You probably don’t remember this, but I called Kevin Lowe stepping away from the general manager’s job and trumpeted Peter Chiarelli’s firing (although the dizzying transaction pace made it easy to see the future), so do have some history of calling exits. Yesterday on the Lowdown, Kevin McCurdy suggested (and then posted on X) the Oilers might make a coaching change (excluding Kris Knoblauch) over the break.
I can’t see it, honestly. There is a stubborn streak on the staff, we can see that in the lack of any kind of rational approach to a scheme able to overcome a suffocating forecheck. However, the Oilers assistant coaches are capable of tweaks and the team is a contender for the top of the Pacific Division.
Coaching changes occur after long periods of frustration. If there’s a coaching change among Paul McFarland, Mark Stuart or Pierre Aubry, the guess here would be Stuart. The defense isn’t getting the outlets to the forwards, and it’s due to gapping (distance from defense to forwards) but the stretch pass is a predictable check down and the team has limited its own options since the SCF against Florida in the spring of 2025.
I don’t know the name of the coach who treats any hint of Oilers possession in their own zone as an instant jailbreak for the forwards, but you can end that practice without firing the coach. I don’t know the name of the coach who believes Connor McDavid trying to stickhandle through five guys is something that should continue (he’s outstanding at it, better than Gilbert Perreault in fact) but it’s a low percentage play.
The Oilers look frustrated on the breakouts. I think that’s an adjustment, not a firing. We’ll see. The Oilers have made some ludicrous changes in assistant coaches (famously choosing to keep Kelly Buchberger and let Charlie Huddy go was madness) and maybe we’ll see Paul Coffey back after the break. If that happens, I expect it’s an ownership play. It has been a frustrating start to the season, but panic moves are the sign of a management group with ‘athlete’s scalp’ because the owner is walking over the GM’s authority. I think Stan Bowman has a better handle on things. We’ll see.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN FEBRUARY
- At home to: TOR (Expected 1-0-0) 0-1-0
- On the road to: CGY (Expected 1-0-0) 0-1-0
- On the road to: ANA, LAK, SJS (Expected 2-1-0)
- Expected Record: 3-2-0, six points in five games
- Actual Record: 0-2-0
- Season Record: 28-22-8, 64 points in 58 games
The Oilers looked a little ‘checked out’ last night, not an excuse (it was a game that counted in the standings) but a concerning trend for a team that does have indifference within. I don’t have the numbers for you, will add at some point this morning.
I did want to post, for the record, that if Coffey does return then all that verbal about the defensive pairings and changes being addled were classic issue framing. If Coffey’s stubbornness was a deal breaker last summer, it cannot be a saviour less than one year later. I’ll call BS if it happens that way.
On the Lowdown today, we’ll have Bagged Milk from Oilers Nation join us to talk Oilers. We’ll also did deep on the Super Bowl and NBA trade deadline. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
- Nuge-McDavid-Hyman 5:58, 5-8 shots, 25X, 2-4 HDSC
- Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Kapanen 5:40, 3-0 shots, 1-0, 90X, 2-0 HDSC
- Podkolzin-McDavid-Hyman 4:37, 3-2 shots, 47X, 1-2 HDSC
- Savoie-Draisaitl-Kapanen 3:43, 4-1, 93X, 1-0 HDSC
- Mangiapane-Nuge-Roslovic 3:33, 1-1 shots, 50X, 1-1 HDSC
- Samanski-Lazar-Janmark 2:36, 1-0 shots, 100X, 1-0 HDSC
- Ekholm-Bouchard 13:06, 10-10 shots, 1-0 goals, 28X, 2-5 HDSC
- Nurse-Walman 14:01, 9-3 shots, 60X, 6-3 HDSC
- Stastney-Emberson 8:48, 4-2 shots, 0-1 goals, 45X, 2-2 HDSC
- Tristan Jarry 21 of 25, .840
Matty the Turtle continues to be cheap and dangerous then run for cover and Turtle while the NHL lets its continue.
Someone is gonna get hurt and hopefully it’s the turtle.
After Drai’s comments, does KK really have the room anymore?
I assume Jeff Jackson has a direct line to McDavid, so presumably the senior leadership can’t be totally in the dark about what’s going on in the dressing room.
I’d be just fine with Coffey coming back.
And if not Coffey, why not Charlie Huddy?
I’m not usually an OBC booster, but both of those guys seemed to do well with our D.
Staples speculating, that based on Stauffers comments, Oiler may be bringing Coffey back to coach the D. Would be an addition to the staff and not a replacement. Interesting….
Where’s the outrage this time on one of the OBC returning to save the day?
Well feel free to be outraged. I think it’s worth trying. Not sure our D could be worse. Would be an interesting dynamic if it is true Coffey and KK didn’t see eye to eye though.
I’m being a smart ass. I’m a huge Coffey fan. He could skate so effortlessly definitely top 5 D-Man history wise. You should go back and read the blog when Coffey took over after the Woody firing.
David has been suggesting they bring Coffey back for a while now.
From what we “know” about what Coffey wants and potential circumstances re: his departure, it seems unlikely but we’ll see.
He started with it the first game of the season and hasn’t really stopped. It’s only ebbed and flowed.
There was/is no reasonable chance of coaching firings during this season and Stauff essentially just confirmed that on his show. He did leave it open for a possible add though.
That’s disappointing. They better at least add a veteran coach. Clearly it’s not working currently and they could use another voice in there.
I believe that. But come out of the break and lay an egg in Cali and all bets are off.
Clouder on pace for a 60 point season and a very plus season on the +/-
The amount of talent bled out by this team after that game 7 loss is unforgivable
Agreed with the conclusion.
That said, Clouder would have never hit those numbers in Edmonton. Look at his deployment/toi in Buffalo.
He didn’t need to. They need a 3C who plays special teams, can play up in a pinch and doesn’t give up much.
He was the perfect template, just rolling into his prime years and instead of building around him they traded him for a winger to do the same job three years hence while paying Henrique way to much to cover the bet.
It was a weird choice then and remains one today.
McLeod never looked like he would be a real playoff performer, and the team knew it.
He’s great for Buffalo, a team that needs to get to the playoffs.
He wasn’t great for us, a team that needs to get a Cup.
I’m not ready to write off that trade as a loss yet.
This has been a wildly frustrating and disappointing season. Plenty of finger pointing. At the same time many young players are getting real looks in the NHL.
4 players played their first NHL game: Samanski, Howard, Clattenburg and Tomasek.
4 players had less than 25 NHL games played and have seen the ice: Savoie, Regula, Hutson and Philp.
Stastney had less than 100 at the start of the season.
Emberson had 106 games played to start the season.
The former US National development program teammates are showing promise on the back end.
Savoie is an NHL player.
Howard is dominating the AHL and is showing he can play in the NHL and is getting better with each promotion.
Hutson and Samanski have shown flashes during their moments in the sun.
Hopefully this investment in the here and now pays dividends in the future. SB has done well here. Please figure out the pro scouting part.
I don’t get to watch many Oilers games these days, but I got to watch the last two periods of yesterday’s game.
I don’t think everyone was checked out leading up to the big break. However, once the big dogs didn’t score on that PP in the 3rd, you could see them starting to lose interest.
Obviously they were still trying to win, but it seemed like they were only interested in getting that tying goal via the highlight reel pass or play. How many long distance backhand passes in the neutral zone did Leon attempt? How many 1 on 5 rushes did McDavid attempt? How many ineffective stretch passes did the D go for? Would have been dazzling if they panned out, but none did. Low percentage, lazy play.
I think this team knows that it needs to reset. The coaches know it. The leadership team knows it. The goalies know it. The player’s dogs know it. There are too many pieces to address and they weren’t going to work through them all in that last period, the last game, or, apparently, that homestand.
Sometimes you need a long break to come back to the issue(s) with a fresh lens, perspective and energy.
Hopefully, they get to that space during the break.
I thought losing Perry for his veterans presence might hurt a little in the dressing room but it’s Perry’s willingness to go to the net that we miss the most. Somebody needs to tell Savoie and about 6 other forwards that going to the net causes chaos which results in Goals. Coach K.K needs to put the hammer down and get these yellow-belly figure skating perimeter players going to the net or sit them.
I don’t think KK is the hammer down kinda coach
I think with Coffey gone the patients are running the asylum. I still think we win the Cup because I’m a homer. Where’s Cowboy Bill Flett to add some personality to this squad. I do hope they trade for a gamer at the deadline.
They need some ass holes on the team and just straight hard playing guys. Where do we find a guy like hagel
Oilers missed out on Kiefer Sherwood.
I’d aim a little higher, although he’d be nice to have.
Giroux? He plays hard if I remember correctly and would add some leadership and personality. And Hes still good
Perry was the only Oiler in years that actually had any idea of how to play net front. He is excellent at screening and giving the shooter options. I remember one goal a D scored where he was showing him where to shoot with his eyes, and as he wound up Perry moved a bit over and the goalie couldn’t see the shot. Apparently watching a master is not part of their learning style
He is also great at feeding pucks from behind to players moving in, which is how you do it. Just standing there letting the D move in on you (unless you are setting a screen), or 6 inches from the goalie is not how you do it. If you want to score much
Leon scores from his office because the puck moves across so the goalie moves, and while he’s close in he has enough space to take a good shot and get it up
Man they are frustrating
Leon is calling out the coach. He knows they won’t win shit without the bottom six contributing.
time to spread the wealth over 3 line at least and roll the lines. No more Mcdrai 25 minutes a game.
I would suggest it’s time that the coach identify roles for the players and stop laying it all on 97 & 29 or the coach will be out of a job by the end of the season (and sooner if they crap the bed in Cali at the end of the month).
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Seth Jarvis will replace Brayden Point on Team Canada
You heard it here four thousand six hundred and twenty-sixth.
Oh that makes me mad.
McDavid loses a winger, and you add Jarvis? When Hyman is exactly the kind of guy you need?
Bennett for Cirelli’s role is fine with me. Jarvis for Point’s role is not fine with me. Hyman should absolutely be on that team.
Speed:
Kapanan is fast
Savoie is fast
Roslovic is fast
McDavid a little bit fast
Hyman is fast
Poddy and Drai no slouch
Bring in Bobby McMann
There is an identity shaping up here if they want to run with it.
Howard is fast.
The sign says “No Homers”, we’re allowed to have one.
I really, really want to see Connor and Leon do well at the Olympics and Connor to be holding a gold medal. These guys have worked so hard and come so close.
Stanley Cup final is a heck of an accomplishment but you know Connor doesn’t consider that winning. I would love to see him win it for Canada. And Leon deserves some winning and recognition, he will be the home town hero.
Canada vs Germany for Gold.
I don’t understand this statement. I think he wants a cup more than he wants a gold medal.
Being in the SCF isn’t winning. Winning the SCF is winning.
Ok….?
Haha great response OP
I’m going to get roasted for this, but I don’t care.
Drai isn’t totally wrong, but he’s mostly wrong.
Overall this isn’t a coaching problem. It’s a leadership in the room problem.
Mark Messier wouldn’t put up with this sh!t.
McDavid, Drai, Nurse, Nuge have been leaders in the room for a decade now. And despite many coaching changes, the teams hair on fire, play only the third period style of play has not changed.
If they want things to change, it’s on them.
By the way, I’m not absolving the coaching here. They have been poor. Nuge as 3c finally last night when that move was obvious a month ago.
Last year, Drai should have been the Hart winner, as he was all over the ice defending, scoring, and doing everything within his power to win. 50 games into the season he was leading the league in +/- and this result matched the eye test. I don’t see anything like that from him this year.
And it shows in team results as the Oilers are 28-30. Brutal.
If this was true, they don’t even need a coach then.
You have heard Drai state that he gets paid to score. He gets paid and he needs to earn it. While he needs to be defensively conscious, he is paid on any team to score. Period.
He still needs dmen to defend, goalie to goal ect. He needs the GM to build, the coach to coach.
We must be careful we dont go down the road that is the star players fault that we come up a dollar short.
Nope not blaming star players at all.
But let’s be clear. Drai gets paid not to score but to out score. By a lot. Which means he needs to score a lot and at the same time drive play out of the Oilers zone and therefore to prevent goals.
And yes, a lot of times it feels like this team doesn’t need a coach. Any idiot can play McDavid and Drai for 80% of the game combined, near full two minutes on every PP, discover that “hey McDavid might be awesome on the PK”, or that when goals are needed McDavid and Drai on the same line is the solution.
That kind of “coaching” is not a strategy for success. It is a perpetual short term fix. And I say perpetual because every Oilers coach has defaulted to it. And now KK has fallen into that trap.
Early on it was Fogolin who was the Sheriff back then you could squeeze a teammates neck until he was blue. What can Leon and Connor do physically or verbally to get a teammate going. Nowadays a quarter of these players will cry for a safe space. All a Coach can do is limit ice time they have to watch every word they say or it’ll be taken out of context. Anyhow technology has ruined the better part of Sports in general.
Fogolin was a wimp. Back in my day, you could take your skate off and stab someone with it. If you couldn’t settle your grievances on the ice, you would just beat the shit out of them in the parking lot. Everything was great until your generation wanted the “instigator” penalty. Or cried about how they didn’t want to be speared anymore so that became a penalty too. What a soft generation. “Ohh I don’t want brain damage so we have to wear helmets, too!” Pathetic.
I would pay to see you disrespect Fogolin in person. Ask yourself this why are there so many depressed youngsters in your today’s Utopia?
Ask yourself why every generation has parroted similar criticisms about the generation that followed them over thousands of years:
https://arapahoelibraries.org/blogs/post/generational-blame-a-brief-history/
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
The best part about this quote, is it means the baby boomer generation is the weak men generation.
I don’t think that’s what your intent is, but it’s funny nonetheless.
My thought is that the team is playing with the Urgency dial set to 11.
They make a play instantly once receiving the puck to try to force things. Hang on to it for a moment and look for the smart play…. .
90% of the time they are chasing the game from the 1st 5 minutes. Sometimes because they are not ready to play from puck drop but other times as well even when they come out well from the start. Also mentioned here about the rest of the team not having a role. You can see it in those players. Could have contributed to Freddy as well. He was interviewed not long ago and said he didn’t know what his role was. I think that’s another tell on the coaching. There should be no question on what his role was before the contract was put in front of his face.
I think Leon calling out the coaching is a big tell of the coaches losing the team. Leon is one of their franchise players and I’m not sure if have heard anything mentioned about coaching in a negative light by a franchise player on this team.
Something happened at the end of last year with Coffey and Head coach. Coffey walked off. You could also see Coffey was not happy making the team smaller and losing grit (you could tell he wanted more). Gully was a big piece of the team that left as well. Im not sure how we go from a very good defensive structure that we had last year to what we see this year. I would bet Coffey has the owners ear. The owner has made allot of money with his superstars and Stanley Cup runs. Missing the playoffs would be devastating at this point. Losing 3 of 4 games to a very untalented team like the Flames should be devastating.
I see a coaching change happening. Maybe DeBoer, maybe Coffey, maybe MacT, who knows but I think the owner sees this team needs more than a 1.5 million winger.
Where does your info on Coffey wanting the team to be bigger/grittier come from? I believe it, just curious
There was an article about his displeasure of trading away Kane in the off-season. Kane was the main piece of the Oilers grit side
As we saw in the playoffs, and as any who’ve watched the Canucks this year, Kane’s ability to contribute is… gone. If Kane being moved is why Coffey was upset, it’s a tell.
They needed a player to replace Kane. They thought it was Freddy but it doesn’t look like that plan holds water.
Freddy is a ghost most nights. When a team lacks true depth, the coach grasps at solutions, players don’t have a roll, get benched for one little mistake, grip their sticks even tighter…Ladies and gentlemen, the OIL bottom 6. A TON of this is on the coaching, the other just a lack of quality depth. I think there is some coming from the AHL but when? Retool year. Do NOT go all in. Just my opinion.
Kane and Brown and Perry (and Janmark when they press box him).
We knew this would be a problem. But with our cap situation, what else could we have really done? Not a chance you pay Kane $5M, or Perry $4M, or Brown $3MX4. You have to hope that your cheap young guys will fill the bottom 6, but most of our young guys (Savoie, Howard, Hutson) are skill guys. Roslo is a fantastic contract, but he’s not a tough guy. And Freddy has done nothing.
Bowman did a great job in finding Podz. We need three more like that. But we were lucky enough to find one.
It is what it is.
What? Kane came back from injury and completely turned the King series around, the Oilers ran through the west with Hyman and Kane providing an infectious forecheck.
Knoblauch turned yellow belly in the finals.
Then tradgedy struck, the Hyman injury and the officials nulified Kane from the equation during the SCF Which turned the tides for Florida after game four and the Panthers were allowed to do as they pleased and win the final two games easily. Something happened after game four but Knoblauch couldn’t do anything about it and neither could his players. It was strange indeed.
The officials didn’t nullify Kane – Kane continuing to high stick the opposition in the face nullified Kane……
The officials did nullify Kane because they called him for things that Florida players were getting away with. One of the high-sticking penalties he got called for in the final was Marchand grabbing Kane’s stick and smacking himself in the face. Meanwhile, Verhaeghe high sticks Stecher behind the net without a penalty called, causing a turnover that Florida directly scores off of.
In my opinion, one of Knoblauch’s greatest weaknesses is not being able to provide a narrative that advantages his team. Maurice had the officials and media wrapped around his thumb in the last two finals, and Knoblauch had no answer to it.
They missed some calls on Florida, human error happens, its a fast game.
Kane fully earned all his minor penalties.
Anyone that’s not biased knew the refs had it out for Kane. Instead of K.K going off orally on the refs he instead neutered Kane allowing Marchand and Bennett to roam free. The turtling of K.K cost us a effing Cup.
Kane earned every minor penalty he took.
The refs missed some similar calls on the Panthers, sure, but Kane took himself out of that series.
For me a few things have to be adjusted for the final run.
1.Less commitment to having the puck below the face off dots.
In the defensive zone too often, we have 3 players pursuing the puck behind the goal line. If you get the puck that is good, if you don’t it is often an odd man advantage in front of our net.
In the offensive zone we pinch to often to keep the puck and 3 forwards are too low to support the defense when the puck goes the other way.
2.Nuge and Rico should switch roles. Nuge is a better center and Rico can still play with talent.
3.We don’t have enough experience with coaching and it is showing. I bet the top players are “kinda” bossing those young coaches around
Rico can not still play with talent, he scores at Janmarks rate now.
which is not at all
It’s even worse then Janmark when you consider the majority of his time has been at 3C rather then 4th line wing.
The place for Rico is the pressbox.
No better interview to watch than a pissed-off Draisaitl.
When he laughed when suggested they were such a strong team the last 2 years and he said “we’re not the same team” I raised my eyebrows so much they almost stuck to my toupee
Why is this a surprise?
It was clear in training camp. Old/slow/expensive guys out. Lots of them. Young/fast/cheap guys auditioning. Lots of them.
Something else from early season: Drai talking about Selke. When he gets pissy with “everyone,” no doubt he’s pissed at himself for not playing the 200-ft game this “new” and audition-by-fire needs from him (& McD).
The old team had guys with experience that the younger leaders could lean on and learn from (esp Perry). Now it’s on McDrai. And it’s not pretty.
A leadership transition rarely is pretty. No amount of preparation can prepare you for the harsh reality that you are the one who carries this team. Not with offensive play, but with the hard work of responsible defensive play. McD’s letter was a public statement of intent to step, fully, into leadership. When Drai is done blaming others and commits to his Selke aspirations, that’ll be another. Until then, coaches, goalies, young ones, old ones are at risk.
I don’t think Drai is blaming others, he is a pretty decent mentor it seems. This team just isnt good enough and we lost a ton of coaching mettle and player mettle.
Agreed. I see Draisaitl being an important mentor. But his self-proclaimed Selke-aspirations have disappeared.
I suggest that this team, this “new” team, needs him to be so much more than a goal-scorer and mentor. It needs him to step into those aspirations. When he’s there, he elevates whatever team he’s leading.
I’m curious to see the Drai that shows up for Germany. The guy who’s a scoring powerhouse, or the guy who should be the Selke conversation? I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive, but I do think his next step as a player and as a leader (of Team Germany and of Team Oilers) starts with the play that had people (& him) mentioning Selke.
Ps. McD getting hurt last year created a leadership vacuum that Drai stepped up into. The way he played took him to Rocket. It also had him in the Hart conversation. It began considerations for Selke. That Drai isn’t complaining after a loss. He’s digging in.
I suspect that Drais talk mirrored the post game discussion. Knoblauch is very modest and I can see him saying “we all need to be better” and even taking accountability “including the coaches” I don’t know this but I could see it. I doubt Drai is going there as a personal attack. Regardless, it is correct statement.
And Drai almost cut off the interviewer to make that point.
It was a striking interview. Something is really wrong in the room. I don’t know if KK is the issue, but I’ll be Jeff Jackson does. And if KK is the issue, then they should find a new coach over the break.
Walman could easily be the player they need to emerge for playoffs. He is so much better than his present play. What happened? Is it all on him?
I don’t know but he has all the tools. He can skate, shoot, pass, and can be physical when he chooses to.
Nurse – Walman should be an excellent d pairing but I think they are too similar.
Nurse – Emberson would work
which leaves
Walman – Stastney / Regula
Brings up a thought. Why does Toronto love Stetcher so much? Perhaps he had a whole lot of unrealized potential but rarely got played in Edmonton?
They opted to go with younger defensemen to fill out the bottom pair. But as it turns out they’re missing Stecher & Kulak.
Yes, you see a movement to go younger, thinking longer term, and this includes the forwards. Yet coach must be on board.
Nurse – Stetcher
Walman Kulak
Would be looking pretty good. Hoever, I agree getting younger and better is a good idea, so lets do it then. Get these guys playing defence, not Oilers non-offence. (Whatever that is)
Kulak has hit the cliff. Loved him for his time here but time to move on. Stashney is an upgrade and cheaper.
Stech is a feet before head defender like nurse without the athleticism. He’s been putting in big minutes for Toronto partly (mostly) because of injuries and was horrible in the playoffs. Emberson is much better!
If those two are the answer the question is wrong. In my opinion.
They need a 6’4 220 lbs. warrior like Stecher.
I DO think the issue is coaching. How else do you explain that every single depth player they’ve brought in under KK has gotten worse by almost every metric? The team itself has had their xGF drop year over year. Constant line scrambling, a focus on ineffective point shots, wearing out the big guys night after night(and yes, I realize most coaches would probably do that too).
The new coach bump is a real thing (just look at Columbus), and bringing in someone whose focus is offensive systems would be beneficial. Just once I’d like the franchise to actually go through the process properly instead of just picking “their guy”.
The harsh reality is that if this team was in a different division, they likely miss the playoffs. In year 11 of McDavid, that is such an unforgivable failure.
DeBoer went 15-5 and brought the Knights to the western conference final when he was brought in late season.
Could he come in and go 16-6?
DeBoer might be the fresh set of eyes this team needs. He may need to bring a defense & PK coach along with him. Lets do it today. I’m sure DeBoer would be up for the challenge to help this Oiler team win a cup and would find it satisfying.
DeBoer running through a bunch of his former teams on a revenge tour would be sweet entertainment.
I don’t like De Boer, but I didn’t like Maurice either. He has been a very successful coach getting multiple teams deep
He’s a bit cocky, and maybe that’s needed. I am sure he has a very good idea of what to do with the Oilers, he knows them well
It would be a very bold move. But it seems Knoblauch might be out of his element. Most coaches have been. As MacT said no coach yet has found the right system for this core
I think it will take Sather like thinking outside of the box. Connor is a unique player uniquely wired. Drai is a more traditional type of player. Bouch is also a unique one
Connor and Bouch will be better in playoffs if they make it in. But something has to be done to help them play how they are going to play, and to do things to balance the team out better
A start might be having a defensive structure they can pull off, maybe it needs to be more simple. Connor wants to attack all of the time, and that leads to his lapses, Bouch as well
Maybe for Connor find someone to be C in the D zone, let Connor play higher and be a threat up top. He’s up there anyway. Maybe put Walman left side and roll pairs more evenly. Yzerman changed how he played, maybe Connor isn’t going to so work around it. Connor likes to play a lot, but he’s a human not a robot, and he gets tired like everyone else does, he and Drai need to play less regularly season
Knob is gaining a lot of experience, but that’s likely part of the problem. It’s too late in the star’s careers for learning on the job
First thing I’d say to Connor is shoot when it’s there, but when it’s not don’t force things, break the D down, draw players out of position and get the puck to an open player and get to the net. Like Wayne did. He can do that, he has the tools and brain
As D Ryan said recently, involving the other players is key. It will also get them supporting the play better instead of watching or waiting for the stars to do something
Podz and Kap were brought in as depth players and (1) Podz has solidified himself as as top 6 and (2) it seems Kap is on his way to doing the same.
It sure would be nice if Bowman could find a couple more like them.
I don’t think we should hope for Kap to play at a permanent level like this. History shows that he is way too streaky and not consistent enough. Enjoy the wave but don’t expect it to last.
“this team was in a different division….”
I imagine on-ice leadership would be playing differently.
The breakouts are weird. The team , on loose pucks on the sideboards ALWAYS pass the puck backwards to reset. If it is midway between the goal line and blueline. Not many teams do that if any to be honest. Sure the odd time they will, but we do it all the time.
Also a lot of times the D when getting pucks in deep behind or mostly to the sides of our goal do quick passes right into the slot and some times it works but too often it results in a turnover. Not often do they go up the boards. LT you have said a lot this is a possession team. You really see that with these systems in our own end, but they are not working as much as they should.
On zone entries most of the time the big lines pull up just inside the blueline and start making a pass back but usually along the 10ft area inside the blueline. Drai especially, or McD tries to beat everyone. They rarely on the the top 2 lines dump and chase. The bottom 6 when Roslovic is on the 3rd dot try this as well. It rarely works for producing goals for that line. The 4th line do dump and chase, but they rarely play it seems.
When in the zone or following a McDavid rush The D especially Nurse and The Viking of late press to the net. If they don’t get a shot on net from a setup it usually results in a 2/1 break the other way or at least too many of them.
Being a possession team especially with Drai and McD result in more passing than shooting and going for rebounds. Do they coach this way because we are a bit small, and do they use Nurse and the Viking going to the net more to get size going in?
The pp is really good and that new coach has thrown a couple new wrinkles on the entry which works as the are still #1 in the league.
Drai was definitely right on all accounts last night in his interview. Everyone including the coaches need to be better. So does the GM in getting the correct pieces to fit whatever way the coach is setting up the team. The coach needs to start playing more players with more ice time. I think Drai and McD might be burned out fairly shortly after the Olympics with the ice time they have put in and The German coach may try to plat Drai 40 minutes. Game lol.
The biggest ? For management ( and for us as well). Is do they keep their powder dry this year and not trade away picks and good prospects plus get guys out with contracts ( Henrique/Magpie/Janmark ( if they can))to add players to make a run? What can they really add with no $ if they can’t move those 3 guys?
Right now going into the break, The Kracken ( 2 games in hand) , Ducks ( 2 games in hand ) are 1 point back, LA ( 3 games in hand) are 4 points back. Sharks ( 3 games in hand) are 6 back. And the Mammoth ( 1game in hand ) have the same points as us). It is going to be very tight even to make the playoffs. And we all know this team usually comes out slow after breaks.
So yes they all need to be better. They have 4 games before the deadline when they get back.
I have no clue what Bowman does from the day the trade freeze ends to that date ( basically 15 days) but is he going to go all out or have the belief this is not our year and maybe make a couple minor moves and keep his powder dry to make a big push this summer?
I hope they’re trying to establish what DOESN”T and get on with what DOES work after the 3 week break.
I know OP and others won’t agree but the answer is simple. Coach simply needs to back off the minutes of Hyman, Nuge and McDavid.
In the last 10 games here’s the xG against league leaders…
For some context, Kaspari Kapanen is at 2.61.
What are we doing here? Why is Zach Hyman playing 24 minutes.
The guys are exhausted and as I’ve been saying for months, Connor McDavid is cheating for offense to try and win the Art Ross. I can see it with my own two eyes. He’ll let a defensive sortie sort of “play out” if it’s not too dangerous so he can jump the rebound or bounce off the wall and create a rush.
A month ago I said I honestly don’t care because I’m optimistic they can flip a switch 10 games before the playoffs but now? It might already be too late. They may need .650-.700 hockey just to stay in the Top 7 (8th is worse than missing imo).
The Coach is never going to dial back McD’s minutes because he does not trust the bottom half of the roster.
Good points but hold on a sec with McDavid. Hes cheating for offence because he wants the Art Ross? No, cannot be more wrong.
But yes, overplaying the top 5, absolutely
Connor could give a crap about the Art Ross.
Maybe it’s for the Art Ross. Maybe it’s because he thinks his team needs him to score more to win. Maybe it’s because of some invisible competition with Nate for “greatest”.
I shouldn’t have presumed to know why he’s cheating for offense but what I do think I know is that he IS.
I don’t actually believe that. No, it’s not his primary focus/goals but I don’t believe for a second that he and Drai don’t care about Art Ross and Rocket Richard and milestones, etc., etc.
I’m not saying this as a negative in any ways – these guys are driven to, not only win, but to be the best. I have zero doubt that McDavid wants the Art Ross and the Hart. Of course, he wants Stanley the most but he cares – at least that’s what I think.
I don’t get the Nuge has to play with Connor thing, he’s not doing well at it in any capacity. Leon has the better wingers these days
Nuge to 3C and special teams. Every player needs to sacrifice for the team or they are in trouble this season
The Ducks are 8-2-0 and Krak 6-4-0. If the Kings get a bump from Panarin they are 4 points back with 3 games in hand
If the Oilers stay at 5-5-0 they could get knocked out, as the Mammoth are 7-3-0 and won’t catch the Wild or Stars, so occupy a wild card spot
Coming out of the Olympic break, ANA plays 7 straight games at home.
They are currently 17-8-1 on home ice.
McDavid isn’t cheating for offense to win the art Ross, he’s cheating because he knows the only way for the team to win is for him to have a 3 or 4 point night.
thats part of the problem too, though. Instead of thinking he/they need to score 3 or 4, maybe preventing 2 or 3 is the winning way
Turning McDavid into a checker is not the way.
He just needs to play responsibly. The whole team does and it starts with the core players they rely on so heavily.
McDavid doesn’t score 3 points or more during a game.. “it’s over, he’s checked out, yadda yadda”
Oilers lose “McDavid needs to be more responsible defensively”
People need to pick a lane, allow the sublime talent do what he does best, or turn him into a checker.
Every forward needs to check.
You are putting words in others peoples’ mouths so you have something to argue about.
Yes, he is – he’s almost as defensive about criticism of McDavid as he is about Janmark and has no problem twisted statements and opinions to alter their meaning as strategy to try and prove an old statement wrong.
No One is saying he should be a checker. He just can’t be the worst defensive forward in the league like he has been for the last 10 games.
It helps no one for him to score and then give it back.
Agreed, so it’s a good thing that I did not say that, and neither has anyone else. It’s about being responsible, having a complete game….you know, not cheating (which is what you original comment was).
There’s 2 parts to outscoring.
Hallelujah! Yes!
I believe the only way for this team to win the Cup, never mind regular season, is when on-ice leaders compete internally for Selke consideration. This team won’t score its way to Stanley. It may Selke its way (McDrai playing and leading the team in 200-ft play).
The wild overestimations of the Pacific division competition continue to baffle.
It’s like some are totally unaware that Vegas has lost 5 of its last 6.
Go and watch these teams play a few games and you’ll chill right out I swear.
Why wouldn’t I agree?
I don’t think I’ve even overtly defended the high end minutes from the top players…..?
I’ve brought up Nuges minutes quite a bit and you generally jump in to remind me he’s not that high at evens. I can only assume you’re ok therefore with how he’s being used.
I’ve been consistent that I don’t think he and Hyman specifically can handle their total load.
I bring up his 5 on 5 minutes as a way of showing that his minutes likely won’t be reduced that much if he plays 3C and he’ll still get “enough ice time”……
It’s far too easy to get behind this D and we’re giving up too may grade As
they need a coaching change. Maybe it’s not KK but they need a change and KK needs to listen to that person.
Best music video ever ?
RIP MTV
“Oh won’t you please take me home ?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbm6GXllBiw
Well, it sure isn’t “Pink Pony Club” ha
I hope the oilers are working hard at their home work during the break. But sadly I things are going to continue thr way they are.
Two Oilers will be doing a different kind of homework:
-McD will be on a team where he can’t afford defensive lapses AND where he’s not the only one who’s offensively gifted. This may help reset his sense of both his gifts and his responsibilities. I can’t imagine the cross he carries as Oikerville’s McJesus.
-Drai will have an opportunity to more fully exercise his mentorship-leadership talents. He will also, I believe, rekindle his inner Selke, as Team Germany needs him to be both offensively strong and defensively responsible.
That’s what I hope they experience. And, I hope their Oiler teammates are watching and becoming inspired by seeing their on-ice leaders being more than they’ve come to expect them to be.
I really hope Germany can get in to the QF.
— I recall LTs subtle forecasting of Lowe’s departure. You coached it carefully so as not to really spill the beans that you had but it was there for a mindful reader.
— this homestead was a test that they failed. It was their most favourable stretch and there was a path to leading the Pacific
— alas here we are with a tightened division 2 points from Vegas on top of
— I don’t know drai sounded quite pissed about things. LT is much more dialed in than most to chatter that he doesn’t share but gives crumbs
— Chuck has to be on a short lease and they must be looking at who might be available to replace him.
— he’s gone if they don’t win the cup this year that’s for sure …
I can’t see KK going with 24 games left. Maybe Stuart
If not KK, they should replace Stuart and add another veteran coach as well. That seems reasonable
If they have someone in mind to replace Stuart they should do it ASAP and get working with this defense and PK units during the Olympic break. The goaltenders need to work on their games also.
Are they even permitted to be on the ice over the break? Can’t see how practice time over the break isn’t governed by the league and PA.
The cannot return to practise until February 17th.
I can’t see it being a complete holiday for three full weeks. But who knows?
— if they play a half dozen games like the last two and no improvement and frustration continues to boil over he’s done IMO
— his tenure is now data dependent: the main data point being winning lots.
Well that sucked. Connor has come back down to earth after a wild December and it seems like the goaltender is Stuart Skinner 2.0 with 2.5x the salary.
Yes Jarry is not good and hopefully this break resets him
In the last 3 games 2 points, the 3 games before that 9 points.
That’s 11 points in his last 6, a feat he does regularly that very few can do ever.
Yup, Jarry’s stats are brutal.
3.64 GAA, 0.869 SV%, 0.300 QS%, -7.1 GSAA
Skinner’s stats with Edmonton this season were:
2.83 GAA, 0.891 SV%, 0.435 QS%, -2.7 GSAA
Pickard’s stats with Edmonton this season are:
3.68 GAA, 0.871 SV%, 0.231 QS%, -10.4 GSAA
Ingram’s stats with Edmonton this season are:
2.67 GAA, 0.897 SV%, 0.667 QS%, 0.2 GSAA
His level of play with Edmonton is way worse than Ingram’s, quite a bit worse than Skinner’s, and almost as bad as Pickard’s, who just cleared waivers. Not to mention, he costs more than the other three guys combined.
I thought it was a poor trade at the time, and it looks even worse right now. Edmonton’s goaltending hasn’t improved, but has gotten more expensive, and they lost Kulak, who would always elevate in the playoffs, and they gave up a 2nd round pick and got no retention. Not looking good.
Goaltending was not and is not the problem with this team.
I was sad to Skinner go. He’s a winner. But he was going to be more expensive than Jarry next year.
I was also sad to see Kulak go, but it was time to get younger/faster/cheaper.
In the short term, both Kulak and especially Skinner are doing well in a less irrational hockey market (irrational, IMO, in that much of Oilerville has been weaned on a golden memory of Cup glory, believes McJesus is here to deliver another Cup or three, and is endlessly fascinated by the drama of firing goalies, coaches, GMs, and will not keep the powder dry, when calm and patience are required).
Jarry has qualities as a goalie that some smarter goalie people than me think he’s an upgrade on Skinner, for this team. My concern is that Oilerville irrationality/panic sacrifices the confidence of Jarry, Ingram, Pickard, whoever backstops this team. (A very good thing about Skinner that may be missed is his mental toughness. His seeming immunity to the irrational ire of Oilerville was an important asset to the club. That and his winning ways.)
I agree that goaltending is not the sole problem that plagues the team, but I just didn’t like the idea at the time of the trade committing the next three seasons to having a guy who cleared waivers the year before and costs $5.375 million, and I like it even less now. I would’ve preferred them to try an Ingram and Skinner tandem to see if they could get the job done, or if they absolutely felt they had to make a trade, I would’ve preferred them to acquire Michael DiPietro to run in a tandem with Skinner or Ingram, who in his last 96 AHL games has a SV% of 0.928 and only costs $812K for this season and next.
Since Kulak arrived in Edmonton, he has always elevated his level of play in the postseason. This was especially the case in the last two postseasons, when in 2024 Nurse was on the verge of setting a playoff record for worst +/- in the playoffs and in 2025 when Nurse continued playing poorly, and Ekholm was injured for the first 2.5 rounds, Kulak was playing top pairing minutes with Bouchard, and that pairing was finding a lot of success. Thus far, I view Stastney as a 7D who hasn’t shown me anything to think that he can elevate his game in the same manner that Kulak did.
Bouchard now alone in first place for defenseman scoring at 63 points.
Absolute stud. They would be a considerably worse team without him. Think 2020 and 2021 Oilers…
According to LT’s numbers Connor’s line has been poor for a bit now. I feel for the players, I get that they are human, but they are also pro athletes, the worst of whom gets paid a whack
Yes they become friends or whatever, guys want their props with TOI, but at what point does it becoming about winning above all else – like a mature team that has been to two finals should be like?
Connor needs direction I think. He needs to learn to use his line mates more, like Gretzky did when they focused on him. But it has to be in a different way than he has done. The league can defend him pretty well now, and when he gets frustrated he goes solo. Last night he did another beat the D wide and cut across the net. And he didn’t score because he didn’t get the puck up
Goalies have seen this move a fair bit now. When he was doing it I was hoping he’d find someone out front to put it in – of course someone has to be there which is a part of the direction I was meaning
Nuge has 20 even strength points in 49 games playing with a generational player. That’s not good enough. The line gets outshot regularly and gives up too many HDSC. Nuge is -6, Connor only +11. Nate is +48, Kuch +29. Connor is third in P/GP
Knoblauch likes swiss army knife players too much, to the point that he doesn’t seem to mind if they aren’t that effective. Is that because he not that good at building up a whole team, creating roles and getting 18 guys involves, he can just rely on a few players
Nuge is not helping Connor right now, so why not use him in a role where he can do more to help the team 5v5? He can PP and PK to keep his TOI up? I think that the entire group wants to win more than anything, so it’s a simple message, just like it is at the Olympics – do anything to help the team, regardless of what the ask is, that’s what it takes to win a championship
The coaches are leaving way too much cash on the barrel. This is a good group of players, the two goalies are good. I doubt we see much change, but Bowman isn’t afraid to do things so who knows. I think he puts winning first, treats people well, but hurt feelings cannot be a factor if they are in the way. And if the players can’t handle it, that is a big problem that needs to be addressed
Connor and Leon hate losing. But doing more of the same is not progress towards their shared goal
McDavid wasn’t shooting prior and was setting linemates up constantly, these linemates didn’t score enough, they still don’t really (especially when Hyman was out) , now 97 is shooting more which is a good thing but same ole when he is frustrated he just tries to beat everyone himself. One difference of 97 to 99 is 97 doesn’t have a kurri, Hyman is great but not quite the same elite scorer. Nuge is definitely not that, not even close.
I know Howard isn’t trusted yet but he might be a better scorer on that line if given some time there. The cupboard isn’t full of scoring wingers and he is one that is ready to be up there. This year feels like a retool year so why not see what he can do. Possibly the line without Nuge would be a tire fire defensively, they would all have to engage in their own end.
Yes I was going to mention that Connor was setting up a lot before, but it wasn’t and isn’t how I think he should do it, or not enough of. Hyman has a good shot but often the set up was him being so close to the net he couldn’t shoot and he tries to bang it in, very low percentage play. Or tries wraps and stuffing it in at the side
Hyman is more effective than Nuge at 5v5, but he’s 59th in P/GP, Nuge 61st. Martin Necas playing with MacKinnon is 15th P/GP and +35. The answers are in house, they should watch tape of Gretzky and how they did their thing and emulate it as much as possible. Howard is the shooter they are looking for, but because Hyman is all over the place defensively they can’t use him there
As for what Wayne did, it would work today. People often say that it was easy to score because the lesser players weren’t as good as today. But that isn’t really true. Wayne has said he rarely played lesser players, he always faced the same players, their best players or best defensive players. Teams would shadow him back then and line matched hard. Denis Potvin said he created chaos and would break even the dynasty Islanders D structure down. I think Connor can also do that, and should. Add an element that is very hard to defend
What needs to happen is getting the puck moving pre shot, which gets the goalie moving, and the percentage that score goes up a lot. They don’t do that consistently. A lot of their HDSC aren’t really hard saves, they don’t like shooting in the top of the net which also has higher scoring percentage, and the goalies are rarely screened
This to me is why they don’t score 5v5 at the levels they should (along with often being disconnected as a group), they should lead the league. It’s tactical, you can see other teams actively looking to create high percentage chances doing what I’m saying
Clear Sight Analytics has done a lot of research on it, sometimes you can read about it or hear Steve Valiquette talking, Kevin Woodley references it. Unfortunately the panthers were quite good at it. Coaching
I agree on going top shelf (See Drai last night) and moving the puck prior. A lot of oilers had multiple good/great chances to score the last 2 games and both games the opposing goalies were just ‘amazing’.
McDavid doesn’t have a Kurri as Howard rots in the AHL. The time to try Howard on McDavid’s wing was on his call-up as that ship has sailed. Howard may be no Kurri yet lessers like BJ. MacDonald scored 46 and Lumley cashed in 32 times spotted with Gretzky at various times. Tikkanen found his range at a young age playing with Gretzky. Coach K.K has no vision. I think this team coaches itself while K.K cashes in nifty paycheque. If I’m Howard’s agent I’m quietly asking Bowman to trade me immediately.
Howard isn’t rotting in the AHL. He ure as hell should be putting his time to good use and if he isn’t he should be on his way elsewhere.
I think there is a little of the team coaches itself going on. It goes back to what Ros said about the room when he got here for sure.
Rotting, lol.
Prior to exploding this past Saturday, both he and Hutson had been playing below their established levels, markedly. They have now played more games this year than in any of their college seasons.
Howard is exactly where he should be right now.
Nuge is in a funk right now for sure
I said this last night, Nuge has been playing some of the worst hockey I’ve seen from him, maybe ever, since his 1000th game night. Quite odd given he had been having an excellent season prior to that.
With Connor & Leon away the rest of the team has some work to do over the next three weeks. I sure hope they don’t expect to spent that time on some beach. Sure spend some time with their families but get down to business on the ice.
Players cannot return to practise until February 17th.
With the Oilers playing on the 25th involving a travel day to Anaheim, they would have a maximum of a week to practice with a day off likely scheduled in the in the middle.
They will have to put some intensive work in that week before they resume play and work on conditioning during the break. This ain’t no holiday.
Oh, it will very much be a holiday for the majority of the players – in particular the first week. With that said, these are elite athletes and I presume most of them won’t just let their fitness go to shit and, while it will take a few days, they’ll be up and running quickly.
The teams is having a 3-day boot camp once they are permitted to engage in team activities right before the start of the schedule.
I’m sick of hearing only Nuge can play LW with McD. The trio hasn’t been playing so well together the last few games so try someone else and get Nuge to 3C. They used to say that a fire hydrant could score 20 goals playing with Gretzky. I think the same with McD so find a fire hydrant
I didn’t see this as I was writing my text wall, but agreed. One difference though that I was getting at is that Connor is not that great at using his wingers. With his speed in zone and stick handling he needs to do more of what Wayne did, draw the D structure apart and find someone open. If they have their heads up there will be space as teams use at least 2 guys to impede Connor
The coaches need to be coaching this because they aren’t doing it. They should be a lot more effective at creating the things that increase the odds at scoring, should be the best actually. Find that coach and make a change, if Bowman even sees it
Very good point.
Nuge at 1 LW will be one of the first adjustments made after the break for the exact reason you stated. He can help lower in the lineup without hurting the top line.
If you watch Nuge closely he’s often 3rd guy on the rush while also being third guy back. He plays mostly top of circle to top of circle. If a defensive presence is needed on the top line he ain’t it. I know saying anything bad about Nuge is like calling a baby ugly.
Hyman and McD are most often the first and second guy on the backtrack. However they both anticipate possession too early and jailbreak.
When Nuge is playing his best he covers far more ice. Put him on the third line also forces coach to play the line.
i do wonder if they try rico in the nuge role. he doesnt need to be fast, he needs to be the trailer. He is still a smart player although his wheels r falling off quickly.
Rico-Mcd-Hyman
Podz-Drat-Kappy
Savoie-Nuge-Roslovic
Samanski-Lazar-Frederic
it would appear we need a bottom 6 PK guy and a RHD with size.
It wont be sexy but i can foresee a jason dickinson/connor murphy or tyler myers/teddy bleuger move, or a morgan barron/luke schenn.
i hope we aim higher but am beginning to accept the inevitable.
They need a couple BIG scrapy forwards and a BIG tough defensive minded RHD with puck moving ability.
Patrick Maroon was great at penetrating the defence. That caused chaos and space and allowed him 26 goals. Hyman has this role now, though I think he plays more netfront and so much less puck retrieval as he used to. He hardly moves once possession is established, it can get stale.
Complementary player/shooter for McDavid?
Lets start with trailing man. Bouchard, Nurse, Ekholm, Nurse have all at some point buried shots. Trailing man is often an option when teams are hard checking McDavid. This needs to return.
Best fit on wing? Evander Kane was good and the reason why is he has unshakable confidence in himself, plus a great shot. He will not be intimidated. He does not need to defer. He wants to score the goal, he doesnt give a dang about fancy. He was also fast enough and steady on the wing, he could be found.
Kane is no longer the answer, but I think he can be used as an example of the right fit.
It would appear Leon is spending plent of time on McDavids LW and Nuge is centering the second line.
There are so many clear and obvious wrongs that have been made by this edition of the coaching staff I’m not sure how Stan doesn’t clean house.
I’d say, do not spend the rest of this season waiting to see if the coaches will magically figure their shit out, since camp open it’s been a train wreck. They’ve lost the room, a couple of tweaks are not going to change that.
i agree. Knoblauch will try to change things but then always reverts back to the same old loaded up lines. I remember being annoyed with this strategy in the ‘24 finals. What got them to those games was rolling the lines, even if the bottom 6 wasn’t scoring they were contributing in some way. Then we got to game 7 and are down Knoblauch loads up McDrai and plays them every second shift and they were getting nothing done. And the rest of the lines weren’t a threat at all anymore.
we just need a new set of eyes.
If they just need a fresh set of eyes do it now, there’s only 24 games left in the reglar season to get them preped for the playoffs.
I think the team has a real issue finding meaningful roles for players outside the core. What’s the point of bringing in a player like Jeff Skinner when he never gets any playing time on the PP or the top six? You have some interesting rookie offensive players in the AHL, so you bring them up and play them on the third line with zero PP opportunity. This is not how you develop offensive players. Jack Roslovic looks like an intriguing offensive player, but he will never find success playing with two rookies on the third line and zero PP time. You need to find a way to give these players a meaningful opportunity on the PP, or play them with McDavid or Drai. If you refuse to do that, you need to fill the bottom six with players not expected to produce offence.
Your comment raises a question with follow-up questions to provide more depth to the answer. How have other Stanley Cup contenders deployed their rookies over the years? What line did they start on? How much ice time were they given? If either of those changed significantly during the course of a season, what triggered that change? How much PP time were they given?
Stanley Cup contenders don’t really play rookies unless you’re talking Franchise altering talent bordering on Generational and higher.
And they definitely don’t play them on their 1st and 2nd lines.
Thing is, they did at some point, thats how they became contenders.
And for the Oilers, they usually get the other teams best game. This is dam tiring. Doubly so if you put that load on only your top players.
Youth and energy carry you through games when the vets are fatigued. Thats why you have a team, you develop a team.
So yes, you can and should carry rookies.
The Oilers blame them, but again, there is no honesty. The rookies are playing in a crappy system. If Oilers never cover the front of thier net, they are always behind and then say we can’t afford rookies.
I like the questions. It raises another: Who are the teams considered “Cup contenders?” How much does last year’s contender risk when considering things like aging/getting slower/more expensive, getting faster/younger/cheaper, salary Cap, etc?
I’ve done zero research on this, but I have a belief that for several years the “contenders” I’ve been watching (Vegans, Rats, Avalanche, Stars, Oilers) have gotten older/slower/more expensive. With one exception. The Oilers are still expensive, but they’ve gotten younger/faster. Postgame Drai was emphatic that this is not last year’s team.
GM SB has said he believes some amount of roster churn is important for a team to sustain its contender status. He also said, early season, to wait for Feb-March to asses this version of the Oilers.
This is a reply to @mirnovsvodka as well: I’m watching my Atlantic Division team reach 6th overall featuring a 2022 draft pick centring two rookies on their second line. Two on that line play regular PP minutes. Are they a contender?
I suggest there are those teams we consider contenders before the season begins, and then there are those we recognize as contenders late in the season. The lists may be very different. How they manage the aging/getting younger dynamic may be the difference.
A coach has to have the respect of his players. In some way.
1) Some coaches have respect because of where they played.( Coffey, Bérubé ect.
2) Some coaches because of their winning history.
3) Some strong leader personalities
4) Some because of the ability to make adjustments that lead to quick positive results.
5) Some have the personality that a player wants to go through the wall for.
Respect is earned.
Not sure knob is any of these?
I have no respect for KK
He does not reward players for success
He runs the piss out of McDrai while the rest of the team pulls slivers out of their butts.
He is just throwing numbers in a bowl to pull out for lines.
He demotes Podz for defending McD then benches Fred for NOT defending McD.
His defensive system is a burning pile of SHITE.
I don’t think he knows what he is doing and I think the players may feel similarly.
To me they lost the last two SCF because of injuries .We had many players limping or not even in the games . But it seems the coaches ,mainly KK, decided to tear down a system that was working beautifully and reinvent the wheel by abandoning the defend and attack as a 5 man units to all the wingers fly the zone and the D are on their own . Im an amateur observer but even I can see that this is not working. We should be able to win games by scoring 3-4 but we are giving up 5,6,7 and I believe its because of the system
Was that what Coffy and KK disagreed on ?? Who Knows ! But if it was, then Coffey was right .What was a all world defence in many experts eyes at the end of last season going into this year look like a bunch of confused rookies out there right now ..Sorry! but that is coaching and system and the players either buying into it or not .
Injuries were a factor, as was the coaches playing those guys regardless of if they were doing anything or not. A healthy lesser player is a better plan than a broken better player
I attribute the losses to losing the battle in the trenches. When Oilers seized momentum with their skill, they were unstoppable. But when game went to the trenches, Oilers were losing the little one on one battles. Florida’s forecheck could take over the game.
Which just might be why coaches wont stray from the stretch pass – they intend to get it perfect for Playoffs.
There’re lots of excuses but this team isn’t as good as the two previous teams that made it to consecutive SCF’s.
Im more concerned about the Stan plan. Blew all of our cap space on some serious duds. Frederic contract alone should be a firing offense. But on top of that Mangi,blah, picking up Jarry with no retention after not addressing goalering in the offseason. Walman should have been flipped in the offseason. Let him sign the college free agents and find a new GM.
I have no confidence in him bringing in better players in the offseason
Bowman seems to be successful in finding good young undrafted players and reclamation projects for the AHL, maybe eventually these guys become big club contributors, but Bowman seems unable to make good decisions for longterm for big club signings; Frederic, Whalman, however Roslevic a good signing.
Roslovic has been a good signing…. So far.
mangipane either a bad signing or not being coached/utilized properly, I think KK horrible at talent management/devolvement and lack of successful construction of 3rd and 4th line
The mang signing seemed odd to me but should be able to get out of it. Kap/Podz/Ros/ stash were good adds for little.
Fred looks to be a mistake but it’s still early. Walman seems lost in the woods right now but likely to recover with some structured help.
The player deployment has completely crushed the Team Mentality but could also be corrected quickly.
It seemed odd to me because last year Magpie was not an aggressive shit disturber the way he was in Calgary . The writing was on the wall for that player.
Bad signing. There was nothing in his recent play to suggest it was a good signing. He was a HS for the Caps in the playoffs.
He has skill, but since the end of November he’s 34.78 GF% at 5v5, which is 22nd on the team. He’s 8-15, the much maligned Mangiapane is 8-11 42.11 GF%. Knobber made a mistake messing with Mangi last game, he should have been encouraging him, he was playing the way that they wanted in signing him. He should be pumping Frederic as well as they are both improving, they need more of that style
I’m tired of him favouring certain players regardless of play, if it is him making those decisions – who knows. Not a team builder it seems
Xs and Os only get you so far. Gotta build a team as you indicated.
Toronto blue jays were a Team that made the finals because they were a team. Florida panthers were a team even tho their fourth line didn’t play much they had a role.
The oil have enough players to build a team with maybe a couple adds but as of now are drastically missing the Team part.
He is but this coach using him on the 3rd dot is not using him properly at all. He cannot drive a line .
Good point on bringing in younger guys.
Perhaps the blame needs to shift a bit from Stan’s “duds” and on to Knoblauch’s misuse of pieces presented to him. It’s almost as if KK is intentionally undermining Bowman’s decisions. To what end, I wonder?
At what point do we accept its the players and not the coaches? It isn’t the goalies (we blamed Stu, but man they give up a lot of grade A chances), and some vets who come here do not work out far too often (and go on to play big minutes elsewhere, see Stetcher and Arvidsson, soon to see Mangiapane). So is it the players in the room or is it the system?
I expect they make some adjustments as a coaching staff over the break, to balance the lines and simplify zone exits and defensive coverage. At least I hope so.
The management team always owes the coach one big move before a firing (at least they should). I do wonder if they get a 2/3 RD who is a bigger stay at home type and also add a more physical/defensively responsible 3C (or LW so Nuge slides to 3C).
Who? This seems like a Schenn brother move. not younger, but older vets who are physical and good locker room guys. And Schenn from St. Louis has another year so it fits the McDavid timeline.
Won’t be a gamebreaker. Won’t be a star. it will be physical two way/defensive grinders who add some gritensity, and defensive awareness.
The players have to play their best, but when almost all players coming in play far below norms and recover when gone, it’s more the coaching to me. Everyone ‘forgets’ how to play defense in Edmonton
Yes. They forget, they are coached, they are assimilated. I don’t get it. But the pattern is there so I do not think its the player, its an Oiler thing.
Are they assimilated by the coach or by the stars?
Must be something in the water.
Just my opinion, but I thought Nurse played very well last night.
Now, he still had muffin shots losing momentum, but he must have had 6 or 7 shots. He picked up his man well, he was up the ice for rushes, defended well.
Unfortunately when Stastny did not pick up his man screening Jarry, Nurse arrived to do the task but the shot came at the moment and there were multiple bodies for the screen.
Nurse / Walman seem confused. And both are similar players naturally. They like to roam. I would not give up on them, but they do need some kind of direction.
I think they need to play Walman as in the Kulak role where he can be leveraged to his strengths. An outperforming 3rd pair.
Nurse needs a strong defending right-shot partner, the kind he’s been missing since Larsson.
Sure but you don’t wanna pay 7 mil for that player
Broberg was capable of filling that role. Not ideal, because he is not a right shot. But if he sees ice for Sweden in the Olympics, it will probably be on the right side.
The guy can defend. Basically even in goal differential 5v5 on a team with a -60 goal differential that cannot score playing the hardest minutes and starting in his own end all the time.
Yesterday I posted about coached change, but not replacement.
And what else can Bowman actually do?
GM’s are always looking for young talent to steal, perhaps a player putting up more than a point per game in the AHL. It just so happens Bowman has two of these already. Plus he brought in a speedster in Savoie and of course Roslovic is also very fast.
I don’t think the roster is bad at all. But players, particularly newer players seem to stumble. There has to be a reason why.
Certainly Bowman is looking to add. However, there is no point until he can fix the system and the dynamics. I think the roster is trying to deliver, but their grand game is getting beat by hard work and straight line hockey of their opponents.
It should be a firing because there hasn’t been an adjustment. What the F are they waiting for before making the necessary adjustments? Maybe the coaches aren’t capable? We’ll see.
That was a big leadership moment for Leon.
He wants Stanley and he’s asking all the passengers to exit the bus at this stop.
100% agree. He said his piece and I hope the management and coaching staff listened. Those were some blistering comments.
Maybe. But Leon isnt playing close to his best either.
Leon hasn’t been near his best since he came back from Germany. Sure there are circumstances and, yes, he racked up lots of points but he’s far from his best self these days
Bring on Peter Laviolette.
This situation cannot continue if they’d like to accomplish anything other than underperforming.
The only positive is that Leon, as usual, is stepping up. When Leon leads, they win.
Laviolette does not solve the problem of the assistant coaches. I think I would ask Huddy to coach the D for the rest of the season, and add Buchberger to help with forwards and PK.
De Boer is probably the better coach, Huddy for sure for the D if he wants a job, but he’s 66 now
The US didn’t include Laviolette as a coach for the Olympics
They also didn’t include Cole Caufield and Adam Fox, so……
Laviolette has as much or more tenure and success than some of the guys they chose is what I meant. De Boer is on Team Canada
Huddy only has to do it for four months, maybe less. No heavy road travel till May.
True
Pickard and Samansk officially sent down late last night.
Finally on Picard as they had been wasting days towards the “30 days on the roster” before he’d need to clear waivers again. He doesn’t need to report until February 17. I’m guessing he does go as they’ll want him to get his one game in that is required before re-call.
They still need to move one more player off the roster to start accruing cap and, until they do that, I think it would have been nice to keep Samanski on the roster earning his NHL pay while he’s at the Olympics (and days towards pension, etc.).
Time for Knob to go. he as lost the confidence of his 2nd best player and McDavid probably feels the same.
Leon’s words on everyone needing to be better and expressly including the coaches, are stark and meaningful.
I’m not sure this goes anywhere during break but I’m also not sure it doesn’t.
I agree especially given the comment about “we can’t be lallygagging around” he made just prior.
Doesn’t sound like a mature and experienced team.
Agree. It is more than a hint that Leon believes improvement can come from coaches. Then, what does he mean? What could this allude to? I doubt it is a fracture in the room, it is likely system play and deployment.
As it pertains to coaching, perhaps too much experimentation with lines and the line up. Just a guess obviously.
He followed up his coaches comment with “it can’t just be 4 or 5 guys going” so im guessing deployment is a big part. He played 25.5 minutes last night and Lazar played 4.5
There’s a trading freeze during the break. But is there a firing & hiring freeze too?
I wonder how much the Olympics have factored in with indifferent play this month. It certainly did this week, with a lot of guys not on the bubble thinking about warm beaches rather than the ice.
Not that it is an excuse for the coaches, who certainly have not found a way to motivate players at the time they needed to. I don’t think getting rid of KK is a likelihood either, but the continued failure of the PP and the poor defensive breakouts through 58 games means that it is fair to call out who is in charge of that.
Balderdash, all teams are dealing with the Olympics.