Yeah, Lahey ... but losing is physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting!

I really think these guys (for the most part) are making the best with what they have. But wanting to win isn't enough to make you win ...

Every team wants to win ... but most teams are more solid and balanced then we are ... it's not always a lack of effort ... most nights it's more a lack of 22 man roster talent
- JasonHarrison

I don't buy that crap. This team shows up flat after winning games too.

Beat CHI and DET, get the poop kicked out of us by TOR. Beat CGY and PHI show up flat against PHO.

This isn't a new issue it's something that's been there for a good chunk of the year. There are guys fighting for their jobs for next year and they don't show up to play.

If they want a new coach it should be in place already. Why piss around wasting games next year trying to learn a new system? Unless the coach they want to bring in is already employed.
- Lahey

Agreed ... but maybe it's a PR thing to let Renney save face.

Or maybe they are looking at somebody still under contract elsewhere ... an assistant or someone.

yeah, but if things don't change ... it might not be with the Oilers!
- JasonHarrison

This is what scares me. Hall is a competitor. Ditto Ebs and Nuge. They wont put up with promises forever.

I don't buy that crap. This team shows up flat after winning games too.

Beat CHI and DET, get the poop kicked out of us by TOR. Beat CGY and PHI show up flat against PHO.

This isn't a new issue it's something that's been there for a good chunk of the year. There are guys fighting for their jobs for next year and they don't show up to play.
- Lahey

In a way that's a good thing though. Weeds out the slackers.

In a way that's a good thing though. Weeds out the slackers.
- GuyLaDouche

I'd like to see Renney make a statement and scratch Horcoff or Smyth and dress Hordi instead.

Smyth is far from being the heart and soul of this team.
- Lahey

This is so true. Smyth is not what he used to be, player wise or emotion wise it seems to me. If you want a guy who is the heart and soul of the Oil right now, I'd say it's Laddy Smid. He's given 100% out there no matter what, takes a fckin beating every game and never misses games. If there is a big player turnover and we lose some of our leaders(Whitney, Smyth, Hemsky), he should be gettin a letter.

Anyways, I think we can all agree that we need to upgrade 3-5 players over the summer and start winning some damn games next year.

If the Oilers want to win, they have to improve the defense and have a good goalie. I don't think the solution is to trade all vet and add rookies. The Oilers have a ton of rookies... They have to trade for a good goalterder and get a top 2 defenseman.

No team win playoff with only rookies. They need vet that can stand up, take the leadership and work hard.

It hard for a team to go from last to a playoff team, especially if the team has been last few years because there is a loosing culture in those team and it not good for young players.

Cloutier say that Subban and Price should ask for a trade because the Habs are suck. I wonder if Eberle and Hall will ask the same with the Oilers last year after year.

Team have to be build for back to the front... No team win with bad goalie. The Oilers were winning when Kabi stop pucks and there were no stories about the locker room.

sry for my bad english...

This is so true. Smyth is not what he used to be, player wise or emotion wise it seems to me. If you want a guy who is the heart and soul of the Oil right now, I'd say it's Laddy Smid. He's given 100% out there no matter what, takes a fckin beating every game and never misses games. If there is a big player turnover and we lose some of our leaders(Whitney, Smyth, Hemsky), he should be gettin a letter.
- dragonslade

I'd put Hall on that list too. Guy doesn't have any speed other than "GO"...looked like Frankensteins monster and still had to be held out of the lineup. Can't recall seeing him ever take a game off.

Anyways, I think we can all agree that we need to upgrade 3-5 players over the summer and start winning some damn games next year.
- Zombie

A-(frank)ing-men. That list starts with a goalie.

If the Oilers want to win, they have to improve the defense and have a good goalie. I don't think the solution is to trade all vet and add rookies. The Oilers have a ton of rookies... They have to trade for a good goalterder and get a top 2 defenseman.

No team win playoff with only rookies. They need vet that can stand up, take the leadership and work hard.

It hard for a team to go from last to a playoff team, especially if the team has been last few years because there is a loosing culture in those team and it not good for young players.

Cloutier say that Subban and Price should ask for a trade because the Habs are suck. I wonder if Eberle and Hall will ask the same with the Oilers last year after year.

Team have to be build for back to the front... No team win with bad goalie. The Oilers were winning when Kabi stop pucks and there were no stories about the locker room.

sry for my bad english...
- Dlkif

No apologies needed. Agree with pretty much all of this post.

...amazing what a difference Markov makes for you guys. Funny what an elite dman can do for a team....

Griffin Reinhart=Stanley Cup.

No apologies needed. Agree with pretty much all of this post.

...amazing what a difference Markov makes for you guys. Funny what an elite dman can do for a team....

Griffin Reinhart=Stanley Cup.
- GuyLaDouche

IN 20-21?

I think we can get Harding ...I think getting Schultz was, in part, designed to help us get Harding.

I think we pursue Carle and/or Wideman. No chance we get Suter.

Draft whoever is best ... though I gotta say, I like Murray.

Watch the culture miraculously change when we start winning.

IN 20-21?
- Lahey

Next year. He will lead the league in points, hits, blocked shots, takeaways and awesomeness.

As a long time critic of the GM, I'd also like to point out that the team has made some nice strides that isn't reflected in the standings yet.

Last year the team was outscored by an average of .92 goals per game

This year that's down to .39 goals per game difference

The PP and PK are both significantly improved (probably the two major reasons for the numbers above)

And probably the biggest clue we have that the team is turning around is that Cloutier went from a delirious homer the previous 2 years, and is now negative on the team. If his past track record is any indication, that fact that he's thinking the team is horrible right now without much hope for the imidiate future means we're just around the corner from success.

I think we can get Harding ...I think getting Schultz was, in part, designed to help us get Harding.

I think we pursue Carle and/or Wideman. No chance we get Suter.

Draft whoever is best ... though I gotta say, I like Murray.

Watch the culture miraculously change when we start winning.
- JasonHarrison

A healthy Whitney will go a long way for this team. Whether or not that exists is TBD.

I think we can get Harding ...I think getting Schultz was, in part, designed to help us get Harding.

I think we pursue Carle and/or Wideman. No chance we get Suter.

Draft whoever is best ... though I gotta say, I like Murray.

Watch the culture miraculously change when we start winning.
- JasonHarrison

If they acquired Harding, Carle and Murray in the off season I would be pretty happy. If they could add a top 6 bruiser I would be ecstatic. Have my doubts though. Don't know if Tambi has the stones to do what it would take to get all that.

If they acquired Harding, Carle and Murray in the off season I would be pretty happy. If they could add a top 6 bruiser I would be ecstatic. Have my doubts though. Don't know if Tambi has the stones to do what it would take to get all that.
- GuyLaDouche

He had the stones to bring in an actually defensive d-man.

As a long time critic of the GM, I'd also like to point out that the team has made some nice strides that isn't reflected in the standings yet.

Last year the team was outscored by an average of .92 goals per game

This year that's down to .39 goals per game difference

The PP and PK are both significantly improved (probably the two major reasons for the numbers above)

And probably the biggest clue we have that the team is turning around is that Cloutier went from a delirious homer the previous 2 years, and is now negative on the team. If his past track record is any indication, that fact that he's thinking the team is horrible right now without much hope for the imidiate future means were are just around the corner from success.
- Zombie

As a long time critic of the GM, I'd also like to point out that the team has made some nice strides that isn't reflected in the standings yet.

Last year the team was outscored by an average of .92 goals per game

This year that's down to .39 goals per game difference

The PP and PK are both significantly improved (probably the two major reasons for the numbers above)

And probably the biggest clue we have that the team is turning around is that Cloutier went from a delirious homer the previous 2 years, and is now negative on the team. If his past track record is any indication, that fact that he's thinking the team is horrible right now without much hope for the imidiate future means were are just around the corner from success.
- Zombie

+1 and

So, do we bring in Crawford, bring up Nelson, or stick with Renney?
- JasonHarrison

Ditka

As a long time critic of the GM, I'd also like to point out that the team has made some nice strides that isn't reflected in the standings yet.

Last year the team was outscored by an average of .92 goals per game

This year that's down to .39 goals per game difference

The PP and PK are both significantly improved (probably the two major reasons for the numbers above)

And probably the biggest clue we have that the team is turning around is that Cloutier went from a delirious homer the previous 2 years, and is now negative on the team. If his past track record is any indication, that fact that he's thinking the team is horrible right now without much hope for the imidiate future means were are just around the corner from success.
- Zombie

^
extra

He had the stones to bring in an actually defensive d-man.
- Lahey

A decent start. Getting Carle and Harding and a gritty top 6 will require more though.

Ditka
- 66chevelle

Da Oilersss

A healthy Whitney will go a long way for this team. Whether or not that exists is TBD.
- Lahey

He should be able to spend more of his summer on the ice skating as opposed to rehabbing. It depends on how chronic his feet are. Is definitely his footspeed holding him back.