You can see it now, the losses are wearing on all involved. This kind of tailspin gets you traded, bought out, sent to the minors, and for the coach it means getting fired. The last chance Texaco would be a trade for goaltending, but general manager Ken Holland isn’t wired for mid-season salvation. You can’t fire 23 players, and the owner is tied to the general manager for two more years in a pandemic. A goaltender who can stay healthy and show up on time would help enormously but there’s a hockey truth about this situation that goes back decades: Easy street is firing the coach, and we are here.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New DNB: Time for the Oilers to move on from Mikko Koskinen
- Lowetide: If Oilers plan a coaching change, why stop there?
- New DNB: Exploring how the Oilers can get back on track
- Lowetide: Long December has Oilers fans looking for reasons to believe
- Lowetide: Can the Oilers fix their defence with the current personnel?
- DNB: Why getting Mike Smith back now is important to the Oilers’ present and future plans
- Lowetide: The five most effective Oilers mid-season recalls since 1979-80
- Lowetide: A complete review of the Bakersfield Condors’ 2021-22 season to date
- DNB: For Oilers’ Kailer Yamamoto, the goal has always been to belong with the best
- Lowetide: Oilers prospects have a long history of world juniors excellence
- DNB: Jesse Puljujarvi’s next contract? Expectations for Dylan Holloway? Oilers mailbag
- Lowetide: If the Oilers add a big deadline asset, Philip Broberg will be the ask
- Lowetide: How Jesse Puljujarvi has earned role as Oilers’ top right winger next to Connor McDavid
- Lowetide: 7 AHL trade targets that could immediately improve Oilers’ NHL forward depth
- DNB: How Stuart Skinner became Oilers’ ‘young goalie on the rise’
- Lowetide: Oilers still haven’t replaced Adam Larsson’s nasty edge and goal suppression ability
- DNB: Oilers’ 5-game losing streak highlights 5 glaring issues that need to be fixed
- Lowetide: If the losing continues will the Oilers make a coaching change?
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2021
WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY
- On the road to: NYI, NYR, TOR (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-1-1)
- At home to: OTT, CHI, FLA, CGY (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: VAN (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: NAS (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: MTL, OTT (Expected 2-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 5-5-1, 11 points in 11 games
- Actual January results: 0-1-1, 1 point in 2 games
- Oilers in 2021-22: 18-13-2, 38 points in 33 games
Edmonton is on pace for 94 points, that’s the range of expectation for the final playoff spot annually (92-94) and if Holland is going to fire the coach or make a trade I expect we’ll see it in the next 15 days. His summer’s work isn’t working, and the quickest way to freshen the situation is bringing in a new coach. Let’s have a look at last night’s game.
Mikko Koskinen made two terrible plays miles from his net early in the game and that’s all she wrote. The Oilers are both a comedy and a tragedy currently, comedy because the goalie who can’t stay healthy would have made both plays and tragedy because some careers are about to take a turn because circumstances. Koskinen stopped 24 of 28 shots, .857. His total for the season is 3.19, .900 and the big Finn owns a 12-7-1 record. Man he could have helped himself with a good game.
Darnell Nurse played 26:27, had a HDSC, hammering one off the crossbar late, eight shot attempts, three hits, and was on ice for two GA, Lafreniere’s and the Krieder goal. I count the Lafreniere GA as being solely on the goaltender, although someone in the comments section called out Nurse for lollygagging so maybe we have some disagreement on the play. Krieder goal was on Koskinen.
Evan Bouchard played 23:25 and was on the ice for the same goals as Nurse, I didn’t see any dastardly deeds by No. 75 on either play. Four shot attempts, he made some creative plays (included a serpentine trip up the ice that resulted in a decent look in the high slot). I know he isn’t perfect defensively, but I’m excited about his future. He has a terrific career ahead.
Tyson Barrie played 19:48, the final NYR goal went in off his left foot in one of those rolleye moments that piles on teams when things are going bad. He’s on a run of reasonable games, and was fine save for a couple of wobbly passes and that’s kind of the price of doing business. He is best played on third pair and challenged when with Nurse (he did both yesterday). He’s predictable on the power play but the entire team needs more of them to get into a zone.
Duncan Keith took a lot of heat online for pinching on the Goodrow goal, and he was aggressive, but the puck came off Foegele’s stick like a rocket sled on a rail. That’s a lot about bad luck. He definitely plays a physical style, and it did stand out to me last night in a game where Edmonton had few men answering the Rangers steamroller.
Cody Ceci was on for the Goodrow goal, complete jailbreak and there was some bad luck attached. Quiet otherwise, he played a safe game to my eye and I don’t object.
Slater Koekkoek drew a penalty and got flattened by the Ryan Lindgren, along with taking a penalty. He had some pushback physically and was unable to block the pass on the Strome goal.
It was a weird game because the numbers look good and this is the kind of shot share and expected goals percentage you’re looking for at five-on-five. However, there are times when the process gets overwhelmed by the reality and we are here. Keith-Ceci are now 16-18 at five-on-five for the season, that’s stronger than Nurse-Bouchard (10-14) and I don’t think this is a top-four defense, but Caleb Jones and Ethan Bear are gone and Philip Broberg isn’t quite ready. Slats would find a solution, Kevin Lowe found Steve Staios, but the Oilers rarely add a player who can step in and help for nothing. Jan Hejda, where are you?
FORWARDS
I’m not going to do the usual with the forwards because these numbers sum it up well. I thought the Draisaitl line looked good, to the point where I’m thinking Foegele might be a keeper with Leon. So far at five-on-five (just 30 minutes) the Corsi is 60 and the expected goals 65 percent, so I’d like to see some more. That would Nuge up for third-line duty with McLeod or Yamamoto.
McDavid’s line had good numbers but not much to show for it, seems to me the captain is in fact tired, and drained. Had a 10-bell chance late via a feed from Draisaitl. He’ll be up for the Toronto game, but it was good that the team backed off his total minutes to 19 (Leon was at 20). Jesse damn near scored early with a howitzer. Hyman seems a little off since coming back from shoulder issues, wonder if he’s 100 percent.
The McLeod line was Edmonton’s best, part of that might have been qual comp. McLeod is feeling it now, his reads without the puck are confident and when he has possession he looks to wheel. Fast, dangerous, confident, this is as good as we’ve seen him. Benson finally got a chance to show his passing, that was a lovely dish to McLeod. He set up Turris in the slot later, if that went in maybe the Oilers grab another Bettmen. Earlier, Turris had a close call but the damned puck turned into a leaner.
Ryan got hammered by Reaves, sweet Jesus I was happy to see him get up. Sceviour continues to impress, he drew a penalty and was a general pain in the ass to the Rangers.
THE NEXT STEP
A few things are clear this morning: Mikko Koskinen isn’t going to start in Toronto, and since Mike Smith is injured with something that keeps getting mentioned as an upper body injury but one suspects is the same damn injury that has kept Smith away all year, something has to give.
My guess is Stuart Skinner starts against Toronto, and that the Maple Leafs game could be the final one coached by Dave Tippett. No inside information, and I didn’t think it would happen until recently, but the team looks beaten and that’s a bad sign.
It’s funny, the best game of the season and the worst game of the season have both come against the Rangers. It’s also funny that the narrative today is that Mika Zibanejad, a helluva player, was dominated in the first game but got his revenge against McDavid last night. Here they are, head to head in the two games:
- Nov. 5 McDavid v. Z: 9:15, 4-5 shots, 1-2 goals, 3-3 HDSC
- Jan 3 McDavid v. Z: 6:18, 8-2 shots, no goals, 1-0 HDSC
Our eyes see things that just aren’t there, and our brains, sometimes our hearts, create a verbal that is also incorrect. Numbers just state the facts, ma’am. Even torn and frayed, Connor McDavid is a giant in this game. Never let anyone tell you different.
TRACERS
This reminds me a little of MacT’s goodbye. Here’s what I wrote about two days before his exit:
“(MacT) refused to discuss his future aside from saying it was under discussion with “Steve” and he had the look of a man who was comfortable with his situation. It could mean he’s determined to leave, or it could mean that he’s not staying unless the GM makes sweeping changes. The are some things we can be fairly confident about right now:
- No matter who the coach is, the Oilers are going to prune the small forwards. The group that includes Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano, Robert Nilsson and Patrick O’Sullivan will not be as deep come the fall.
- Rob Schremp and Linus Omark have bad timing this summer, since smallish forwards are not in vogue.
- JF Jacques, Ryan Stone, Colin McDonald, Geoff Paukovich and Ryan O’Marra are forwards with size and as such have an advantage at TC.
- Even if MacT stays, this will be another season of massive roster turnover.”
The coach was Pat Quinn and the organization did in fact prune the small forwards. Jacques and Stone had prominent spots on the opening night roster and there was massive roster turnover.
That’s kind of the thing about changing coaches. The new guy isn’t going to put the same value on Tippett’s players, and Holland will need to bring in some new faces. Ideally, Jay Woodcroft steps in with his knowledge of the entire pro player group, but that’s probably a summer move.
I think many Oilers fans believe in a Boudreau bounce, and maybe it happens. Or they believe a new coach will be less rigid and stubborn.
Craig MacTavish won 38 games in his final Oilers season, Pat Quinn won 27 the following year. I don’t believe Dave Tippett is MacT’s equal as a coach, and that’s me being completely honest. No disrespect but there are things Tippett hasn’t tried and MacT, stubborn as he was, ran M-A Bergeron out there because of his offense.
Ken Holland chose Dave Tippett. Now, he’s likely to be pondering a replacement. I hope Oilers fans get what they deserve, a winner who can tweak the current roster and make the Bruce bounce look like child’s play. Based on the characters in this play, and the roster flaws, I suspect an early midnight in this place once called Hope.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning we’re going to let you have a say, TSN1260. Tyler Yaremchuk from DFO and Oilers Nation will join me and we’ll have a cast of several chiming in as the morning rolls. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Feeling your rage in 90 minutes!
By no means a historical Tippett hater and have been staying off these boards and the networks (hi spec and HH) for the past few days as tippets throwing koski under the bus was an absolute disgrace I didn’t wish to be reminded of. Don’t let the the door hit you in the ass on the way out Dave!
97 missing for short period may be a blessing in disguise. Suck it up, play hard and I feel reasonably good about this game. Not casting them stones at them individually but this “two stars” bullshit has gotten way out of hand and team won’t win until shift lengths, ice time etc becomes more reasonable and a bit more “team”. At some point he fact that every bottom sizer and bottom tier D flounders and drowns in Edmonton is more than a coincidence.
decade of darkness didn’t ruin me as an oilers fan but this may.
Keith and barrie’s cap hits back
Caleb Jones and a 3rd round pick back
Ghost and Phillie’s 2nd and 7th round pick
-Our 3rd pick
– ghost playing 2nd pair LD for less cap
– 2nd and 7th pick
– 5.5 million dollars
-Caleb to Chicago for a 3rd or 4th
If Bouchard isn’t ready, ghost could run PP. Yeah we are short a RD but barrie was not a good fit for what obviously was going to ail us and I don’t think a 28 year old ghost is much of a “step down” with contract expiring same as Keith….
In other thoughts:
I don’t get how Smith got 2nd game vs blues right after stinking out the joint in jersey – I had enough of tippet right there.
That’s sort of what I had suggested this summer. An innovative GM in need of a 2 LD might have taken the opportunity to buy low on the Ghost.
Ghost instead of Keith and Barrie.
Keep Bear instead of trading for Foegele.
Nurse – Bouchard
Ghost – Bear
Jones/Lags/kookoo Ceci
Plus all of that cap space and picks.
I don’t see an improvement vs what we have now. Bear is not a top 4 defenseman. That said, there is no defending the Keith trade and his cap hit.
Actually, Holland probably considered trading for the Ghost, but he probably thought he was too expensive. He wanted to keep his first rounder, lol.
Pretty close to shutting down the comments for the night, we’re not helping mankind here men.
Sorry if that was in part due to my late comment on that thread. Just seemed too beyond the pale in a hockey chat thread not to say anything.
NHL Goal Scoring Leaders:
Draisaitl – 25
Ovechkin – 24
Terry – 21 (hat trick tonight)
Matthews – 20
DeBrincat – 20 (2 tonight)
BTW..Cale Makar is on pace for 40+ goals…he’s a defenseman.
Spittin’ Chiclets
@spittinchiclets
·
14m
OH MY GOD CALE MAKAR
(CLICK FOR VIDEO)
https://twitter.com/spittinchiclets/status/1478581489189195779?s=20
Yah thats a Good one !
A longer look.
https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1478580868528713732?s=20
Looked like a Paul Coffey goal.
Makar just won the Norris Trophy.
If he can stay healthy he’ll win a couple.
He just turned 23.
Really?
Does the butt hurt really reach the level of wishing on-going physical pain on a run of the mill trolalala?
Sweet goal. They are banging goal of the year but I think it falls short of the mcjesus tally imo. Takes nothing away from it just keep seeing it mentioned on same level.
Based on one highlight goal where he burned a forward? Are you the only person voting?
That was Kirby Dach defending him, lol.
I think last night’s game was actually one of the best we’ve played in a while. Lots of energy and effort all around. We may suck lately, but last game wasn’t as pathetic as some are making it out to be.
The fact that NY had 4 PPs last night, and we’ve had 4 PPs over 4 whole games is…I have no words for it. How do four separate teams only manage an average of 1 penalty per game against us? I think it’s actually impossible.
My favourite part of the broadcast last night was them explaining how well the home team did shutting down McDavid, showing multiple highlights of defensive plays and missed opportunities. And then the last highlight shows a BLATANT interference penalty on McDavid…and the commentators had nothing to say except “ummm, uhhh, well all teams do it…that’s how you stop these two superstars.” Ya…this league is becoming sad.
IMO…there are two problems this year that I’ve been seeing for a couple years now…that I think can be remedied without any drastic moves/changes/firings…
Firstly, Koskinen is bad. Last night’s game was lost because of Koskinen…no two ways about it. He gifted NY a PP before the ice was even ready, then gifted them a goal to punish his team again 5 mins later to put them in chase mode for the 100th time this season. Both of these events can be avoided by him just staying in his net, is that so hard? Trying to blame the D for that goal is…wrong. The Kreider tip goal could go in on any goalie, but it only goes in on Koski…consistently. The 4-on-1 goal is not on him…but odds are he wouldn’t have stopped it, whereas an NHL goalie may still have had a chance. The lucky Strome goal happens, I just wish it happened more for us.
Bit of a mirage that he’s played ok for us this year, we’ve mostly just outscored his “successful play”. If there is ANY team out there willing to give us ANYTHING for him, take the deal. Otherwise, Skinner needs to be brought up permanently, and Koski needs to be put on waivers until his contract $$$ can pay Nurse’s raise next year. He has done only one good thing for us while playing here…given us time to develop Skinner. Skinner may not be 100% ready, but he is ready enough. The soft goals Skinner will inevitably let in, won’t hurt the team morale as much because there is faith he will improve from it. With Koski, the team just loses all hope because even they know he shouldn’t be in an NHL net.
Secondly, McDavid and Draisaitl are the best. I love them. They are gods among men and we are truly blessed to have them in Oil silks.
But there is a flaw to having them on our team – everyone else on the ice playing with them just stands there and watches. Or gives them the puck as soon as they touch it. It’s like they have completely forgotten they are professional friggin hockey players! How often has Yamo/Pool/Hyman/Nuge/anyone faked a pass to one of the superstars, made a move himself, then setup McDrai for a goal? Pretty sure never. No one has faith in their own game anymore, they just depend on McDrai to create everything. Sure, give them the puck, they’re damn good. But remember there is also a reason you made it to the big leagues…play like it!
In summary, get Koski off the team now. Skinner may not even be as good as him right now, but he’ll be waaaaaay better and we should be getting him icetime now to get the process started.
Remind every single player on the team to stop relying on McDrai to make everything happen out there. Remind them they are allowed to play hockey…and the wins will come.
I was laughing when they showed that reel as well.
It’s garbage especially how after there was some major pundit dust kicked up about lack of penalty calls on McDavid now we seem to be getting these odd chinzy not full 2 minute jobs just to pad stats but like those aren’t even close to stoppage/offensive zone face-off full 2 min start ones. The officiating is still a joke. Not the reason for all the skid but pretty sure it ain’t a skid if they remotely called the rulebook on interference regarding McDavid like any other player.
TWO TRADES i HOPE FOR (AND SEEM IN MY CRAZY MIND TO WORK FOR BOTH TEAMS).
If you accept that we have a 2 year window to really run, then your moves are around this year and next. After that Holland is gone so his moves will be for 18 months.
Goalie
– Someone with at leas t 1 more year. Someone who can be acquired with a dman to help now.
3C
We have a great one in Nuge and a good one in McLeod if given good wingers. So not my focus.
Upgrade at RD and LD
1.Trade 3rd round pick, Koskinen and Lagesson
to Islanders
for – Varlamov and Mayfield
The Isles save money next year and pick up a 3rd and Lagesson for their backup and depth RD. good value for them and we get a goalie for the next 2 seasons who is clearly an upgrade (fits the Roloson mold) and a Larsson replacement for this season
2.Trade Barrie and Lavoie
to Ottawa
for – Holden and Brown
Been beating the Brown drum all year. And Holden is an upgrade at 3LD (accepting they won’t fire Tippett so Keith will be 2LD all year). Ottawa gets a 2 RD who can help on the PP and is signed for reasonable dollars for what he will be used for. And Lavoie fits their youth movement.
Lineup after deals
Hyman-McDavid-Brown
Foegele-Draisatl-Puljujarvi
McLeod-Nuge-Yamamoto
Benson-Ryan-Sceviour
Nurse-Bouchard
Keith-Ceci
Holden-Mayfield
Varlamov
Smith/Skinner
Better for sure. And both Brown and Varlamov are here next year. Works cap wise all good this season.
(this is from Durag this morning, but I saw at least one other mention of the Oilers being unlikely to play .600 hockey going forward).
I wasn’t able to watch the game yesterday, and am just reading todays comments now.
I’m a little amazed tough how many think this team can’t possibly be decent going forward. They are a .576 team today. If their losing streak was 4 games instead of 6 they’d be a .613 team.
They were a .643 team last season, and a .585 team in 19-20.
Maybe the current Oilers team isn’t better than the earlier versions, but I don’t believe they’re worse. I guess that’s the consensus, I don’t see it myself.
Including the awful streak they’ve been on they’re still very close to being a .600 team on the year. Rather than being miraculous, I think they’ll *most probably* play .600 hockey through the trade deadline.
That’s JMO obviously, but I am really surprised just how low folks have gotten over the last number of games.
I do not necessarily think the team is worse but the goaltending is cooked. Unless Holland makes a trade or Skinner goes on a tear it is going to be tough to play .600 hockey.
Assume Smith is done for the year. He is forty, injury-prone and has already had two separate injuries this season. Even if he does come back it ain’t going to be pretty.
Koski is a .900 goalie the last two seasons. Not good enough.
For the record, I do not blame Koski.
Tip and Holland are largely at fault for the current state of the goaltending.
This is a pessimistic take on the goalies though. A trade is possible, as is Smith getting healthy, and also Koskinen/Skinner playing .910 hockey.
I get you feeling like this, but the team today is a .576 team in front of .902 goaltending. They’re within spitting distance of .600 even with sub-par goaltending (and also having played however many games it was without any of their LD).
I have very little faith that this team can break .500 from this day forward. There needs to be 2 top 6 forwards added and help at Centre. I have zero faith in Holland.
Sam Gagner has more points then Yamamoto what a waste of peak Leon.
See this is exactly what I mean. Thinking a team that’s currently .576 hockey, and has played .603 hockey over the past 3 seasons, can’t even play .500 going forward is more than a little bit of an over-reaction to the last 12 games, IMO.
I hope you are correct, but I’ve seen this movie before. The last 2 seasons have led up to this, because the bottom 6 have been a liability. The bottom 6 has not been the problem lately, the PP feast that floated this boat is now just a single small bowl of rice….and I honestly don’t understand why this is…is it lack of will/effort being shown by every single player on this roster, or something else?
My faith, therefore my hope, is sinking in much the same way as the Titanic. Coincidentally, Cap’n Holland of the good ship Oiler, has the same outlook as the Captain of the former vessel had.
Good times, until you are floating in frigid ocean.
There’s something in the water, indeed…
That’s one of the reasons I don’t think this team is total crap. The top 6 has been outscored worse than the bottom 6 during this run (Draisaitl leading the way).
And the PP that’s led the league 3 years running has gone cold. The early heater plus the recent PP slump bearings it back where it should be (leading the league but not by a huge margin).
Your worry here is fair, but I think the single biggest factors in the last 12 games are the missing D and a good old fashioned slump.
I’m not sure what outlook you mean here. I’m curious if you’d care to clarify.
The Titanic Captain thought his ship was unsinkable, so after it struck the iceberg they were very slow to react. As well, because the ship was viewed as such, the number of lifeboats were insufficient for the ships capacity.
Basically Holland is a very experienced, over-confident ship’s Captain, who thinks he has a solid plan in place, but it is clearly full of holes. However he ignored the obvious and doesn’t have a decent contingency plan. For example, why would he sign more serviceable NHL tweeter vets? He has a lot of room for 4-6 more NHL contracts….
And now all the flaws are in plain view as the ship is sinking.
I thought you meant Chiarelli as captain of the former vessel.
I’m not sure Holland thinks the ship is unsinkable, or is overconfident. He definitely is patient though.
Inactivity and acting too quickly can both be a problem (and we’ve seen problems on both sides with the Oilers in the last number of years).
Holland has made his bed though, with little wiggle room to change course. Whether the ship is actually sinking or not I guess we’ll just have to wait and see (or I guess not wait if you’re already convinced).
I’m guessing we’re trading for a Bruins G when Rask signs
Remember that time Holland wanted to sign Markstrom and we all got upset at the cost and concerns about his future performance?
Man, that was funny
Lol. 👍
Love watching the phlegms lose.
My best NYR friend just asked me: “What’s wrong with the Oilers”
I honestly didn’t know where to start.
Advice would be welcome, from anyone.
1) Goal
2) D
3) Lack of forward depth
No cap space either
That’s self-inflicted.
Kevin Woodley on Gregor’s show today said Koskinnen has allowed 16 goals in 19 games on Low Danger Scoring Chances, most in the league.
Did he say whether the result was statistically significant?
How many standard deviations from the mean? And what is the probability of it happening by random chance.
Watching Mikko Koskinen for years, this lines up with the eye test and his clear propensity to give up goals on non-scoring chances.
I can’t see this being “random chance”.
Is it fair to break this stuff out next time you’re on Kassian or Barrie for perceived ills?
I am not doing a statistical analysis like Woodley is purporting to do. As soon as one does statistics, one should cite the standard deviation, and the probability the outcome is not a random one.
With regard to Kassian and Barrie, I am providing analysis of indivdual events.
Did he say if Matheson’s assholish questions in the preseason had any effect?
Woodley is a hack. He spins narrative and cites proprietary stats that no one else can see to selectively support his story de jour.
Kevin did that?
Awful, awful comment. So you think he’s making this up?
The numbers don’t lie. Totally matches the eye test, too.
Flames trail Florida 3-2 after one.
Where did you go with the game updates??
Watching Colorado beat Chicago.
As expected, the Avalanche move up into the top 3 in the Central…bumping Minnesota down to 1st wildcard.
Looks like Winnipeg will beat Arizona to move to 1 point behind the Oilers for the 2nd wildcard with a game in hand.
Anaheim leading Philly 2-1 in the second period.
All in all, a dreadful night for the Oilers since the Flames can lose all 3 in the SE triangle and still be ahead of the Oilers who are huge dogs in tomorrow’s game against the Leafs.
Got it?
At least San Jose didn’t both lose in regulation and Vegas isn’t down by multiple goals…… oh, wait.
Doesn’t matter a pinch of coon shit in the standings.
San Jose is not a serious contender and Vegas, while playing without its THREE of its best players, is almost 10 points ahead of the last wildcard spot.
And it looks like Anaheim, leading 3-1 late in the third is about to move up another notch.
And here is a scouting report from Odds Shark to warm your cockles.
The Maple Leafs have outscored opponents by a 16-5 overall margin during their current 3-0-0 run. However, they could be without Auston Matthews against the Oilers after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. A subsequent PCR test has reportedly come back negative, but the status of Matthews for Wednesday’s contest has yet to be determined.
Matthews picked up 10 goals and four assists in seven December games to claim NHL first star of the month honours, including a two-goal performance in a 5-1 win in Edmonton back on December 14.
However, the Maple Leafs have enjoyed steady offensive contributions from up and down the lineup of late, with 10 different players scoring during their current three-game win streak.
Toronto has also dominated Edmonton in recent meetings, posting wins in 14 of their last 18 clashes since February 2016, and earning at least a point in each of their past nine matchups, according to the OddsShark NHL Database.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-host-oilers-favourites-wednesday-nhl-odds/
Enjoy!
Or, 7 points up with 3 more games played…..
As a usual Tippett supporter its obvious that he’s a dead man walking no matter what he says or does.
That AHL dude seems like the best idea. Or do the Oilers prefer to hire another over 50 retread?
You should check the W-L record of the AHL dude.
This is a bad take
No it isn’t.
The Condors are very bad.
7th in the Pacific Division…almost 20 PTS behind the division leaders.
-9 goal differential…2-4-2-2 in their last 10 games.
We were led to believe they would be dominant based on their superior defensive depth but their Calgary, LA and Vegas counterparts are running their show.
They’re barely competitive.
Condors are very competitive when they have goaltending. Also, the key to a successful AHL team is a strong pipeline to the NHL. The current Condors are the best farm team since Claude Julien was running Edmonton’s farm in Hamilton.
If that is true, it’s a tragedy.
The Condors don’t have a problem with GA…they have allowed fewer goals than every other team in the division except for Abbotsford.
Thing is…they have 58 GF while the Heat and Reign have scored 90.
Goaltending would seem to be about the least of their issues.
They don’t mean anything, DSF. You’re looking at the AHL the wrong way.
Success breeds success.
Cliches breed nonsense.
And within the same day, you’re annoying again. Hats off. A little bit of straight reason early in the day followed up by this nonsense. Dude. This is an oiler blog and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you say anything positive about them.
I don’t usually agree with anything HH says … but if Woody is such a great coach, then shouldn’t the Condors have a better record?
Results matter.
When the higher league team grabs their top line and pulls multiple d out, and the starting G, you think results matter? It’s a feeder league.
are you new here 😉 ?
Ken should hire that other Sutter fella as the next head coach so we can have a Battle of Albertan Sutters.
That chestnut goes back to the RNH draft era.
Oilers never had the balls to do anything like hiring Sutter.
This could be a pivotal week in the Pacific Division standings.
The Flames enter the Valley of Death tonight in Florida and then go on to play Tampa and Carolina back to back.
If they survive somewhat intact, they will have weathered 3 eastern road trips reasonably well with a very soft remaining schedule.
With Colorado now healthy they should surge up the standings and bump either Nashville or Minnesota down to the first wildcard making the final wildcard up for grabs.
The biggest question remaining is likely how good the Ducks actually are and, if they come up short, who can catch them.
So what do you think this means for the Oilers?
Without radical changes, I expect they will miss the playoffs.
What would you do if you were Dave, Ken, Bob or ultimately Katz?
Let’s start at the top and work our way down.
Now, I’m just speculating here but I don’t believe Katz cares about winning that much any more.
He has distanced himself from Edmonton and I expect he only cares about the appreciating asset value of the franchise.
Bob is all in on Holland and Tippet and is much more focused on the business side of the operation so is largely irrelevant.
So, it comes down to what Holland is likely do.
If the death spiral continues, he will be forced to admit his mistakes although I expect that will be difficult considering his background.
The obvious first step is to acquire a credible #1 goaltender but there is a paucity of possibilities and prying one away from another team is going to cost a fortune. I honestly don’t think he can pull this off without spending a 1st round pick and a major secondary asset.
The next step obviously would be firing Tippet in hopes of papering over the aforementioned mistakes but I really don’t believe thesis a coaching issue as much as a flawed job of roster construction.
The even strength play has been an issue from day one that was masked by a PP heater of historic proportions and here we are.
Ken also made a series of bad bets that pretty much starts with smith but does’t end there.
Is there any way he can fix those bets?…I don’t think so.
Newsflash! Katz never cared about winning.
This is what I concluded long ago.
Franchise value was the thing – even moreso once they got McDavid.
Not caring about it, and not being good at it are 2 different things.
Also we may not have this franchise if it wasn’t for him. So in my mind he gets a full in pass.
Good grief! None of these teams have won anything, we’re talking about the collapse of the Oilers around here not some random Narnia narratives you’ve cooked up.
No, no, no, HH has very astute views on what makes a good team and what is shite. Time for him to show his chops on what a team like the Oilers should do, as we know he follows this team very closely. He is either a welcomed opinion or a troll.
So how do you feel about the answer?
Katz doesn’t give AF.
Nicholson doesn’t give AF.
Holland will be forced to do something but has trouble admitting his mistakes.
Get a #1 goalie but it will cost the 1st plus a top prospect.
Next, fire Tippett. But it’s not really his fault.
Basically Holland made too many bad bets. It cannot be fixed.
What do you think?
I also don’t think the team can be fixed and will watch under the illusion that they can make the playoffs and anything can happen. I would also look at what kind of haul I can receive by trading one of the big 2.
Alright, fair enough. I disagree, but thanks for the answer.
Inevitable.
astute views ? so where are they ? I can only see a summary of past events, but not ONE single plausible suggestion on how to improve from here…
While MK has not met expectations, let’s keep in mind he was only intended to play about 1/2 the games he has played so far as the back up. Even Vegas had 50:50 odds this summer for Smith being out for at least half the season. KH rolled
the dice, and …
Walking a tightrope over a gaping chasm without a safety net is generally not a good idea.
He bought into the same trope of needing veteran leadership from outside. Chiarelli did the same thing.
It has failed both times mainly because both ‘leaders’ were well past prime, one was never a great player, and that is not a position one can lead from in the trenches, that’s a coaching role.
I thought it might help, but I also thought Keith would be better. Or adjust quicker.
What should have happened is growing the true leaders. Everyone learns through experience and trials.
The cap spent on Keith should have gone to a goalie and better depth, which are the biggest problems.
A more stable team is the basis success will be built on. And growth in the leadership of the core. If Connor Leo and Darnell aren’t leading the way in on ice play and off ice demeanour, nothing else will replace that.
Ken: “Dave, you think maybe we should give some of the kids more ice time?”
Dave: “Nah. The vets will come around. I trust em based on what they did 4-8 years ago.”
Ken; “Sounds about right. That’s how we did it in Detroit.”
This is kinda funny considering the teams two oldest defensemen are leading the way in GF% (Russell 55% and Keith 50%) while the three youngest are pulling up the rear (each under 25%GF, and having been outscored a combined 3GF-14GA).
Ryan McLeod up to 1.7 P/60 now (joining Hyman and Kass at that number).
Here is hoping the recent bump in production is a product of development and real.
He’s playing like an effective 3C (and showed, in small samples, that he may have the ability to bump up and play with some more skill in the top 6).
Presuming McDavid is out, I would think McLeod will get a chance with some of the “top 6 wingers” tomorrow night.
Agreed but he’s not a legit good 3C until he’s can play top QoC as well.
Not having to shelter 2 lines is key. Especially if the coach isn’t a line matcher.
Connor McDavid tests positive according to the Athletic.
That’s his second time getting covid. IIRC he had a positive test a long time ago before vaccines were available.
I think you are right. Summer/Fall of 2020 after the bubble maybe?
On a positive note, last time McD missed games Leon went on an absolute tear (IIRC).
Leon looks gassed recently.
Will be interesting to see how this turns out.
You would be as well if you had to pack 190 pounds on one shoulder and 125 pounds on the other.
It’s too bad the Habs scooped up Gorton.
It’s too bad the Dys scooped up Boudreau.
That is all.
Don’t know much about Quenneville but he seemed to be doing alright in Florida. Maybe he would be interested.
He’s been canceled in these parts. But that’s who I want as coach. I suppose Maurice is second but he’s not been as good in playoffs.
And he’s had a pretty strong team, deep and balanced, many seasons.
Just read up on the Kyle Beach stuff to refresh my memory. It’s a serious issue, a person should be able to make amends and get a second chance. Not sure what that looks like for Quenneville but if he, Kyle, and Bettman can come to some understanding, I think he should be able to coach again. Probably not in the immediate cards.
I agree, no free pass.
I feel it is a mistake to apply current understanding to past events.
I completely do not condone, accept or dismiss the things the Blackhawks management did.
However we should all remember that 2010 was a lot different than 2021. Me Too is recent, that really brought this type of dismissal of such terrible events to the forefront.
That absolutely does not mean people get a pass, and those men have all paid a fairly steep price professionally.
Of course not what Beach did. I am glad he has finally had his day.
So for me if the appropriate amends are made, if Kyle Beach is involved in the process, perhaps the second plaintiff, depending on the US legalities around that, I feel it is acceptable to move on.
Perhaps except for the person who was ultimately responsible for the decisions made, gave assurances that it would be dealt with, and did nothing. He is ultimately responsible as it was ultimately his responsibility.
As for the perpetrator, he should ever be allowed near young people again. There is no leeway there at all.
Godot:
6 Bottom 40 def dmen
That is Fucing embarrassing.
this is not 80,s .865 starter Save% avg.
Ronnie Gunvilles Table Hockey goalue movement introduced by Belfour, Roy, JVB makes it a .816 avg with .835 top end.
Learn the current game you 80’s Ghosts!
Calgary has had tough 2 def weeks
were the deepest team since mid 90,s NJD
now deepest since Suters LAK losing 2 GM in playoffs
Hats off Mr. Rickie you were one of the few that’s been dead-on about Sutter.
If, now when, everyone is healthy, I have been pounding the table for a month.
Foegele McDavid Puljujarvi
Nugent-Hopkins Draisaitl Hyman
Benson, McLeod, Yamamoto
Shore, Ryan, Sceviour.
That is the way to get three scoring lines with this roster. Yamamoto down Foegele up.
On D, I would be satisfied with
Nurse, Bouchard
Keith, Ceci
Lagesson, Barrie
Or one could get bold
Nurse Bouchard/Barrie
Keith Barrie/Bouchard
Broberg Ceci
Niemelainen needs more AHL time.
I’d try to trade Barrie for Petry. Lagesson and Barrie for Petry. The Canadiens save one year of duration on Petry. They get Lagesson as a body to test drive when they begin dumping Chariot and other D at the deadline.
Nurse Petry
Keith Bouchard
Broberg Ceci
Lol, Your 3rd line was my 1st line in week 1. I got a -6 for that post (but mostly for Perlini on line 1, probably).
Correction, your 3rd was my 4th line in Week 1
Yup I like it except I’d switch Foegele and Hyman. McD needs someone that can finish a bit. Drai needs that help less.
Also what else to the Habs to absorb Petry’s extra cap?
CAP doesn’t work unless retention of part of Petry’s contract. Price will then go up
Toss in Turris into the deal.
It is painful watching Edm worst Def depth team in last 1/4 century.
It is fucking embarrassing.
WG:
you are finally getting it!
Sort of!
dump that fucking awful Fenwick!
If/when it happens…
Gulutzan as interim, and then Todd Nelson next year (or Woodcroft as my 2nd choice).
I’d run Skinner out there for 50-67% of the remaining games. I’d give Konovalev one or two, more if he seems ready.
Koskinen is a competent NHL backup goaltender. I have never understood the hate, if one views him for what he is. Unlike the favoured starter, Koskinen has the attribute of availability.
I don’t think anyone was screaming at Koskinen that Strome was coming from behind outside of his peripheral vision. I would have prefered that Nurse got into position along the board faster, and that Bouchard went to the front of the net (knowing Strome was with him) rather than peeling off to the backside wing. And that Sceviour would not have let Lafreniere beat him back to the front of the Oilers net.
Agreed. There is quite a bit of blame to go around the first goal. But Tippster threw MK under the bus. MK has always gotten the short straw from his coach. Anyone ever see Mike Smith leave the net and cause an own goal from a brutal mistake?? It happens, even to one of the best puck handling goalies in NHL history (Smith). Doesn’t minimize the mistake but highlights the hypocrisy.
Obviously he was frustrated with the delay of game penalty 15 seconds into the game that preceded the botched first goal. And he was correct that the first goal was totally on Koskinen. When the goalie leaves the net to play the puck, the defensemen are supposed to move into position for the outlet pass. If Mikko had stayed in his net, Nurse and Bouchard would have played that differently. I don’t like Tippett specifically calling out MK after the game; he started him and, in fact, had no problem overplaying him at the start of the year when his record was good. He also did not mention Mike Smith after his two losses where he played equally as bad and that seems quite hypocritical. Not a good look for the coach, imo.
Koskinen didn’t call out the coach for overplaying the slightly injured starting goaltender three straight games to start the season. Koskinen bailed Tippett out of that blunder.
I feel bad for Koskinen being signaled out as the bad actor by the coach, but Koskinen is not a back up goaltender in the NHL on any team with playoff aspirations. He’d be better off having a bad game out of 5 then having a bad goal every single time he’s in net, that’s on him. He’s not one of the best 64 goalies out there.
Didn’t work for MacT or anybody else. Especially for goalies, if players need confidence to play well, goalies need it the most.
Good point. MacT caved Dubnyk in the media and it did not help the player or the team. It’s just a bad approach to leadership; say what you want to the player in private but in public you need to remain supportive.
I’m not sure Nelson has what the team needs now.
Leo and Connor aren’t rookies now. A coach better for the team that is better than Tipp has to be able to handle two superstars.
Get and keep them on board. That is the challenge as I see it. Neither are leading by example on the ice in playing the system consistently.
They both go off the page, try too hard, and continually get burned.
It is normal for players of that ability. I doubt Woody has those chops either, and there is no evidence he’s anything other than Flattop lite, his mentor, which isn’t what they need IMO.
So you are in the Nicholson/Holland camp…look for a another retread in the Rolodex.
Also: before expending significant assets on goaltending, see what Skinner and Konovalov have. Skinner at the very least can be a good back up, and Konovalov has excellent splits after an initial adjustment period.
Suspect both guys can give more than what Koskinen and Smith have provided this season.
One thing Holland could do to help the team right now:
Fix the fourth line. If you believe 97/29/71 can saw off their minutes or better, it’s the easiest and cheapest thing to fix.
Add Marody and acquire a 4C who is a good hockey player, someone who skates well, and is not just a role player. Dennis King brought up a great point on Twitter: a lot of top 9 guys can PK.
Use that to your advantage. Get the best EV guys you can for the 4th line. I really like Ryan’s idea of Gabe Vilardi, but you could shoot lower than that, too, and still come out ahead.
I’m going to go a bit against the grain here and point out some legitimate reasons for optimism:
1 – Ryan McLeod. 1.7 EV points/60, GF% 53, xGF% 49. It’s been something like a decade since we’ve had a good 3C, and boy is it fun to see that third line come out there and create like it did last night. He’s also young and cost-controlled. Play him! If he screws up, keep playing him, and if he screws up, don’t trade him! This goes for Benson as well.
2 – Nuge is at 1.44 EVP/60 and his shooting percentage is 4.2%. Career average over 11. There is some consternation about his EV play but some better puck luck will have him pushing 1.75 -2.
3 – Nurse-Bouchard are 10-14 at evens but it’s Bouch’s first year and they will get better. Keith – Ceci ~ 50% is fine and will do until…
3 – Broberg. He’s going to be ready real soon. Guys with his stat line and pedigree don’t ride buses for long. Better than Nurse and Bouchard at the same age, probably the second or third best skater on the NHL roster. I’ve said it before, Chabot and Karlsson had similar stat lines. Not saying he is those guys, but he’s got a real chance.
4 – The second wave: Bourgeault/Savoie/Holloway will all help.
5 – The possibility of a low-cost tandem in net going forward in Skinner and Konovalov.
They should scratch Leon for the game as well, let’s see if the coach can think of anything to keep it close lol.
If you look at how Holland was hired, it truly encapsulates the thinking of the Oilers brass from Katz on down. Like Chiarelli, Hitchcock and Tambellini, Bobby Burgers knew Kenny personally from the Olympics. The process is literally sourcing a chosen one from a personal network, anointing the candidate as a ‘proven winner’ and then firing up the PR machine to spin the hire as the best candidate available by a mile. Which they did despite McCrimmon already spurning them, allegedly over what he saw as a compromised role lacking full personnel authority.
This despite the fact that even Detroit knew Ken’s best days were behind him. Out of loyalty to Holland, they’d already lost Yzerman once and after Stevie Y went out and built a better team while Holland struggled under a cap system, there was no way in hell Detroit was going to miss the chance to right that wrong. Katz & Burgers see all this and somehow conclude that Holland is the best man to lead the organization into the future?
I’ll never forgive him for the Gretzky sale but when Pocklington hired Sather, he did something over 40 years ago that is only now the accepted trend: he hired a disruptor. Seeing what the Jets had done in the WHA and Shero with the Rangers, Slats created a Euro/NA hybrid unlike anything the league had ever seen. Setting league scoring records on an annual basis, they were like the flying Frenchmen on steroids.
Winning teams like winning companies don’t look to the past for ideas and they don’t convince themselves that past accomplishments and personal connections are all that matter. They turn over every rock to source the best and brightest and then put all the tools at their disposal to succeed. The results have been mixed but imo you’re seeing this corporate model being applied successfully by Rogers in their ownership of the Toronto sports franchises. They’re hiring innovative forward thinking GMs to steer the ship and they’re leveraging analytics to create advantages in procurement and cap management. The Raptors have a ship already and man did the Jays have a great looking roster emerging before this last free agency cycle. The Leafs are trying but that curse has some serious juju.
In short, Katz needs to run this a lot more like a proper company looking to dominate its vertical and a lot less like a mafia family full of made men kissing the ring.
I think smart businesses emulate other successful businesses. They don’t necessarily have to be disrupters. The problem with Katz is he hired people who emulated the wrong thing – the old guys who ran hockey Canada 30 years ago. He should have hired people who emulated teams like Carolina.
The best companies marry innovative visions with operational best practices. Hard to rise above the crowd being a copycat.
This is correct. Forget ahead of the curve – find the next curve before anyone else. Then decide where the road is going instead of just driving along.
Does Katz have the chops and the drive to compete against the likes of Rogers, Dundon, Vinik, Tepper, etc.?
I’m not convinced retail pharmaceutical is as competitive as running a national telecom or global hedge fund. Since Darryl divested and started dabbling in the extremely competitive arena of film financing, I’ve not heard of him hitting any home runs there.
It’s abundantly clear that high performance executive teams aren’t common in the NHL. They do a very bad job competing in those waters and instead like their “hockey guys” despite being billion dollar entities.
Underperformance is inevitable at that point.
No offence, but these are just words. What’s the innovative vision for the future of hockey? The problem with this team is they hired people who ran teams that were successful 30 years ago. They haven’t hired people who know how to build a team today. It’s not rocket surgery. Simply hire people who excel at the established best practices today. Sure, we all want the innovators, but how do separate the people with bright ideas from the cranks.
100%. Bobby Burgers just needed (needs) to hire an average gm and this team would be fine. Instead, he hired a dinosaur who never learned how the salary cap works.
I think Burgers needs to do something else. Firstly because of the gall to allow anything to be called after him.
What is he to the franchise? Nothing. I am no fan of narcissism, it’s unhealthy and destructive, exclusively.
Secondly because he publicly made the ‘something in the water’ statement. That is something that someone without an idea of how to proceed says, and it’s insulting to the city and organization.
I‘m ok with Holland as the glad hander and liaison to the owner. I think his rep and better demeanour than Burgers can serve the org. He also is good in the draft side.
As long as the GM and coach are progressive. As BRUS said, the GM only needs to be current.
The coach needs to be a peer of the best coaches however, because he will be gifted with a shit ton of talent, and a big picture game changing Captain.
That alone calls for the best of the best.
Hard to find, yes. The best league is not for the faint of heart.
No Canadian team has won the Cup since 93 and they don’t lack for resources or the ability to hire current best practices. If beating the best was as simple as your take, one of them would’ve done it by now.
The thing I see is the old guys are pretty lazy. They don’t do research and push deep, they just dust off the Rolodex and look in the stats and record book.
So Holland continually hires old guys. Is he finding value in an untapped market?
Or is he just using a really easy way to find productive players, not seeming to get that now the drop offs are sooner because the league is faster and the youth are coming in far more developed than ever before.
Same for coaches. Tippet has a great record. But his last tenure was keeping a no hope disaster franchise in the hunt, with really no hope of actually winning a championship.
That is not great for professional development. I think it shows now. He’s getting frustrated publicly, usually not a good sign for continuing employment for coaches or players.
It also burns people out mentally, and that makes it hard to be fresh and creative. So the studies say.
Man, there is not much on the goalie market. Best bet is hoping someone like Holtby is for real just for this season as DAL has Oettinger and they don’t look like a playoff team. NJ has Blackwood so they might move Bernier, also a team likely out of the race. Jake Allen makes 4.5 so he’s harder to fit in than the other two. SJ won’t move Optimus Reim.
Price has a TBA return date, so I don’t think we should even be talking about him. Fleury’s cap hit takes him out of the discussion. Slim pickings out there. Hardest part is being absolutely sure who you’re getting is better than Koskinen/Smith and I only really believe in Allen and Bernier out of the above group.
If this team wants to make the playoffs they gotta get a new G and play Skinner. Koski’s not gonna figure it out. Smith has more LTIR in his future.
The D had a good game but is still bottom 1/3 quality. Any G that Holland brings in will very likely NOT light the world on fire in front of that D. So any deal he makes is going to look bad and put Kenny further in the hot seat.
Only solution is a new coach that re-enforces the players to play a 60 minute team game. Tip had them doing it in spurts in previous years but it hasn’t stuck and has been non-existent this year. I believe the team F quality is finally good enough to drive some 5v5 results and just need the coach to align the players.
Once that happens then worry about upgrading G. D will be fixed by in-house development and time.
I think it’s hard to judge the defence with the goaltending we’re getting now. This defence should be better than last year.
As I heard Holland,
The organization’s strategy is to get into the play-offs each year. If you get into the play-offs consistently a few times you will have a chance to win it all ( or something like that).
Strategies take years to implement and tactic take days.
McD prob was held out yesterday cause of symptoms. Tested Neg So played.
Then today Positive
This is exactly what is needed but unless there’s also a new owner nothing will change. Katz doesn’t care as long as the money keeps rolling in and with his arena deal that’s pretty much guaranteed.
Smith is taking part in today’s skate (along with Kassian).
To be honest, it will be nice to get Kassian back in the lineup. Defensive issues and commitment aside, he could/should/might bring some speed and energy the team hasn’t had recently. Also, if I remember correctly, before testing positive, I think he had a few solid games with some plus defensive effort – I think.
Fake memories from PTSD from being an OIlers fan.
Per Rishaug:
Am told McDavids absence from practice is Covid related.
Corona McCovid returns.
Just as the Leaphs get Matthews “back”, too.
On the plus side, if he does need to miss time, it should only be for 1 or 2 games maximum with all the postponements coming up.
We may have been better off to have the Calgary scenario where everyone got it at once and they were shutdown completely. The two or three player at time thing seems like it’s more disruptive.
At this point you’d also think it’s inevitable that the rest of the team will get it at some point as it doesn’t seem to matter that they’re double vaccinated and in some cases have previously had COVID as well.
What if they let Tippett go and run the rest of the season with Gully? They played alright when Tipp was in protocol. When season is done then find your replacement like Woody or ??? (Thanks Lt for fixing the issue that plagued my account. Couldn’t post for a while but kept reading!)
I said this earlier in the slide. Most logical to let Gullickson run the ship for the rest of the year and pick a new head coach next year (hopefully by a new GM).
Maybe they are waiting for Gully to be out of COVID protocol before they make the move?
Didn’t know Gulutzan was in protocol. So if that’s the plan then Tipp has a few more days…..
Who gets to pick the new gm?
Gullickson has never pitched well on only 3 games rest.
Ryan Rishaug
@TSNRyanRishaug
·
5m
Full skate happening for Oilers, Connor McDavid not on the ice. Derek Ryan also absent. Tippett will address post practice.
With the team back to healthy I think they need to take a fresh look at the upcoming ten games and go with Smith-Skinner as the tandem.
Two main reasons: If they hold up then you avoid panic shopping, and you’re basically testing out whether you can run them as your 1-2 next season.
If they don’t hold up, then you need to make upgrading the position a priority to save THIS and NEXT season.
So you’re now 20 games too late, ignoring the issues hoping they magically vanish, and even more desperate?
That’s the same losing method that’s been in place for a long time.
Isn’t smith injured?
Did Holland win the Keith trade he had his chance to get rid of Mikko as the Hawks needed a Goalie. If anyone is expecting Holland to win a trade the mullet will be back in style before that happens.
Wait a tick… you mean mullets aren’t in style? Since when?
They are coming back in a cult like sorta way, kinda like moustaches at first a few years back.
A Habs buddy seems to think there is chatter about a Koski and ?? for Price deal churning
I hope not. Good Price would be great, but a lot left on the deal for a guy with a lot of miles and wobbly play for years, barring a few surges
He also said Petry is getting pretty critical in pressers, he expects him to move. Chiarot on the block, Gallagher says he doesn’t want to do a rebuild
Probably nothing but if healthy again Price and Petry? Hmmmmm
Price is $10.5 million against the cap for another 4 years after this.
They’ll retain half if they are thinking of moving him
Could be Allen instead but they probably would cash the name and ditch the huge salary
The bigger issue is the 4 years
But if Price is healthy and closer to home, and it brings Petry, Carey is 34 (Holland says mid career)….
I could see Holland biting, I wouldn’t, too risky, again
The only reason the Habs made it as far as they did was the play of Price, on a good team he’s still a legit top 5 goalie.
as far as Petry goes the Oilers could use Petry but Barrie would have to go and the Habs would have to eat half of Price contract & some of Petry contract.
The Oilers most pressing need is a GM with an advance pro scouting & analytical department.
It’s incredible that the same needs this summer with 20m in CAP space are the same problems today with no CAP space.
Would the team save any cap hit by sending Koskinen down? Is it around $1M or something?
Swapping Mikko for Skinner saves apx $375K in cap space.
With that said, I think the Oilers could simply call up Skinner for zero cap hit on the new emergency recall rules. Smith to IR, Konovalov down and Skinner up on emergency recall (under $1MM cap hit and the Oilers don’t have cap room for the recall so it qualifies).
Of course, Smith may be “ready” so this wouldn’t be an option.
As far as trading for a goalie, be it Varlamov, Holtby, MAF, Ullmark, Korpisalo, Griess, etc……. does it not behove the organization to give Skinner 65% of the starts for a month prior to this?
Well, unless they start doing that and Skinner is clearly not up to it.
There are some track records there but none of those goalies are slam dunks except maybe MAF ($7MM – retaining makes it more expensive) and Holbty (Dallas probably not ready to make a trade at this point).
I think Holtby could be a great option if Dallas does sell (and Holtby keeps up his current level of play) and the Oiler do recover somewhat. I just don’t think that trade is really available at this point.
Totally agree. Skinner needs to be the preferred option right now, but Koskinnen has to go. It’s an untenable situation here. He can’t even be the backup now.
I’ve been avoiding commenting on the Oilers or doing more than checking in here after games because there’s been very little good news to talk about, and we can all see the problems.
I would give Skinner 10 games now and see what happens. If he can win 60%, go with him and decide if Smith is done, or koskinen can recover and then dump them both and get another 1A goalie.
I want to remind everyone that the most successful GM we’ve had in the last 2 decades was Craig McTavish. After he took over from Tambellini, he cleared out the bad contracts, set the table for the best draft the team has ever seen, managed to tank the team with the Petry trade, secure McDavid, and then get canned. Just in time for Pet Chia to blow the money, trade the picks and take credit for McDavid.
This is not how I felt in spring 2015.
Hindsight is 2020.
I’d like the Silver Fox back in the GM’s chair.
I know it won’t happen. I expect to get thoroughly roasted for saying it.
That’s fine. It still needs to be said. I’m hoping Holland can turn this around, but mostly goalie seems to have sunk him and his coach this year. Loved what he did with Jesse, Hyman, Ceci and re-signing Nurse. Hate the Keith and Barrie deals, Smith re-signing, and wish like hell Koskinen had worked out here, but he’s been a big part of the problem.
May 2022 bring us a path to Lord Stanley’s glory.
I agree with you. He gets roasted for the Petry deal, and it was a bad one, and yet at the same time it was an expiring contract and he was about to become a UFA. General managers trade guys on expiring contracts all the time who they won’t be able to re-sign. Now it is true that this was a problem of his own making, however in comparison to all the other problems of their own making that the other general managers have done, it isn’t that bad.
He isn’t one of the top guys in the league, way too old school for that, but better than what we have had.
Petry was on a expiring contract only because McT screwed up and didn’t sign him long term earlier. That said, McT would have been way better than Tambellini, Chia or Holland.
Drai and Nurse are here because of McT.
Right now Zegras and Wallstedt would look good as Oilers property but Holland had to be smarter than the consensus.
MacT was behind the 8 ball in negotiations because Tambellini had signed Petry to a lowball bridge deal that expired one year before free agency. Petry had the arbitration hammer & reportedly was prepared to use it. In the end, both sides saw the writing on the wall & agreed to a one year extension, even as MacT mumbled that crap about “challenging” Petry he was already good as gone.
Well, besides Eakins and Nikitin MacT was ok (if one squint really hard).
That he is one of the better GMs said more about Steve and Pete than MacT.
I agree, however, Skinner would get chewed up with the roster as is.
The defensive issues are that bad.
Oilers give up incredibly high scoring chances a period let alone a game now.
How do you evaluate Skinner based on that alone?
By game four his confidence would be mush.
I think it might have been Rob Brown who said it, but it really stuck with me, he said, “watching the Oilers score takes so much effort just to get one goal & watching the opposition score is effortless” (paraphrasing)
I think Skinner will be a good goalie in the NHL & I’m torn as to wether you run him out to get slaughtered or give him another solid year under Woodcroft.
Rodrigue assigned to Wichita (ECHL).
The Condors had to sign/bring-up a goalie from the ECHL on an emergency basis recently so this must mean the Konovalov is heading back down to either (a) join Skinner or (b) join Koskinen (and Skinner recalled).
Probably option (a) above.
After the Toronto game, the boys are back home and play once in two weeks. The Condors have a real schedule (at least for now) so I think Skinner stays down for the next few weeks at least. Potential for recall when the Oilers get back up and running with a more real schedule.
At least I think – shit, for all I know, Mikko will be on waivers at noon (I doubt it though).
Also the possibility to have him on waivers, clear and not be assigned right away.
What surprises me most about Tippett is the team’s lack of structure and on-ice organization when in 5v5. His Arizona teams always played a tight, defensive style (his personnel dictated/ mandated this I suppose) and his Oilers teams have consistently delivered results with effective 4v5 shorthanded and 5v4 power play structures.
That said, I don’t see any coherent and ingrained strategy when I watch this team at 5v5. It seems to be over-play Nurse, McDavid and Draisaitl and hope for the best. We are a fire-wagon, river hockey team at 5v5. Thus when we score first and teams open it up, we kick ass. When they score first and can play defensively/ forecheck aggressively – we have no answer.
I think Tippett should stay, but as GM I would challenge him and the veteran players to fix their fundamental organization and tactics on the ice.
If it were me coaching, I would stop the excessive line switching circus and tell our D to get back earlier when we lose possession in the o-zone. Create some smart, consistent fundamentals to limit the mistakes
Easy to tell grinders to play a certain way and with a certain structure. Much harder to do when your top two players are offensively gifted and inclined as Draisaitl/McDavid. Their creativity comes at a cost and Edmonton does not have the dmen to compensate.
yet when there was more defensive-minded D the commentary was that puck moving was the problem.
So true. In my view, Larsson and Russell were the only dmen with below average passing abilities from last year.
That game was difficult to watch because for many parts of the game the Oilers were dominant. They had puck possession and decent shots. But then the Rangers would get a turnover and bam counterpunch their way to the victory. I saw many good things from the defense and forwards. Koskinen is the one player that cannot be relied upon. And yet you wish he could at least handle a game, but man he just gives ya heartbreak.
Skinner and Smith or Skinner and a trade. Otherwise another McDavid year is gone.
The list of Oiler issues is long and serious.. One thing that continues to drive me nuts is how pacifist this group of players is. We continually get pushed around with little response. Our one so called tough guy seems to be continually injured and out of the line up or not interested. How about searching the AHL and find a rugged winger who can skate and is willing to stick up for team mates????? It’s not like you will be taking a high valued player out of the line up for 4 th line minutes.
KY came in after Trouba slewfoot McD. But that was about it.
Also Draisaitl after being hit by Reaves, got him back with a body check that sent him down.
This is where I am at.
One of my sons was at the game last night. His girlfriend bought them tickets for Christmas so he could see his Oilers. He texted me with 3 minutes to go and said he was right by the Oilers bench, he was thinking of tossing his jersey over the glass. I told him not to.
This is a 25 year old kid who has never lived closer to Edmonton than when he lived in Toronto. He has only been to Edmonton twice in his entire life. But he has grown up an Oilers fan and had to live with this shit his entire life. Finally it looks like something is building in Edmonton and in the course of four weeks this team has shit the bed again and has no answers.
My answer is shit can Tipp, bring in Maurice, give Skinner the keys to the goal. Shore and Turris can enjoy sunny socal for the rest of the season, christ, send Ryan and KK with them. These mopes can always be buried in the minors. Bring up Marody and Broberg. There are a few forwards like Lags who have asked for trades, a third rounder should do the trick. Debrusk can’t be any worse than the crap we have been playing in the bottom six, make a trade and tell him straight up it’s his last chance Texaco. Wont be qualified if he does not show something better than we have seen in Edm already.
Tell Holland if he cannot convince Smith and Keith to retire at the end of the season and accept some nice corporate position with the team he is gone at the end of the season. Tell Maurice he can pick his own GM!