Quote:
Originally Posted by Firebot
Good special teams is the best sign of good coaching. They were in a playoff spot for a while even if I recall, until a late 6 game losing streak that was too much to overcome in a 48 game season.
And the oilers were actually pretty good 5 v 5. # 11 in even strength goals against. But much like how Hartley didn't do much with the 2012-13 Flames, the Oilers did not have a great team on paper and were 24th in even strength goals for.
https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2013.html
They had all the signs of a vastly improving team. Then McTavish happened wanting the shiny new toy called Eakins and fired Krueger on Skype and we all saw birth to The Swarm and sub 400 hockey. |
It's really hard to put a lot of stock into a strike shortened season. I still remember a depleted Flames team (seriously look at the Flames lineup that night) crushing them 8-2 in a game that they had to have with their playoff lives on the line to which they collapsed after. IMO if that season goes 82 games we probably see a pretty standard poor Oilers team going nowhere.