Edmonton is No Good Episode 4: New Rink, Same Stink

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I agree with everything else you are saying, but a coach's job is to win hockey games. It is not to endear the fan base to a specific player, nor is it to ensure that the cap structure of the roster remains intact. Playing Draiaitl on McDavid's wing was never a "problem," it was a solution to an issue caused by a lack of depth.

As it so happened Draisaitl proved to be the best winger on the roster, and the only one who was consistently effective with McDavid on the top line. This was much more important at the time than developing balance on the second line for the future, but it ultimately shows with resonating clarity that Edmonton is no good.

I'd argue that McDavid is good enough to play with basically anyone and put up points.

McDavid was just as good with or without Draisaitl. Draisaitl was bad without McDavid and a superstar with him.

McDavid and Draisaitl together - Oilers scored 59.4% of goals scored while on the ice
McDavid without Draisaitl - Oilers scored 65.5% of goals scored while on the ice
Draisaitl without McDavid - Oilers scored 44.2% of goals scored while on the ice

One of those is not like the other.

https://puckalytics.com/#/SuperWOWY?...1315&pid2=1993

Draisaitl was good in the playoffs without McDavid scoring but that was driven by an insane shooting percentage. In terms of Corsi they were both bad without each other in the playoffs.

[CaptainCrunch]

Looking at an article in Oilernation, then washing my hands, they talked about the Oilers depth chart. Personally I think its pretty much a disaster.

Line one

Maroon, McDavid, Draisaitl

Loading everything up on the first line and praying that it outscores everyone by a lot. In a way I like this because if Maroon gets another 27 goal season (Ridiculous career high) he's going to ask for 5 million bucks next year and be gone.

Lucic, RNH, Slepyshev

this line is like that cookie, you know the one with the hard cookies smashing a marshmallow center. Frankly if this is the line they go with, its going to be probably pretty unsuccessful, there's a speed mismatch, and RNH while a decent two way option can't play the bang and crash play that the others are supposed to do. Slepyshev is projected to be a bottom 6 energy type player, Lucic is slower then a lawmower at a horse race. I suppose that this is the line that JP is forced to play on, though his AHL season last year wasn't exactly awesome.

Caggigula Strome Kassian

When Kassian could be your best offensive weapon on your third line, you have problems. Strome is awful, Islander fans were high fiving and breaking out the single malt when he was moved, not because they got Eberle, but they got rid of this kid. Cagigula is ok but undersized and he's not going to bring a ton of offense. Kassian is a knuckle head who's out there to be intimidating.

Kharia Letestu, Pakarinian

Kharia and Pakarinan are bleah, Letestu is 32 coming off of a big career year. He'll win face offs but this line is a mess

Depth

JP, Joe Gambardella, Ty Rattie

Blue line

Klefbom Larsson - Decent first pairing but not knock your eyeballs out wow. Klefbom represents the biggest offensive threat on that blueline. Another guy who had a massive career year that went against his usual stats. Larsson is a good shut down guy.

Russell Benning - This would be a third pairing anywhere else, but because its Edmonton, awesome hall of famers. Benning is ok. Russell is like that side kick friend in adventures in babysitting. He's lost his glasses, fumbles around in his own end, gets eaten alive in corner battles and has to block pucks to cover for his mistakes.

Nurse Gazdic - This duo is hilariously bad, I'd be tempted to put Nurse with someone who can cover for his low hockey IQ and bail him out. Gazdic isn't that guy

Depth, Fayne, Stanton, Simpson Lowe. If anyone wants to talk about how bad the Oilers drafting has been, this defensive depth chart punches you in the face with that reality.


Talbot
Broissoit

Decent goaltending duo, but lets be honest, Talbot carriers the mail.

I don't care what anyone says, past McDavid, that's an underwhelming NHL team. They have one good line that's stacked and the rest is meh, they have one good blueline paring and the rest is meh. They have a great starting goaltender and the rest is meh.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Looking at an article in Oilernation, then washing my hands, they talked about the Oilers depth chart. Personally I think its pretty much a disaster.

Line one

Maroon, McDavid, Draisaitl

Loading everything up on the first line and praying that it outscores everyone by a lot. In a way I like this because if Maroon gets another 27 goal season (Ridiculous career high) he's going to ask for 5 million bucks next year and be gone.

Lucic, RNH, Slepyshev

this line is like that cookie, you know the one with the hard cookies smashing a marshmallow center. Frankly if this is the line they go with, its going to be probably pretty unsuccessful, there's a speed mismatch, and RNH while a decent two way option can't play the bang and crash play that the others are supposed to do. Slepyshev is projected to be a bottom 6 energy type player, Lucic is slower then a lawmower at a horse race. I suppose that this is the line that JP is forced to play on, though his AHL season last year wasn't exactly awesome.

Caggigula Strome Kassian

When Kassian could be your best offensive weapon on your third line, you have problems. Strome is awful, Islander fans were high fiving and breaking out the single malt when he was moved, not because they got Eberle, but they got rid of this kid. Cagigula is ok but undersized and he's not going to bring a ton of offense. Kassian is a knuckle head who's out there to be intimidating.

Kharia Letestu, Pakarinian

Kharia and Pakarinan are bleah, Letestu is 32 coming off of a big career year. He'll win face offs but this line is a mess

Depth

JP, Joe Gambardella, Ty Rattie

Blue line

Klefbom Larsson - Decent first pairing but not knock your eyeballs out wow. Klefbom represents the biggest offensive threat on that blueline. Another guy who had a massive career year that went against his usual stats. Larsson is a good shut down guy.

Russell Benning - This would be a third pairing anywhere else, but because its Edmonton, awesome hall of famers. Benning is ok. Russell is like that side kick friend in adventures in babysitting. He's lost his glasses, fumbles around in his own end, gets eaten alive in corner battles and has to block pucks to cover for his mistakes.

Nurse Gazdic - This duo is hilariously bad, I'd be tempted to put Nurse with someone who can cover for his low hockey IQ and bail him out. Gazdic isn't that guy

Depth, Fayne, Stanton, Simpson Lowe. If anyone wants to talk about how bad the Oilers drafting has been, this defensive depth chart punches you in the face with that reality.


Talbot
Broissoit

Decent goaltending duo, but lets be honest, Talbot carriers the mail.

I don't care what anyone says, past McDavid, that's an underwhelming NHL team. They have one good line that's stacked and the rest is meh, they have one good blueline paring and the rest is meh. They have a great starting goaltender and the rest is meh.

Nurse plays with Gazdic?

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Nurse plays with Gazdic?

I'm guessing he meant Gryba?

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by IamNotKenKing

I'm guessing he meant Gryba?

That's the other bum. Couldn't.think of his name.

[foshizzle11]

I was thinking didn't we just sign Gazdic here? Blah. Stupid oiler cast offs.

Anyway, no chance McDavid and Drai sign for less than fair market value. Those two playing together for years is what the oilers need, Chia will pay up. This team will meddling in the middle of the league for years and no rings in McDavids fingers until he leaves that crap hole.

[Burner]

loved this

James Foster‏ @YKJFosterYYC 21m21 minutes ago
More
Replying to @Kent_Wilson @akaRCN
So the OIlers are Chicago... except that they decided to skip the Stanley Cups and proceed straight to cap hell.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Nurse plays with Gazdic?

My bad. both are poo.

[Bar-Down]

RCN‏ @akaRCN 3h3 hours ago

"Anything less than $9M will be a surprise" - Dreger on Draisaitl (1260)

Yes please.

[CaptainCrunch]

9x5 would be as perfect as it can get.

And then have Draisaitl take the year off.

The only other thing that would be awesome

Edmonton Oilers General Press release

After failing to make an agreement on a contract Leon Draisaitl siting "Irreconcilable differences, with that bald headed weirdo" has signed a two year contract with the KHL's blah blah blah tracktors. Draisaitl's agent stated that his client would rather play in Siberia then play in Edmonton, and that they can call him when they get serious about negotiating a deal.

The Oilers front office couldn't be reached for comments, but a girlish scream followed by smashing furniture sounds could be heard 7 miles away.

[GGG]

I'd tell Draisatil to get an offer sheet if he wants 9 mil. Even at 8 I'd say get an offer sheet.

Make him sit or sign him short term and deal with arbitration each year and trade him a year before UFA. Locking him up long term above 8 makes no sense.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GGG

I'd tell Draisatil to get an offer sheet if he wants 9 mil. Even at 8 I'd say get an offer sheet.

Make him sit or sign him short term and deal with arbitration each year and trade him a year before UFA. Locking him up long term above 8 makes no sense.

Which is why the Oilers should and will do it.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by GGG

I'd tell Draisatil to get an offer sheet if he wants 9 mil. Even at 8 I'd say get an offer sheet.

Make him sit or sign him short term and deal with arbitration each year and trade him a year before UFA. Locking him up long term above 8 makes no sense.

He does have the option to go to Europe as well. He won't make 9 million bucks, but playing hard ball with him and his agent, will certainly make him look at exercising that right.

He also has the right to hold out, and then the pressure definitely goes onto Edmonton, especially if they struggle without Draisaitl.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

He does have the option to go to Europe as well. He won't make 9 million bucks, but playing hard ball with him and his agent, will certainly make him look at exercising that right.

He also has the right to hold out, and then the pressure definitely goes onto Edmonton, especially if they struggle without Draisaitl.

Sure he could do that but that leaves at least 25 million on the table between now and being a UFA.

As for holding out I agree their could be pressure but Draisaitl is the one who will eventually lose his year towards free agency so Edmonton holds the trump card.

[united]

Dreger is basically a paid shill for the Oilers at this point, so anything he says is straight from inside Hockey Operations.

https://www.fanragsports.com/news/dr...nge-draisaitl/
The Washington Capitals just signed Evgeny Kuznetsov to an eight-year, $62.4 million pact and NHL Insider Darren Dreger was asked about any potential parallels with Draisaitl there in terms of the $7.8 million cap hit.
...
“But it seems like, based on what I’ve read on Twitter over the last several days, there’s some from that side – from the player’s side – that maybe want us to think that the number could exceed double digits. I think that’s lofty as well, but as Mike Keenan once said to me a bunch of years ago, ‘It’s maybe not what you’re worth, it’s what you negotiate.’

“So Leon Draisaitl’s camp is going to continue to push hard. Again, anything less than 9, for me, would be a bit of a surprise.”


I thought 9.0 was great news...double digits? That would be incredible. Come on, Oilers and Drai, get that thing signed before anyone important looks at your numbers away from McDavid.

[Ashasx]

It seems to me like the Oilers are just feeing the media numbers to try and make it look better when they sign him for $9 million+ per season.

Not long ago Oilers fans were convinced he was going to come in under $7 million. A lot has changed since then, and no hockey has been played. It's hilarious, really.

[SofaProfessor]

Man, Draisaitl's numbers say he should be paid handsomely but I think he's a benefactor of playing with McDavid more than a lot of Oiler fans care to admit. He's a good player - don't get me wrong. But I don't know if he's worth $7M+ without McDavid helping him pad his numbers and that unsustainable shooting percentage in the playoffs. Bouma shooting over 15% a few years ago, anyone? That turned out great.

Crosby has the same ability to make other players better like McDavid. Pittsburgh is going to have to likely pay up for Sheary and Guentzel. Are both of those guys almost point per game players without Crosby? Edmonton looks like they're already in the same situation with McDavid sans the multiple cup wins.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

There are a bunch of Oilers writers basically sewering Draisaitl right now as a player, minimizing his value in response to suggestions that they're going to pay 9m for him. Even Staples says he's only worth 7 to 7.5. Then there's this: https://############.com/2017/07/04/...eon-draisaitl/

This could be a fun signing.

[ah123]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

There are a bunch of Oilers writers basically sewering Draisaitl right now as a player, minimizing his value in response to suggestions that they're going to pay 9m for him. Even Staples says he's only worth 7 to 7.5. Then there's this: https://############.com/2017/07/04/...eon-draisaitl/

This could be a fun signing.

Or....they're preparing the fans for a trade

[Racki]

I'm hoping Draisaitl comes in at $9,750,000 per year for 8 years.

An even $23,000,000/year for McDavid and Draisaitl should be just enough to hamstring the Oilers for the duration of their contracts.

Let that sink in for a second...$184,000,000 for the next 8 seasons for two guys - two guys!