Edmonton is No Good XII: "I Dunno.. it's Just Not Good."

[Manhattanboy]

I’m hearing from a couple sources inside the Oilers organization that regardless of whether they turn things around over the next few games they will remain no good.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Perfect example.

During that winning streak in 2023-2024, of the 16 teams the Oilers played, only five held a playoff position at the time. Those teams were the Rangers, Kings, Flyers, Red Wings and Maple Leafs. Furthermore, the Rangers and Kings were just 3-5-2 and 2-5-3, respectively, in their previous 10 games before playing the oilers. If you had to design an easy stretch for a team to go on a run - that was pretty much it. And the oilers needed that badly at the time.

My hope is their luck finally runs out. Not just by losing games but by losing draft lotteries. That team should be banned from winning draft lotteries for decades. I mean, they literally had to change the draft lottery rules because the oilers kept on being so bad year after year and kept picking at the top of the draft.

Just going by memory (which does not improve with age), but didn't they have an incredible stretch of backup goalies through that winning streak as well? Something like nearly half the games were backups. IIRC

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I’m hearing from a couple sources inside the Oilers organization that regardless of whether they turn things around over the next few games they will remain no good.

Source has it that McDavid's eye twitches every time a goal is scored on Skinner

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Just going by memory (which does not improve with age), but didn't they have an incredible stretch of backup goalies through that winning streak as well? Something like nearly half the games were backups. IIRC

Yeah. Also think it was a stretch where they were the team getting teams on the second half of back-to-backs. It was a run that you couldn’t duplicate the favourable conditions again in 50 seasons. Things aligned so perfectly for them.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

This is starting to smell like two seasons ago where it looked like the oilers were almost assuredly going to miss the playoffs. Then they fired that pasty coach they used to have and brought in the knob.

What did they pull off, a 17 game win streak and ended up going to the finals twice in a row?

I hope that doesn't happen again.

The difference is this year their underlying stats are terrible.

29th HDCF%
29th SCF%
23rd xGF%

Funny enough, it's not terrible defense that's bringing those splits down. They're middle of the pack when it comes to giving up scoring chances, but they're near the bottom when it comes to generating them.

31st HDCF/60
29th SCF/60

[Enoch Root]

Yeah, the last couple years, it was no surprise that they recovered from their bad starts - too much talent not to.

But this year, they are not losing because of bounces, or hot goalies, or a stupid penalty here or there - stuff that can revert. They are just flat out bad. They have been the second best team on the ice, pretty much every game they've played this year.

Can they right the ship? I still think they can to a degree. But this team is not good.

Their bottom 6 has gone from big and fast 2 years ago (McLeod, Holloday, Foegele) to small last year (Arvidsson, Skinner) to small and useless this year (Ice Man, Savoie). It's been a steady progression downward. Overall changes:

Perry
Kane
McLeod,
Foegele
Holloway
Ryan
Brown
Ceci
Desharnais

to:

Roslovic
Podkolzin
Mangiapane
Savoie
Philp
Howard
Frederic
Lazar
Walman
Emberson

Roslovic has played well, and Podkolzin has been fine. But they don't come close to replacing Perry and Kane. And beyond that, the team has lost all of its grit, much of its speed, and all of its experience.

And they still have Skinner!

[Enoch Root]

Not only are they in 11th in the west, but it could be MUCH worse. Their last 3 wins were:

CBJ: tied it in the last minute, while short handed, on a fluke bounce that resulted from CBJ passing the puck around in their own zone to kill time, instead of moving up the ice on the PP. CBJ had completely dominated the game and were up 4-2, only to literally self-destruct

PHI: PHI scored the go ahead goal with less than 2 minutes to play, but it got called back on an off side review

CAR: outshot and outplayed, but got it to OT

Anyone who has watched them regularly this year would agree - the record flatters them and they have not been anywhere near that good.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

Now I'm afraid if the Oilers keep on losing, they'll qualify the draft lottery and they'll win and draft McKenna.

I want them to make the playoffs over Vegas, and then Vegas to win that lottery for us

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Itse

I want them to make the playoffs over Vegas, and then Vegas to win that lottery for us

Why not both miss?

[Enoch Root]

I expect the Oilers eventually sneak into the playoffs, but I am hoping they finish 8th so they have to work their way through the central to go anywhere in the playoffs (which I don't think they can do)

[Erick Estrada]

As much as they get outclassed 5 on 5, they dominate on the powerplay and 3 on 3 OT. It's not easy to hold leads against them because the officials usually feel obliged to give the Oilers a late powerplay and once that happens, the game is going to OT and then the game is pretty well over for the most part.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Why not both miss?

[GioforPM]

I want Edmonton to panic, trade for Rasmus with an unprotected first, Rasmus hates Edmonton and plays like crap, Edmonton finishes out of the POs in 26th place, wins the lottery, Calgary picks 1-2 and then Rasmus dumps Edmonton and goes to UFA and wins a cup with some inoffensive team the next season.

[Vinny01]

Reading through some HF it shows how much both the Oilers and Leafs new additions have not meshed well with the team.

I am hoping the Oilers are still spinning their tires around Christmas time. The Leafs typically would have a bad October and turn it around in November but that has not happened for them. The Oilers have been known to sleep through the first 2 months before going on a heater. They hopefully do not get out of their funk either.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I want Edmonton to panic, trade for Rasmus with an unprotected first, Rasmus hates Edmonton and plays like crap, Edmonton finishes out of the POs in 26th place, wins the lottery, Calgary picks 1-2 and then Rasmus dumps Edmonton and goes to UFA and wins a cup with some inoffensive team the next season.

Can't trade Ras to Edmonton for an unprotected 1st! We need two of them!

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I want Edmonton to panic, trade for Rasmus with an unprotected first, Rasmus hates Edmonton and plays like crap, Edmonton finishes out of the POs in 26th place, wins the lottery, Calgary picks 1-2 and then Rasmus dumps Edmonton and goes to UFA and wins a cup with some inoffensive team the next season.

San Jose has Edmonton's 2026, so it would be 2027.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I want Edmonton to panic, trade for Rasmus with an unprotected first, Rasmus hates Edmonton and plays like crap, Edmonton finishes out of the POs in 26th place, wins the lottery, Calgary picks 1-2 and then Rasmus dumps Edmonton and goes to UFA and wins a cup with some inoffensive team the next season.

I believe Edmonton can have their pick if it lands in the top 10 otherwise it belongs to Philly

[You Need a Thneed]

Both the Flames and Oilers have FOUR regulation wins at this point in the season.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I want Edmonton to panic, trade for Rasmus with an unprotected first, Rasmus hates Edmonton and plays like crap, Edmonton finishes out of the POs in 26th place, wins the lottery, Calgary picks 1-2 and then Rasmus dumps Edmonton and goes to UFA and wins a cup with some inoffensive team the next season.

Would you do this?

To Flames

26 2nd round pick
28 1st round pick (unprotected)
Darnell Nurse (no retention)

To oilers

Andersson


My answer is yes. Nurse doesn't waive though so...

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Would you do this?

To Flames

26 2nd round pick
28 1st round pick (unprotected)
Darnell Nurse (no retention)

To oilers

Andersson


My answer is yes. Nurse doesn't waive though so...

ewww. Nurse? I guess you need to make the money work. But Ras doesn't make that much, and Nurse ties up money for a long time so I will take someone else.