[CaptainCrunch]

Random thoughts.



At the start of the season every hockey expert was talking about how the Oilers were finally in a position to compete for the Pacific division banner, and were poised to make a deep run. Now they're 11 points behind the Flames. Out of a playoff spot and every team has games in hand on them.



Believe it or not, this was the latest in a series of must win games for the Oilers. If 98 points is the mendoza line for making the playoffs, the Oilers need 17 wins in their last 25 games. Think about how likely that is with the way that team is playing.


I'd say the Woodcroft effect is a dud. 4-5-1 in the last 10 games and have looked awful in the last three games. Tonight the Flames didn't play great. But defensively were very good. The Oilers looked flat and uninterested for most of the game. Bad look for the leadership of that team.


McDavid has checked out, he's been gone for the last few games. Part of it has to be burn out due to being overplayed. He's not 20 anymore. Part of it, is that he's just not that mentally tough of a player, and not a winner. His individual skill hides a major flaw. McDavid is not the guy to lead a team to victory, he doesn't make his line mates better. He has never adapted his game to actually help out his team.


Draisaitl looked checked out later in the game. Again, these are your big guns and they've been nowhere to be found.


Nurse's contract is going to be a boat anchor, like his IQ. He's a second pairing defense man at best. He doesn't have the hockey IQ to be anything but a second pairing defenseman that you put on the first pairing and then cover your eyes. Or watch for the memes.


Holland needs to resist getting a goalie. He needs to decide who he's going to sell, because that team badly needs a full rebuild. Its broken and the room is broken, playing like you don't care is just a bad beat man.