"I am tired of seeing Katz's kid grow up before our eyes during the draft. Dude is gonna be of legal drinking age soon."..........

I think this says it all! Dammit

Cogliano and Gagner must be ecstatic they are nowhere near this franchise. From their perches in Anaheim and Phoenix, it must look pretty desolate up north...

Was there last night, I am guessing the Oil Kings would have given the Kings a better game.

Oilers defenses is beyond bad.

Saw the tweet last night average age for the Oilers is like 26.3, the average age for the Kings is 27.4. So this young crap is not going to fly.

Maybe they get it turned around, but the turn needs to be a 180 cuz that is one of the worst hockey teams I have seen in awhile.

It sucks because the NHL needs a viable Oilers franchise in the playoff chase.

I am tired of seeing Katz's kid grow up before our eyes during the draft. Dude is gonna be of legal drinking age soon.
- fsanford

I somewhat agree BUT the difference is that the young guys on the Oilers play a more important role then the young guys on the kings. The guys on the kings like Pearson get to play with great veteran players and the luxury of the best goalie in the league and a solid defensive system to back them up.

Two thoughts (I didn't watch last night's game).

1) The first two games of the season, the oilers played better hockey than most of last year. Defense looked somewhat more comfortable in their own end. Forwards were doing more backchecking. We had 4 lines that could actually get a cycle going. We were taking care of the puck pretty well, and we mostly got burned by poor positioning/individual breakdowns.

It's a shame if Eakins believes that just because we only got 1 point in those two games, that whole style of play is forever damned. Give it time. It was promising.

2) If having the big shot that Brad Hunt provides is so important that A) We'd bench Petry to make sure we have it in the lineup and B) it paves over how outmatched Hunt has looked in so many facets of the game, then it's time to trade Petry, prospects, picks, etc. for a guy with a cannon shot who can do other things as well. It's time to pay the big price for that defenseman, if a guy with only one facet of that skill-set is being privileged in the oilers lineup and oilers plans. To a certain extent, the same thing applies while Nikitin flounders but is favoured over a guy like Marincin because of his size.

It's time to go get Tyler Myers or someone if we've fetishized size and a big shot so much. At least then we'd have fairly solid defensive play to go along with it.
- Morris

We played better then last year but still only showed up for 3 periods out of 6.

I somewhat agree BUT the difference is that the young guys on the Oilers play a more important role then the young guys on the kings. The guys on the kings like Pearson get to play with great veteran players and the luxury of the best goalie in the league and a solid defensive system to back them up.
- Oilfan19

This. Big difference in average age from kopitar/gaborik/brown to hall/rnh/ebs

Draisatl and Nurse should not be in the lineup.

Nuge was 18 his first year, playing at 140 pounds.
- Scooby_Doo

He was at about 175-180

Zach Bogosian/3rd for Jordon Eberle....

Oilers get their big Dman that can hit, skate and shoot the puck.

Jets get some skill to compliment their speed/transition game.

Zach Bogosian/3rd for Jordon Eberle....

Oilers get their big Dman that can hit, skate and shoot the puck.

Jets get some skill to compliment their speed/transition game.
- jetsfan6

I would take a long look at that.

(frank)- Ference should be stripped from the 'C' - he is tied with Nikitin for the pooptiest Oilers dman... I know Hunt has problems skating but at least the (frank)ing can get point shots on net... (frank) is it painful when Nurse is in his first game and be it some sheltered minutes or not- he could make passes and not sprawl all out on the ice like some sliding starfish...
- saskoil21

I think MacT needs to watch the Ference situation. I'm not going to say strip him yet, but he really needs to make sure he isn't playing simply because of his friendship with Eakins.

At some point if Ference continues to play bad Eakins has to sit him.

I think MacT needs to watch the Ference situation. I'm not going to say strip him yet, but he really needs to make sure he isn't playing simply because of his friendship with Eakins.

At some point if Ference continues to play bad Eakins has to sit him.
- Lahey

I think he needs to lose it, it was a mistake to give it to him in the first place. If they wanted to go with a Vet who sucked last year it should of been Smyth then hand it to Hall this year.

Zach Bogosian/3rd for Jordon Eberle....

Oilers get their big Dman that can hit, skate and shoot the puck.

Jets get some skill to compliment their speed/transition game.
- jetsfan6

I'd rather have Big Buff but ya, I'd consider this.

I somewhat agree BUT the difference is that the young guys on the Oilers play a more important role then the young guys on the kings. The guys on the kings like Pearson get to play with great veteran players and the luxury of the best goalie in the league and a solid defensive system to back them up.
- Oilfan19

Bang on

Management just needs to go.

They said they had a second line centre to replace Gagner and there's no one there.
I think Draisaitl will be a good player, but the team should have developed him in the minors, or brought him into the league in a lower role and allowed him to progress against weaker competition.
The problem isn't the players, the team is mismanaged from top to bottom.
It would've made sense to keep Gagner, and bring in Draisaitl in a 3rd line role.

It's really too bad, because I am a Toronto fan first, but have always liked Edmonton as a team.
I want to see them do well. I always pick some of their players in my hockey pools.

(frank)- Ference should be stripped from the 'C' - he is tied with Nikitin for the pooptiest Oilers dman... I know Hunt has problems skating but at least the (frank)ing can get point shots on net... (frank) is it painful when Nurse is in his first game and be it some sheltered minutes or not- he could make passes and not sprawl all out on the ice like some sliding starfish...
- saskoil21

From my perspective, there's no question Hunt has been far and away the worst oilers dman so far.

But then again, the expectation for your veteran captain Ference should be higher than it is for 6 career games Hunt.

Management just needs to go.

They said they had a second line centre to replace Gagner and there's no one there.
I think Draisaitl will be a good player, but the team should have developed him in the minors, or brought him into the league in a lower role and allowed him to progress against weaker competition.
The problem isn't the players, the team is mismanaged from top to bottom.
It would've made sense to keep Gagner, and bring in Draisaitl in a 3rd line role.

It's really too bad, because I am a Toronto fan first, but have always liked Edmonton as a team.
I want to see them do well. I always pick some of their players in my hockey pools.
- ILoveLamp

This

Zach Bogosian/3rd for Jordon Eberle....

Oilers get their big Dman that can hit, skate and shoot the puck.

Jets get some skill to compliment their speed/transition game.
- jetsfan6

I'd probably do it. Been talking about Bogo for years now.

This
- Oilfan19

I get few opportunities in life to be this smug: I was saying this literally all summer.

Purcell is a pretty decent get though. I've been happy enough with him so far. The big problem is that Arco is nowhere near his peaks last year.

From my perspective, there's no question Hunt has been far and away the worst oilers dman so far.

But then again, the expectation for your veteran captain Ference should be higher than it is for 6 career games Hunt.
- Morris

I thought Nikita has been the worst. Schultz is starting to show flashes of defense but then goes back to being lost. Hunt is just a PP guy but yeah. Ference has been ference.

I would consider sending all guys who could go back to Jr.

I don't know if a ton of oilers fans here thought we'd get an insta-dynasty. Sorry about the abrasive, drunk Cloutiers you argued with in that bar that one time.
- Morris

I would never talk to an Oilers' fan in a bar.

I didn't mean Oilers' fans specifically thought a 1st=dynasty, but after Crosby/Ovechkin plenty of NHL fans cheered for the tank and thought all it took was a 1st overall pick, it just became over-romanticized.

Zach Bogosian/3rd for Jordon Eberle....

Oilers get their big Dman that can hit, skate and shoot the puck.

Jets get some skill to compliment their speed/transition game.
- jetsfan6

Bogo cant stay healthy though, and he barely hits the net

We played better then last year but still only showed up for 3 periods out of 6.
- Oilfan19

Yeah, it wasn't perfect, but it was a much better model of success.
Actually developed systems play. Not relying 100% on end-to-end rushes.

We got broke down a couple of times in footraces against Mason Raymond, but for the most part our team play was pretty promising. I hope they don't dismantle it.

I get few opportunities in life to be this smug: I was saying this literally all summer.

Purcell is a pretty decent get though. I've been happy enough with him so far. The big problem is that Arco is nowhere near his peaks last year.
- Morris

The trade was a good trade player for player wise. It was awful for the depth chart and development of LD. He has to be sent down at 9, theres no way he stays up. But then who do we have to take over? Acton?

I thought Nikita has been the worst. Schultz is starting to show flashes of defense but then goes back to being lost. Hunt is just a PP guy but yeah. Ference has been ference.
- Oilfan19

They all show flashes of defense, that's the problem it's just a flash.

Schultz can have a highlight reel defensive play every game, but it doesn't matter if he's hurting more than helping.

Yeah, it wasn't perfect, but it was a much better model of success.
Actually developed systems play. Not relying 100% on end-to-end rushes.

We got broke down a couple of times in footraces against Mason Raymond, but for the most part our team play was pretty promising. I hope they don't dismantle it.
- Morris

The first period of the first 2 games I felt we played great hockey, the kind where we could compete every night. But then they just lost it.

They all show flashes of defense, that's the problem it's just a flash.

Schultz can have a highlight reel defensive play every game, but it doesn't matter if he's hurting more than helping.
- Lahey

I agree. But its a start for schultz