the chokingest team in professional sports history. Doubt they care. Besides, Pickard took over for two games and the Oilers went 1-1 in those games too. I understand it's popular to talk about PDO and all that but the Canucks weren't some complete pushover either.

I don't think it's a meaningless talking point at all, especially when you take into account the Oilers loss to the Golden Knights the year prior. The Canucks were a fine team, but they had no business being in that series, let alone in the driver's seat of eliminating the Oilers. Skinner has lost the net a number of times in the playoffs the last two years. You can't just ignore that. Like I said, if you want to defend Skinner, no problem--but no one should be arguing that the Oilers goaltending isn't a significant risk going into the playoffs.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The Oilers walked thru LA in 5 games. Oilers would have swept both LA and Vancouver if it wasn't for Stuart Skinner. Skinner exhausted the Oilers not LA or Vancouver.

Both teams were banged up. It's showed on both side. I would have played Kane and Pickard more.

But then the Oilers would've lost to the Stars if the Stars didn't play the teams they played.

I guess we're not really that great of a team after all, huh.

 

[Arpeggio]

Knoblach coached the pants off of everyone in the playoffs. Edmonton was borderline unbeatable after adjusting to their opponent in every round. Insane record in the back halves of series.

They were just in slightly too big of a starting hole in round 4.

And they should've won game 1 running away as well. That series will always hurt. If the Oil have home ice, they win that series in 5 imo.

 

[CupofOil]

I mean he’s only been bad for a little stretch this year… don’t you think you are also jumping the gun here a bit? His numbers in Colorado overall have still been great.

No, I think the folks who were polluting this thread with "Colorado management great, Edmonton management clowns, Blackwood great, Skinner garbage" rhetoric, and there was a lot of it, jumped the gun on Blackwood being super awesome and the Oilers being super idiots for missing out.

As I said before, he's a capable goalie just like Skinner is a capable goalie. Both have been inconsistent in the league. Time will tell if the Avs made the right decision and/or if the Oilers made a bad decision by not pursuing Blackwood but you better believe these posters who were incessant with their polishing of Avs management and shitting on Oilers management deserves for it to be to thrown back at them when Blackwood slumps.