Quote:
Originally Posted by sureLoss
Mike Harrington @ByMHarrington
Wow. @Jeremy_Roenick bringing the heat on @EdmontonOilers. Called them a joke, too many “pajama boys” and “egomaniacs” not playing for the front of the sweater. And he’s right.
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Is that true though? Is the problem they're not playing hard, or is the problem that they lack skill? I think they just lack skill. It doesn't matter how hard the D core tries, they'll still be a bunch of 3/4/5 defensemen trying to play on the first pairing. They're overmatched. Just because Chia paid Drai like he is an elite centre doesn't mean he's anything more than complementary winger for McDoodle. Heck, this is the best Nuge has ever performed, they can't expect more out of that guy. And the rest of the forwards are straight up junk.
This is really all on Chia. Expecting guys like Rattie, Khaira, Kassian, the Drake, Rieder etc, etc to perform above replacement level is absurd. Most of them shouldn't even be in the NHL. Chiasson is their 4th best forward and he was a PTO! Chia's lucky one of the other bottom feeder teams didn't have an injury and the end of camp and scoop him.
These guys haven't even begun to mail it in. Give them a couple months of losing and having Hitch yell at them, then you'll see real apathy.