Welcome to Friday’s Burning Questions, a weekly feature answering queries submitted by actual readers. The world is packed with stupid people. Walk out your front door, throw a stone in any direction and you’re bound to hit one. However, there are no stupid questions, so get them in by Twitter to @rygarner or e-mail at ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com.
Are the Oilers a better team today than they were five years ago? I’m not talking about the prospect system or the coaching staff or what the team will be two years from now. Is this Oilers team better than the one we saw in October 2009? Wes P.
Terrific question. There’s some debate over when the Edmonton Oilers rebuild actually started. Some claim it began as soon as Chris Pronger left town on July 3, 2006, which seems premature. Some think it began the day Steve Tambellini was hired—July 31, 2008. Personally, I think the rebuild began during the cataclysmic 2009-10 season. It’s not unreasonable to expect a rebuilding team to show signs of improvement after five years, so (assuming everyone’s healthy, which is a huge assumption for that 2009-10 squad) let’s compare that team to the current one line-by-line and see how they stack up.
First Line 2009: Penner-Horcoff-Hemsky 2014: Hall-Nugent-Hopkins-Eberle
This is a huge mismatch in top-end talent. Of course, that’s expected when matching three first-round draft picks (two first overall) against a first-rounder, a fourth-rounder, and an undrafted manchild. One of these lines looks like a legitimate first-line grouping, while the other couldn’t have passed for most team’s second lines, even in 2009. Winner: 2014
Second Line 2009: Comrie-Gagner-O’Sullivan 2014: Pouliot-Draisaitl-Yakupov
That 2009 trio is a mish-mash of unfulfilled potential, failed expectations, second chances and hopeful futures. Then again, the 2014 trio is the exact same thing. When you break it all down (comparing these players based on what they were or are, not what they should be) they’re extremely similar. I give a razor-thin edge to the current group. Winner: 2014
Third Line 2009: Moreau-Cogliano-Nilsson 2014: Perron-Arcobello-Purcell
This one carries some emotional ties, as I loved Ethan Moreau and it still pains me to see Andrew Cogliano contributing so effectively for the Ducks. However, despite the presence of Mark Arcobello, I don’t think this matchup is very close. The Oilers are deep up front, with offensive potency from the third line they didn’t have in 2009. Winner: 2014
Fourth Line 2009: Jacques-Brule-Pisani 2014: Hendricks-Gordon-Joensuu
Looks like another laugher on the fourth line, especially considering the state of Fernando Pisani’s game in 2009. The current grouping has size, toughness, and balance, centered by a terrific faceoff man. Possession is one of the main reasons Edmonton’s fourth line has been the most consistent on a nightly basis in the early season. Winner: 2014
Forward Grubbies 2009: Stortini-MacIntyre-Potulny-Pouliot-Stone 2014: Gazdic-Acton-Yakimov-Pinizzotto
Can we make “grubbies… a thing? I know these players are often called reserves or some other such nonsense, but these players have always been grubbies to me. Looks like the old-timers get the edge, because MacIntyre would punch a fist-sized hole through Gazdic’s head and Potulny added an offensive element lacking from the current group. Winner: 2009
First Defence 2009: Visnovsky-Gilbert 2014: Nikitin-Fayne
The Oilers don’t really have a bona fide top pairing on defence, so (like Dallas Eakins) we have to work with what we’ve got. In this case, the current pairing is no match for Lubomir Visnovsky and Tom Gilbert, who provided both offensive ability and defensive awareness. I don’t see the same thing from Nikitin and Fayne. Winner: 2009
Second Defence 2009: Souray-Staios 2014: Marincin-Schultz
While injuries derailed Souray’s 2009-10 season, he was coming off a 53-point campaign and had finished 13th in Norris Trophy voting. While some people—okay, one person—have publically stated that Justin Schultz has Norris potential, there’s no evidence suggesting that’s the case, and he doesn’t look to be earning any votes today. Winner: 2009
Third Defence 2009: Smid-Grebeshkov 2014: Petry-Ference
This one’s a little closer, as 2009 Denis Grebeshkov and 2014 Jeff Petry are very similar players who were viewed almost identically. The matchup really comes down to how you feel about 2009 Ladislav Smid vs. 2014 Andrew Ference. In my opinion, Smid provided better shotblocking and defensive positioning, giving his pairing the edge. Winner: 2009
Defence Grubbies 2009: Chorney-Strudwick-Peckham 2014: Hunt-Nurse-Klefbom
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Once again, the grubbies are largely made up of unproven potential players or one-dimensional role defencemen. Of course, we have to look at what they were (or are) in their past (or current) form. I don’t see much to differentiate either group, and I don’t think it sways this contest one way or the other. Winner: Push
Goaltenders 2009: Khabibulin-Deslauriers-Dubnyk 2014: Scrivens-Fasth-Bachman
The 2009-10 campaign marked the beginning of the end for Nikolai Khabibulin, but coming into the season he had been playing well and was still regarded as a legitimate starting goaltender. With a Stanley Cup to his credit and more than 600 NHL games under his belt, few were doubting his legitimacy. That’s not the case today. Winner: 2009
Conclusion
The results are pretty conclusive, and help demonstrate why the Oilers are currently struggling at one end of the ice. The forwards are top-heavy while the defence looks horribly neglected. Embracing a tiny sample size, the Oilers were 2-1-1 through four games in 2009-10, scoring 13 goals and allowing 13. Today, the Oilers are 0-3-1 through four games, scoring 11 goals and allowing 22. I think our comparison highlights the team’s defensive deficiencies, explaining the current results.
Obviously years of drafting strategy have impacted the current roster, as Craig MacTavish looks to patch holes on the back end as best he can. However, successful teams in today’s NHL (Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston) are built from the ground up, and nothing is more important than a strong foundation of goaltending and defence. I see vast improvements up front, but are the Oilers a better team today than they were five years ago? Overall, I would say no.
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com