- AlEx_OiL

With this line up it is a very young team and yes there is room for improvement but if there has already been this much time invested in these young players I would gladly wait to see a team like this develope. Now I get that there will be changes along the way but this is a great line up for opening day next season. With the right D and a goalie it's an stats climbing team that people will enjoy watching. It can't be worse then it is now. Financially it makes sense. This line up gives you 10 guys that are versatile and can move around the line up and be used in many special team situations. Honestly answer me this. Is it worse or better then what we are seeing now. Was it worth be the worst team in the league for so long if we don't get to see these youngsters (which we got because we sucked) if we don't see what they will be in a few seasons?

Sick and tired to watch that Oilers team and dont even start me on management. This team is going nowhere soon because nobody gives a (frank) about it. I think i ll just change team soon honest i am too that point. I they dont give a (frank) why should I????

Exactly, it's called a rebuild, most people are willing to demand one, very few are willing to live through it, as this blogger has shown. Just gotta wait it out, the future is bright , but right now there's not much anyone can do to turn the team around fast, unless fans are willing to see one of their 5 untouchable players get dealt. Until the main guys turn into the players they are projected to be, this team will struggle.
- 13sundin13

Future what future if kids get tired of bad management and ask for a trade it rebuilt all over again then....I so dont want to be the NYI but we just look like it rebuilt mode yr after yr after yr

Best blog you've written, bang on. Katz should be the one to do the housecleaning too. Get the old boys club outta here and do it publicly, aggressively, personally. I hate to say it, but imagine what Brian Burke could do with THIS roster! He turned a team with nothing into a respectable group of overacheivers...imagine what a good GM could do with this Oiler lineup.

There is no Messier, no Sakic, no Scott Stevens or Ray Bourque on this team....just a bunch of kids without a leader. Blow it up, make some waves and get some friggin' heart on this team. I knew we should have taken Landeskog at the time and that is so true right now. Nuge is great, I love that kid, but we have too many softies and no leaders. You don't pass on an 18yr old leader.

Horcoff was given a job that isn't on his resume, it's management's fault not his...but he has to be removed from the roster, yesterday.

and Dubnyk has failed the test, reboot and get a goaltender. Trade him before he gets burried in the minors forever. He is the new version of Jeff DesLaurier and I am getting tired of the Oilers' patience with goalies. You could have team Canada out there and one soft goal could cost the game.

THe blockbuster trade that needs to be made is for a goaltender, go and get Jake Allen or someone. Trade whoever they want, within reason, and get the next #1 starter for the Oilers that will hoist the cup. I don't think it's Bernier.

Grigorenko+Miller for Khabi+Hartikainen.

That's what I'm basically hearing from you guys.

Guys. I can't believe how much you're underselling Dubey. This guy has been lights out this year and has the stats to prove it. When you say he's no better than a backup, I can't tell if you're trolling, or just ignorant and retarded.
- TheNugeIsHuge

Dubnyk sucks. You can't win consistently if you don't have confidence in your goaltender, 2on1s are a guessing game when you are unsure if the guy behind you will save it or duff it.

It's simple if you're a Dman on a 2on1...you fake to the shooter and make a B-line to the guy without the puck...your goaltender is responsible for the shot. All I see is Dmen backing in too far and laying their stick down trying to block the pass. It's either poor coaching or no confidence in the goalie. I say number two, I personally have no confidence in this guy...Jeff DesLaurier all over again.

Start the rebuild tomorrow and start in goal.

Not sure two people bickering back and fourth like children on an insignificant medium such as HB, is something that is considered a problem. But since you are my new favorite and way cooler than that insufferable whipper I will take it as sound advice. Sorry to hear about your frost sir. Hope you have a remote start.
- ruttager17

Haha well said. Its refreshing when people call themselves out to make a point. Well done!!

What's also refreshing is all the poop the oilers are going thru up to this point today I called it befor the start of the season. The make up of the team is not right, great pieces just not the full package. I took a lot of heat for that and rightly so, who can honestly predict the future hahah. I knew the habs were going to kill it as well this year. Me mr savant!! Pat on back for knowing hockey goodererrrer.

Either way, its my opinion that if katz kares about this team he should do what molson did last year and rebuild his managment/ coaching staff. It reaks of stale milk and is about as bad as the flames mng group. The real nice thing about a change in managment is a change is perspective and philosophy. I can safely say that a large number of people that post here, can see the glaring issues. This oilers team is not as bad as clouts makes them out to be. Ive said it befor clouts is not a real fan. He is a pest who is lucky to be writting hrre. Theres about 10 people who post here regularly that are more qualified and knowledgable about the game thsn him and who shouldbe blogging about the oil. Anyways back to my point, the oil are a tweak or 2 away from being a force. I think a new set of eyes and a new dieection is needed in front office and this team will explode. The habs success this year proves my point. Regardless of the age of this group they need a firm direction and insulation.

Dubnyk sucks. You can't win consistently if you don't have confidence in your goaltender, 2on1s are a guessing game when you are unsure if the guy behind you will save it or duff it.

It's simple if you're a Dman on a 2on1...you fake to the shooter and make a B-line to the guy without the puck...your goaltender is responsible for the shot. All I see is Dmen backing in too far and laying their stick down trying to block the pass. It's either poor coaching or no confidence in the goalie. I say number two, I personally have no confidence in this guy...Jeff DesLaurier all over again.

Start the rebuild tomorrow and start in goal.
- JLO961

Agreed, championships are built feom the net out imo. Ufa backstrom could be a great pickup. But againlike youve pointed out the lack of heart will get you no where. You cant win with the way the oil are built.. the new ufa rules tho are going to work in edm favor for sure

Also I believe its poor coaching, thos kind of mistakes shouldnt happen at this lvl.

he's played that in his last 2 seasons, and is well on his way this year so that's wrong.

I'm done arguing. Look, you're obviously too stubborn to budge on your opinion so I'll just stop here. Stats don't matter for you. Only false delusions that you have about EDM are what you understand, so good bye my friend.
- TheNugeIsHuge

Dubynk hasn't proven anything. He's inconsistent & there's no way he's a #1 goalie - yet. Maybe down the line if he improves but he's no #1 yet - not a chance!!

Maybe what the oilers need is another prolific goal scorer via first overall pick? Enough O can overcome the bad D, right?

Dubnyk sucks. You can't win consistently if you don't have confidence in your goaltender, 2on1s are a guessing game when you are unsure if the guy behind you will save it or duff it.

It's simple if you're a Dman on a 2on1...you fake to the shooter and make a B-line to the guy without the puck...your goaltender is responsible for the shot. All I see is Dmen backing in too far and laying their stick down trying to block the pass. It's either poor coaching or no confidence in the goalie. I say number two, I personally have no confidence in this guy...Jeff DesLaurier all over again.

Start the rebuild tomorrow and start in goal.
- JLO961

Dubnyk definitely isn't the problem. Yes, he has let some weak ones in but so does every other goalie. He is 3rd in the league for most shots against. What that tells me and if you watched any of the Oilers games it would be easy to spot out that our defense and defensive play in our own end even strength is total garbage. We need to replace a bunch of our defense with proven/good stay at home defensemen. Our forwards need to come back and play deeper in our own end when the other team is there. There is no reason with the speed we have that forwards should be floating high hoping the D gets the puck and gives them the long pass. They need to play low, help out the D and when the other team turns over the puck the forwards use their speed and blow through the Neutral zone.

Thanks Richard.....every time I get pissed at Leafs management I read one of your blogs and feel a whole lot better about the buds

Dubynk hasn't proven anything. He's inconsistent & there's no way he's a #1 goalie - yet. Maybe down the line if he improves but he's no #1 yet - not a chance!!
- newmy

i don't think edm is willing to give up on dubnyk yet. he's got a two year deal, not a five year deal. he's going to have to make it or break it. i would consider getting another young goaltender in the off season to challenge him for the spot. goaltending is not on the top of the list to look at right away. seems like due to this blog, lack of veteran leadership, coaching, and management are to blame.

Thanks Richard.....every time I get pissed at Leafs management I read one of your blogs and feel a whole lot better about the buds
- slade67

Wow.... you're a Richard

Dubynk hasn't proven anything. He's inconsistent & there's no way he's a #1 goalie - yet. Maybe down the line if he improves but he's no #1 yet - not a chance!!
- newmy

Why the hell you guys wasting your time talking about Dubnyk. Until this team can score or actually out shot another team Dubnyk is far from the issue.

Does this guy not know that K-lowe and mac-t have have how many cups between them????? Not saying I disagree with the management change opinion, just to call them losers cause they don't know how to win seems to be a bit shortsighted, narrow minded and down right pedestrian.
- ruttager17

I know they won cups, but that was then, this is now. New NHL is different from the old NHL. Clean house. I'm telling you, you won't go anywhere with this management group. Especially tambolini and his staff.

You're not good at this... Too much fantasy and opinion (poor opinion). Please stop... Please?

What a disgrace this team has become under the helm of Kreuger... he coached the Swiss for (frank) sakes... winning with a team like that compared to the NHL or North American leagues is simply bush... our management and intel obviously dont know their ass from their face and further they are all part of the bum buddy system... best case scenario is Tambo takes the fall for this poopshow on ice...

Smyth had 46 points last year... nothing wrong with that.
- Reveen

He went 26 in first 26...then went 20 in 56...sorry then man cannot play after the start of Dec.

Kreuger- motivational leader my (frank)ing ass... all he is getting for a result is periods of hockey with no shots on the opposing teams goalie... he either has no system or lost the team a long (frank)ing time ago... I imagine that Hall and likely Yaks want to kill someone by now as they both hate losing as I know alot of fans do

Trust me, the patience is here. after 7 years tho i dont think you can blame fans for being upset.
- Oilfan19

Are you actually a fan though? The rebuild has not been going for 7 years.

The sooner we get Harti and Fistric back on the ice the better... further If we need size... seeing as we have an abundance of defensemen lets put BBC in a 4th line fwd spot- put brown or Eager in the top 6 for at LEAST an entire game... cant be any worse than our losing streak or getting shut out

We are blessed with a lot of experts in the thread today.


How fortunate we are!

The last two games:
Stealing a win in Detroit
Stealing a win in Calgary (against SJ)
Kip's a notoriously slow starter. A GAA based mostly on 6 average starts, for a man who has proven for yrs to carry an inferior product, does not equate Dub.
Sorry.
Give me his last 2 as his MO
- FLflames34

Dubey's last two games he posted a .926 and a .921.
You can't say anything about Dubey's recent play. He's been a star for EDM

The sooner we get Harti and Fistric back on the ice the better... further If we need size... seeing as we have an abundance of defensemen lets put BBC in a 4th line fwd spot- put brown or Eager in the top 6 for at LEAST an entire game... cant be any worse than our losing streak or getting shut out
- saskoil21

Harti did very little for me. Brown as been a huge upgarde.

Fistric agree.

BBC you have to me nuts, the guy isn't in good enough shape to play forward.

I love how everyone on this site hasn't looked at Dubey's stats before saying he's inconsistent and the team doesn't trust him. Some of the people on this site are the least informed hockey fans I've ever spoken to.