Speculation: We have issues - POLE

[Soundwave]

He's been shitty for most of the season by his standards.

There is no team in the league winning games when their #1C gets cooked like he has the last stretch. We're talking about what's wrong with the team here. The team playing like garbage has coincided with McDavid playing like garbage. Not complicated.

I think it's ridiculous to blame the rest of the group for McDavid's individual play.

"By his standards", lol OK, still one of the NHL's leading scorers.

This is good for this team, they need a kick in their ass and not to always looking for Connor to hold their hand.

He's been working the last 2 weeks and probably is playing sick (no f***ing chance Makar and Morrissey some how were the only two guys in that Canadian room who got sick), the rest of the team has what excuse exactly? Was sipping Mohitos in Cabo or golfing in Hawaii that exhausting?

 

[K1984]

"By his standards", lol OK, still one of the NHL's leading scorers.

This is good for this team, they need a kick in their ass and not to always looking for Connor to hold their hand.

He's been working the last 2 weeks and probably is playing sick (no f***ing chance Makar and Morrissey some how were the only two guys in that Canadian room who got sick), the rest of the team has what excuse exactly?

Maybe he has an excuse, I don't know. Maybe he is hurt or sick.

However, he has produced far, far, far below what his standard is for two straight months now all while being a turnstile in his own end. I have all the time in the world to criticize pretty much everyone other that Leon and Perry up front, but I'm not going to give him a pass for being as guilty on a lot of the issues plaguing this team as most of his teammates.

 

[Soundwave]

I guess the other Avs players were waiting for Mackinnon to do something, just like the Oilers


being -6 with 1A is his fault though...can't win games when the best player is constantly a minus, no matter how much "depth scoring" you get

Actually how many of the GA are McDavid's fault in the last two games really?

The fraud goalies that Edmonton is rolling out pretending to be a contending tandem I would say inflates that number significantly.

The D always forgets how to play any time they are off more than 5 days. We know that full well, seen that movie now how many times in the last 2-3 years?

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

in any case, the Oilers have been absolutely BRUTAL in the month of February in the McDavid era

2015-16: 4-8-2
2016-17: 6-6-0
2017-18: 5-8-1
2018-19: 4-6-4
2019-20: 7-5-2
2020-21: 9-3-0
2021-22: 7-5-0
2022-23: 4-3-4
2023-24: 6-5-1

52-49-14

woof that is awful! March is another story..

Actually how many of the GA are McDavid's fault in the last two games really?

The fraud goalies that Edmonton is rolling out pretending to be a contending tandem I would say inflates that number significantly.

The D always forgets how to play any time they are off more than 5 days. We know that full well, seen that movie now how many times in the last 2-3 years?

yet Draisaitl, who plays just as much as him, was "only" -2 this weekend...and -2 in the last 10 games

so this "the goalies suck inflates McDavid's +/-" excuse also doesn't fly

 

[K1984]

Actually how many of the GA are McDavid's fault in the last two games really?

The fraud goalies that Edmonton is rolling out pretending to be a contending tandem I would say inflates that number significantly.

The D always forgets how to play any time they are off more than 5 days. We know that full well, seen that movie now how many times in the last 2-3 years?

Nobody else on the team is wearing those minuses lately other than his line mates.

Since January 1 he's scored 18 points in 17 games (only 10 at EV, most of which came in 3 games) while being -7. That's a long stretch of pretty bad hockey for him.

Yes, everyone else, blah, blah, blah. He's been bad too. It's ok to say that because it's true.

Since Jan 1 he's 45th in NHL scoring. Not good enough. JT Miller is outscoring him over that time and he got ran off a team.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

There are issues on the ice, but to my eye the bigger issue with weekend was systems. The forwards gave up on back-checking / applying back pressure, and the Oil got torn to shreds on transition.


They need size upfront, right now the forwards are too easy to play against and can't consistently win battles down low. This is letting teams stay higher in their zone and jump the gun on any turnovers. Mix in a number of dumb turnovers in every zone and you get the disaster that was this weekend.

It wasn't a systems issue. It was fundamentally poor execution with bad decisions and mistakes everywhere. The team's systems have held up pretty well all season though pk and pp execution have been slipping. The Flyers game they had 19 giveaways including an egregious 2 on 0 power play breakaway against. Embarrassing sloppy play as owned by Ekholm and Nurse in their post-game comments:

Asked what was lacking, despite three spirited practices that followed a nice, 10-day break, Nurse was frank.
“Execution,” he said. “When we're playing our best there's a level of simplicity to our game as well. And I think you have to bring more of an element of simplicity — especially going into the next game against a really good team in Washington.”
“It's probably the simplest of simple things that we need to start doing,” added Ekholm said. “It starts with skating, with backtracking … We gave up way too many odd-man rushes today, and that starts a lot of problems.
“It won't work. If you're gonna give up three-on-twos, two-on-ones, breakaways. That’s just fundamentals.”

Compounding issue was going out the next game and getting absolutely trucked again by the Capitals.

 

[Soundwave]

in any case, the Oilers have been absolutely BRUTAL in the month of February in the McDavid era

2015-16: 4-8-2
2016-17: 6-6-0
2017-18: 5-8-1
2018-19: 4-6-4
2019-20: 7-5-2
2020-21: 9-3-0
2021-22: 7-5-0
2022-23: 4-3-4
2023-24: 6-5-1

52-49-14

woof that is awful! March is another story..


yet Draisaitl, who plays just as much as him, was "only" -2 this weekend...and -2 in the last 10 games

so this "the goalies suck inflates McDavid's +/-" excuse also doesn't fly

Teams that are poorly constructed because of crap management have up and down ("like a toilet seat" per one of the genius GM's here) stretches in regular seasons, no shit.

Lets actually take a quick look at both losses and show me where McDavid is at fault for any of these GA:




1st GA - Bouchard with a dumb turn over, Skinner out of position
2nd GA - Kulak gets beat wide and Skinner is on his knees earlier than Jenna Jameson
3rd GA - Bouchard with another dumb turn over and then loses his man net front
4th GA - Janmark turns the puck over and all the D are caught high for a 2-0 goal
5th GA - PP goal, savable tip IMO, a better goalie makes this save
6th GA - Empty netter



1st GA - Lucky break for Wash, puck bounces off their player straight to a wide open Cap
2nd GA - Crap goal allowed by Pickard on a dumb penalty by Arvidsson
3rd GA - Ovechkin given time and space on a 3-2 break as Kapanen and RNH are caught high
4th GA - PP one timer by Ovechkin, he's scored hundreds of these goals, no one's fault
5th GA - OK some poor effort here, but the game is over at this point anyway
6th GA - Rebound goal, Bouchard and Henrique covering air.
7th GA - Knob decides to get Ovy a freebie hattrick goal by pulling the goalie.

I really only see 1 goal there where McDavid had some fault on, the 5th goal in the Washington when they were already up 4-1 in the 3rd period ... who gives a shit at that point.

Rest of the team has a lot to answer for, what the f*** were they doing the last two weeks? Playing golf in Hawaii and sipping cocktails in Cabo tired them out?

 

[K1984]

It wasn't a systems issue. It was fundamentally poor execution with bad decisions and mistakes everywhere. The team's systems have held up pretty well all season though pk and pp execution have been slipping. The Flyers game they had 19 giveaways including an egregious 2 on 0 power play breakaway against. Embarrassing sloppy play as owned by Ekholm and Nurse in their post-game comments:

Asked what was lacking, despite three spirited practices that followed a nice, 10-day break, Nurse was frank.
“Execution,” he said. “When we're playing our best there's a level of simplicity to our game as well. And I think you have to bring more of an element of simplicity — especially going into the next game against a really good team in Washington.”
“It's probably the simplest of simple things that we need to start doing,” added Ekholm said. “It starts with skating, with backtracking … We gave up way too many odd-man rushes today, and that starts a lot of problems.
“It won't work. If you're gonna give up three-on-twos, two-on-ones, breakaways. That’s just fundamentals.”

Compounding issue was going out the next game and getting absolutely trucked again by the Capitals.

It's basically a return to October Oiler hockey.

- Disinterested, half cocked play in all zones by nearly the whole group
- Utterly embarrassing team defensive play
- Atrocious goaltending
- Atrocious special teams
- Puck management that would get pewee players benched
- Atrocious play from some of our top players

Back to square 1. There needs to be individual accountability here in the form of a scratch or a lengthy benching if this continues for a single additional game.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

It's basically a return to October Oiler hockey.

- Disinterested, half cocked play in all zones by nearly the whole group
- Utterly embarrassing team defensive play
- Atrocious goaltending
- Atrocious special teams
- Puck management that would get pewee players benched

Back to square 1. There needs to be individual accountability here in the form of a scratch or a lengthy benching if this continues for a single additional game.

Absolutely. Not ready to go coming out of the break. But their game was showing signs of slipping the past ten or so even when they won some greasy games against weaker teams. It's now hit home full force on a tough road trip that started with likely, improbably, their worst game of the year in Philadelphia then followed with a hard lesson in Washington. Embarrassing.

 

[Stoneman89]

Actually how many of the GA are McDavid's fault in the last two games really?

The fraud goalies that Edmonton is rolling out pretending to be a contending tandem I would say inflates that number significantly.

The D always forgets how to play any time they are off more than 5 days. We know that full well, seen that movie now how many times in the last 2-3 years?

No one on here is saying he's the fault of all the goals. He hasn't been playing anywhere near his standard for some time now. He's been subpar in both ends of the rink.

It's basically a return to October Oiler hockey.

- Disinterested, half cocked play in all zones by nearly the whole group
- Utterly embarrassing team defensive play
- Atrocious goaltending
- Atrocious special teams
- Puck management that would get pewee players benched
- Atrocious play from some of our top players

Back to square 1. There needs to be individual accountability here in the form of a scratch or a lengthy benching if this continues for a single additional game.

The biggest problem with benching or scratching at this point, is that nearly the entire teams has gone to shit. I wouldn't know where to start. I don't think I've seen 2 games in a row where nearly everyone has been garbage.

 

[Soundwave]

No one on here is saying he's the fault of all the goals. He hasn't been playing anywhere near his standard for some time now. He's been subpar in both ends of the rink.

Well first now that posters can't hide as video evidence there is clear as day, McDavid was maybe at partial fault for 1 out of the 13 goals the team allowed the last two games.

Yeah so basically the team shit the bed the last two games and needs Superman to always bail them out. Maybe the team should f***ing have prepped a little better, they're the ones that have been on vacation for 2 weeks, McDavid meanwhile was scoring half of Canada's offense in two do-or-die, game 7 of a SCF intensity tourney games against the USA while probably catching some kind of flu bug that was going around Team Canada in the process.

Superstar players have up and down stretches too, if anything this fanbase is incredibly spoiled because they actually think like 1.75 ppg or something is just "standard level" of play when that's patently ridiculous.

 

[K1984]

No one on here is saying he's the fault of all the goals. He hasn't been playing anywhere near his standard for some time now. He's been subpar in both ends of the rink.


The biggest problem with benching or scratching at this point, is that nearly the entire teams has gone to shit. I wouldn't know where to start. I don't think I've seen 2 games in a row where nearly everyone has been garbage.

I'd look at Bouchard or RNH as a start. The two poster boys of nonchalant, turnover filled hockey. Two culprits of the ass special teams too.

Well first now that posters can't hide as video evidence there is clear as day, McDavid was maybe at partial fault for 1 out of the 13 goals the team allowed the last two games.

Yeah so basically the team shit the bed the last two games and needs Superman to always bail them out. Maybe the team should f***ing have prepped a little better, they're the ones that have been on vacation for 2 weeks, McDavid meanwhile was scoring half of Canada's offense in two do-or-die, game 7 of a SCF intensity tourney games against the USA while probably catching some kind of flu bug that was going around Team Canada in the process.

Superstar players have up and down stretches too, if anything this fanbase is incredibly spoiled because they actually think like 1.75 ppg or something is just "standard level" of play when that's patently ridiculous.

Except that has been his standard more or less, and currently he's 45th in NHL scoring since January 1.

You can pretend that's ok, and everyone else's fault, but it's clearly not. That is a large sample size.

 

[Soundwave]

I'd look at Bouchard or RNH as a start. The two poster boys of nonchalant, turnover filled hockey. Two culprits of the ass special teams too.



Except that has been his standard more or less, and currently he's 45th in NHL scoring since January 1.

You can pretend that's ok, and everyone else's fault, but it's clearly not. That is a large sample size.

Except that is an insane standard to hold anyone to. The fact that you just think "oh ho hum 1.75 ppg is no big deal" shows a lot of people here have laughably skewed perception of reality. 1.75 ppg is a miraculous level of performance if you can do that for multiple years.

In the 100+ year history of the NHL there is maybe 1 or 2 other players total that could do that and even there I have some doubts (1980s goalie pads are long since gone now Wayne Gretzky).

This organization is ridiculously lucky that they have this player at all because they certainly did nothing to earn it and have done nothing in the time since getting him to justify that luck either (squandered multiple years with shit roster building).

 

[Stoneman89]

Except that is an insane standard to hold anyone to. The fact that you just think "oh ho hum 1.75 ppg is no big deal" shows a lot of people here have laughably skewed perception of reality. 1.75 ppg is a miraculous level of performance if you can do that for multiple years.

In the 100+ year history of the NHL there is maybe 1 or 2 other players total that could do that and even there I have some doubts (1980s goalie pads are long since gone now Wayne Gretzky).

This organization is ridiculously lucky that they have this player at all because they certainly did nothing to earn it and have done nothing in the time since getting him to justify that luck either (squandered multiple years with shit roster building).

Do you think McDavid has been playing anywhere near to his usual standard?

You can say it's an insane standard, but this is Connor McDavid we're talking about. A generational player, who has done incredible generational things so far. Never mind stats for the last while (which bear it out, BTW), the eyeball test says he's having issues. I don't know if it's injury, sickness or he needs a mental reset, but something is not right. He even commented he hasn't been playing well.

 

[TB12]

Except that is an insane standard to hold anyone to. The fact that you just think "oh ho hum 1.75 ppg is no big deal" shows a lot of people here have laughably skewed perception of reality. 1.75 ppg is a miraculous level of performance if you can do that for multiple years.

In the 100+ year history of the NHL there is maybe 1 or 2 other players total that could do that and even there I have some doubts (1980s goalie pads are long since gone now Wayne Gretzky).

This organization is ridiculously lucky that they have this player at all because they certainly did nothing to earn it and have done nothing in the time since getting him to justify that luck either (squandered multiple years with shit roster building).

Same posters gonna shit on Connor and prop up Moustache. God forbid the best player in the world have a rough stretch. Maybe he's tired from mccarrying that shit stain in net.

CantHaveSkinner be in net come playoff time.

 

[Soundwave]

Do you think McDavid has been playing anywhere near to his usual standard?

I think all players have up and down stretches like that, "superhuman 1.75 ppg level" of McDavid is not the "normal" level of McDavid either, I think some people have gotten spoiled by a couple of seasons there and thought that that was the new normal. It's not. There's no one in the history of the NHL who can perform at that level all the time, I don't think Wayne or Mario would in the modern NHL (it ain't the freaking 1980s any more where no one plays defense and goalies are ECHL quality).

Even in other sports, Michael Jordan peaked at 37 ppg and 35 ppg, but that wasn't his general normal, it was more like 30-32 ppg, which is right around where his scoring average was when the Bulls won all six of their championships.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Same posters gonna shit on Connor and prop up Moustache. God forbid the best player in the world have a rough stretch. Maybe he's tired from mccarrying that shit stain in net.

CantHaveSkinner be in net come playoff time.

I live in your head eh?

 

[Stoneman89]

I think all players have up and down stretches like that, "superhuman 1.75 ppg level" of McDavid is not the "normal" level of McDavid either, I think some people have gotten spoiled by a couple of seasons there and thought that that was the new normal. It's not. There's no one in the history of the NHL who can perform at that level all the time, I don't think Wayne or Mario would in the modern NHL (it ain't the freaking 1980s any more where no one plays defense and goalies are ECHL quality).

Even in other sports, Michael Jordan peaked at 37 ppg and 35 ppg, but that wasn't his general normal, it was more like 30-32 ppg, which is right around where his scoring average was when the Bulls won all six of their championships.

Do you think McDavid has been playing anywhere near to his usual standard?

It's a yes or no question.

 

[K1984]

Except that is an insane standard to hold anyone to. The fact that you just think "oh ho hum 1.75 ppg is no big deal" shows a lot of people here have laughably skewed perception of reality. 1.75 ppg is a miraculous level of performance if you can do that for multiple years.

In the 100+ year history of the NHL there is maybe 1 or 2 other players total that could do that and even there I have some doubts (1980s goalie pads are long since gone now Wayne Gretzky).

This organization is ridiculously lucky that they have this player at all because they certainly did nothing to earn it and have done nothing in the time since getting him to justify that luck either (squandered multiple years with shit roster building).

Would you say that 45th in NHL scoring while being deep in minus territory for two months is an acceptable level of play?

 

[Soundwave]

Do you think McDavid has been playing anywhere near to his usual standard?

It's a yes or no question.

I think he may be playing through something but I also think he is tired of the same bull shit every year here with a team that never gives him any goaltending, same up and down shit every regular season, no forward run support, he and Leon have to carry the team all the time.

At this point I don't think regular season means a lot to him, he's won everything you can. Why kill yourself in the regular season. A scoring title means nothing to him at this point and anyways Leon wants it this year. This team will never have a dominant regular season in a traditional sense because they're poorly constructed due to inept management.

He just came off an intense tournament where scored 2/4 goals Team Canada managed against Team USA is the most intense hockey maybe of the last 20+ years. Including the series winner in OT.

The Oilers might want to ask themselves why they can't get their shit in order as an organization and continue year after year to have the same exact roster holes, GM after GM.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I think he may be playing through something but I also think he is tired of the same bull shit every year here with a team that never gives him any goaltending, same up and down shit every regular season, no forward run support, he and Leon have to carry the team all the time.

if true (which I think is patently false, that's not in his character), that's pretty poor leadership...this team was in first place in the division, 3rd in the entire league before the break...despite a sub-par year by his extremely high standards

 

[K1984]

I think he may be playing through something but I also think he is tired of the same bull shit every year here with a team that never gives him any goaltending, same up and down shit every regular season, no forward run support, he and Leon have to carry the team all the time.

At this point I don't think regular season means a lot to him, he's won everything you can. Why kill yourself in the regular season. A scoring title means nothing to him at this point and anyways Leon wants it this year. This team will never have a dominant regular season in a traditional sense because they're poorly constructed due to inept management.

He just came off an intense tournament where scored 2/4 goals Team Canada managed against Team USA is the most intense hockey maybe of the last 20+ years. Including the series winner in OT.

The Oilers might want to ask themselves why they can't get their shit in order as an organization and continue year after year to have the same exact roster holes, GM after GM.

This is frankly not in the realm of an acceptable excuse with the way the team has been playing the last month especially.

I have time for this if we're winning, but we're not and playing about our worst possible hockey. It is absurd to say "oh well it's ok he doesn't really care" as the team is playing how it is. He's the captain, he needs to lead here.

 

[Soundwave]

if true (which I think is patently false, that's not in his character), that's pretty poor leadership...this team was in first place in the division, 3rd in the entire league before the break...despite a sub-par year by his extremely high standards

More like this franchise should be ashamed of themselves.

They've been gifted more than any other team in the league can dream of other than Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh took the same oppurtunity and got 4 Finals, 3 Cups to show for it.

I don't blame McDavid for not going balls to the wall. He knows he is going to have to save it for the playoffs because the team can't do shit without him and now he knows how exhausting of a toll that is after last year.

Winning a scoring title means f*** all to McDavid at this point. He's won everything on his individual checklist, he even now has his golden goal moment to match Crosby (and Conn Smythe trophy even lol). There's nothing left but a Cup, if this team is not going to do their part and help him get there then likely he will go elsewhere and win it somewhere else.

 

[K1984]

More like this franchise should be ashamed of themselves.

They've been gifted more than any other team in the league can dream of other than Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh took the same oppurtunity and got 4 Finals, 3 Cups to show for it.

I don't blame McDavid for not going balls to the wall. He knows he is going to have to save it for the playoffs because the team can't do shit without him and now he knows how exhausting of a toll that is after last year.

Winning a scoring title means f*** all to McDavid at this point. He's won everything on his individual checklist, he even now has his golden goal moment to match Crosby (and Conn Smythe trophy even lol). There's nothing left but a Cup, if this team is not going to do their part and help him get there then likely he will go elsewhere and win it somewhere else.

What about being north of 45th in scoring over a two month stretch as the team is playing like ass?

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

More like this franchise should be ashamed of themselves.

They've been gifted more than any other team in the league can dream of other than Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh took the same oppurtunity and got 4 Finals, 3 Cups to show for it.

what does have to do with McDavid being sub-par since January? you think this enters in brain?

I don't blame McDavid for not going balls to the wall. He knows he is going to have to save it for the playoffs because the team can't do shit without him and now he knows how exhausting of a toll that is after last year.

Winning a scoring title means f*** all to McDavid at this point. He's won everything on his individual checklist, he even now has his golden goal moment to match Crosby (and Conn Smythe trophy even lol). There's nothing left but a Cup, if this team is not going to do their part and help him get there then likely he will go elsewhere and win it somewhere else.

can you point to one team that has ever won the Cup with their best players not being their best players?