Edmonton is No Good Episode 4: New Rink, Same Stink

[CedarMeter]

Has anyone come to the conclusion that they might be good?. I haven't said anything negative towards their team. I'll save my opinion till mid season.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

Has anyone come to the conclusion that they might be no good?. I haven't said anything negative towards their team. I'll save my opinion till mid season.

It looks like just about everyone.

[CedarMeter]

Originally Posted by Redrum

It looks like just about everyone.

Ok, hope it doesn't all back fire in our faces.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

Has anyone come to the conclusion that they might be good?. I haven't said anything negative towards their team. I'll save my opinion till mid season.

I think this year is going to challenge the character of that team.

Usually when a team has a massive jump, and a team like Edmonton that basically went from 70 points to over a hundred with very little personal changes ends up falling back the next year.

I was reading that other board that was boasting that JP two goal preseason game is his breakthrough game and that everything is awesome.

I give Edmonton's media credit, the fifth department third section of the truthfulness creation directorate has done an amazing job of brain washing the slightly less then intelligent fanbase of the Oilers.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

Ok, hope it doesn't all back fire in our faces.

I think you have to accept that for the vast majority of posters this is not a thread for comments to be taken seriously.

[mikephoen]

I'm unfortunately in Edmonton this weekend, and the hype is insane. I've had people tell me that anything less than the Stanley Cup finals will be a disappointment. People talking about who the best matchup for them in the conference finals will be, and deciding it doesn't really matter as the central isn't very good. I heard last night that Yamamoto should have gone top 3 in the draft.

[Rejean31]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

I really hope this isn't the refrain on this board for yet another season, it was incredibly tiresome to hear the whining from our fanbase about their so-called luck all last year.

Did you see the fluky bounce on Pulijarviis' second goal? All I am saying is that team seems to have an unusual amount of lucky breaks fall their way. Starting with the lucky break of a lottery ball falling their way, butter soft schedules, etc.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

Has anyone come to the conclusion that they might be good?. I haven't said anything negative towards their team. I'll save my opinion till mid season.

There is a world of difference between being "good" and being a Stanley Cup contender. The Oilers are a playoff team, but that defence is laughable and should never be depended upon to carry a team beyond a single post season round.

[Phil1111]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

There is a world of difference between being "good" and being a Stanley Cup contender. The Oilers are a playoff team, but that defence is laughable and should never be depended upon to carry a team beyond a single post season round.

Winner, now back to Oiler bashing, because after all its just so much fun.

[Flamesm]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

I'm unfortunately in Edmonton this weekend, and the hype is insane. I've had people tell me that anything less than the Stanley Cup finals will be a disappointment. People talking about who the best matchup for them in the conference finals will be, and deciding it doesn't really matter as the central isn't very good. I heard last night that Yamamoto should have gone top 3 in the draft.

Someone should remind them that even though they are paying drai 8.5 (or Russell 4x4), that doesn't mean they actually improved at their respective positions. I can't wait for drai's contract to kick in..

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I think this year is going to challenge the character of that team.

Usually when a team has a massive jump, and a team like Edmonton that basically went from 70 points to over a hundred with very little personal changes ends up falling back the next year.

I was reading that other board that was boasting that JP two goal preseason game is his breakthrough game and that everything is awesome.

I give Edmonton's media credit, the fifth department third section of the truthfulness creation directorate has done an amazing job of brain washing the slightly less then intelligent fanbase of the Oilers.

As much as I hope you're right, both the Hawks and the Pens went from garbage to cup winners in no time after getting their stars. I see the rationale behind the doubts, but generational talent at centre makes things happen differently, painful as that is to consider.

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

As much as I hope you're right, both the Hawks and the Pens went from garbage to cup winners in no time after getting their stars. I see the rationale behind the doubts, but generational talent at centre makes things happen differently, painful as that is to consider.

Both had vastly better defenses.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

As much as I hope you're right, both the Hawks and the Pens went from garbage to cup winners in no time after getting their stars. I see the rationale behind the doubts, but generational talent at centre makes things happen differently, painful as that is to consider.

The Oilers will go no further than Talbot will take them.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

As much as I hope you're right, both the Hawks and the Pens went from garbage to cup winners in no time after getting their stars. I see the rationale behind the doubts, but generational talent at centre makes things happen differently, painful as that is to consider.

Lets be clear that the Oilers are not the Pens or the Hawks. They don't have anywhere near the depth that the Hawks in 2008 had, and its not close. The Hawks had a very deep blueline and a very deep forward line.

The Pens team that made the jump from 58 to plus 108 wasn't really an all star team but was very deep from lines 1-4 and had a pretty good blueline and goaltending because they frankly drafted well and built organizational depth.

The Oilers blueline might be ok with Sekera in, but missing him to the new year is going to hurt. The Oilers first line is always going to be very good because of McDavid, if they get Draisaitl running the second line it could be a good second line, but after that there's not much and there's no injury depth at all.

I know that Oilyaz fans like to harp on the Hawks and the Pens but they're not the Hawks and the Pens, they didn't draft well enough to be the Hawks and Pens, and the Oilers even if they are the Hawks and Pens are running into cap problems at the start of next year that will force them to strip any kind of top 6 or top 4 depth that they have.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Let's also be clear that the Oilers do have the best offensive player in the game and a goaltender that appears to be able to carry the team on his back. The should be able to get by with a mediocre defense so long as their offense is capable of putting up 4-5 goals a game. They have problems on that team, but they have the ability to be successful regardless of those shortcomings. It is going to be up to the opposition to stop McJesus and then expose the weaknesses. We'll see if that happens.

[rotten42]

Originally Posted by New Era

It is going to be up to the opposition to stop McJesus and then expose the weaknesses. We'll see if that happens.

Seems to me they did expose McJezus's weakness in the playoffs last year.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by New Era

Let's also be clear that the Oilers do have the best offensive player in the game and a goaltender that appears to be able to carry the team on his back. The should be able to get by with a mediocre defense so long as their offense is capable of putting up 4-5 goals a game. They have problems on that team, but they have the ability to be successful regardless of those shortcomings. It is going to be up to the opposition to stop McJesus and then expose the weaknesses. We'll see if that happens.

Pitt led the league with a 3.39 PPG last year.

The Oilers were 8th at 2.96. League average was 2.71

Sure, they were in the top 10, but it's not like we're talking about some kind of offensive dynamo that outscore defensive deficiencies.

Any slip up from Talbot and they will be exposed as the one-dimensional team that they are.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Pitt led the league with a 3.39 PPG last year.

The Oilers were 8th at 2.96. League average was 2.71

Sure, they were in the top 10, but it's not like we're talking about some kind of offensive dynamo that outscore defensive deficiencies.

Any slip up from Talbot and they will be exposed as the one-dimensional team that they are.

The Oilers were also 9th in shots against. Right behind the Flames.

The "terrible" defense gets a bit overplayed here which is understandable, but last years Oilers weren't the the 13/14 Avalanche or the 14/15 Flames.

The Oilers had solid underlying numbers last season.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Pitt led the league with a 3.39 PPG last year.

The Oilers were 8th at 2.96. League average was 2.71

Sure, they were in the top 10, but it's not like we're talking about some kind of offensive dynamo that outscore defensive deficiencies.

Any slip up from Talbot and they will be exposed as the one-dimensional team that they are.

Yup, that was their average. That is why they are going to have to score 4-5 goals to win a game, because they are going to have games where their offense is shut down. They will have to be better than average to win games, because their average of less isn't going to cut it with their defense. Talbot will carry them as far as he can, which is why they are going to need quite a few 4+ goal games this year.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Talbot will get injured if they try to have him play 70 games again.