What is the Oiler Achille’s Heel to a Championship

[brentashton]

This is brought on by a discussion being had on another thread “Are You Really Worried” (with @Beerfish).

But it provoked the question, what is the Oiler’s Achille’s Heal to a Stanley Cup win (and limit your response to on-ice positions. Owner/GM/Coach/Goalie coach references can all piss off.

Sorry there’s no Poll. I can fix my 8track from skipping and can change points, rotors and distributor caps but don’t know how to set up a poll. I called @Cloned but he’s out on a date with @5 Mins 4 Ftg daughter right now.

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[La Bamba]

Team defence

 

[RegDunlop]

This is brought on by a discussion being had on another thread “Are You Really Worried” (with @Beerfish).

But it provoked the question, what is the Oiler’s Achille’s Heal to a Stanley Cup win (and limit your response to on-ice positions. Owner/GM/Coach/Goalie coach references can all piss off.

Sorry there’s no Poll. I can fix my 8track from skipping and can change points, rotors and distributor caps but don’t know how to set up a poll. I called @Cloned but he’s out on a date with @5 Mins 4 Ftg daughter right now.

Did you DIAL his number correctly?

Team defence

Nuff said

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Coaching, the defensive unit is talanted enough to not be the bottom 10 they play like.

Accountability form players, or the lack of, is this team biggest issue

 

[brentashton]

Did you DIAL his number correctly?


Nuff said

Yup. I even used the rotary dial phone, but it never went through.

 

[Spawn]

Goaltending.

This team hasn't had a genuine #1 goaltender since Cam Talbot half a decade ago.

After that. An all around top 4 RHD.

 

[Ninety7]

Hands down defense.

 

[brentashton]

Hands down defense.

Position or systems?

 

[bellagiobob]

This is brought on by a discussion being had on another thread “Are You Really Worried” (with @Beerfish).

But it provoked the question, what is the Oiler’s Achille’s Heal to a Stanley Cup win (and limit your response to on-ice positions. Owner/GM/Coach/Goalie coach references can all piss off.

Sorry there’s no Poll. I can fix my 8track from skipping and can change points, rotors and distributor caps but don’t know how to set up a poll. I called @Cloned but he’s out on a date with @5 Mins 4 Ftg daughter right now.

You aren’t going to like this reply, but it’s a combination of a lot of things, not just one thing that’s holding us back, and some of the on ice issues can only be fixed by off ice personnel. It’s getting adequate goaltending, and if that’s not looking promising by February, then we need the GM to attempt to fix it. It’s getting the team to actually play the type of D/Neutral zone system during the season that leads to playoff success, and consistently, so that come playoff time it’s second nature. It’s getting our coach to not being stubborn in the playoffs and use his head more, and his heart less. It’s about Broberg developing and Ceci getting back to his previous level, and if not, once again up to the GM to fix it in February. It’s about Nurse realizing that less is more, to play the style that made him successful, and not trying to play like he thinks a 9M Dman should play. It’s about having a 3rd and 4th line that you can count on for that energizing shift, that great PK, or that key goal. It’s getting lucky with injuries. And probably a bunch of other little things that will come to me in a bit.

 

[brentashton]

You aren’t going to like this reply, but it’s a combination of a lot of things, not just one thing that’s holding us back, and some of the on ice issues can only be fixed by off ice personnel. It’s getting adequate goaltending, and if that’s not looking promising by February, then we need the GM to attempt to fix it. It’s getting the team to actually play the type of D/Neutral zone system during the season that leads to playoff success, and consistently, so that come playoff time it’s second nature. It’s getting our coach to not being stubborn in the playoffs and use his head more, and his heart less. It’s about Broberg developing and Ceci getting back to his previous level, and if not, once again up to the GM to fix it in February. It’s about Nurse realizing that less is more, to play the style that made him successful, and not trying to play like he thinks a 9M Dman should play. It’s about having a 3rd and 4th line that you can count on for that energizing shift, that great PK, or that key goal. It’s getting lucky with injuries. And probably a bunch of other little things that will come to me in a bit.

Fair comments. It is a very tangled web. Really makes me believe that this is not even a 50/50 proposition that eternal greatness is achieved. It will be a miracle to see a Canadian team, from Edmonton, with the 2 best players in the world, be in the SC finals, let alone hoist the Cup.

Well, now that I’ve depressed myself royally, I’m going to watch a movie.

 

[Mr Kot]

Defence

Goaltenders can get hot at the right time. I don't think I havce ever seen a defencive effort suddenly materialize in the playoffs before

 

[Anarchism]

yuh all pickin on symptoms.
The answer is easily the GM.

 

[North Cole]

Mentality. I think the players are good enough to get it done. Mentally they are just fragile, we routinely shuffle between various types of meltdowns:

Goaltending doesn't show up despite everyone else playing well
Goaltending shows up despite everyone else playing like shit
Score goals and then fall asleep and let the other team score immediately
Decide to take first periods off. Bonus in the playoffs of taking the whole first game off.

The teams Achilles heel is it's ability to actually show up for 60m and stomp the other team out. We have more than enough horses and talent to get it done. They just have teenager mentality of half assing it and hoping they can draw 6 penalties to sleepwalk into a W off a 40% powerplay.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

This is brought on by a discussion being had on another thread “Are You Really Worried” (with @Beerfish).

But it provoked the question, what is the Oiler’s Achille’s Heal to a Stanley Cup win (and limit your response to on-ice positions. Owner/GM/Coach/Goalie coach references can all piss off.

Sorry there’s no Poll. I can fix my 8track from skipping and can change points, rotors and distributor caps but don’t know how to set up a poll. I called @Cloned but he’s out on a date with @5 Mins 4 Ftg daughter right now.

My daughter told me she had a client meeting and some training tonight but if it were @Cloned he'd be dead right now. (she is a trainer at Archetype and her training regimen would probably kill him.....and if her training regimen didn't I most certainly would as he didn't get in the required paperwork in time for approval first.)

Back to the matter at hand....no Poll. I am pretty good at Poles, Polls not so much.

As for the main topic of this thread, it is a very good but complex question as there are many things that prevent teams from winning, from health to talent to will to plain old luck and everything in between.

So if we take everything at face value I have to ask the following questions.

1. Do we have the offensive talent & skill to win? Yes most certainly.

2. Do we have the defensive talent & skill to win? Need a top 4 RHD to move Ceci to the bottom pairing or replace him outright IF Broberg shows maturation in his game as the year grinds along. And Ceci's partner must, absolutely must, rewire his game to value defence first and recognize danger before it happens. So its not a No and management has work to do to make this a Yes, but I am certain that question will be a Yes by the time the TDL has passed.

3. Do we have the goaltending talent & skill to win? Campbell needs a massive rebound but if his game has shown thus far, it is well on its way. Skinner appears to be having the atypical sophomore slump but with team should be in the playoffs regardless as they can outscore poor goaltending on most nights. Once in the playoffs the hot hand will take the day regardless be it Campbell or Skinner. So yes in the long run.

4. Do we have the depth to win? Yes. The bottom 6 is solid and with tweeners and former NHL players in the minors with Gagner and Pederson, Lavoie appears to have taken a step and Gleason, Kemp and Nemo make for good depth callups. Holland adding a bottom 6 F by the TDL will help in this regard.

5. Do we have the coaching to win? Here for me is the $64,000 question. Woody appears to have wasted another training camp not properly fine tuning his players into a system revision, creating line chemistry and defensive awareness, nor having implanted a start on time sense of urgency into their game. After all the talk in the off season, more was expected. Will he coach the team into the playoffs? Absolutely. Will he coach them to a cup win? Only if he can be flexible and change up his strategies and tactics on the fly. Game 3 he presented a massive change to the lines I see as a panic move, however it could be a renewed sense of rapid strategic change that he is willing to employ when turbulence happens. If that is in fact the case then that goes a long way towards beating an opposing strategy.

So for me it is Coaching closely followed by Defensive Talent & Skill. Holland has his work cut out for him to add to the right D, find some bottom 6 depth and if the goaltending craters then jettisoning one of the tenders and getting in a valid game winning starter.

 

[Senor Catface]

Love. There's not enough love.

 

[WaitingForUser]

Goaltending.

This team hasn't had a genuine #1 goaltender since Cam Talbot half a decade ago.

After that. An all around top 4 RHD.

I would go further to say no number one since CUJO

 

[GhostfaceWu]

A replacement on Ceci on the top pair. If we had a better line mate for Nurse I think this team would roll through the season.

 

[Senor Catface]

I would go further to say no number one since CUJO

Salo
Roloson
Talbot

All were number 1's for a period of time.

 

[Oilhawks]

Mentality. I think the players are good enough to get it done. Mentally they are just fragile, we routinely shuffle between various types of meltdowns:

Goaltending doesn't show up despite everyone else playing well
Goaltending shows up despite everyone else playing like shit
Score goals and then fall asleep and let the other team score immediately
Decide to take first periods off. Bonus in the playoffs of taking the whole first game off.

The teams Achilles heel is it's ability to actually show up for 60m and stomp the other team out. We have more than enough horses and talent to get it done. They just have teenager mentality of half assing it and hoping they can draw 6 penalties to sleepwalk into a W off a 40% powerplay.

QFT

Fans and media can cite the lack of a 4th top 4D, inconsistent goaltending, systems etc but the team when firing on all cylinders is absolutely unstoppable. The team as constructed has few holes and is "good enough". The biggest issue is mentality / attitude. Until they decide to play a consistent and committed game, they will struggle when it matters.

 

[Samus44]

Mentality. I think the players are good enough to get it done. Mentally they are just fragile, we routinely shuffle between various types of meltdowns:

Goaltending doesn't show up despite everyone else playing well
Goaltending shows up despite everyone else playing like shit
Score goals and then fall asleep and let the other team score immediately
Decide to take first periods off. Bonus in the playoffs of taking the whole first game off.

The teams Achilles heel is it's ability to actually show up for 60m and stomp the other team out. We have more than enough horses and talent to get it done. They just have teenager mentality of half assing it and hoping they can draw 6 penalties to sleepwalk into a W off a 40% powerplay.

Experience winning is how you learn to do it in crunch time. Some teams figure it out quick if they catch lightning in a bottle or have elite goaltending to cover up flaws but most teams just have to keep getting opportunities and grow from them. The Oilers are in a good place and with a few key additions have a good chance of making good on the lessons they've learned. Lets hope Campbell has his shirt together because a legit starter would really help.

 

[TheNumber4]

Some combination of Nurse Brain Fart, Bouchard smoked in a 1 on 1 puck battle against a grinder, Ceci failing to take on top line competition (which shouldn’t be expected of him), Mediocre Goaltending, and Bottom 6 not being able to contribute when the going gets tough.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

This team needs a Larsson clone

Also I wish we had a couple pk specialists. Sheahan and Archibald were ridiculous a few years ago on the pk, wish our 4th liners could pk like that.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Other than adding an elite goalie (highly unlikely IMO), I think that we need a significant upgrade on Ceci for top 4RHD. Beyond that we need this year's Kostin for the 4th line and maybe a replacement for McLeod.

 

[KCC]

Team defence

Defense and goaltending have plagued this team for years. Can't win though when you have Skinner having the worst numbers of any starter in the playoffs. And it's not like he was getting peppered and had to stand on his head either. He just could not stop the puck when it mattered. Those key saves that you need. Colorado proved a few years ago that average goaltending can win a cup so that's the only hope I have. That if Colorado could do it, maybe EDM can as well. lol

 

[brentashton]

Love. There's not enough love.

So, All We Need Is Love?