Where is the FIRE??!!

[Jay Harris]

I don't start threads but felt compelled to tonight....

A big difference I see thus far with this year's team is the lack of fire and competitive spirit.
Where is the disdain for losing?
Where is the hatred for the opposition?
Where is the concept of sending messages for the next game?
Where is the emotion from the head coach?

Kane was kinda engaged but he needs to do his thing.
I was excited to get Fredric but he looks like a player who is going through the motions on his way out the door.
Nurse.... Hello
Drai has shown decent emotion but Conner needs to ramp it up.
Perry.... The last 10 minutes should have been his time to show that veteran leadership.
Henrique has been engaged.
Hyman is flat.
Walman was good last game but likely got instructed to tone it down which is stupid.

This is an area where they miss Ekholm....he HATES loosing and shows it.
No offense to the player, but when Janmark is you emotional leader you've got a problem.

You can't win them all but don't go down with a whimper and as passifists.

Just my thoughts so far....

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

They’ve adopted the persona of their no hit no character no passion coach. They are “even keeling” it to death but they don’t have the speed, talent and special teams to be so robotic this year.

 

[trick91]

They get a penalty whenever they do show emotion

 

[Stoneman89]

I don't start threads but felt compelled to tonight....

A big difference I see thus far with this year's team is the lack of fire and competitive spirit.
Where is the disdain for losing?
Where is the hatred for the opposition?
Where is the concept of sending messages for the next game?
Where is the emotion from the head coach?

Kane was kinda engaged but he needs to do his thing.
I was excited to get Fredric but he looks like a player who is going through the motions on his way out the door.
Nurse.... Hello
Drai has shown decent emotion but Conner needs to ramp it up.
Perry.... The last 10 minutes should have been his time to show that veteran leadership.
Henrique has been engaged.
Hyman is flat.
Walman was good last game but likely got instructed to tone it down which is stupid.

This is an area where they miss Ekholm....he HATES loosing and shows it.
No offense to the player, but when Janmark is you emotional leader you've got a problem.

You can't win them all but don't go down with a whimper and as passifists.

Just my thoughts so far....

Not agree much with your take on this.

A lot of guys came into this series injured, or not having played for a long time. Frederic is clearly not healthy, I think most people with a set of eyes can see that. Kane hasn't played all year, not sure if you expected him to come in and save us.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Not agree much with your take on this.

A lot of guys came into this series injured, or not having played for a long time. Frederic is clearly not healthy, I think most people with a set of eyes can see that. Kane hasn't played all year, not sure if you expected him to come in and save us.

Also I suspect Leon is more hurt then he's letting on.

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

They’re all saving it for the cup final obviously...

Round one emotions are for plebs.

 

[Stoneman89]

Also I suspect Leon is more hurt then he's letting on.

Same with Wallman and Hyman.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Same with Wallman and Hyman.

I think Hyman, Draisaitl, Klingberg, Walman and Frederic are all walking wounded. Kane hasn’t played in a year. Missing Ekholm and Stetcher. Combining that with Skinner who doesn’t save anything difficult and the disappearance of RNH (again) and an aging out Henrique with Bouchards head up his ass and we have what we have.

 

[belair]

They don't seem to have the speed and they don't seem to have the crispness they had last year on their passes.

Sure, blame the goaltending, but the Oilers a team that has been driven by its ability to produce goals. Both even strength and on special teams. And it just isn't happening.

 

[Satoru Gojo]

They’ve looked off since the 4 nations

 

[Little Fury]

Have to think having some young guys with fire in their belly and a chip on their shoulders would help this year right now, they could use someone like that Holloway kid in St Louis.

 

[rboomercat90]

They’ve looked off since the 4 nations

It started a week or so before that but to be honest this team was smoke and mirrors before that. We’ve been seeing what the issues with this team have been since the start of the season. The biggest imo is the supporting cast aged out over the summer. That long playoff run was the swan song of too many players on this roster, most of them being forwards but Ekholm looks like he can be added to this list from the blue line as well. This was an older, slower non-physical team from the outset and those types of teams get worn out quickly during the season. It was a bizarre error removing what little youth and energy we had from the lineup for more players nearing the end of their careers. Such a bizarre error in fact that it’s impossible to have any faith in this management group going forward.

I haven’t mentioned goaltending yet, the topic gives me a headache it’s so polarizing. We have a starting goalie that looks less like an NHL goalie, let alone a starter every game he plays. He doesn’t have the physical skills or mental ability to be one. From the outside looking in, his arrogance and lack of awareness sure makes him look like an awful teammate. The kind that makes it a chore for everyone else to even show up for work. That the organization backs him to the extent they do must be soul crushing for the rest of the players.

This group we see now is at the end of its cycle. We are what the LA Kings were 10 years ago minus the Stanley Cup wins. It needs to be retooled. Draisaitl is signed, that’s the good news, hopefully McDavid can be too. Outside of those two there isn’t another forward on this roster that should be safe.

 

[MessierII]

The lack of emotion is concerning. This is the playoffs and after the bad taste of losing in game 7 of the finals last year this what we come out with? I can forgive being sloppy because of injuries and rust. Team lacks cohesion because they haven’t all played together really ever but the lack of emotional investment is terrifying.

 

[Shathar]

Not agree much with your take on this.

A lot of guys came into this series injured, or not having played for a long time. Frederic is clearly not healthy, I think most people with a set of eyes can see that. Kane hasn't played all year, not sure if you expected him to come in and save us.

^ this.
He can barely move out there.

Nearly every gamble made by this current management team has been an abject failure.

 

[rboomercat90]

^ this.
He can barely move out there.

Nearly every gamble made by this current management team has been an abject failure.

The only good move this organization has made since the game 7 loss to Florida was the Draisaitl extension. Every thing else has been a disaster. Everything.

 

[tardigrade81]

Game 1 is a win if pick starts. This series should be tied. Amazing what a horrible goalie can do to a team and it's confidence

 

[midnightcopper]

The only good move this organization has made since the game 7 loss to Florida was the Draisaitl extension. Every thing else has been a disaster. Everything.

Including the hiring of management.

 

[rboomercat90]

Including the hiring of management.

Everything.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Everything.

The Oilers continue to be a masterclass in how not to run a hockey team. Only McDavid keeps the team from being the Sabres.

 

[ahmedou]

 

[Oilhawks]

They’ve adopted the persona of their no hit no character no passion coach. They are “even keeling” it to death but they don’t have the speed, talent and special teams to be so robotic this year.

100% this

While the goaltending and management are issues, the passive milquetoast coach is making it much worse than it should be.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

The Oilers continue to be a masterclass in how not to run a hockey team. Only McDavid keeps the team from being the Sabres.

And Leon.

 

[rboomercat90]

Stu trying to go incognito losing the mustache?

 

[VainGretzky]

McLeod Holloway and Foegle did not score much last playoffs, but they sure wore out the defenceman chasing them down constantly .

 

[snipes]

Been all downhill since Carney went on the ice