News Article: Training camp ongoing. Camp discussion part 2

[Mr Positive]

The lineup is just my random musings. You're right, no chance some of it happens.

I think there are a few things you can take to the bank to start the season assuming everyone is healthy:

RNH-McDavid-Rattie - top line set in stone
Lucic-Drai-XXX - the team spent 1/2 a season desperate to get Lucic going. They'll keep doing it here.
XXX-Strome-Puljujari - its been clear that the plan for everyone involved has been this duo to start on the 3rd line
XXX-Brodziak-XXX - donno whats going on here

Klefbom-Larsson - try and rekindle what worked 2 seasons ago
Nurse-Benning - didn't work as a top 4 pair last season, might as well smash our heads against the wall and try again
Russell-Bouchard

Talbot
Koskinen

I think all of this is guaranteed. Not what I'd do... but guaranteed.

I am still filled with hope that Lucic can rise to the occasion, or maybe I'm filled with another 4 letter word

 

[Del Preston]

Chiasson is on the flight.

 

[Spawn]

I am still filled with hope that Lucic can rise to the occasion, or maybe I'm filled with another 4 letter word

Part of the problem is that even if Lucic does rise to the occassion, I still don't thin that he and Draisaitl are a good fit. They haven't seemed to work together at any point other than like.... 2 games in the playoffs.

Honestly, Lucic has played his best hockey with Nuge. But Nuge is locked into the 1LW spot so that isn't an option right now.

 

[OilerTyler]

I am still filled with hope that Lucic can rise to the occasion, or maybe I'm filled with another 4 letter word

I think most of us are in the same boat hoping Lucic can produce like a top six player this season.

I'm even okay with him starting the season in the top six. I just need him to be on a shorter leash this season than last.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Is Jerabek reliable? Garrison is a lot more reliable. D is a position where the weakest link could be the diff between a win and a loss. I would feel much safer with Garrison than with Jerebek, Benning or even Bear.

Bouchard is the real deal and has no reason to go back to junior. The kid was +7 in 3 pre season games played.

Bouchard is a plus minus machine... +9 in 4 games... he's like the anti-Faulk.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I think most of us are in the same boat hoping Lucic can produce like a top six player this season.

I'm even okay with him starting the season in the top six. I just need him to be on a shorter leash this season than last.

He won’t be.
The leash will be loooooong!!!!

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Part of the problem is that even if Lucic does rise to the occassion, I still don't thin that he and Draisaitl are a good fit. They haven't seemed to work together at any point other than like.... 2 games in the playoffs.

Honestly, Lucic has played his best hockey with Nuge. But Nuge is locked into the 1LW spot so that isn't an option right now.

It's a shame that we couldn't have even tried
Draisaitl-McDavid-Rattie
Lucic-RNH-Yamamoto
At some point, just to see

 

[Mr Positive]

Part of the problem is that even if Lucic does rise to the occassion, I still don't thin that he and Draisaitl are a good fit. They haven't seemed to work together at any point other than like.... 2 games in the playoffs.

Honestly, Lucic has played his best hockey with Nuge. But Nuge is locked into the 1LW spot so that isn't an option right now.

right now I think either Lucic and Drai can work, or maybe Lucic should really just be on the third line. Lucic-Strome-JP was a decent line in that last bit of last season. I'm okay with coaching give Lucic-Drai a shot but I just hope they don't try to force feed the team that duo the same way they force fed us Lucic-McDavid last season

 

[OilerTyler]

It's a shame that we couldn't have even tried
Draisaitl-McDavid-Rattie
Lucic-RNH-Yamamoto
At some point, just to see

It's always slightly annoyed me when coaches put a line together in pre-season and never try anything else. Sure there is something to be said about a line practicing together before the season but it has been super obvious for a while that the RNH, Mcdavid and Rattie line works. It couldn't have hurt to try out some other combinations just in case we have to shuffle our lines five games into the season.

 

[belair]

Is Jerabek reliable? Garrison is a lot more reliable. D is a position where the weakest link could be the diff between a win and a loss. I would feel much safer with Garrison than with Jerebek, Benning or even Bear.

Bouchard is the real deal and has no reason to go back to junior. The kid was +7 in 3 pre season games played.

You know when people say +/- is a stat that really shouldn't be relied on to tell you much? It's compounded in the preseason. Some of the mistakes he was making weren't being cashed in because the competition wasn't necessarily NHL quality.

I agree he should get his nine games, but I'm still very adamant he belongs in junior another year.

 

[Skolman]

It's a shame that we couldn't have even tried
Draisaitl-McDavid-Rattie
Lucic-RNH-Yamamoto
At some point, just to see

We didn't just pay Drai 8.5 mil per to ride shotgun to McDavid, he needs to become an elite #2 Centre.

 

[OilerTyler]

We didn't just pay Drai 8.5 mil per to ride shotgun to McDavid, he needs to become an elite #2 Centre.

Using a player's salary to decide where they should play in the lineup is how you end up with Lucic cemented into the top six

 

[Raab]

Based on what we've seen this preseason Id try these lines and see if it can't get some of the depth guys going:

RNH-Mcdavid-Rattie
Rieder-Strome-Draisaitl
Lucic-Brodziak-Puljujarvi
Cagguila-Khaira-Yamamoto
Aberg, Chiasson

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Bouchard
Russell-Benning
Jerabek/Garrison

Kassian waived or traded for a pick

 

[Skolman]

Using a player's salary to decide where they should play in the lineup is how you end up with Lucic cemented into the top six

Completely different situation.

 

[nexttothemoon]

+/- isn't a worthless stat... in the long run when you look at relative GF/60 and GA/60 in relation to teammates... plus take into account other factors including zone starts, QoC, ToI, individual point production etc.... +/- (or more specifically... relative +/-) is a useful stat in addition to others.

Of course every stat needs context and that's why people who don't look at context say simplistic things like "plus/minus stats are worthless".

 

[OilerTyler]

Completely different situation.

Not really.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Based on what we've seen this preseason Id try these lines and see if it can't get some of the depth guys going:

RNH-Mcdavid-Rattie
Rieder-Strome-Draisaitl
Lucic-Brodziak-Puljujarvi
Cagguila-Khaira-Yamamoto
Aberg, Chiasson

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Bouchard
Russell-Benning
Jerabek/Garrison

Kassian waived or traded for a pick

I honestly don't think any of those bottom 3 lines make sense...

And if Drai isn't playing C, whats the point in keeping him away from Connor?

 

[Skolman]

Based on what we've seen this preseason Id try these lines and see if it can't get some of the depth guys going:

RNH-Mcdavid-Rattie
Rieder-Strome-Draisaitl
Lucic-Brodziak-Puljujarvi
Cagguila-Khaira-Yamamoto
Aberg, Chiasson

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Bouchard
Russell-Benning
Jerabek/Garrison

Kassian waived or traded for a pick

This makes zero sense.

 

[belair]

+/- isn't a worthless stat... in the long run when you look at relative GF/60 and GA/60 in relation to teammates... plus take into account other factors including zone starts, QoC, ToI, individual point production etc.... +/- (or more specifically... relative +/-) is a useful stat in addition to others.

Of course every stat needs context and that's why people who don't look at context say simplistic things like "plus/minus stats are worthless".

I didn't say it was a worthless stat. I said it was an unreliable stat. A better word I could have used would be 'misleading'. Evan Bouchard being a +7 in three preseason games where we handily walked over the competition means close to nothing to me.

 

[oilcountry17]

I keep hoping to see
Nuge Mcdavid Rattie
Reider Drai Pulj
Lucic Strome Yam
Khaira Brodz Chaison
Cags\Kass
Aberg AHL 1st call

Klef Lars
Nurse Benning
Russel Bouchard
Garrisons Signed

Jerabek AHL 1st call LD
Bear AHL 1st call RD

 

[Raab]

I honestly don't think any of those bottom 3 lines make sense...

And if Drai isn't playing C, whats the point in keeping him away from Connor?

Hows it not make sense? Draisaitl played better on the wing. Also I think right now might be a good time to take some of the pressure off him. For me I went with pairs. The only one I really question is the Brodziak-Puljuajrvi one. I have Mcdavid-RNH as the 1st pair, Draisaitl-Strome as the second, Brodziak-Puljujarvi as the third, and Khaira-Yamamoto as the 4th. Khaira and Yamamoto looked real good today together. Add Cagguila to those two as the 3 of them were in on 3 of our goals today. They would eat up 4th line competition.

Edit you could also switch around Draisaitl and Strome if you really wanted. Look at that size down the middle.

RNH-Mcdavid-Rattie
Rieder-Draisaitl-Strome
Lucic-Brodziak-Puljujarvi
Cagguila-Khaira-Yamamoto

If Strome goes to the wing you could also switch him and Puljujarvi if he doesn't work with Draisaitl.

 

[LTIR]

I didn't say it was a worthless stat. I said it was an unreliable stat. A better word I could have used would be 'misleading'. Evan Bouchard being a +7 in three preseason games where we handily walked over the competition means close to nothing to me.

So walked over flames tonight? These other Dmen played the same games yet no one comes close to Bouchard in +/-
Some even managed to be a minus player despite us going 6-1.

 

[LTIR]

Using a player's salary to decide where they should play in the lineup is how you end up with Lucic cemented into the top six

Well if we are ignoring player salary and going by preseason play then neither Lucic nor Draisaitl belong in the top 9.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Hows it not make sense? Draisaitl played better on the wing. Also I think right now might be a good time to take some of the pressure off him. For me I went with pairs. The only one I really question is the Brodziak-Puljuajrvi one. I have Mcdavid-RNH as the 1st pair, Draisaitl-Strome as the second, Brodziak-Puljujarvi as the third, and Khaira-Yamamoto as the 4th. Khaira and Yamamoto looked real good today together. Add Cagguila to those two as the 3 of them were in on 3 of our goals today. They would eat up 4th line competition.

Edit you could also switch around Draisaitl and Strome if you really wanted. Look at that size down the middle.

RNH-Mcdavid-Rattie
Rieder-Draisaitl-Strome
Lucic-Brodziak-Puljujarvi
Cagguila-Khaira-Yamamoto

If Strome goes to the wing you could also switch him and Puljujarvi if he doesn't work with Draisaitl.

Drai needs to be at C. That's how this team is successful going forward. He's not an aging player losing his abilities, he's got a big contract, he can figure it out.

Brodziak is a 4C. Asking more of him also is a recipe for disaster. Yama shouldn't be on a 4th line either.

 

[LTIR]

I honestly don't think any of those bottom 3 lines make sense...

And if Drai isn't playing C, whats the point in keeping him away from Connor?

Point 1 = RNH
Point 2 = Rattie