Nice. You got an easy W this week like me?
- Feds91Stammer

Pretty much. Dude is up 5 points on me right now, but I have 8 more games than him this week.

It will be tough though. Two of my last three games are against top guys in my division.

There’s still so much time for the Oilers to turn things around but first they absolutely need a new GM. Maybe Koskinen can take them there, but it certainly doesn’t appear that way at least not yet. Seriously.. what if they somehow got Hamilton in a 3-way trade or something without giving up a core player. We all know the impact a key defender can make on a team. For now I think MoJo and Lovejoy could really help the Oilers. I think MoJo could do alright skating with RNH and some PP2 time and obviously Lovejoy brings an experienced presence they could use. I’m guessing Sekera makes them at least a bit better? I read online that’s why they had to waive Rattie and Spooner was that financially they needed room to activate Sekera
- WSCTeton17

That team is (frank)ed. The damage has already been done. There is not a ton of time. They’re wasting McDavids best years and have a bunch of awful contracts on the books.

That team is (frank)ed. The damage has already been done. There is not a ton of time. They’re wasting McDavids best years and have a bunch of awful contracts on the books.
- j.boyd919

The Pens probably could have grabbed a 2nd and Pulijarvi for Jarry based on the logic of the Kostinen signing.

The Pens probably could have grabbed a 2nd and Pulijarvi for Jarry based on the logic of the Kostinen signing.
- Rinosaur

Probably still can.

Probably still can.
- Feds91Stammer

For the life of me I can’t figure out how Chiarelli still has a job.

If I was an Oilers fan I’d be looking for a new team to follow.

For the life of me I can’t figure out how Chiarelli still has a job.

If I was an Oilers fan I’d be looking for a new team to follow.
- Rinosaur

Its the old boys club of the NHL. Same reason these same folks can't get on board with basic analysis.

That team is (frank)ed. The damage has already been done. There is not a ton of time. They’re wasting McDavids best years and have a bunch of awful contracts on the books.
- j.boyd919

A very similar argument could’ve been made for the Bylsma era (after the 09 season of course) and yet here we are with another 2 cups and 2 Conn Smyth’s for Sid. EDM still has a ton of time especially with the cap continually going up, but they need someone sane behind the wheel

A very similar argument could’ve been made for the Bylsma era (after the 09 season of course) and yet here we are with another 2 cups and 2 Conn Smyth’s for Sid. EDM still has a ton of time especially with the cap continually going up, but they need someone sane behind the wheel
- WSCTeton17

But the Pens took action. When you continue to make awful decisions like the Kostinen signing, it doesn’t show you’re heading in the right direction.

A very similar argument could’ve been made for the Bylsma era (after the 09 season of course) and yet here we are with another 2 cups and 2 Conn Smyth’s for Sid. EDM still has a ton of time especially with the cap continually going up, but they need someone sane behind the wheel
- WSCTeton17

Nope. Sid, Geno, and Letang are a totally different realm of what EDM has.

A very similar argument could’ve been made for the Bylsma era (after the 09 season of course) and yet here we are with another 2 cups and 2 Conn Smyth’s for Sid. EDM still has a ton of time especially with the cap continually going up, but they need someone sane behind the wheel
- WSCTeton17

Absolutely not.

The Pens had Sid, Geno, Letang with Kunitz, Neal, Maatta as a very very good supporting cast still on the roster.

Oilers have McDavid, Drai, RNH, no elite defenseman, no supporting cast.

While Sid and McDavid are probably considered a wash (personalliy I think McDavid is better), I think Drai has played the majority of his season on the wing with McDavid, so their 2nd line C is RNH, who is good but not Geno good.

I don't think the argument is even close in comparison.

McDavid is only 22 years old. Its not that far fetched to me that the Oil can get to the promise land in future years. To do this though they absolutely have to fire the GM. The next CBA could relieve them of sh!t contracts via buyouts. If not, indeed sh!t contracts are always sh!t contracts, but as the cap rises every year they get a little less hurtful.

McDavid is only 22 years old. Its not that far fetched to me that the Oil can get to the promise land in future years. To do this though they absolutely have to fire the GM. The next CBA could relieve them of sh!t contracts via buyouts. If not, indeed sh!t contracts are always sh!t contracts, but as the cap rises every year they get a little less hurtful.
- MattStrat

The thing about it, though, is that with McDavid, the Oilers will probably never be in free fall tank, so its gonna be tough for them to draft the high end supporting cast they need to be competitive. If I was an Oilers fan, I would be actively hoping McDavid got a non-serious but long term injury every year for about the next three years so the Oil can stealth tank and get some more top 5 pick talent in there on ELCs.

Absolutely not.

The Pens had Sid, Geno, Letang with Kunitz, Neal, Maatta as a very very good supporting cast still on the roster.

Oilers have McDavid, Drai, RNH, no elite defenseman, no supporting cast.

While Sid and McDavid are probably considered a wash (personalliy I think McDavid is better), I think Drai has played the majority of his season on the wing with McDavid, so their 2nd line C is RNH, who is good but not Geno good.

I don't think the argument is even close in comparison.
- j.boyd919

We recently won a cup with Schultz as our #1 defender. Look at what the Islanders are doing. I don’t think you can ever count a team out in this league. The odds were always going to be against Edmonton with Chiarelli at the helm, but if they can ditch him and stop the bleeding then there’s plenty of time for McDavid and Drais to win multiple cups

There’s even time for Lucic to turn things around. I look at Lucic and think of Dustin Brown. Everyone thought LA was going to buyout Brown. They didn’t. He worked hard in the offseason and is now putting up back to back solid, bounce back campaigns. I don’t think it’s likely that Lucic will do the same, but it is possible. Just like how it’s possible Sprong puts up 30 next season. I don’t think it’s likely, but it’s possible

We recently won a cup with Schultz as our #1 defender. Look at what the Islanders are doing. I don’t think you can ever count a team out in this league. The odds were always going to be against Edmonton with Chiarelli at the helm, but if they can ditch him and stop the bleeding then there’s plenty of time for McDavid and Drais to win multiple cups

There’s even time for Lucic to turn things around. I look at Lucic and think of Dustin Brown. Everyone thought LA was going to buyout Brown. They didn’t. He worked hard in the offseason and is now putting up back to back solid, bounce back campaigns. I don’t think it’s likely that Lucic will do the same, but it is possible. Just like how it’s possible Sprong puts up 30 next season. I don’t think it’s likely, but it’s possible
- WSCTeton17

We recently won a cup with Schultz as our #1 defender. Look at what the Islanders are doing. I don’t think you can ever count a team out in this league. The odds were always going to be against Edmonton with Chiarelli at the helm, but if they can ditch him and stop the bleeding then there’s plenty of time for McDavid and Drais to win multiple cups

There’s even time for Lucic to turn things around. I look at Lucic and think of Dustin Brown. Everyone thought LA was going to buyout Brown. They didn’t. He worked hard in the offseason and is now putting up back to back solid, bounce back campaigns. I don’t think it’s likely that Lucic will do the same, but it is possible. Just like how it’s possible Sprong puts up 30 next season. I don’t think it’s likely, but it’s possible
- WSCTeton17

This “we won” without Letang is a oversimplification because you can argue if they didn’t have Letang that whole season they may not have even made it or may have finished lower changing their matchups, which in-turn could have greatly affected the result.

The thing about it, though, is that with McDavid, the Oilers will probably never be in free fall tank, so its gonna be tough for them to draft the high end supporting cast they need to be competitive. If I was an Oilers fan, I would be actively hoping McDavid got a non-serious but long term injury every year for about the next three years so the Oil can stealth tank and get some more top 5 pick talent in there on ELCs.
- Victoro311

They need a compliance buyout for Lucic and someone that can gut the bottom half of the roster. Otherwise they should be a perennial playoff team. Not sure ever a top cup contender though.

This “we won” without Letang is a oversimplification because you can argue if they didn’t have Letang that whole season they may not have even made it or finished lower changing their matchups, which in-turn could have greatly affected the result.
- Rinosaur

Also helps that we had a top 3 forward unit in the entire league, Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, and Guentzel all shooting and finishing like all world snipers at the same time, and elite level goal tending. The Oilers literally have none of that.

This “we won” without Letang is a oversimplification because you can argue if they didn’t have Letang that whole season they may not have even made it or may have finished lower changing their matchups, which in-turn could have greatly affected the result.
- Rinosaur

Yeah they also had Sid and Geno which is pretty much an unmatched luxury in the past 15 years or so outside of maybe Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

The thing about it, though, is that with McDavid, the Oilers will probably never be in free fall tank, so its gonna be tough for them to draft the high end supporting cast they need to be competitive. If I was an Oilers fan, I would be actively hoping McDavid got a non-serious but long term injury every year for about the next three years so the Oil can stealth tank and get some more top 5 pick talent in there on ELCs.
- Victoro311

I understand what you're saying but the Pens were finishing higher than bottom feeder or middle of the pack every year after the 2009 cup. Rust, Maatta, Dumoulin, Guentzel, Simon (probably forgetting others) were all drafted after 2009 and Sheary was signed as free agent after 2009. Then you consider drafting gem players like Letang who was picked up in the 3rd round. So, with some decent drafting, which I really sometimes think there's luck involved with, they can get those good ELC's.

This “we won” without Letang is a oversimplification because you can argue if they didn’t have Letang that whole season they may not have even made it or finished lower changing their matchups, which in-turn could have greatly affected the result.
- Rinosaur

It was a fluke to win without Letang. We were brutal that postseason and got caved in nightly, it doesn’t change the fact that it was possible and that it happened. Also, just because the Oilers are using Drais and McDavid together doesn’t mean it’s permanent. They can still roll McDavid, Drais, RNH, Brodziak as their 4 centers if they desire.

The salary cap is projected to be $83MM next year. If you buyout Spooner, you give Maroon and Panik about $2.5MM a piece, sign Puljujarvi and Khaira around $1MM each and give McElhinney $1.5MM a year for 2 years or something then you’re under the cap and have the following:
Maroon-McDavid-Chiasson
Panik-Drais-Puljujarvi
Khaira-RNH-Yamamoto
Lucic-Brodziak-Kassian
Klefbom-Russell
Sekera-Larsson
Nurse-Benning
Koskinen
McElhinney

It’s not pretty but it’s possible

This “we won” without Letang is a oversimplification because you can argue if they didn’t have Letang that whole season they may not have even made it or may have finished lower changing their matchups, which in-turn could have greatly affected the result.
- Rinosaur

You just dont know that for sure though. Maybe, maybe not. What we do know for sure though is that the Pens made it through the entire playoffs and hoisted the cup without him.

Yeah they also had Sid and Geno which is pretty much an unmatched luxury in the past 15 years or so outside of maybe Datsyuk and Zetterberg.
- Feds91Stammer

Indeed...and speaking of later round draft gems....

Schultz is not a #1D or even a 2D on any good team. The fact that he stepped up in Letangs absence and kept his head above water is admirable, but that doesn't mean Letang is expendable or playoff runs can be consistently made without someone of Letang's caliber. its a fluke and not something that should be used as procedure going forward.

Indeed...and speaking of later round draft gems....
- MattStrat

I mean sure, if you want to use the logic that anyone can hit on late round picks, you can make the case that any team at any point in time is only a couple years away from being Cup contenders. We're deal with probabilities here, not certainties. The probably that the Oilers will be able to draft a #1 D and the top 6 winger talent to seriously compete for a Cup with low round picks is laughably low.

Schultz is not a #1D or even a 2D on any good team. The fact that he stepped up in Letangs absence and kept his head above water is admirable, but that doesn't mean Letang is expendable or playoff runs can be consistently made without someone of Letang's caliber. its a fluke and not something that should be used as procedure going forward.
- DeflatedPucks

Totally agree. I think the argument here is that its possible. Chances slim but possible.

As for Schultz I get what you're saying but he did log top dman minutes while producing like one for a pretty large sample size.