It is impossible to overstate the level of incompetence that is coursing through the Oiler organization. It appears to be from top with this team. All way from Bob Nicholson (he of the $19 hamburger fame) down to the lowest member of Todd McLellan’s coaching staff, everyone who has a hand in making decisions appears to be robbing Darryl Katz every 2 weeks.
I cannot begin to describe the sheer horror felt when I heard Darren Dreger describe that the awful Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson deal, that robbed the team of a star winger in exchange for a 2nd pairing stay-at-home defender who cannot make a 10 foot pass to save his life, was actually close to being the awful Taylor Hall for Cody Ceci deal.
Eeeee. The full quote from Darren Dreger on Hall/Ceci. #Sens pic.twitter.com/KfqQUscyjq
— SensChirp (@SensChirp) January 4, 2018
Dustin Neilson of TSN 1260 pressed Dreger about the deal needing to have more parts on Ottawa’s side. His response, “I don’t think so.…
Let it sink in how incompetent you have to be to suggest that deal, agree to that deal, then, from Ottawa’s side, fail to complete that deal. How? How can an NHL GM contemplate trading Taylor Hall for Cody Ceci, one of the East’s worst defensemen? What combination of chemicals must be coursing through your body in order to have judgment that impaired?
Cody Ceci is a bust of a hockey player in the Jack Johnson mold, if Jack Johnson scored much less, was smaller, and somehow worse at defending. Taylor Hall is a point per game power forward who tilts possession and can transport the puck. Knowing that this is a deal that Peter Chiarelli was pursuing only confirms what we already know, he is a terrible General Manager and a threat to the long-term future of the Oilers.
Learning about this deal is like learning what goes into Hot Dogs. You are worse off for knowing.
***
Keeping with the theme of total incompetence that is destroying the Oilers, the Home Penalty Kill is officially the worst in the history of the NHL. That is not hyperbolic. The NHL has not always calculated Home penalty kill percentage but since it has there have been 1029 teams over many years (ex, 2017-2018 Oilers, 1979-1980 Capitals, etc). The Oilers Home Penalty Kill this year is running at 55.5% which is dead last. They are the 1029th team out of 1029 teams.
In fact, the Oilers are so bad that they are 11.2 percentage points below the 1028th ranked 1977-1978 Washington Capitals (66.7%). Think about that! Think about how bad you have to be to the worst ever at something. Frankly, I don’t want them to improve anymore. Own it. Be proud of it. Give Jim Johnson, who runs the Oilers PK, a banner in the new arena beside Garth Brooks’ 9 concert banner.
Here’s the crazy part for me: The differences between the home and road PK is more than just some bad bounces.
On the Road, the Oilers allow the fewest Shot Attempts against in the NHL (82.9 CA/60). They allow the fewest unblocked attempts against in the NHL (60.2 CA/60). They allow the fewest shots against in the NHL (42.2 SA/60). They allow the 6th fewest Scoring Chances Against in the NHL (53.0 SCA/60). Their PK efficiency is 5th in the NHL on the road at 85.1% on the season.
At Home? Oh god. Attempts are 26th (111.6 CA/60). Unblocked Attempts are 25th (81.6 FA/60). Shots against are 29th (65.3 SA/60). Scoring Chances are 30th (67.2 SCA/60). The Oilers are fundamentally different at Home than on the Road and it makes so little sense that it has confounded even the coach. Even Todd McLellan said he has no answers for what’s wrong with the PK or he says they would have fixed it a month ago.
The team is being run by incompetents. Our hopes rest on Connor McDavid becoming player-coach-manager-part owner at some point in the next few years.
Points Back: 9
LINEUP
Maroon has been suspended for 2 games and the skate this morning was optional. We are listing a lineup below that we would *like* to see, but we cannot be certain that’s what they are trying.
RNH McDavid Puljujarvi Khaira Draisaitl Caggiula Lucic Strome Kassian Slepyshev Letestu Cammalleri
Klefbom Larsson Nurse Russell Sekera Benning
Talbot
OILERS KEYS TO THE GAME 1) Rivalry? Is there still animosity between these two clubs that dueled it out over a very hotly contested playoff series last spring? Can the Oilers even think about that kind of stuff when it looks like their season is teetering on the edge? If it’s there at all then maybe it sparks the team. Maybe it pushes Leon Draisaitl to be better. Maybe it lights a fire for Lucic. I don’t know. Maybe. Just do something.
2) Leon. Leon Draisaitl isn’t having a terrible season, but he isn’t having an $8.5 million dollar season either. He has consistently dominated the Ducks in the regular season and the playoffs. In fact, his series against the Ducks probably added $2 million per season onto his deal the following summer. He plays great against Anaheim. We would love to see that dominance continue tonight. He’s got 13 points in 12 regular season games against Anaheim, tied with Calgary for the most points against any single team.
3) No Maroon. The hit to Doughty’s head by Maroon resulted in a 5 minute major, a game misconduct, 3 goals against, and a 2 game suspension. Now Edmonton juggles its lines with Maroon out. The big man has been lined up on the 1st or 2nd line since he joined Edmonton in a rare good trade by Chiarelli. He brings a nastiness to his game when he’s at his best, but crossed the line and now he will be replaced internally. Either someone like Nuge is pushed to the wing or someone like Slepyshev has to take a big step forward.
Puck drops at 7PM Mountain Time on Sportsnet Oilers. Game On! Follow me on Twitter @Archaeologuy