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

[Iggy599]

After seeing articles/interviews and even play-by-play like this coming from other fan bases (Edmonton and Toronto in particular) it sure is refreshing to hear the folks who cover the Flames seemingly have a more realistic and objective view of the team overall.

[Locke]

Seriously??

We have to change the thread title now.

"Edmonton is No Good VI: This Time It's Different....except the same."

[CroFlames]

Flames have more preseason points than Oilers. I thought it was different this time?

Spoiler!

[mikeecho]

The Edmonton media emotional roller coaster is an amazing thing to observe over the course of a season. The highs are so high and the lows are so low... and they shift by the second!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Spector: This is a different situation from last year when the team went 6–2 in the preseason. It's REALLY different this year because the Oilers KNOW they have to get off to a good start this year.

Unlike last year when they had the same preseason results the team really, really, really looks ready to start the regular season this year. This time, it's different."

If they were just REALLY ready to start the season, I wouldn't be too worried. But hearing that they're really, really, really ready? Okay, now I'm worried.

Here come the Oilers!

[bubbsy]

I don't understand you guys, the oilers are a very different team!


They brought in a depth winger in Reider.... Lost their most experienced top 4 d man to injury for most of the upcoming year.... Overpaid for a solid backup (umm, who's only played in the KHL)....



In fact, it doesn't matter. Counting on all their players to have career best seasons in order to be successful, is a fool-proof management style.


Expectations for this group should be very high. Conference finals or bust!

[BloodFetish]

^^ I think the term you're looking for is bi-poiler

[Realistic]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

I don't understand you guys, the oilers are a very different team!


They brought in a depth winger in Reider.... Lost their most experienced top 4 d man to injury for most of the upcoming year.... Overpaid for a solid backup (umm, who's only played in the KHL)....



In fact, it doesn't matter. Counting on all their players to have career best seasons in order to be successful, is a fool-proof management style.


Expectations for this group should be very high. Conference finals or bust!

You forgot to mention they also brought in a “solid” assistant coach (formerly with the Flames) that will also lead them from their “one off” season!

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Detroit is 6-0 in the preseason. Might as well start preparing for a Redwing-Oiler cup final?

No, no. Because unlike the Oilers, the Red Wings don’t KNOW that they need to get off to a good start. Spector says this makes all the difference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Saqe]

Well if Spector says it's different this time then I guess I just have to accept it.

[Red Slinger]

I was at the Oilers game last night and holy hell they are an awful team. McDavid covers up a lot of warts on that hog.

Lucic looked exactly like he did last year.
Draisatl looked clunky and out of sorts.
Pjuarvliashiasarvi looked completely lost.
Nurse had a nice rush but otherwise looked like a 3/4 defenseman playing a 1/2 role.
The first line of Rattie, McDavid and Tenderness were good but these are not big, physical players. It's a small, soft line that I suspect will get pushed around. When the regular season rolls around I think a lot of guys are going to get in Connor's grill and he won't have anyone there to stand up for him.

The Oilers are going to ride or die with Talbot this year. If he plays lights out they might make the playoffs. If not, they'll continue to be what they are and have always been:

NO GOOD!

[Hot_Flatus]

What's the over/under on the first Spector article rightly trashing the team for another miserable season? November 1st?

[Boreal]

They’re already priming the excuses pump for the Oilers, ...if when they face plant in the first 10 games.

https://edmontonsun.com/sports/hocke...dmonton-oilers

But I mean come on... this one was a rush job for T-bone so no time to proof read, just so fans know how tough things are.

McLellan coached Canada to a world championship in Prague and previously took the Jan Jose Sharks to Stockholm to open a season back in 2011.

[topfiverecords]

Looks like it’s going to be another fun year where watching Oiler losses is as much fun as a Flames win.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by nobles_point

https://edmontonsun.com/sports/hocke...dmonton-oilers

This is my favourite part of this article:

Originally Posted by Terry Jones

"It’s been a near-perfect training camp and pre-season for the Oilers as they appear, as McLellan puts it to go from a position of weakness to a position of strength on right wing with the combined 15-goal production of Ty Rattie, Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto, 18-year-old defenceman Evan Bouchard likely making the team and key players like goaltender Cam Talbot looking like they’re going to have a bounce back season."

Hahahaha! Only in Edmonton do 13-career-goals Puljujarvi, AHL journeyman Ty Rattie, and rookie just coming out of juniour Kailer Yamamoto constitute "strength on right wing." How can anyone even pretend to take this seriously?

[Enoch Root]

"Connor McDavid is dialed in, and it's only September folks"

The hype machine just never stops. They are incapable of bringing a balanced view to things.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

"Connor McDavid is dialed in, and it's only September folks"

The hype machine just never stops. They are incapable of bringing a balanced view to things.

You know, I have noticed something about McDavid this preseason: He has only one gear, and its always on. So, this is how he has always looked—once the season starts he will continue to play like he is playing now, and will not really amp up like a lot of other veteran players do. By the same token, if the Oilers ever do make the playoffs again in my lifetime this is what I expect—that McDavid will just continue to play in the same top-gear that he does in the pre-season, in December or February.

He is an exceptionally fast and very skilled player, but there has never been any variation in how he plays the game from one part of the season to the next. I suppose that's a good thing, but by the same token all those drooling Oilers fans are setting themselves up for disappointment expecting that McDavid has more to give once October starts. This is it.

[djsFlames]

Why does no one over there have the sense to pump the brakes even just a little after year after year of exactly the same script minus one flash in the pan?

You can be excited and still hold a wait and see approach, you know. Cautious optimism, a good stance to take as a reporter/columnist that traditionally should see things in a less biased light than fans. Save yourself at least a little bit of face for later.

Letting an OT Yotes game be the thing that knocks the throttle into full hype seems a little excessive to say the least.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

"Connor McDavid is dialed in, and it's only September folks"

The hype machine just never stops. They are incapable of bringing a balanced view to things.

That is right it is just September. By November he will already be burnt out or going through another laundry list of illnesses.

[Realistic]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Why does no one over there have the sense to pump the brakes even just a little after year after year of exactly the same script minus one flash in the pan?

You don’t seem to get it! It wasn’t one flash in the pan, it was 9 flashes in the pan!