We all enjoy the good laughs we get from HF Oilers and some of their insane posts. However there is a poster named GreatKeith that seems to have a level head when it comes to the Oilers and especially when it comes to why the franchise is what it is. As a lurker of the site I enjoy reading some of his viewpoints and feel his latest is posting is spot on.
Quote:
The biggest problem with this franchise is they're chasing ideals that simply don't gel with today's NHL and always overshooting what they actually need. It's clear Chiarelli wanted to build a team to compete in the West which years ago was a big, bruising conference. Players like Lucic, Kassian, et al would've fit the mold a few years ago, but the game of hockey has gone back to speed and skill. Kassian at least has some wheels but Lucic still can't score to save his life and often the hope is that he simply doesn't get scored on.
Realizing the direction the NHL is going in, they draft a small winger ala Johnny Gaudreau and hope he can make an immediate impact, which he did not. These kinds of players take years to bulk up and adjust to the NHL level. I don't have any issue with the Oilers drafting this player, but it represents a sudden swerve in the opposite direction. Overcorrecting as it were.
The fatal mistake the Oilers make year after year is thrusting unproven players into spots they're not ready to take. They just assumed that JP would make an immediate impact, and KY and Bouchard. They also assumed that Benning could play top 4 minutes (again) before it blew up in their faces. McLellan for all his faults forced Chiarelli to send Bouchard down and be patient with this player. There is a distinct air of cowardice in the front office when they continue to trot out rookies and tweeners in roles they simply cannot handle and then move the players when they don't pan out. Strome is a prime example of this. I didn't like the guy but he was at least pretty decent defensively but rather than be patient with him (or admit the trade in the first place was a mistake), they send him away and bring in a worse player.
The fact that we have 3 really good centers and are forced to play at least 1 on the wing at all times is really stupid. I understand why it's done but it really highlights the lack of depth on this team. This is a mediocre (at best) cap strapped team with depth at a single position and holes basically everywhere else in the lineup. The Oilers have failed to build around a player that any team (save maybe Pittsburgh) would give both of their nuts for. McDavid is good, scary good... And he excels in spite of the team around him. He should be given a medal or made a knight or something.
If the Oilers have a vision I'm honestly not sure what it is. They've painted themselves into a corner and I really wouldn't go ahead with most of the front office even if they do make the playoffs. There's been too many mistakes and too many bad habits both on and off the ice that just haven't changed. The Oilers need to stop being lazy and doing the easy thing and make some hard decisions and show their fans they're serious about winning, because I'm not convinced at all that they are.
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