Edmonton is No Good X: Up and Down Like a Toilet Seat

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by TheSquatch

Just as stunning is the players themselves, who obviously shun any defensive role. They just don't want to do it, and it's cost the team x number of coaches, some of whom were really good. But after 5 or 8 or 10 years of not winning, do you not eventually wake up and say "Gee, maybe there's something missing, something I'm not doing that would help us."

I think the bigger problem is coach after coach being afraid to make the duo play defense.

So the rest of the team sees two sets of rules and it all falls apart.

The era of a purely offensive one way forward is over. They're not going to find an NHL home that tolerates long shifts, and not back checking.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think the bigger problem is coach after coach being afraid to make the duo play defense.

So the rest of the team sees two sets of rules and it all falls apart.

The era of a purely offensive one way forward is over. They're not going to find an NHL home that tolerates long shifts, and not back checking.

They've had good coaches that know how to teach that side of the game though, and have outlasted them via selfishness.

The players are adults. They can see players like Bergeron and Crosby and Stamkos etc... They actively choose to not be like that. The only reason they haven't adjusted their game is they don't want to.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think the bigger problem is coach after coach being afraid to make the duo play defense.

So the rest of the team sees two sets of rules and it all falls apart.

The era of a purely offensive one way forward is over. They're not going to find an NHL home that tolerates long shifts, and not back checking.

The problem with that team is the coach isn't in charge. McDavid is. The coach has no ability to rein him in by benching or bag skating him or whatever. McDavid would immediately have him fired.

The LA Kings with Gretzky had the same problem, and they never were a real contender. Gretzky was the top dog above the coach and GM and really had no idea how to build a winner.

When Gretzky was with the Oilers, Sather was the top dog and that is why it worked.

In Pittsburg, you never have the sense that Crosby is bigger than the team. It is clear he isn't afraid to do the dirty work that it takes to be a winner.

[CaptainCrunch]

This is what happens when you have this massive split in skill and fandom.

Draisaitl and McDavid don't have to play two way hockey because they don't want to. And you can't force them because they can play the discontented superstar and the fans and management will take their side.

I've said it before, a combination of Draisaitl and McDavid is a coach killing combo. They've quit listening to coaches before and basically just started playing however you want.

I have to wonder how enjoyable it is playing with these two. I mean you're rarely if ever going to get good ice time because of those two. Powerplay time forget it, Penalty Kill forget it, empty net . . . . forget it.

And you have McDavid eye rolling and yelling at players that don't do what he thinks is right.

The coach lives in fear because with a work from the dynamic duo, you're fired. So you just try to coach the other guys, and let those two loose.

The problem is that Holland hasn't built a roster that can play any kind of defense. The blueline is pretty much filled with soft puckmovers who's job is to simply get the puck up to the flying dutchmen. The bottom 6 is just a mess.

I've always said that a GM with guts, balls, determiniation, could see that this team is a failure, sure maybe its apt to a nice little bounce if everything goes their way. But a GM will balls would trade one of the two, probably fix every roster problem in terms of blueline depth and top 9 forward depth and maybe goaltending. Fix their cap problems and still have 1 mega star who's bad habits are balanced by a good roster.

but he won't do it, because not only does the GM have pressure from the two stars. But a fan boy fan and his son who probably still collects Oilers memorabilia.

Meanwhile the players don't care because when they hit free agency, the GM is a terrible negotiator and they'll get paid. In fact Skinner should probably fire his manager for rushing him into a bad extension and dooming him to playing behind a bad leaky team.

[schteve_d]

I look forward to the day, and it will happen, when an ex-player, or perhaps even more gloriously a current player, will let loose and tell all about what it was really like in that room. There is no way the wonder twins are liked and respected by the rank and file of that roster.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think the bigger problem is coach after coach being afraid to make the duo play defense.

So the rest of the team sees two sets of rules and it all falls apart.

The era of a purely offensive one way forward is over. They're not going to find an NHL home that tolerates long shifts, and not back checking.

They also both need, back feed, & deserve each other.

Because of the Oilers pathetic ability to draft and develop replacement and above replacement level NHL talent while negotiating shrewd contracts they've never been fully able to take advantage of their actual value & compensate for having one player make $12 million within the salary cap.

It's constant bumbling & backfilling with low cost AHL/NHL rejects & overpaying for free agents. Never was this more glaring when they protected antivaxxer Josh Archibald in the Seattle expansion draft.

So they ride them.

Even Drasatl's contract could have been $750K -$1 million less.

Teams are about trust. If other players could be trusted to carry the offensive load their minutes could be managed to enable them to play harder defence and cheat less.

Nah.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by schteve_d

I look forward to the day, and it will happen, when an ex-player, or perhaps even more gloriously a current player, will let loose and tell all about what it was really like in that room. There is no way the wonder twins are liked and respected by the rank and file of that roster.

I doubt it will be much different that what Ferrence exposed only with more scoring titles.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/and...155913084.html

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by Boreal

I doubt it will be much different that what Ferrence exposed only with more scoring titles.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/and...155913084.html

He said his final seasons in Edmonton were a “waste,” and time he’ll “never get back.”

I wonder which team he suits up for in the Heritage Classic Alumni Game?

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by TheSquatch

Just as stunning is the players themselves, who obviously shun any defensive role. They just don't want to do it, and it's cost the team x number of coaches, some of whom were really good. But after 5 or 8 or 10 years of not winning, do you not eventually wake up and say "Gee, maybe there's something missing, something I'm not doing that would help us."

Playing defense isn’t sexy and doesn’t give the instant gratification and recognition of scoring goals and points. Doing the little things like playing defense usually doesn’t pay off until later in the season (making playoffs or winning some playoff series) and the Entitlement Twins aren’t willing to wait that long for their attention. It is clearly a fault of these two players since there has been some very good coaches at the helm (Hitchcock, Tippett….) and they have not been able to get them to buy into a team game.

These two are happy winning individual awards and will move to more prolific hockey markets (think Leafs and Rangers) at free agency to be in a position to further feed their egos on a larger stage.

Draisaitl and McDavid are a complete embarrassment to the team game of hockey and how it should be played. They don’t play as leaders or stewards of the game. Happy to cheat their way to any kind of personal recognition they can garner.

[memphusk]

I don't believe the head coach is scared you get them to play defense. I just believe they don't listen.

[Erick Estrada]

It's a fanbase and media group that's obsessed with personal achievements. They cling to the 80's so much that scoring records and achievements are more important than team success. All I ever see on my social media feeds is Oilers media pumping the scoring feats of McDavid and Draisaitl. If you had no idea of the Oilers record and just read Oilers propaganda on social media you would think they are one of the best teams in the league and a Stanley Cup champion when in reality they are far from it. It's an obsession. Oilers fans and media just don't understand that hockey is a team game and the team with the best player doesn't win.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by memphusk

I don't believe the head coach is scared you get them to play defense. I just believe they don't listen.

the Oilers' 200 foot game from all 5 skaters was decent last march/April after woodcock took over and they won a lot of games. for a short time they actually listened, which made that dumpling look like a genius

then McDavid decided he's going to be Alex ovechkin this season and went full offense, as did pissy, and then the rest of the top 6

so now the D (who aren't very good) are back to being hung out to dry in their end without mike Smith's active passes while the usual suspects float at center ice, and the results are as predictable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

the Oilers' 200 foot game from all 5 skaters was decent last march/April after woodcock took over and they won a lot of games. for a short time they actually listened, which made that dumpling look like a genius

then McDavid decided he's going to be Alex ovechkin this season and went full offense, as did pissy, and then the rest of the top 6

so now the D (who aren't very good) are back to being hung out to dry in their end without mike Smith's active passes while the usual suspects float at center ice, and the results are as predictable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west

Yeah so they aren't listening, again. This will be with every and any head coach that goes through there.

[All In Good Time]

I agree, it appears that they just stop listening to coaches after some time. The arrogance/entitlement has been a trademark of that organization for years. The kicker is, they’re so delusional that nobody within the organization can see the obvious. It’s perfect actually.
The real soap opera happens when they miss the playoffs and one of the wonder twins decides they want out.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

what will continue to sewer them until the two superstars expire or are traded is that the pair they award the most ice time to are entranced with buffering their point totals and leading the points race and they won't give that up to learn to be passable defensive forwards and no one on the team has the stones to demand that of them because they know they're way too good for Edmonton and each year they are signed there is essentially charity

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

did that Oil Change sequel ever go into production?

I want to see into the eye of the dysfunctional s*** storm that must be that locker room

also for the spoils of gifs it would provide

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Boreal

I doubt it will be much different that what Ferrence exposed only with more scoring titles.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/and...155913084.html

Lol! Andy got paid though....

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

I wonder which team he suits up for in the Heritage Classic Alumni Game?

The Oilers cause they'll overpay.

[Reggie Dunlop]

I bet when Andrew Ference was kidnapped by Mysterio, he half-wished Spider Mable didn't return him to the Oilers.

[PuckSlap]

Might have been posted already.

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