MacLean: Oilers will win cup in next 2-4 years

[JohnnyB]

I wouldn't be surprised if the four year prediction ends up being right. McDavid is a big deal, but the bigger difference is the change in the management and coaching. The hot mess that is the Edmonton Oilers is not really the fault of all these young players so much as it's the fault of the brutal leadership that has been ruining the potential of young players. That's finally changing.

Besides, the prediction's not so out of line with the histories of recent winners.


Pittsburgh - DNQ for playoffs 4/4 seasons before 2007, then won the cup in 2009.
Chicago - DNQ for playoffs 9/10 seasons before 2009, then won the cup in 2010.
LA - DNQ for playoffs 6/6 seasons before 2010, then won the cup in 2012.

Oilers - DNQ for playoffs 9/10 seasons before 2016(?), then win the cup in 2018(?)

No guarantee they even make the playoffs next year, but it wouldn't be unique for them to go on and win in just a few years.

Personally, I just think it's exciting that the battle of Alberta is going to be something real again and that we may have the pleasure of watching the next generational talent play out his career so close to home rather than off in the East.

[AlbertaOiler72]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Let's look at the facts:

- Gifted teenager who will be competing for the Calder this season
- Addition to the roster of a young, big defenceman who can eat minutes and score points
- Ongoing development of young, skilled forwards who played on the top line last year and performed well after the regular season ended
- Big, young power forward who saw limited action last year but will likely be a starter in the top 9 this year

A Stanley Cup in two years might seem a little premature, but four years sounds about right. You see, ol' Ronnie got the right province; he just picked the wrong city

who is that?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by AlbertaOiler72

who is that?

Ferland?

[TX_Flame]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

Calder Cup? The NHL's going to start relegation?

They should. It would be much better than rewarding tankers with great draft picks.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by TX_Flame

They should. It would be much better than rewarding tankers with great draft picks.

Yeah, but then you have to start promoting minor-league teams to make up the numbers. It would look pretty damn funny if the Ontario Reign (formerly Manchester Monarchs) got promoted to the NHL, playing out of a building that seats 9,000 for hockey, and then had to spend to the salary floor. It would be even funnier if the L.A. Kings moved all their AHL players to a different club and left the new NHL team with an empty roster.

As long as NHL clubs control the contracts of the best minor-league players, promotion and relegation are less than a pipe dream.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

Ron's a great host, he's very good at corralling strong personalities, but he's never struck me as a guy who knows more about the game than the average fan.

He's forgotten more about hockey than most people on this board will ever know.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

He's forgotten more about hockey than most people on this board will ever know.

The important point here being that he no longer remembers a hell of a lot of stuff.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The important point here being that he no longer remembers a hell of a lot of stuff.

Yup.

If he thinks the Oilers are in any imminent danger of winning the Stanley Cup, one thing he's forgotten is that you have to play defence as well as offence.

Another thing he's forgotten is that you don't get fancy offensive numbers unless the defencemen are good enough to contribute.

The last time the Oilers were good, they were an offensive powerhouse right up to the day they traded Paul Coffey. Even with Gretzky, Kurri, Messier, Anderson, and Tikkanen up front, they could not put up the same numbers without that QB driving the play from the back end. There were times when they had to put five forwards on the power play because none of their D were good enough to play the point. The current Oilers, in that respect, are kind of a poor man's version of the late-80s' Oilers. They haven't got the superstars up front, but they do have the sucky defence corps.

So, yeah. No doubt Ron MacLean has forgotten more about hockey than I'll ever know. But you know, there is something to be said for those of us who learned less but actually remember it.

[stamps]

Ron Mclean is an Oiler fan .... people have to remember he is not one of us .... he is from Red Deer, which is definitely pro Edmonton ... all Edmonton and region really have is that hockey team... if that team doesn't deliver sometime with Mcjesus that whole region will go into a deep dark depression ...

[stamps]

[QUOTE=cam_wmh;5375394]


Jesus , I know there is a lot of Edmonton and Saskatchewan transplants here but man o man , do not associate Calgary with those 2 teams ... that picture is offensive ....

[AlbertaOiler72]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Ferland?

I'd need more than 26 games and 5 points before I pencil him in the top 9

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by AlbertaOiler72

I'd need more than 26 games and 5 points before I pencil him in the top 9

Well that's fine. No one cares if you do or don't.

[Poe969]

There's no way Ferland would be top 9 on the oilers! His toe-drags per game aren't nearly high enough and he doesn't have any sweet youtube vids of him deeking kids out in the minors. He also plays defense and hits and stands up for his teammates. No way does he have a place on a team like the oilers.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Poe969

There's no way Ferland would be top 9 on the oilers! His toe-drags per game aren't nearly high enough and he doesn't have any sweet youtube vids of him deeking kids out in the minors. He also plays defense and hits and stands up for his teammates. No way does he have a place on a team like the oilers.

Yeah his DERP rating is way to low to be an oiler.

[Yrebmi]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

I wouldn't be surprised if the four year prediction ends up being right. McDavid is a big deal, but the bigger difference is the change in the management and coaching. The hot mess that is the Edmonton Oilers is not really the fault of all these young players so much as it's the fault of the brutal leadership that has been ruining the potential of young players. That's finally changing.

Besides, the prediction's not so out of line with the histories of recent winners.


Pittsburgh - DNQ for playoffs 4/4 seasons before 2007, then won the cup in 2009.
Chicago - DNQ for playoffs 9/10 seasons before 2009, then won the cup in 2010.
LA - DNQ for playoffs 6/6 seasons before 2010, then won the cup in 2012.

Oilers - DNQ for playoffs 9/10 seasons before 2016(?), then win the cup in 2018(?)

No guarantee they even make the playoffs next year, but it wouldn't be unique for them to go on and win in just a few years.

Personally, I just think it's exciting that the battle of Alberta is going to be something real again and that we may have the pleasure of watching the next generational talent play out his career so close to home rather than off in the East.

Ok. There's validity to that, but there's a good difference between DNQ and 62 points.
New leadership, some defence, and i could see things turning quickly. However, I don't yet see that defense and i'm not yet convinced yet that leadership group has been truely delowed.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by AlbertaOiler72

I'd need more than 26 games and 5 points before I pencil him in the top 9

Do you mean the 5 points he got in the regular season, or the additional 5 points he got in the playoffs?

Also, not looking to turn this into a Draisaitl vs. Ferland debate (as Ferland is 3.5 years older) but if you're looking purely from a numbers standpoint:

Draisaitl rookie season (2014/15): 9 points (2+7) in 37 games
Ferland rookie season (2014/15): 10 points (5+5) in 35 games (including playoffs)

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Yrebmi

Ok. There's validity to that, but there's a good difference between DNQ and 62 points.
New leadership, some defence, and i could see things turning quickly. However, I don't yet see that defense and i'm not yet convinced yet that leadership group has been truely delowed.

In '03 Pittsburgh had a 65 point season, followed by two 58 point seasons. Three years later they won the cup.

In '04 Chicago had a 59 point season, followed by a 65 point season. Four seasons later and they were cup winners.

The Kings were a bit different. In '07 the had a 68 point season, followed by a 71 point season. Four years later they were cup winners.

All three teams won cups within five years of bottoming out. The Pens and Chicago both won cups in that time frame after bottoming out with sub-sixty point seasons.

Assuming that Edmonton bottomed out in 2013, winning by 2018 fits the pattern. Also, if you look at the time elapsed between the years Pittsburgh and Chicago got their superstar players ('06 and '08) and their following cup wins ('09 and '10), it suggests the Oilers 2018 cup win would be right on time.

Sad to say, but I don't think it's that crazy of a suggestion.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Bottomed out in 2013?

That was the year they somehow managed to not pick 1st overall or top 3.

[TX_Flame]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Yeah, but then you have to start promoting minor-league teams to make up the numbers. It would look pretty damn funny if the Ontario Reign (formerly Manchester Monarchs) got promoted to the NHL, playing out of a building that seats 9,000 for hockey, and then had to spend to the salary floor. It would be even funnier if the L.A. Kings moved all their AHL players to a different club and left the new NHL team with an empty roster.

As long as NHL clubs control the contracts of the best minor-league players, promotion and relegation are less than a pipe dream.

Yes, it's a completely different system and I know it will never happen in North America, but it does have a lot going for it.

[polak]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

He's forgotten more about hockey than most people on this board will ever know.

I will never forget when he suggested Halifax gets a team and they split the conferences by North and South.

Vancouver playing Halifax 4 hours ahead/behind for the visiting team.

Moron.