In the history of the Edmonton Oilers, there have been 191 defensemen sent over the boards in 42 seasons. That’s about 4.5 distinct names per season. Calgary, in 41 seasons, has deployed 165, about 4 new names a year.
Darnell Nurse ranks No. 4 among Oilers defensemen in career goals at even strength (44), No. 6 in even-strength points (141) and he’s one behind Lee Fogolin.
Nurse is a durable, fast, talented defenseman with size and skill. One of the things I believe Oilers fans will regret during these years is not appreciating the big man more during his prime, healthy seasons.
Don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got ’till it’s gone.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: What to expect from Dylan Holloway in Bakersfield and Edmonton this season
- DNB: Connor McDavid supports Oilers’ pursuit of Evander Kane.
- Shayna Goldman and Dom Luszczyszyn: NHL Player Cards: Edmonton Oilers
- DNB: Ken Holland speaks
- Lowetide: Forget the Connor McDavid bump, Jesse Puljujarvi is the real deal after all
- Lowetide: Should the Oilers sign Evander Kane and what would it look like?
- Lowetide: Revisiting Oilers’ 2021 draft decision to select Xavier Bourgault over goaltending
- Lowetide: What’s the gap for Oilers between now and the 2016-17 playoff team?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Will this be another lost season?
- Jonathan Willis: Mikko Koskinen isn’t the Oilers’ biggest summer mistake
- Lowetide: Hard-target search for the Oilers’ next starting goaltender
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers forward lineup isn’t deep or good enough
- 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: 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
- 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: 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 top 20 prospects, winter 2021
THEN AND NOW
Same as yesterday, get to know your current Oilers and see what was happening back in 2016-17 during the season that contributed to winning a playoff round and close to another.
Sekera was in his second season and the Oilers were able to deploy a top-four defense with mostly veterans. He played with Mark Fayne and Nurse for much of 2015-16, and was slotted in alongside Kris Russell (mostly) and Matt Benning (300+ minutes all year) and it worked well. It worked exactly as you’d think with Russell, poor Corsi and over 50 percent goal share, more traditional with Benning.
Nurse is playing big minutes for Edmonton against elite competition and enjoying the edge (DFF%) in shot share and expected goals over Sekera. The actual goals favour Sekera, but regression should close that gap by season’s end. By the way DFF% and Time v. elites are via Puck IQ, the rest from NST.
Russell’s 2016-17 frames his numbers perfectly. Over the entire year (these are the first 34 games, of which Russell played 27), he and Sekera lost the shot battle 48.7 percent and won the goal share 62.5 percent. Fenwick was better (48.5 percent) as you would expect, but overall it was no business in the front and no party at the back. Russell is a defender, and he was running wild with luck in 2016-17. Check out the gap between goals and expected goals.
Duncan Keith is listed here because he’s second in time per game versus elites so far this season, and because there are elements of luck (to my eye) in his numbers. His goal share and expected goal share are a match, but he’s getting caved against elites (41.5 DFF versus elites) and it’s almost six minutes a game for 25 games. Something to watch. Keith has had good results lately.
Larsson’s first 34 games of 2016-17 was a struggle, and he was partnered with Oscar Klefbom. NST tells us the Klefbom-Larsson combination was outscored 15-20 (42.9 percent) through 34 games. In the final 48 games, the duo won the goal share 37-21, 63.7 percent. Edmonton sure could use that kind of turnaround this season.
Ceci has endured a tough start to his first Oilers season, I think he’s better than his numbers but things need to start going his way. His DFF and goal differential trail Larsson during the toughest part of the Swede’s 2016-17 season, although expected goals are about even. Ceci is 17-19 with Keith this year, 4-9 with all others (these numbers are five-on-five.
Klefbom was still a young blue, he’d played just over 100 NHL games by the time 2016-17 began. As mentioned above, he and Larsson would romp through the rest of the season, but through 34 games he was having some trouble, against elites and in overall goal share.
Bouchard is enjoying a strong year against elites and in expected goals, with some tough luck in goal share. His partner impacts Bouchard’s success. When playing with Nurse, and those are tough minutes, Bouchard has a 10-15 (40 percent) goal share, with Duncan Keith it’s 4-3 in 50 minutes and he’s 3-0 with Kris Russell (!!!) in 27 minutes.
Benning was outstanding as a rookie, these are glorious numbers and he played well against everyone. His injury in February 2017 had a major impact (Stalberg’s hit) on his career, but these early months of 2016-17 saw Benning deliver exceptional results.
Barrie is expensive and duplicates Bouchard, and all of his shares are under 50 percent. He is 6-7 goals with Nurse and 15-17 with all other defensemen this season. Russell-Barrie is 8-7 (!!) goals. Barrie is scoring points at five-on-five but every Oilers defenseman has a good number there. He needs a big second half.
This version of Nurse was matriculating after a rookie season spent in the deep end (he was 11-18 with Andrej Sekera in 2015-16). In 2016-17, he had excellent success with Larsson and Benning, while struggling with Eric Gryba. Young defensemen need a reliable partner they can trust. Something that we’re seeing this season.
Slater Koekkoek is not having a good season. I think he’s vulnerable.
Gryba and Russell listed together is like reading a book on endangered species. Kind of an “they’re in danger!” Hinterland’s Who’s Who. Gryba playd tougher minutes and had his uses, but he was close to the end by 2016-17 (he would play 31 games in the seasons that followed). I think Russell is close to the end, although one never knows with defenseman. I imagine his final shift will involve Edmonton defending a lead, Russell blocking 11 shots, the final one bouncing all the way to the net waiting at the other end. Edmonton wins by two. He can defend. It used to mean more.
Davidson had a good year in 2016-17, before being dealt at the deadline. He had most of his success when partnered with Benning (6-3), but also helped Gryba (7-6). Willie Legs is the Grigori Rasputin of Edmonton’s defense prospects, he outlasted Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones as possible Oilers. I think he should play in front of Koekkoek and I’m not the first to have mentioned it.
These are the final four games of Fayne’s career, his foot speed being the main reason Kris Russell was acquired and that he would have (basically) two big money seasons in the AHL. He didn’t bring much offense and didn’t defend well, his speed drove Todd McLellan crazy.
On the complete aside side we have Broberg. Young, fleet, bringing more offense than his SHL numbers implied, but there’s a lot of noise in his defensive game. Important not to overreact, he’ll settle in and learn some tricks of the trade, but it’s possible Niemelainen or Samorukov beat him to the NHL. He played too much versus elites, that’s a fact.
These are the only three games in the career of Dillon Simpson, he sawed off the goal share at 50 percent. He played mostly with Matt Benning, the pairing at 10-10 shots and 1-0 goals in 24 five-on-five minutes. Niemelainen impressed in seven games and I believe he’ll be back this season, certainly next. Got caved with Tyson Barrie and Philip Broberg as partners, solid with Evan Bouchard. He looks like a legit third-pairing option for the future, although William Rasputin is running up that hill again.
We knew there was a gap just watching things, but the numbers show a massive gap and that’s contributed to Edmonton’s current situation. Koskinen is best at playing a defined role and not being overworked, but the Oilers are unable to provide that with Mike Smith as the designated starter.
The backup job is slightly better than 2016-17, and is being used more by this year’s Oilers. It has to be tempting for the Oilers to run Skinner, right? I mean, maybe his totals regress and he lands at .898 in due time, but he’s looked like an NHL goalie and the absence of alternatives clears the mind.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
A busy morning, we’ll see if we get some insight about lines, pairings and who can play tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators. We get rolling at 10, on TSN 1260. Steve Lansky will talk about the Oilers (it’s go time), Evander Kane and the importance of live sports to keep networks churning. We have lined up a Senators guest for 11 and Crossfire! returns at 10:40. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
Wait, its game day…… that’s a thing!
Hi Guys!
Guys?
GUYSSSS!!!!!!
@harmandayal2
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Jan 13
Jordan Eberle with 24 points in 33 GP will be an All-Star
Nazem Kadri, 4th in the NHL with literally double the points (48), is not an All-Star
The divisional + every team needs a representative format waters down the meaning of being an All-Star
@smclaughlin9
Brad Marchand on his All-Star snub: “I’m not bothered at all. It’s a nice event to go to. … But Bergy’s been our best player for whatever it’s been, 18 years now. … That’s how it goes with the league format the way it is.”
Mentions Nazem Kadri as another major snub.
I prefer that each team gets a player. I think it’s good for the lesser markets, and for kids in those markets. Have to ask yourself who the AS game is for. Probably not us.
So…with Anaheim reaching 40 games, it’s time to review where we are at in terms of goal differential.
Over the years, goal differential is the best predictor of where teams will finish.
EC
FLA +40
CAR +36
TOR +29
PIT +22
WSH +21
TBL +20
BOS +20
NYR +18
______
A bunch of crap
WC
COL +35
STL +29
MIN +24
VGK +21
CAL +18
NSH +15
LAK +10
_______
A bunch of crap
Worth noting that CAR and COL have played significantly fewer games and will likely lead their conferences by a wide margin as those games are made up.
And the question remains, which ” bunch of crap” team will emerge in the WC to grab the final playoff spot/
I’ve got Winnipeg.
You?
Baiting
So the Avalanche needed a shootout to beat the latest no name goaltender from Arizona despite outshooting the Coyotes 47-26.
Nazem Kadri (who else) with the shootout winner.
Colorado now 1 point out of 1st in the Central with 4 games in hand over Nashville.
Inevitable.
Modern Defense has given up more goals than the Oilers! What an accomplishment.
And Kadri is just prepping the faithful for an epic letdown. Gets himself on the Hart ballot (doesn’t win of course) and then blindsides a guy in the 3rd period of game one and is out until the next season 😂😂😂
It would fit the pattern after all.
No every playoff season needs a new trick
Rakes the bench Slap Shot style and punches the timekeeper
Everyone knows outscoring with sloppy and undersized defending is playoff hockey
Modern, hard to beat
Ducks lay another eggs and get speed bagged by the Wild. Man they are really falling back to earth, just like the Flames.
Avalanche pissing away a game against Phoenix cause they don’t know how to defend. Maybe they finally fire Sakic for failing to get a goalie when they get punted in the first round again. Makar will get owned when the Jets target him on dump-ins. He’s weak when teams get physical, he’ll start coughing it up like Bear did last year.
LA Kings are the only Pacific team not on a skid.
Oilers with 5 games in hand on most teams.
They’re going to win the division with ease.
Love it!
Fun Fact the Avalanche have given up more goals than the Oilers in the same number of games played. Man that’s so strange considering the Oilers D are said to be crap, and the Avalanche are the prototypical modern defensive team… so weird.
Another fun fact – Kadri has been suspended for more games than he’s played in three out of his last four trips to the playoffs. Talk about character issues. Imagine having to put up with a teammate that selfish! Can’t imagine what that does to team morale.
Well this is pretty much a bunch of hooey.
Oilers have 5 games in hand on 2 teams.
One of them is Anaheim and the other is Vegas who are so far ahead in points (45-38) that it doesn’t matter.
7 teams in the WC have played exactly the same number of games as the Oilers and only 2 of them have fewer points.
Skids?
VAN 7-2-1 (15 PTS)
LAK 7-3-2 (16 PTS)
VGK 5-3-2 (12 PTS)
SJS 5-5-0 (10PTS)
ANA 3-5-2 (10 PTS)
EDM 2-5-2 (6 PTS)
CAL 2-7-1 (5 PTS)
SEA 1-7-2 (3PTS)
Talks about skid marks.
You’re looking in the past man. Markets are forward looking baby.
Ducks, Sharks, Flames, Vegas all sucking in 2022, not 2021. Real time sadness for them. With Kane on the team its a cakewalk to the postseason. Imagine adding a 25 goal scoring left winger who can toss Makar around with one arm for free mid-season! The 5v5 numbers for the top six will make a guy blush.
Just wait till your Kings give up the ghost here in the next two weeks and get back on the schnide. The silence will be deafening 🙂
10 points.
5 games in hand.
2 points for a win.
Hmmm.
(also fixed the typo for you btw)
If you think the Oilers can win 5 straight while the VGK go into hibernation I expect you should bet a huge amount on that.
Well I’m not going to bet on it. But Vegas isn’t so far ahead that it doesn’t matter. The Oilers control their own destiny after all, as they like to say around playoff time.
Vegas gets broken easily so if they’re healthy no….
Vegas will be adding an elite centre in the next month.
Yup who is going out?
To be honest, Vegas actually is in hibernation for those 5 games. That’s why they are games in hand.
nice try though.
Skidding relieves the glands and things improve after carpet cleaning
Darnell is a stud and glad he is on our side. The goals have dropped off this year and I am wondering if it is because he isn’t jumping up as much because of the big minutes. The other thing that I have noticed (with zero data to back up) is that he seems to be a little slower getting the shot off this year compared to last. Anyone else seeing it that way?
No…it’s because he had a shooting percentage of 10.4% last season and has, predictably, come back to earth.
The Meat comes for all men.
Good point, curious what your thoughts are in the drop in shooting percentage? I watched 85% of the games last year and the goals didn’t seem random or flukey. He seemed to be jumping into the play with Connor at the right times and getting quick shots off as opposed to winding up for the big slap shot.
HH doesn’t have thoughts on constructive solutions. He stops by to “point things’ out, but that’s it, never constructive discussion for how the Oilers move forward.
Panthers up 6-0 vs Stars at end of second period.
Huberdeau 1G 3A
Bennett 2G 1A
On the out of town scoreboard…
Dallas the latest team to enter the Valley of Death.
Florida leads the Stars 6-0 after 2 periods.
Huberdeau with 4 points and counting.
How do you figure the Oilers will fare on their TB, Florida, Carolina trip in February?
Pretty much like every other team.
Those teams are absolutely dominant.
Dallas is one of the best defensive teams in the WC and they are getting shelled.
Calgary is the stingiest team in the West and got outscored 16-7 on their road trip through the Valley of Death.
The Oilers are in the bottom half in the WC in goals allowed.
It might get ugly.
Certainly possible it could get ugly for the Oilers. Dallas and (especially) Calgary aren’t exactly at the top of their games lately though. Them getting blown out doesn’t mean nearly as much as it would have a month ago.
Are the Oilers at the top of their game?
I don’t think so.
Clearly they are not. Lots can change in a month though, as we’ve seen.
I think the biggest issue will be the lack of games played by the Oilers.
Pending further cancellations, they will be playing a huge number of games in between this SE games while WSH, TBL, FLA and CAR will all have relatively normal schedules with a lack of travel and lots of rest.
The way games have been postponed is going to be a real disadvantage for Canadian teams who will have a very compressed schedule.
The exception to this is the Calgary Flames who have played 22 games on the road (including 3 eastern road trips) and only 12 at home.
If they get their shit together at home, they will be a tough out while the other Pacific teams are flying hither and yon.
No team in the league has played more than 39 games at this point (Anaheim is playing #40 tonight). The Oilers have played 34, so that’s 5 or 6 games to make up during the olympic break? Seems like a totally normal schedule for the Oilers.
And the Flames. They’ve played the same number of games as the Oilers and have been poor on home ice. I have no idea how that equals advantage Calgary.
The flames are essentially “meh” and have come back down to show it.
I don’t think they’ve suffered a single serious injury and have they even had a man-game lost due to Covid? Compare their ability to ice, essentially, their preferred roster almost every night vs. what the Oilers have had to ice and the flames are a whopping 2 points up on the Oilers which is, essentially, loser points (they have less wins than the Oilers).
The Flames and Oilers have each played 38 games.
The Flames have 40 points.
The Oilers have 38 points.
The Flames have a win percentage of .588.
The Oilers have a win percentage of .559
The Flames have a goal differential of +18
The Oilers have a goal differential of +2
The Flames have already completed 3 eastern road trips.
The Oilers have not.
The Flames have already played games agains the best teams in the league in the SE Division.
The Oilers have not.
Home teams win54% of the time irrespective of anything else.
The Flames have a HUGE advantage for the rest of the season due to limited travel and back to back games on the road.
Whether or not they take advantage of it or not remains to be seen but suggesting they are “meh” while the Oilers are something better is not supported by anything except your feverish wishes.
The flames have had no injuries and no Covid-issues that have hurt them in games and have 2 more points than the Oilers and less wins.
The flames suck at home, winning 1/3 of their home games and having to play more home games coming up doesn’t really seem beneficial to them.
https://twitter.com/ManGamesLostNHL/status/1481800139912134656/photo/1
Dallas and Calgary aren’t strong at forward
So if teams that are play them tight they are hooped without stand on head goalie
Oilers are sort of opposite to that, but also need a decent goalie performance
If Panthers and Bolts play loose as they’ve sometimes done, and the goalie shows up, that’s in the Oilers wheelhouse
It’s grinder teams that pose the bigger issue typically. Track meets get the dynamic duo juiced up
7-1 final.
Huberdeau with 5 points.
He moves into 3rd place in the scoring race…1 point behind McDavid and Draisaitl albeit with more games played.
Off topic question, but does anyone have any clue how they are deciding which tickets are good for the game now that the capacity has been reduced. I am often checking the Oilers (Ticketmaster) website to pick up seats on a good deal. For the Ottawa game tomorrow, the pricing is unbelievable for a lot of seats. Loads of seats in the lower bowl club section in the $100 range! Thinking I may just pick up a pair and bring my wife to a game and hope for the best. I guess worst case we get a refund as it is Ticketmaster. Does anyone have any insight?
Scott Wheeler is a Carter Savoie fan:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Carter Savoie is an assassin. #LetsGoOilers
On the long list of nominations for the Hobey Baker (77 on the list).
Fun fact…
19 of those 77 are alumni of the BCJHL.
Tell us how you feel Spec:
Mikko Koskinen is no different than he’s ever been: an inconsistent, slow-starting rebound machine who you have to believe has lost every shred of faith or allegiance that may have existed with his teammates. Seriously, NHL players know when other players are part of the answer or part of the problem, and Koskinen can only be defined as one side of that equation.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/oilers-goaltender-skinner-job-taking/
You really think this is Spec? Spec is a mouthpiece for the organization, nothing more or less in this instance. That’s how management in EDM rolls.
My guess is this is Tipp not appreciating Koski complaining about being thrown under the bus. I mean … who would dare to have the tenacity to question a head coach trying to deflect attention from his 11 game losing streak?
If this is actually Kenny, he deserves to be fired on the spot. How can you go into successive seasons if this is your opinion of your backup to the team’s injury prone 40 year old starting goalie?
So the organization actually does NOT want to sign Evander Kane?
I would imagine it depends on the terms, no? Not hearing there is a long list of teams beating down Kane’s door. Has he signed yet?
And if you choose to quote someone, please quote the entire sentence. Not just the portion that plays to your narrative. As our good host is fond of saying, please and thank you.
Apparently half the teams in the league expressed interest.
From accounts, a signing was imminent but, of course, at this point, teams are waiting to find out what, if any, additional disciplinary action will be in place.
If Spector is a mouthpiece for the organization, why was he tearing Kane down yesterday?
IMO Spector’s article yesterday argues against what you’re saying today.
I’m not sure me quoting (or not) your speculation about Tippett/Holland’s thoughts, based on your other speculation, is relevant.
Honestly, I don’t know what the hell you are talking about. Being a mouthpiece doesn’t mean every damned thing that comes out of your mouth originates from somewhere else. Hence the “in this instance” that you unfortunately left out. Reading for comprehension … it used to be a thing.
What on earth is your basis for thinking Spector is being a mouthpiece in this case then?
And even if he were a selective mouthpiece for the organization, surely they wouldn’t want him slagging their moves (Kane) when he’s speaking for himself rather than them.
Anyway, I just think your speculation that Tippett and/or Holland are responsible for Spector’s take is 100% unfounded.
I would think that, if a “journalist” was a mouth piece for the organization, at the very least, they would’t be writing very harsh pieces going against something the origination is actively trying to accomplish, right?
Spec works for SN, not the Oilers (like Stauffer and Wilkins do).
I don’t really agree with the “mouthpiece” status but its not really here nor there.
I find in interesting that so many Koski critisizer are, all of a sudden Kosi-apologists due to comments from Tippett.
Many seemingly have changed their view on a player because it fits their narrative with the coach.
Caveat: I’m not accusing any specific individuals in this community – its more something I’ve noticed on various Oiler social media platforms.
Can’t speak for others but I have gone on record previous to this year as not at all a fan of Koski while asserting in previous off seasons that the number one problem was improvement in net. The goalie waiver fiasco, not getting Stalock into a single game and not finding out what we have in Skinner were disappointing. To his credit, Kenny made an effort to sign a big fish that ultimately got away.
Multiple seasons and playoffs of not a fan of Tipp, including this year when many were using the winning streak as evidence that Tipp was a better than average coach. The argument was something along the lines of no one else could do better than Tipp was doing on this streak so why make a change. That didn’t age well, did it? And yes, Tip fucked up with his comments regarding Koski. That episode hurt the player, the team and the org. It’s the sign of a coach feeling a huge amount of pressure and not handling it particularly well.
At any rate, these were independent evaluations … one having nothing to do with the other.
If you check into Spector’s resume, that wouldn’t be the word you would use. Spector digs, finds, reports, writes. You don’t have to agree with him, but the idea he spends his time taking notes from anyone in the organization is silly. There are no doubt times when things align in an agreeable fashion, but this is the guy who broke the Souray news and wrote a damning article about the Yakupov draft process.
People say things, and maybe you believe it. You might not like him, and you may be mad, but he’s not a mouthpiece for the organization. I’m certain of it.
I see him as more switching around to the average fan opinion, semi click baiting and some old school reporting
Aware of his viewership and I suppose if you’re good at media nowadays you have to be on top of that
Condors are practicing today and their game tomorrow is a go.
I wonder if Konovalov will be down in time (he was on the ice with the Oil today) or if maybe Stalock gets the start.
Rodrigue? He was assigned to Bakersfield from Wichita the other day.
Yeah.
Has Konovalov even been assigned?
Not at this point – I guess he could stay on the taxi squad if they put Smith on IR.
It would be nice to get him back to playing hockey games though.
Yeah, he’ll need to get playing again soon (presumably he was getting lots of practice time pre Covid though).
I’d assume the teams wants to keep 3 healthy goalies in Edmonton though, whoever they are.
It would not be accurate to call the game against Ottawa a must win but I think it is pretty important that the Oilers show up and play hard. Continuing the losing streak at home will have the torch’s and pitch forks coming out. Sounds like Skinner starting and we might be missing a few players. Some times adversity is good! ( At least hope that is the case tomorrow!)
The torches and pitchforks have been out for a few weeks now. We’ve moved onto machetes and scythes. A loss at Ottawa and the fanbase will be humming along to ‘If I Had a Rocket Launcher’.
You really don’t get it, do you? We’re at full on explosive vests.
I’m trying to discover the fine line between success and failure for this season. Is it making the playoffs? Winning a round? Winning min 3 games in the playoffs? Being in the wildcard conversation but narrowly missing the playoffs?
What do you mean?
There’s no way anything less than winning a round could be considered a success for this season (and that’s the low bar).
I’d agree to that but I have a feeling there’s a range to this expectation. Some may say finalist, others may say winning one playoff game. I’d say a round + 2 wins is the line. Anything less is a serious waste of riches.
Min bar: one playoff round, one win in the second round, I have spoken.
Excellent Mando reference, comrade!
IMO
From the fan base = win at least 2 rounds.
From an ownership point of view, make the playoffs and Holland keeps his job.
From an ownership point of view, Tippett’s fate my ride on circumstances unrelated to playoff success. Ex// Availability of replacement Coaches who are unquestionably better than Tippett, Jay Woodcroft’s demands, etc
From a Dennis King point of view:
If we miss the playoffs or go out in the 1st round > RED WEDDING!
If we get to the Conference Finals > RED WEDDING!!
If we win the Stanley Cup > RED WEDDING!!! (But Lowe and the others can take one last sip from The Cup. Dennis is not without feelings.)
Holy crap! Tippett does read Lowetide.ca
Hyman-McLeod-Puljujarvi < LOVE this experiment even if it is for one game.
Skinner
Often times forced adaptation breeds out of the box thinking.
Tippett knows he needs a legit 3rd line come playoff time.
No time like the present to test the possibilities.
Team may not have a full 18 skaters tomorrow – they will need either Foegele or Benson to test out of protocol.
Im presuming that Marody has Covid as the other day Tip said they were looking at some callups but Covid matters we’re putting the Kibosh on it
Per Gregor:
“Tomorrow’s lineup is about trying to maximize our lineup based on COVID (availability). I wouldn’t look too much into it past that (for future games).” Tippett on lines and D pairs for tomorrow. #Oilers
@JasonGregor
Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian
Hyman-McLeod-Puljujarvi
Sceviour-Ryan-Yamamoto
Perlini-Shore
Nurse-Ceci
Keith-Barrie
Lagesson-Bouchard
Skinner
Bouchard first day skating. Foegele, Benson, Koekkoek and Turris still in protocol.
Skinner starting makes sense. #Oilers
Confirmed that the plan is for Skinner to start tomorrow (as per DNB).
Stalock on waivers, which means he passed his physical in Bako.
Great news for the person.
I presume he clears and will be officially assigned to the Condors but am not certain.
Is the top line at practice Godot approved?
We wait…
I’m a Godot that you don’t have to wait for. You already know my answer.
A Godot who is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKCBlojdHgk
Godot is out gathering the Tiki Torches.
LT is out gathering the Pitch Forks.
Randle is hidden in the attic quietly doing Balki’s dance of joy.
Kassian’s numbers with Draisaitl McDavid are actually pretty good.
.
.
.
.
.
jig jig….jig jig
The last month of Draisaitl, McDavid, and Kassian cost Flattop his job.
https://youtu.be/yzLT6_TQmq8?t=47
Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian had played 1:18 together when McLellan (through 20 games of 18-19). It was Hitch who put the line together, and Tippett continued through December the following year.
I’ve agreed with most of the rest of your takes this evening, btw.
So many losing seasons, they blend into one another…I may have misremembered the final demise of Flattop. I wanted him gone two month into his first season.
They are also running:
Nurse/Ceci
Keith/Barrie
I have been suggesting Ceci with Nurse for a while, I think that has the makings of a strong pairing that can eat minutes at evens.
Many laugh at Keith/Barrie but, if I’m not mistaken, I think their numbers are good together in a small sample – have not checked for a while mind you.
I don’t understand why they don’t try Keith-Bouchard more
Fun to watch if you’re not an Oiler fan! I can’t possibly see how this pairing could be other than exceptional!
Willie Lags should be 3LD until Niemelainen’s hand is better, then they can battle it out.
He should be the 3LD even after Niemelainen’s hand is better.
Of note: I believe it is better as he was assigned to the AHL a few days back.
Lagesson >> Koekkoek is almost without argument.
Battle it out next year. It is no contest this year. Lagesson is better right now. Niemelainen has more potential.
Whoa, Skinner in starters’ net at practice.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything, on particular given how lean the skaters are at practice.
I’m all for it but, my goodness, if they start Skinner tomorrow with Mikko healthy, that really signals they are done with Mikko, doesn’t it.
Lets go Stuey!!!!!
As for the lean practice lineup, as per Rishaug:
Oilers short at skate- here’s what they’re running.
Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian
Yamo-Ryan-Sceviour
Hyman-McLeod-Puljujarvi
Perlini-Shore
He talked back about the coach who already hated him – of course he is done.
Don’t ever scorn a woman I mean NHL Coach whose job is in jeopardy.
To be fair, you should read the full quote both from Tippett and from Mikko, not just the small translation meant to stir the pot. With the full picture, the whole thing was a non-story and put a completely different perspective on the entire situation.
I know. Just trying to stir the pot 🙂
Yet Koskinen seems to be the goaltender that always shows up to work. Availability is an attribute.
UMM lets recap
Holland went hard after Markstrom.
Holland signed a 39 yr old goalie with health issues to a two yr term
Tippett publicly derided Kosikinen after the Rangers game
Tippett chooses to start a 39 yr old goalie without a conditioning stint over starting Koski
Tippett chooses to start Stuart Skinner when they are only playing one game in ten days.
I think the only question left is which team does Koskinen go to to rehab his game, and then return to stone us?
#TheCircleofLife
#OilersStyle
Nice write up LT
It’s a shame Holland is bumbling his way through the careers of ‘2’ league top players with his Guyball (gut and eyeball) assessment system
See a guy that plays well against them (how else can you see them play right?) and go get him regardless of cost and term, if Archie says it’s a good idea, maybe he saw them play once too
I don’t know how Barrie passed the assessment, and he decided he needed two of the same RS D
It seems given the leftorium a more defensive RD that could help a rookie along, and given the dearth there on the farm, may have seemed like a Guyball play
But no
Of interest:
https://deadspin.com/seriously-how-did-ken-holland-win-those-stanley-cups-1848353780
So contenders trade futures for playoff pushes. This and other ground breaking news tonight at 5
Some trade futures to BECOME contenders.
See TBL for reference.
Tampa didn’t do that. They were contenders before they began selling tomorrow for today.
You may want to check their draft record with an eye on how many players they drafted in the 1st round were traded.
They became contenders only after moving them and spending significant future assets to acquire that elite 3rd line that got them over the top after being blown out in the playoffs by Columbus.
You should also note that 3 of their top 4D were acquired outside the draft.
They were not in the business of buying green bananas.
Tampa had 18 playoff games in 2011. 26 in 2015 (i.e. CONTENDER). 17 in 2016. 17 in 2018. President’s Trophy in 2019 and massive upset loss in 1st round. Before CUP, CUP.
So a contender since 2015.
Tampa 1st round picks since 2010:
2010 Carter Ashton – traded
2011 Vladislav Namestnikov – traded
2012 Slater Koekoek – traded
2013 Jonathan Drouin – traded
2014 Tony DeAngelo – traded
2015 – 1st round pick – traded
2016 Brett Howden – traded
2017 Cal Foote – kept him 60 NHL games played.
2018 1st round pick – traded
2019 Nolan Foote – traded
2020 1st round pick – traded
2021 1st round pick – traded
I would think a 12 year history of moving on from high draft picks for upgrades is a pretty defining commentary.
They did NOT start executing this strategy after becoming contenders…it’s exactly HOW they became contenders.
The notion of over-ripening prospects is about as old timey as onions on belts.
And the results speak for themselves.
I’m too lazy (or is it pissed, visiting the old neighborhood Scona staying in a hotel falling off stool in pub) to look, but often active teams reacquire picks
The other caveat is you have to be good at finding the good players and the Oilers aren’t, at least since Lowe had an out of body experience in ‘06 and before that Slats
The bigger problem with not using trades to better the team is that players careers aren’t typically that long
Its stupid to be blunt to think 6 or 10 years or whatever is ok, dumdy dumdy dum
Especially with elite talent aging on the vine
To win everybody needs to push, drive to the goal. It’s freakin hard
GMs coaches and players need to drive past their comfort zones, and do it mostly right, or you never get there
Which is why so many don’t
Perfectly framed and said.
If anything this shows Holland learned his lesson of not throwing futures out the window
when he came we knew he would
overpay ageing vets
trade away futures
overpercolate prospects
just needs to work on the ageing vets part
The league has gotten younger and faster especially up front on the Wings.
Who exactly are the prospects being over percolated?
Duncan Keith.
This made me laugh. Well done!
You dont read so good
Fun reads
And tragic
He writes like a lot of commentators here, funny
It is completely one sided but funny for sure. And he does make some good points.
Although I can’t agree about the structure being fine
The Oilers are consistently not defending the slot, and cannot stop cross seam passes that are the most dangerous
Also the bottom 6 has been dropping in offense during Tipp’s time
These things are why the Elk’s cleaned house, even if the Oilers are not regressing per se, they aren’t getting better even with the growth of their three best players, Jesse, and additions of better players even if marginally
The goalies are the biggest problem, but it isn’t them constantly blowing coverage
They are also playing without any apparent system in the O zone except back to the point, the least effective plan
I caught a lot of the Sens last night. Pretty simple plan, protect the net and skate like it’s your last chance Texaco game
Can the Oilers not do that? Isn’t it up to the coaches to make it happen at some point? Isn’t that sort of the job description?
Oilers don’t have the players for that type of game. How many players would be considered strong in the D zone? 3?
Just terrible roster construction
I see Canucks are near bottom of Wheelers prospect rankings
no wonder they are trying to sell
So far Holland has stayed 100% predictable. And what has he previously said about goalies? Something about not needing elite goalies? Or spending assets on goalies? Im sure someone will remember.
Then he comes out and says hes good with Smith and Kosky. So there is that.
Meanwhile if this team had a 9.20 save percentage, it can play with any team in the league.
I believe Holland’s philosophy on goalies is that there are a handful of elite ones that are worth paying for but, once past that small group, there is a large tier with not much to choose among them and there isn’t value in paying extra.
The GM is never supposed to ponder in public about whether he should ask the question.
When I look to compare Oilers top 6 with that of other teams I see quite a different mix.
A lot of teams have more of the stereotypical player mix. Roughly the same size, similar speed, skilled, play at similar pace and many used to similar system through their career. This less skilled but team approach gives the Oilers trouble.
The Oilers I smile at the number of oddballs they have:
Rocket – Player who skates and processes faster than the other can keep up with
Big diesel
Little Yammer smallest in the league
Nuge – Mr. Rogers of hockey
Big goofy guy they call The Bison King
Workaholic who writes children’s stories
Crazy Eyes – sometimes gets a stint in top 6
I think it is easier to stitch together a group of similar players over a group of oddballs. But if the oddballs can gel you really have something right?
Middle six they certainly have some stereotypical hockey men in Foegele, McLeod, Holloway. Hyman probably fits here too.
Back to Mr Kane. Add him to the oddballs. The least thing we want is a nice, gentle, cream puff who will say “excuse me please” as he tries to access the front of the net. If we are getting Kane, he needs to bring some bite.
This post is in fun.
Something I find interesting is how they completely reshaped their defense into a puck moving unit.
Virtually every 2021 defenseman is double their comparison from 2016 in 5×5 points per 60.
And if you at Dom’s player cards from the Athletic, all of our defense except CC bring more value on offence than defense.
Koek and Barrie out for solid defensive defenseman will save money and provide more balance.
Some dirt cheap options who show top quartile defensive performance at Mark Pysyk out of Buffalo and Anton Stralman out of Zona. Well Stralman was received as a salary dump and would need to putchased as such.
Pysyk for a 5th
Stralman for Koskinen and a 6th
Or go bigger for Gio or Soucey out of Seattle who have excellent numbers.
Pysyk and Stralman have been around for years and are known to be not great defensively. Not sure how either of those guys would change the group identity? Perhaps you’re looking at a small sample size? Florida was so enamored with Pysyk’s defensive ability that they played him at RW…
Stralman was actually very good. But he past his best before date.
I’d trade Barrie for him. Because Stralman would be better defensively this year, and the Oilers need to get rid of Barrie’s contract. Stralman can play in all situations, but far less than when he was with the Rangers and Lightning.
Thanks for the 2016-17 comps LT, very illustrative.
And Bouchard reminds me of Petry in some ways – some big moment errors, but look at those numbers in his first full season in the league.
Of all the magical mysteries of the world, one of the greatest for me is ” Why in the H E Double Hockey Sticks, can this team not start a game at the first drop of the puck??
Ottawa played Calgary hard last night. Can you spell Tenacity?
And Calgary had 5 days to prepare and were desperate to put the brakes on a losing streak.
I’m concerned the Senators may filibuster us tonight.
#FilibusterFluster
We HAVE GOT TO outwork these guys.
#GetOnEmEarlyAndOften
Well Calgary lost 8 out of last 10 so looks like they were given the Stanley cup a bit early
Hate to kill your buzz, pretty sure the game is tomorrow night!
Love the energy though!
Shit! How do you untap a keg?
Right you are Whaler. Right you are.
Do you think they should load up to start the game? As opposed to needing to load up to finish the game?
Yes please!
Especially at home.
Tell McDavid and Draisaitl they can come off the ice (line change) once the score is 3-0 Oilers
I like Nurse and think he is a good overall D man. I do not like the contract. Think it was a couple mill / per overpay. Now if he played a lot more of a meaner game a lot more often, sure. But those are few and far between .
But good on his agent for raking him in the cash.
Nurse is listed at 6’4′ and 221lbs.
He is big, mean, skilled, unshakable confidence, and almost tireless.
At 30 min per game though, he’s having a hard time maintaining all these things and drops the physicality a bit. Like so many Oilers, with a bit of help, he would be better as well.
Nurse may start to play a “meaner game” again once he has a bit more help with the big minutes. He’s played it in the past and its part of his overall make-up but, at this point, he’s so important in all situations that he needs to be cautious of taking penalties that come with a “meaner game).
The haters didn’t want to pay him after his ELC. The haters didn’t want to pay him after the transition deal. Nurse was willing to bet on himself and help the team out on his 3rd deal, and take himself to UFA status.
Some of us said to pay him after his ELC, and again after the transition deal, but the haters kept doubling down, and Nurse kept betting on himself, until he held all the cards, and other young D in the league forced a reset of the salary scale.
The plan was for Smith & Koskinen to be the go to tandem. Well that isn’t working . Koskinen gets overwhelmed and Smith can’t stay healthy. The play needs to be Stuart Skinner sharing the workload with Koskinen or maybe get Halak in the fold to share duties with Skinner and get away from Smth & Koskinen altogether.
I’ve always liked Halak, but I doubt that Holland would deem him to be a material upgrade over what he already has on the roster.
I am mildly concerned that Holland might waste assets on a higher caliber Goalie.
Personally I would take Evander Kane over a (purchased above market value) goalie upgrade every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
Or, pull a groin, or damage their thumb tendons.
Yesterday I got a LBI rolling out of bed.
Mike Smith has UBI.
#UbiquitousBodyInjuries
Skinner and Konovalov. Amen.
Counterpoint on the long-term importance of Nurse – he’s not even going to be the #1 defender on his own team when they win the Cup. This presumes they’re not winning this year – as they seem hell bent on throwing that chance in the trash.
He is very good – but just very good.
Bouchard is going to be very good, but he will never be the equal of Nurse.
Broberg has the raw potential to be better, but it is unlikely he will realize all of it.
Nurse has being doing what he was doing for the last three seasons, with Bear, a rookie, Barrie, 3rd pairing level defensively (and I’m being kind), and Bouchard, a rookie.
Larry Robinson had Serge Savard.
I believe Pointu has a vaseline handshake waiting for you over this latest cruel exclusion, Godot.
CROSSFIRE! Pew Pew Pew!
Good Lord that’s fun!
( Looked up Pew Pew Pew in the old Meriam Webster, it said, and I quote “The sound one makes when your cap gun runs out of caps”
Whereas the OED Oxford English Dictionary, states, “the sound emanating from the backseat when you pass a dead skunk on the side of the road” …. “or when Dad lets one rip”)
#SilentKiller
“Ooh, bop-bop-bop-bop, ooh, bop-bop-bop-bop.”
Is also fun.
Or extremely painful depending on your point of view
Thank you, LT.
The song to go with the title…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rsMB5cxPc8
They could really do the funk for a bunch of white guys.
Here’s my fave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F28X8–2dFU
…or the full length version that clocks in at a cool 21 minutes. I got this album under the Christmas tree the year it came out. Was a big Rare Earth fan back in the day. They did a great version of (I Know) I’m Losing You (esp the long version, linked by Munny) & Born To Wander was a splendid tune as well.
https://youtu.be/q-Rg9xwZoo8
That’s pretty cool, Bruce. I had never even heard of Rare Earth till the 80s. Never got played on CHED is my guess. Instead they played The Beatles’ Hello Goodbye… Every. Single. Morning.
And K97 didn’t start up till 1979. Still remember the first song they ever played: Pink Floyd’s The Wall Pt 2.
There are moments listening to Rare Earth that I feel like Canned Heat gave birth to them, although their music isn’t that similar. Musically they’re more like the love child of Carlos Santana and The Temptations.
Anyone have any news regarding Skinner’s covid test…any border-crossing issue?
In starters’ net at practice today.
Will be starting tomorrow night.
Jordan Eberle, All-Star! Congrats, Jordan.
Letting prospects develop until they’re over-ripe is one of Kenny’s admirable traits. Although in Detroit he had the luxury of an HoFer team. Easy to trickle in.
Thing is, it seems like a hill to die on for Ken. I admire the courage of his convictions, but not playing a prospect one second before Ken believes they’re absolutely over-done may actually hurt THIS team. I believe it hurt us in the two previous playoff series. I’m all for playing veterans, but they have to be better than what you have for free.
He’ll stick with Koski, who I hope goes on a heater.
As talked about previously – value contracts win cups. And those value contracts are the young guys on ELCs that can’t be held up underperforming vets.
Holland reminded us the other day that the way to success is to build from within, the way he did with the ‘02 Red Wings with long time Detroit farm hands like Hull, Robitaille, Larionov, Shanahan, Chelios, Duchesne, Slegr, Olausson & Hasek. Superb cap management.
Agreed. Build from within and have a bunch of HoFers from other teams.
Man, that’s a hell of a list of players. Wouldn’t even know where to begin as a comparable.
Kris Draper started with the ‘Peg. Edmonton’s favorite son, Boyd Devereaux. Edmonton’s second favorite son, Kirk Maltby. Manny Legace.
But yeah. Grow from within.
I like to think that, all in all, I’m pretty successful in life. Good job, nice house, awesome family. Do I look back to my 16 to 30yo self and think – “that’s the way to success. If things go tits up, all I have to do is replicate that. Join the army, drink and party when not working, travel Europe and the Med, be a general dink. I know this works, because look where I am now!”? Or is that I was learning in real time and adapting and adjusting until I was at least tolerable enough for someone to become the catalyst that allowed me to be, well, me in the present?
I am now coming to believe Hannibal’s famous maxim – We’ll either find a way or make one. I doesn’t say anything about how he used to cross mountain ranges with elephants when he was in Detroit.
Mostly on the backs of a lot of dead elephants, no?
HoF elephants. Dumbo, Nellie, Babar.
Took words outta my mouth.
What about 2008, with Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Hudler, Holmstrom, Franzen, Filppula, Kopecky, Lebda and Osgood?
So Kenny is building for a cup six years from now?
Haha, I’m not sure what in my post could have implied that.
Holland’s 2008 Red Wings won the cup (and reached the finals the next year), in the cap era, with the main contributors being drafted and homegrown. Excellent examples of success built from within.
Yes and Kenny won in 2002 with a lot of out of towners. And in ’98. If Kenny is building a winner, it isn’t for anytime soon.
“Oilers fans will regret during these years is not appreciating the big man more during his prime, healthy seasons.”
It happens. Montreal defenseman Larry Robinson was under a little under appreciated (especially by Bruins fans 🙂 ) for the first few years of his young career. Until one day (age 25) things were all “Sunny Days, chasing the clouds away”.
He became “Big Bird” and never looked back. In the 1976-77 he scored 85pts and was +120.
Darnell is just but one more example of a player who might potentially be “Shawn Horcoff’ed” as a result of playing in a Northern Town in the Cap Era.
I value Darnell. For whatever reason, I see the positives more than the negatives when I watch him. He’s like a security blanket that has a few holes in it.
I said the other day that the new Oilers don’t hold the same level of fandom for me and surmised that it was because many of the 80’s Oilers were “exceptional” at one thing, and it defined them (super-pest, net crasher, etc) Like most of todays Oilers, Darnell is more of a generalist; Very good at several things, not necessarily “exceptional’ at any things.
It helps me personally to view the Nurse contract as 2 x $5.6 + 8 (UFA yrs) x $9.25 = $8.52m
Not bad really. ( Once you factor in the “Half a Mile from Nowhere Tax” )
#LifeInANorthernTown
Works even better if you include 2x $3.2 in there. For the first 8 seasons after his ELC, Nurse’s net cap hit is $54.6 million, compared to McDavid’s $100 million & Draisaitl’s $68 million. Of course he will still have 4 pricey years to go at that point…
Connor Bedard on the Olympic Team:
https://twitter.com/MissinCurfew/status/1482004920630792195
I’ll be watching this great mix of youth and expereience.
Strongly suspect that is a joke, as it isn’t released anywhere else and the source is a podcast form Upshall and Shane O’Brien, who put themselves on the team hahaha. Really wish it were true tho, that team would be hilarious to watch and would probably medal at least.
You have to ask yourself one question.
“DO YOU BELEIVE IN MIRACLES!!!”
#1980
#NotSoPlacidAfterAll
Lots of former Oilers in there, guys like Kris Versteeg, Scottie Upshall, & Dany Heatley…
Hahaha! You’re on today!
I think there is a type – Lagesson should play in front of Koekkoek, not in front of Lagesson – ha!
Larsson…… sigh…..
Man, imagine the last few years with the Nurse pop and without career altering injuries for Klefbom and Sekera.
Klefbom and Sekera were VERY good d-man.
3 legit top 4 d-men (the two above, plus Larsson) lost in the last few years.
Damn you Getzlaf!
“F#ck Getzlaf! No Seriously, F#ck that guy!”
#TributeToBookje
As cynical as I am about Oilers management, your point cannot be overstated.
Losing all three of these players was outside the control of management and had a devastating effect on the Oilers D.
Especially losing Klef. Great player. Great contract. Great abs.
It seems to me that Oiler fans (well many of them) were never able to appreciate Nurse in the moment, where he has been on a value contract since day 1, and always feared “the next contract” and analyzed him with respect to what might happen in the future.
There is no doubt, well, little doubt, his next contract is indeed a bit too much but, at the same time, damn this player is important to the team and I’m happy to have him.
When the Oilers hoist Stanley, he will be an invaluable piece that got them there.
Cup goes from Conner’s hands, to Leo’s hands, to Darnell’s hands…. imo
And the biggest smile ever recorded while hoisting the cup???
THE BISON KING!!! who scored the game 7 winner in triple OVVVEERRTIME!!!
I’d rather His Bisonic Majesty score the game and cup winner in the first minute of game 4 against Toronto, but I like yours. Yours can be the Hollywood adaptation of the book.