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

[GhostCookie]

Came across an article out of the Edmonton Journal, addressing the P Kane rumors where someone is arguing that the oilers problems weren't scoring it was being scored on, and that the cost to get kane for one year would be better spent on a high end D.

Luckily the writer didn't feel the same so we got this nugget regarding the oilers defense:

5. I’m more bullish on the Oil’s defence than most. I expect Darnell Nurse will have his best season as a pro, anchoring the top pairing. I also expect Evan Bouchard and Brett Kulak to keep improving and for Cody Ceci and Tyson Barrie to be as steady as they were last year. Depth will come from players like Broberg, Markus Niemelainen, Dmitri Samorukov and Vincent Desharnais, who all have plenty of pro experience.

Don't worry, Kulak, who for some reason is being referred to like he's an up and coming D man, like Bouchard, and not a 28 year old on his 3rd team, will keep improving, with no evidence. Ceci and Barrie will as steady as last year, even though there is nothing to say that will happen, and most of the fanbase wants rid of Barrie because he is a one trick pony. And Nurse will have a career year, because reasons I guess. And they will get depth from the combined 44 games those "depth" names have played at the NHL level.

The comments section just piles on with outstanding hockey insight:

we don't need to go elsewhere for quality d men. they're already with the organization.

I agree bring in Kane...not much out there for d and you can always grab one at the deadline.

Two of the best players in the world. You give them all the weapons you can afford. If Kane wants to come, much like the Keith deal the cost shouldnt be too astronomical.

See how the depth D start the season and add at the deadline.

BELIEVE

[topfiverecords]

They really use the word expect a lot.

[djsFlames]

"Expect" = kiss of death in Edmonton, no?

Eh, Davey?

[FBI]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

"Expect" = kiss of death in Edmonton, no?

Eh, Davey?

dust off your rearview mirrors boys!

[djsFlames]

I like how they're assuming good d-men will just be there for the plucking at the deadline.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I like how they're assuming good d-men will just be there for the plucking at the deadline.

That's when you overpay for derpth.

[dino7c]

these guys know they were out of a playoff spot and fired their coach deep into last season right?

[CroFlames]

Besides 2017, when was the last time the Oil finished ahead of us? 2002?

[Mull]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Besides 2017, when was the last time the Oil finished ahead of us? 2002?

2022 - finishing ahead in the playoffs + eliminating us>>>>> regular season any day.
Where you place in the playoffs is where you finally finished. Hence draft order

[GhostCookie]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I like how they're assuming good d-men will just be there for the plucking at the deadline.

While they are in LTIR and accumulating no cap space, and will be competing against teams that have been banking cap. And also they have less picks and prospects to use on account of the cost of getting Kane.

[Bingo]

I look forward to keeping an eye on this one through the season

https://twitter.com/user/status/1552335944816087040

My response this summer ...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1552373434323050498

St. Louis and Colorado both had 8 last year to lead the league. Average team had four.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by bc-chris

i've talked about one of my customers in the past and how he is a HUGE oilers fan... and i mean HUGE!!! we were chatting this afternoon about the upcoming season and he said to me, "it pains me to admit it, but the flames are an even better team than last season".

this guy is also very well connected within 'nhl circles'. i sent him an email on iggy's birthday asking him to text iggy 'happy birthday from a huge flames fan' - and he does.
i do the same thing on the anniversary of the bruins taking out the canucks in the finals - just asking him to send mark recchi a 'high 5' from me - and he does! ha!
he's gotten me TONS of stuff signed by current and past nlhers. so all this to say we often talk about hockey stuff and he is regularly 'in the know' when it comes to stuff going on - so i asked him about smitty. i guess his groin is absolutely toast. could he play - maybe, but with 1 year left he's looking at quality of life after the game and wants to be able to enjoy it. he (smitty) knows too many guys who are retired who have had multiple surgeries after retirement and they just never fully recover so LTIR it is for him.

Sig worthy: Smitty...his groin is absolutely toast!

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Mull

2022 - finishing ahead in the playoffs + eliminating us>>>>> regular season any day.
Where you place in the playoffs is where you finally finished. Hence draft order

Because 5 games count for everything, and 82 games count for nothing.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Mull

2022 - finishing ahead in the playoffs + eliminating us>>>>> regular season any day.
Where you place in the playoffs is where you finally finished. Hence draft order

I thought it was pretty obvious what I was talking about.

[Mull]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Because 5 games count for everything, and 82 games count for nothing.

?????
In terms of final standings- yes?

[Mull]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I thought it was pretty obvious what I was talking about.

I quickly looked up and still don't get the context of what you mean. I think its obvious you mean regular season, but I don't get why that matters - playoffs is life.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Mull

?????
In terms of final standings- yes?

In terms of assessing the actual quality of a team? Absolutely not.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Mull

I quickly looked up and still don't get the context of what you mean. I think its obvious you mean regular season, but I don't get why that matters - playoffs is life.

Playoffs are a sideshow put on by the league to make extra money. The format nearly guarantees that the best team won't win.

[Mull]

K, I am out for a bit, this is splitting hairs to justify last years disappointing result.


A "better" team in sports that isn't decided by final standings, enforced by an elimination series between the two teams in comparison, can be measured from a million and one directions.
We were healthy in the regular season, we were injured in playoffs. Oilers had injuries.

It just reeks of homerizim to say they eliminated us in only 5 games but we were the better team last year.

Its a joke

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Playoffs are a sideshow put on by the league to make extra money. The format nearly guarantees that the best team won't win.