Edmonton is No Good VI: Chia•den•freu•de

[Dajazz]

I wonder if a team owned by Harold Ballard, managed by Mike Milbury and coached by errrr... I guess Dallas Eakins would be better or worse than the current Oilers.

I mean, the list of 1st overalls and top picks. The consistent downgrading trades, the failure to develop any talent or draft outside top 5. The UFA signings. And to top it off, the constant bravado - “I know a bit about winning”

[troutman]

Did not play, playoff odds down 0.2 to 20.9%

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/W.../Edmonton.html

A loss to AZ drops them to 16.5%. About the same odds as rolling a 6 on a d6.

[Robbob]

As we start the new year, between the Flames and Oilers, the teams have a combined 85 games left on the schedule. Thought I would take a page from Mark Spector with looking in that rear view mirror. A combination of 37 favorable out comes for the flames will keep Edmonton in the review mirror. There are 22 games to be played before the All-star break. There is no doubt that 37 will have been chipped down to a number in the low 20s by the all-star break. The All-star break is probably the only thing that is saving them from that number getting to the teens.

[CaptainCrunch]

I really like Sportsclub's playoff odds but sometimes its difficult to predict.


It would be interesting to see how positions change in the second half of the season in terms of teams that are out and looking in.


Frankly the American Thanksgiving date just seems very solid, if you're out then the odds are stacked against you.


With the Oilers the difficulty is this.


In terms of the Pacific division they're falling rapidly behind the curve.


The top runners are 13 points up and San Jose is 10 points up, and all of them have winning records in the last 10. Its doubtful that Edmonton can win 5 to 7 more games then the front runner over the next half of the season.


Anaheim is in range 6 points up on them in the wildcard spot. But its going to be tough though not impossible to catch them. They can probably over take Dallas who are 5 points up however Dallas though they have struggled at 4-5-1 in the last 10 still gained two points on the Oilers.


Here's the problem for Edmonton, there are two teams between Edmonton and that final wildcard spot and its next to impossible to vault over three teams,



The only benefit that Edmonton has right now is games in hand, However what hurts them is that they trail everyone in terms of ROW and they aren't doing well in terms of season series.


I think they're boned and only 5 points out of last place in the NHL with all the teams behind them being hotter then them.


The Oilers are also not really getting much help back from their injuries.


I think they're done.


Time to start selling.

[dash_pinched]

Bring back Davidson (and double your Brandons)

https://twitter.com/user/status/1080519439274074112

[Locke]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

Bring back Davidson (and double your Brandons)

https://twitter.com/user/status/1080519439274074112

I remember when he was their saviour. Until he wasnt.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I really like Sportsclub's playoff odds but sometimes its difficult to predict.

It would be interesting to see how positions change in the second half of the season in terms of teams that are out and looking in.

Frankly the American Thanksgiving date just seems very solid, if you're out then the odds are stacked against you.

With the Oilers the difficulty is this.

In terms of the Pacific division they're falling rapidly behind the curve.

The top runners are 13 points up and San Jose is 10 points up, and all of them have winning records in the last 10. Its doubtful that Edmonton can win 5 to 7 more games then the front runner over the next half of the season.

Anaheim is in range 6 points up on them in the wildcard spot. But its going to be tough though not impossible to catch them. They can probably over take Dallas who are 5 points up however Dallas though they have struggled at 4-5-1 in the last 10 still gained two points on the Oilers.

Here's the problem for Edmonton, there are two teams between Edmonton and that final wildcard spot and its next to impossible to vault over three teams,

The only benefit that Edmonton has right now is games in hand, However what hurts them is that they trail everyone in terms of ROW and they aren't doing well in terms of season series.

I think they're boned and only 5 points out of last place in the NHL with all the teams behind them being hotter then them.

The Oilers are also not really getting much help back from their injuries.

I think they're done.

Time to start selling.

I think the other thing against them is they are not a team. Hitch's pulling the 3 off the ice and working the rest of the group is only going to sour and divide things. You hear it all the time in teams that are successful, part of it is the chemistry within the team. The whole band of brothers and all that. What they have now is a completely fractured team that is broken. Hitch is essentially trying to win games with on the shoulders of one player.

The NHL is hard enough and they they are making things harder. I kind of chuckle because they are trying to change the culture of entitlement, but the first thing they do is give preferable treatment to a couple players.

[Hemi-Cuda]

If you want some entertainment, go to HFOil and check out their GDT for the Oilers/Coyotes game, simply titled "Game". At least they're fully self aware now

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

If you want some entertainment, go to HFOil and check out their GDT for the Oilers/Coyotes game, simply titled "Game". At least they're fully self aware now

They had a poll in a GDT for the first of their current 6 game slide.

“How many goals will we win by tonight?” That is how cocky they got by their little run with Hitch. I love seeing them so beaten down right now.

The only thing we have learned over the past dozen years of pathetic failure is it takes little to no time for their arrogance to emerge if they go on a minor run.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Very standard in Canadian markets. Brad Treliving would be doing a press conference for two small trades in one day too.

BT wouldn’t be doing those trades

[Sutter_in_law]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

They had a poll in a GDT for the first of their current 6 game slide.

“How many goals will we win by tonight?” That is how cocky they got by their little run with Hitch. I love seeing them so beaten down right now.

The only thing we have learned over the past dozen years of pathetic failure is it takes little to no time for their arrogance to emerge if they go on a minor run.

or as soon as the off-season starts, or if they draft a player, or if they win a draft lottery, or if they hire a coach, or if they hire a GM, or if they build a structure, or if they sign a caveman long-term...

Really, there is not much that they do that doesn't elicit almost immediate arrogance

[neo45]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

Bring back Davidson (and double your Brandons)

https://twitter.com/user/status/1080519439274074112

It was really weird when Chiarelli got a third for him last year because that’s a clear trade win from a terrible trader.

The guy is probably a number 7 but I would take him over Manning easily and probably Petrovic as well.

[TheIronMaiden]

Kassian will start on the top line tonight.

That's right, 2 goals, 3 points, -8 Zack Kassian is a first line winger.

[Zulu29]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Kassian will start on the top line tonight.

That's right, 2 goals, 3 points, -8 Zack Kassian is a first line winger.

Why not at this point. Nothing to lose really.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I think the other thing against them is they are not a team. Hitch's pulling the 3 off the ice and working the rest of the group is only going to sour and divide things. You hear it all the time in teams that are successful, part of it is the chemistry within the team. The whole band of brothers and all that. What they have now is a completely fractured team that is broken. Hitch is essentially trying to win games with on the shoulders of one player.

The NHL is hard enough and they they are making things harder. I kind of chuckle because they are trying to change the culture of entitlement, but the first thing they do is give preferable treatment to a couple players.

While you are 100% correct and everything you said is absolutely conventional wisdom the problem is you are attempting to consider logic and practical reasoning to the Edmonton Oilers.

It just simply doesnt apply.

There are so many problems and honestly, this really seems to be the end of the rope.

The Head Coach has been fired, his Assistants were deemed unworthy to take over for him even in interim, in desperation the GM hauled a Dinosaur out of retirement in a vain attempt to save his own ass which, for a while has worked.

I know we joke that 'Hey Connor, Its a Mess' but it really, really is. And the Elite clique know it and the rest of them must know it too.

Theres no sense left in trying to make it appear to be something that its not and further, they just might be trying to shame the rest of their roster into dialing the suck down to a more-manageable '11.'

Its a 4-man roster. At best.

Besides, we all seem to be discounting the possibility that there might exist a 'Commandment from Upon High' to try and not keep McDavid and Manning on the ice together any longer than absolutely necessary.

[schteve_d]

Originally Posted by neo45

It was really weird when Chiarelli got a third for him last year because that’s a clear trade win from a terrible trader.

The guy is probably a number 7 but I would take him over Manning easily and probably Petrovic as well.

And Petrovic is on their top pairing! I love those l'il bastards!

[Scornfire]

Originally Posted by schteve_d

And Petrovic is on their top pairing! I love those l'il bastards!

This will be must see TV

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Locke

And its not even just that.



The overall structure of that roster is horrible. Their defence is paper-thin, there is no toughness anywhere in the lineup, no talent beyond the obvious, too much roster money locked into immovable contracts, wildly inconsistent goaltending which is both a problem and the symptom of a deeper problem and they have no goalies signed for next year anyways.



Ultimately though, they're in Cap Hell with players and contracts that are effectively impossible to move because of their structure and the fact that they have no 'sweeteners' left.



Nobody is taking back bad players on bad contracts without the Oilers giving something up and, frankly, they dont have anything left to give other than picks.



And they need their picks, more than that they need their picks to start panning out.



Look at the major differences, when the Oilers are struggling there is no help in Bakersfield so the thinness of their NHL roster is a symptom of the lack of depth in the NHL as well as all the way down.



They have no players that they could package up for immediate help and even if they did that they're just robbing Peter to pay Paul and ultimately treading water.



They can fire Chia if they want but its just polishing the brass on the Titanic.



What would the next GM even do? Even if he wanted to burn the whole thing to the ground outside of their only 3 decent players its effectively already in that state, theres almost nothing left to burn. None of their players have any return value other than the players that they pretty much cant deal.



Think about it. Even if they just started all over again and drafted and developed well there are so many holes to fill that even if, through some incredible feat of Nostradamian clairvoyance drafted brilliantly they would probably still be 2-4 years away from those players being NHL ready, then they'll have burned through half of McDavid's deal, half (more) of Draisaitl's, lord only knows what happens to RNH and the players that they already have will still be bad just older and likely being paid more.



And quite frankly, they'd even be in tough finding someone who would even be willing to take on a project of that magnitude and be competent enough to accomplish it.



Thats really the best part. This tire-fire that we're seeing right now? This is just the beginning. Its not going to get better from here anytime in the near future. They are trending down from here.

Well, when you put it like THAT, it sounds bad.

[SOMBRI2]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

They had a poll in a GDT for the first of their current 6 game slide.



“How many goals will we win by tonight?” That is how cocky they got by their little run with Hitch. I love seeing them so beaten down right now.



The only thing we have learned over the past dozen years of pathetic failure is it takes little to no time for their arrogance to emerge if they go on a minor run.

After living in Canada for over 20 years as an immigrant and learning English, now I truly understand the meaning of "don't get me started..."

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

[Dan403]

Did the Oil pay the Bruins compensation for hiring Chia?