Well...it depends on what reality you choose to accept.
You see, the Flames are rebuilding whereas the Oilers are rebuilt.
What you see in Edmonton is the finished product. And it has been for a couple of years. The continuance of failure and high draft picks notwithstanding, the Oilers cant claim to have been 'rebuilding' for the past few years.
They've been almost a cap team, regardless of their poor results and abjectly disgusting lack of success at anything not involving ping-pong balls, their rebuild has been complete for a while.
Whether they like it, or choose to accept it, or not.
Whereas the Flames probably have about 2 years left on their rebuild plans before its time to open the competing/contending window.
So no, the Flames are not ahead of the Oilers in the rebuilding process as the Flames are still undergoing said process whereas the Oilers have completed that process.
Just because the thing they've built sucks out loud doesnt make it any less built.
__________________ The Beatings Shall Continue Until Morale Improves!
This Post Has Been Distilled for the Eradication of Seemingly Incurable Sadness.
The World Ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishment in store. - Flames Fans
If you thought this season would have a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Locke For This Useful Post:
Yakupov is a train wreck of a hockey player. And Eberle has no work ethic when it comes to the back check. Versteeg is yet to be seen if he's in game form currently, as obviously there were some concerns when he went back to FA.
Which team's group do you think actually helps you win? I'd take Frolik's PKing and scoring touch and Brouwer's hard nosed style and track record contributing to successful teams over one dimensional perimeter players. I didn't even need to list a third guy.
I think right now, in 16/17, Gaudreau is better than McDavid.
Of course that has no bearing the future. Reasons being he's older and more developed. So the "the Oilers have McDavid, so their forward group is ahead" (right now) argument is pretty much void. At least as of presently.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to djsFlames For This Useful Post:
I think right now, in 16/17, Gaudreau is better than McDavid.
Of course that has no bearing the future. Reasons being he's older and more developed. So the "the Oilers have McDavid, so their forward group is ahead" (right now) argument is pretty much void. At least as of presently.
Only Flames fans think this. Not saying it's for sure wrong, but only Flames fans think this. And maybe WhiskeyYourTheDevils on HF.
Let's see McDavid string together more than Gaudreau's 78 points over a full season, and help his team in the standings, where it matters. Score meaningful goals that win games alike Johnny in OT the past two seasons, not only 2nd or 3rd goals in a loss/blowout loss. And then contribute on the level that Gaudreau did in the post season (nearing a PPG, and some big goals). Let's see before we insinuate based on hype and talent. Like a poster said before, there's a high scorer on a poor team and there's players that take teams on their back and help them win. From what I've seen of Gaudreau, he does a lot of the latter for the Flames. So let's see Connor do that for the Oil.
Thing is people keep talking about players according to their predicted ceilings, as opposed to what they actually are at present. McDavid has far from peaked, but Gaudreau is more of a game changer at this moment and it's not hard to see this if you watched the two playing this week.
A couple years and McDavid could very well surpass Gaudreau in various parts of the game. Today, I take Gaudreau. I'm not talking about ceilings, I'm talking about the current player. Though I also have no idea just how high Johnny's could be either.. and that's really hard to put a cap on, to put it simply.
Let's see, one team made the playoffs two seasons ago and should be in the race again this year. The other can't help finishing last place almost every single year.
But at least they know a thing or two about winning.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Gaudreauvertime For This Useful Post:
Stopped reading at David Staples, Edmonton Journal. Don't know how this guy is employed.
Because Edmontonians eat this crap up.
Who do you think has been keeping oil fans hyped up for this decade long rebuild? It's the media that's been serving them the kool-aid all along. Every summer they'll dangle the Oiler's new saviour and the fans believe in it and even trash talk about how good their team is going to be.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bandwagon In Flames For This Useful Post:
will outperform whatever 3rd line the Oilers can concoct. And collectively will be at least twenty or thirty better in the +/- category, because, responsible...and proven.
They haven't even signed Versteeg, so how can be considered an "acquisition"? By all accounts he's not in game shape physically. But yes, he's surely better than those Flames listed.
#offseasonchampions
It goes way beyond outperform...
The Oilers simply don't have a shut down line. Of any kind. The closest thing I can come up with is:
Maroon - RNH - Eberle
(assuming:
Lucic - McDavid - Yakupov/Versteeg, as the top line, and
Pouliot - Draisaitl - Puljujarvi as the sheltered, 2nd scoring line.)
If you move Eberle to McDavid's line, you have to put Yakupov or Versteeg on the checking line:
Maroon - RNH - Yakupov
This is why I keep saying they are flawed - they may have some talented forwards, but they don't have a team.
They don't have a checking line. They don't have any top pairing defensemen. And they are highly suspect in the backup goalie department.
When games actually matter, that team can't compete.
You would honestly take Eberle-Yak-Versteeg over Brouwer-Frolik-Chaisson?
Versteeg is broken and Yakupov is either top 6 or nothing and his production is terrible for a top 6. At least Chaisson would be good in his role (bottom two lines). I think you value flashy skills over other attributes like grit and defensive player, which is fine for your top guys, but not when you are comparing guys who aren't good enough to be in a playoff team's top 6. At least Brouwer and Frolik could be complimentary parts with other skill players. Those Oiler guys are one dimensional and just not very good at that dimension. An argument could be made for Versteeg of a few years ago but it's 2016 now. He's finished.
If the Oilers wanted to trade those three players for our 3 players, I would do it.
Just for that top line alone, I'd do it. Obviously an Oilers Yakupov is different than another teams Yakupov, but I think he's still a good talent. He's tenacious and skilled, but not a guy who can take over a game.
The Flames three RWs are all better suited for bottom six roles
How anyone can see a 19 year old with an 18 goal season as hanging in the balance between top six and a third liner is beyond me.
Unreal.
Bennett is still my pick for the player with the highest impact at his peak. Probably won't reach the point totals that Gaudreau does, but I expect Bennett to become our most important player.
Just for that top line alone, I'd do it. Obviously an Oilers Yakupov is different than another teams Yakupov, but I think he's still a good talent. He's tenacious and skilled, but not a guy who can take over a game.
The Flames three RWs are all better suited for bottom six roles
Big picture, Eberle has no trade value and his 6m is going to get in the way when Bennett and Tkachuk come up. I also think that line would get ground down in the playoffs too, much the way 13-23-24 were nullified by the Ducks and Canucks (for most of the series). I think a power forward is a much better compliment for the top line than another skill guy. Gaudreau doesn't need more skill on his line, he needs more space on the ice, and he needs a good forechecker to help dig pucks out. Brouwer will be a much better fit though Eberle is clearly more skilled.
The Following User Says Thank You to TheoFleury For This Useful Post:
why is there only ever Oilers-leaning junk troll articles? where are the extreme Flames homer clickbait pieces? I'll happily read those all day even if they're just as unrealistic.
why is there only ever Oilers-leaning junk troll articles? where are the extreme Flames homer clickbait pieces? I'll happily read those all day even if they're just as unrealistic.
Because Eric Francis knows Flames fans aren't delusional. He can get more views from trashing the Flames than hyping them.
The Oilers clearly have the better forward group, and the Flames have a better defensive group. I think the Flames now have a better goalie tandem, but Talbot is no slouch either. Oilers right now have the more proven coach. Flames have the better management group.
Now it's just a question of moral compass, since the Oilers built theirs almost entirely using the lottery to build their roster (McDavid, Drasaitl, Larsson (from Hall), Yakupov, Nuge), whereas the Flames did it only partially through the high draft picks (Monahan, Tkachuck, Bennett) and instead built some from late draft picks, all while Iginla and company tried to win games rather than tanking.
I think if the Flames had one more elites winger, it's not a comparison. But leave it to the Edmonton Journal to neglect to compare apples to apples. The Oilers 2017 roster follows (tied with...) the worst playoff drought record in the history of the NHL and one of the worst droughts in all of sports.
I question this.
Where do they rank in terms of goals scored per game?
The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to CroFlames For This Useful Post:
