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

[LTIR]

I completely agree that splitting up McDrai is the way to go...especially in the playoffs.
The problem is that they dont have the personnel to do it though.
If they did then it would have happened by now with almost 3/4 of the season in the books.

Kapanen-Drai-Podkolzin was a trio that clicked. That leaves us plenty of talent to form 2 other scoring lines.
The issue is that both McDrai want to get the prime zone starts.
The depth scoring would be much higher if the bottom 6 were getting as many offensive zone starts and more pp time.
top players playing 25mins per night of offensive zone start is the reason why there are no depth scorers.

 

[FlameChampion]

In hindsight you give into Holloways demands and leave Skinner to sign elsewhere. Having said that, it's easy to look back and say that with the seasons each player is having. Prior to this season, Holloway had injury concerns and only scored 9 regular season goals in his career, while Skinner was a lock for 20.

I’d rather have Holloway than Skinner. I think most people would. That being said, I think Holloway would still have less than 10G if he was playing here. Little PP time. Who knows where Knoblauch would be playing him.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

 

[CanadasTeam99]

Gegor was defending the goaltending to no end today. Most media are. They don't like to talk about record against top teams.

I say grow some balls and try trading both Arvy and Skinner like Allvin would do in Vancouver.

Get some actual scoring wingers if our scouts have any ability to do that. Have to up the shooting % and coach has to make his brain bigger and tell these cucks to start going to the middle or your ice time is cut. Any of them

 

[CanadasTeam99]

The experiment has gone on long enough IMO. They are playing game 54 tonight.
This current mix of players isnt working. Hoping for a sudden change at this point in time (with less than 30 games remaining) is a fools game.

Also...Knoblauch isnt an idiot. He is a very smart coach.
He is putting McDrai together for a reason (as I stated in an earlier post) and its not because he doesnt know any better.

The whole thing with not wanting them together and finding actual chemistry is b/c teams can shut them down playoff time and we are done.

 

[guymez]

The whole thing with not wanting them together and finding actual chemistry is b/c teams can shut them down playoff time and we are done.

So are you saying that they are easier to shut down together or apart?

 

[Messrules11]

I completely agree that splitting up McDrai is the way to go...especially in the playoffs.
The problem is that they dont have the personnel to do it though.
If they did then it would have happened by now with almost 3/4 of the season in the books.

That’s on Nuge, but heaven forbid any criticism going his way.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Trading Savoie! Who looks to be a carbon copy of Point at the same age is about as stupid as it gets. Im glad some Oiler fans arent managing this team.

Marchand is an upgrade yes! But you keep your cup window open for several years if get a younger impact forward. Getting Marchand Makes this team an ancient relic. Hey i get it, you want to inch and claw your way to the cup, i prefer them to do it in style.

Savoie is not Point. Sorry to break it to you.

You guys are overrating him a little bit.

 

[guymez]

Kapanen-Drai-Podkolzin was a trio that clicked. That leaves us plenty of talent to form 2 other scoring lines.
The issue is that both McDrai want to get the prime zone starts.
The depth scoring would be much higher if the bottom 6 were getting as many offensive zone starts and more pp time.
top players playing 25mins per night of offensive zone start is the reason why there are no depth scorers.

Its not about the bottom 6 for me. Those bottom 2 lines should be getting more D zone starts.

Its the top 6 that concerns me and the fact that Knoblauch has gone to starting McDavid and Drai on the same line instead of just using it as an option to catch up late in a game.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

It has to be completely clear to the coaching staff that Podkolzin is not a top 6 player.
Very good 3rd line player but not a top 6 player.

So you go down the list..who (aside fom Hyman, and possibly RNH) has been a 2nd line player this season?
I cant think of one player and thats a problem that is STILL affecting this team. I dont want to beat the Holloway horse anymore (he would have been a solid 2nd line player) but how is it that this team has such a problem with top 6 wingers? They pissed away Holloway and now they are in the same boat they have been in for the last few years.
Absolutely amazing how this just continues on year after year. Doesnt seem to matter who the GM is.

That for me is a large part of what makes the Marchand rumors so intriguing.

This team badly needs a a legit top 6 player. A healthy/playoff ready Kane will help as well but I dont think we can rely on that.

Couldn't have said it better. Top 6 forward is our biggest need despite everyone having D and goalie at the top of the list.

 

[guymez]

That’s on Nuge, but heaven forbid any criticism going his way.

He has been terrible.
He is such a smart player and yet I see him missing many grade A scoring opportunites, making poor reads and making poor decisions game in and game out.

Its possible that his poor play (and the play of a few others) is actually a symptom of fatigue.
I mean they did play until the end of June last year,

Maybe this 2 week break is just what the doctor ordered. Hopefully Canada gets knocked out of the tournament early and McDavid gets some much needed rest.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

The problem with this is they spent $10 million dollars trying to figure this out in the summer. Knoblaugh has some blame here too as he is extremely stubborn with offensive deployments and doesn't want to try anything different.

They spent a shit ton on forwards and got basically very little to show for it already.

The other thing is aside from pie in the sky options like Marchand or Crosby, the available forwards past that who might be available don't look that great honestly.

A player like Rakell has a long term 4 year contract, what happens if you spend a 1st+ on him and he doesn't click with Leon either? Now you're screwed.

This can happen with any player... you make your best judgment. That is what you are hired to do.

The Oilers do have legit top 6 talent, they choose not to play them to their strengths.

The Oilers have been very successful with McDrai split up and even though the Podz-Draisaitl-Arvidsson line didn't score many goals from wing, they were still heavily a + line. After that line got split up, Podkolzin's game in particular has cratered. Shocking.
The team has hit a bit of a rough patch since McDrai was put together, not too surprisingly tbh.

Knoblauch is a great defensive coach, best of the McDrai era by a significant margin, but he's not so good at piecing together forward lines. The Skinner deployment is baffling, the reliance on Ryan for so long was confusing, his constant line juggling, the now reliance on McDrai etc. Just too much chaos with his decision making.
The Oilers have 4 legit top 6 wingers. Hyman, RNH, Skinner and Arvidsson. Arvidsson hasn't potted the goals but I think they will come and Skinner who has done everything asked of him yet gets very little top 6 opportunity, well I've said my piece on that already. There's top 6 options if they are used correctly.

Ryan is better than Philip. If we don't get an upgrade I see him coming back or playoffs.

 

[Messrules11]

He has been terrible.
He is such a smart player and yet I see him missing many grade A scoring opportunites, making poor reads and making poor decisions game in and game out.

Its possible that his poor play (and the play of a few others) is actually a symptom of fatigue.
I mean they did play until the end of June last year,

Maybe this 2 week break is just what the doctor ordered. Hopefully Canada gets knocked out of the tournament early and McDavid gets some much needed rest.

No offence to you but this just reinforces my point. Even when he is called out he’s being defended in the same sentence.
He always gets the free pass cuz reasons.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

So are you saying that they are easier to shut down together or apart?

I am saying anything can happen. If these two machines can't lift the team up in a game or two b/c the other deadweights cannot bother, easy win for the other team. I don't expect these two together to always produce. They have had bad games together. Putting all of the eggs in one basket.

Knobby boy won't have a regular season sample size to do stuff then.

I heard Gregor say, they need to start putting Skinner by McDavid and see what you got. NO SH** SHERLOCK. Maybe tell the coach this? lol

Deadline is coming and this twat coach can't even throw Skinner there earlier on to see. If he sucks long term, punt him.

I know what Knob is doing. Trying to make him work on "the defensive side". Yes he needs to, but he was brought here to SCORE buddy. SO put him in a position to do it.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

No offence to you but this just reinforces my point. Even when he is called out he’s being defended in the same sentence.
He always gets the free pass cuz reasons.

I actually hope Canada loses as quick as possible. Let him rest. Sweden too

 

[Mr Positive]

Gegor was defending the goaltending to no end today. Most media are. They don't like to talk about record against top teams.

I say grow some balls and try trading both Arvy and Skinner like Allvin would do in Vancouver.

Get some actual scoring wingers if our scouts have any ability to do that. Have to up the shooting % and coach has to make his brain bigger and tell these cucks to start going to the middle or your ice time is cut. Any of them

I'm still hoping these media people are shutting up about goaltending for reasons other than honest commentary. It could be to keep pressure off the goalies, or to preserve trading leverage, and the media is playing along.

If it is their honest opinion, the logic doesn't make sense to me. If you are willing to bend over backwards to force the most optimistic view on goaltending, then why not for any position? Why trade for anyone at all? We are #1 in the division

 

[bobbythebrain]

Arvidsson is the new snow pants

 

[Messrules11]

I actually hope Canada loses as quick as possible. Let him rest. Sweden too

We were talking Nuge

 

[bobbythebrain]

Gegor was defending the goaltending to no end today. Most media are. They don't like to talk about record against top teams.

I say grow some balls and try trading both Arvy and Skinner like Allvin would do in Vancouver.

Get some actual scoring wingers if our scouts have any ability to do that. Have to up the shooting % and coach has to make his brain bigger and tell these cucks to start going to the middle or your ice time is cut. Any of them

J Skinner has 9 goals from the bottom 6. You realize that's good right?

 

[bellagiobob]

HOPE seems so long ago

 

[brentashton]

J Skinner has 9 goals from the bottom 6. You realize that's good right?

Except he was signed to be a top 6, which he has shown he isn’t here…

 

[foshizzle]

Kapanen-Drai-Podkolzin was a trio that clicked. That leaves us plenty of talent to form 2 other scoring lines.
The issue is that both McDrai want to get the prime zone starts.
The depth scoring would be much higher if the bottom 6 were getting as many offensive zone starts and more pp time.
top players playing 25mins per night of offensive zone start is the reason why there are no depth scorers.

Podkolzin isn’t a second line player. He’s absolutely has zero offensive ability. The team sacrificed Holloway and Broberg for Arvy and Skinner as top 6 forwards. I would run with 33-53 flanking 97 and 18 and 42 flanking 29. Drai likes to cycle- he needs/wants someone to do that with. If these lines fail- reassess at the deadline

I am saying anything can happen. If these two machines can't lift the team up in a game or two b/c the other deadweights cannot bother, easy win for the other team. I don't expect these two together to always produce. They have had bad games together. Putting all of the eggs in one basket.

Knobby boy won't have a regular season sample size to do stuff then.

I heard Gregor say, they need to start putting Skinner by McDavid and see what you got. NO SH** SHERLOCK. Maybe tell the coach this? lol

Deadline is coming and this twat coach can't even throw Skinner there earlier on to see. If he sucks long term, punt him.

I know what Knob is doing. Trying to make him work on "the defensive side". Yes he needs to, but he was brought here to SCORE buddy. SO put him in a position to do it.

Nailed it

 

[McDrai]

HOPE seems so long ago

Man, I feel old now. I remember this like it was yesterday

 

[bobbythebrain]

Except he was signed to be a top 6, which he has shown he isn’t here…

You mean which Knobby has shown. RNH and Arvy have been dreadful yet they keep getting spooned.

 

[brentashton]

You mean which Knobby has shown. RNH and Arvy have been dreadful yet they keep getting spooned.

Well that’s a ….version I guess.

I’m glad KK is pulling the strings and it’s all on him. Team is first in the division with games in hand.