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Franchise Player
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theslymonkey
Quote:
Originally Posted by H2SO4(aq) 
Okay lets just take this one point at a time, objectively:Objectively? Hardly but OK
Old boys club: yep, both lowe and Mactavish are still within the organization, so glad they have finally put that to rest...Chirelli built a pretty darn good team in Boston No, he inherited a pretty good team in Boston, and he traded away a couple of young high end talented players just entering their prime, and put his team in cap hell. He did win the cup, so at least he can manage a winner well enough to win a cup, but he did not put that team together.
Coach: wait and see on how he does but you are casually ignoring the fact that he got let go by SJ for a reason (not winning). Sharks seem to win a lot over the last decade They have been a highly skilled team from the goalie through defence through their forward corps. Arguably a very deep team. They falter and haven't won anything except regular season titles. There are definite question marks based on the Sharks' lack of success based on their team makeup over those years.
Hall: Scores goals, injury prone, worst hockey sense I've ever watched out of an "elite LW" Hall is Elite, I'm sorry you can't see that. Two Ppg seasons before he's 23... Hall is a defensive blackhole, and a poor leader based on his play on ice. He has absolutely terrible defensive IQ - when he actually tries to play defensively. Ovie bought-in last year on team-defence, but even when he didn't, at least brought a much more intelligent game and some nasty physical play. Hall gets demolished often with his lack of situational awareness, offers little in the way of defence, and I just can't see him lasting in this league if he doesn't change his game. He is fast, he has a great shot, and he has good hands to make plays. If he had an actual brain, I would wholeheartedly agree.
McGeneration: Past Generational talents: Tavares, Stamkos, Crosby, Mackinnon list goes on. He likely will be good, but I honestly have no clue what Generational means anymore. Those are all damn good players. Able to carry their team all by themself Yep, but how many of them have Stanley Cups? McDavid (IMO) is the real deal, but there is still no guarantee of any team success.
Eberle: Still living off his World Jr. success and his epic dangle against ian white. Terrible defensively, doesn't work very hard for a soft player, expects his "soft mitts" and "sick celeys" to make noise for him. He is a 60 point player check his stats. I don't like him, but he scores like a first line player. 60pt player that offers little else. Not a guy I would want on the Flames for free (and not hyperbole). He is without a doubt part of the problem on the Oilers, not a solution. Him and Hall are the big reasons why Edmonton sucks, even with his 60pts. Selfish, undersized, takes numerous shifts off, lazy on the backcheck - but puts up decent (not spectacular) numbers. Yeah, I don't like his game at all.
RNH: Strong skater, skilled hockey player, competes hard on both sides of the puck. Too soft a game to ever be a true #1 in the tough, heavy western conference.There are a lot of teams that would give their left nut for him to crater their top line. Agreed here. RNH is the real deal, and a heck of a player that should only get better.
Yak: worst +/- 2 years running (i believe). nuff said. Nose for the net, bust potential, but he can score for a second line winger for sure I may be the only one, but I much prefer Yakupov over Eberle if I had to choose, and I expect Yak to improve on his numbers and overall game with a solid coach.
Pouliot: Career stats padded due to playing with Stamkos. Bottom six winger, he is really just a bigger bodied Mason Raymond. He's better than Raymond , but he's decent enough to play second line. But he's not hot garbage. Hot garbage? No. Over-priced? Yes.
Daisaitl: Lets see how he recovers from being thrown into the lions den last season. You obviously didn't watch the memorial cup. Well, there isn't a question he isn't a very good junior player, but junior success does not guarantee NHL success. I do think he is going to be very good - his lack of footspeed (which isn't that horrible) is more than compensated by his high IQ and skill-level. He may take a few seasons to adapt, but he should end up as a very good player (as long as his development isn't crushed - but MacLellan should be good for him).
Give it a rest bud, nobody is fearful of the Oilers forwards, until the oilers forwards decide to do something about it.
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I don't like the Oilers, but if your take off the Flames glasses you'd see that their top six looks very good. They have a lot of warts, but they will be able to score goals.
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Why do you think they are able to score goals? They didn't last year. What has changed? Tough to score goals when you get hemmed in your own zone and have players (again, Hall and Eberle) with horrible defensive acumen AND effort to help support the (lower quality) defencemen.
The Oilers top 6 has (without question) some great skill, but they haven't exactly been coming through, have they? So no, it isn't a given that they will be able to score goals - they haven't been able to, and McDavid by himself isn't going to suddenly change them from one of the LOWEST SCORING TEAMS in the NHL into one of the highest scoring teams. The potential is there for them to be a high-scoring team, and you would anticipate that MacLellan is a better coach and will be able to provide them with a better system, but you too easily disregard the fact that they simply haven't done it yet, and don't seem to have the culture and the effort level to do what it takes to become that team.
Warts are sometimes things that you can't fix, and I think you are sugar-coating it. Their warts are just as relevant as their strengths. It could very well be that they will have to trade some of their 'high powered offence' for capable defencemen in order to actually build any semblance of a decent team.
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