The we have to change out all these players mindset is fairly obvious. What is also very obvious is we have zero currency that we are willing to part with that will bring in said improved talent. You can't make a very good chicken salad with chicken poop . No one will give us value for our garbage. And we won't move any of the young core or draft picks. Free agency never solves a franchises problems so here we are. We've got a short stack in a big poker game...all we can do is nibble around the edge until another stud or two lands in our lap via the draft . Get used to it fellas we are handcuffed to the long game , wether we like it or not.
- Bullfrog77

quality take

Hot take, more like hot snakes.
- Codes1087

Lol

Commendable, Lefty needs you to do his part also, freeloading American-Yemenese type guy.
- Makita

The more time Lefty and Donna spend in the US the more American they become. It’s inevitable. Their culture is like a drug; the first few times are a blast but then you find yourself wanting it more and more until you can’t function without it.

I'd keep Granlund before virtanen. Need his penalty killing and hockey sense. Spooner can go too.

Leivo, Roussel, Granlund, are all keepers.
- kaptaan

Im going to disagree, very easy to replace. The league is full of players who can PK and move up and down the lineup when needed. You can usually find them still available in August or even in September on a PTO.

Im going to disagree, very easy to replace. The league is full of players who can PK and move up and down the lineup when needed. You can usually find them still available in August or even in September on a PTO.
- belcherbd

I find Granlund absolutely useless on our bottom feeding team.

Blackhawks win
Wild win
Red wings win
Senators win

I find Granlund absolutely useless on our bottom feeding team.
- bloatedmosquito

I agree....hes good enough to be invisible. Easy to upgrade what he brings to the team.

Blackhawks win
Wild win
Red wings win
Senators win


- Codes1087

Rangers lose
Buffalo lose
Either Oilers or Arizona will lose

I agree....hes good enough to be invisible. Easy to upgrade what he brings to the team.
- Bullfrog77

He is having a more productive year than Pearson for less than half the cost. We have a lot of invisible players.

He is having a more productive year than Pearson for less than half the cost. We have a lot of invisible players.
- VANTEL

Granny is gifted a lot of pp time in Vancouver.
I’d wager Pearson would surpass him in a full season with similar toi.

Rangers lose
Buffalo lose
Either Oilers or Arizona will lose


- VANTEL

Out of the remaining 11 games. I'd be surprised if they won 2. LA and Anaheim being the ones I think they could possibly win

Granny is gifted a lot of pp time in Vancouver.
I’d wager Pearson would surpass him in a full season with similar toi.
- dbot

Pearson has played a full year. The numbers I posted before are three teams combined

Fire Green
Play Demko
Trade Jake

He is having a more productive year than Pearson for less than half the cost. We have a lot of invisible players.
- VANTEL

Granlund isn't the problem himself, we have over half the team made up of similar players. All of them have shown flashes of something more and then returned to medocracy.

Leivo and Pearson just happen to be the latest of a long line.

Bonino, Vey, Sbisa, Bartkowski, Etem, Granlund, Prust, Sutter, Clendenning, Eriksson, Goldobin, Gudbranson, Skille, Rodin, Shore, Megna, Chaput, Burmistrov, Dowd, Gagner, Leipsic, Motte, Pouliot, Beagle, Schaller, Leivo, Spooner, Pearson.

Granlund isn't the problem himself, we have over half the team made up of similar players. All of them have shown flashes of something more and then returned to medocracy.

Leivo and Pearson just happen to be the latest of a long line.

Bonino, Vey, Sbisa, Bartkowski, Etem, Granlund, Prust, Sutter, Clendenning, Eriksson, Goldobin, Gudbranson, Skille, Rodin, Shore, Megna, Chaput, Burmistrov, Dowd, Gagner, Leipsic, Motte, Pouliot, Beagle, Schaller, Leivo, Spooner, Pearson.
- belcherbd

I agree we have a long list and that is why I don't mind parting ways with most of them

Tanks Carol


Ten things Benning has done right.

Not resigning Henrik Sedin
Not resigning Daniel Sedin
Drafted Boeser
Drafted Pettersson
Drafted Hughes
Signed Stecher
Fired WD
Dumped Shinkaruk
Dumped MDZ
Signed Beagle
Hired Ian Clark
Extended Horvat

This is the topic I think will drive conversation on here for next season. When, if ever, will this guy be ready.
- bloatedmosquito

I think he'd be putting up points for us right now if he wasn't injured.

Remember, he was leading the AHL in points for a rookie defensemen when he got hurt as well as putting up a ppg over the last couple months. Hardly the disappointment some want to jump off the bridge about.

The more time Lefty and Donna spend in the US the more American they become. It’s inevitable. Their culture is like a drug; the first few times are a blast but then you find yourself wanting it more and more until you can’t function without it.
- bloatedmosquito

What is this all about, I'm not sure I understand what "their culture" means? Like Canada, the United States is a huge country with many diverse areas.

Culturally I don't find the metro Phoenix area any different than Vancouver to be honest. Replace the Asian population for Mexican population. Other than the accents are different. There's so many transient people there and a lot of Canadians in Scottsdale.

You make some valid points, but.....IMO, you can’t just select 9 players and replace them and expect any type of cohesive unity. Not only that, but they also need 4 defense men, I’ll pencil in Hughes as one. So 12 new players on a 23 man roster is huge.
My issue is the way in which players are utilized, lack of preparedness, lack of strategies, questionable defensive system.

Not all of these players are as bad as they seem to be, they need better direction, which is evident when they end up on other teams and seem to shine.
- Makita

Which is what I've said before. You really seem to be tuning into the effects coaching staff has on players.
What this tells us in our exact situation is that our defensive systems lack what good / great teams have. Baumgartner seems to be at the center there. Him and brown should go in favor of better replacements at those positions.
Of course it's not like Jacques Martin is available but perhaps Yeo should get an interview, he's known for good defensive systems.

Tanks Carol


Ten things Benning has done right.

Not resigning Henrik Sedin
Not resigning Daniel Sedin
Drafted Boeser
Drafted Pettersson
Drafted Hughes
Signed Stecher
Fired WD
Dumped Shinkaruk
Dumped MDZ
Signed Beagle
Hired Ian Clark
Extended Horvat
- New world order

I thought Leivo would have made the list.

What about a 3rd for Lack?

Which is what I've said before. You really seem to be tuning into the effects coaching staff has on players.
What this tells us in our exact situation is that our defensive systems lack what good / great teams have. Baumgartner seems to be at the center there. Him and brown should go in favor of better replacements at those positions.
Of course it's not like Jacques Martin is available but perhaps Yeo should get an interview, he's known for good defensive systems.
- SMBDragon

The roster is very much in transition, it takes time. Guys that were around last season, Hutton, Stecher, Horvat, Boeser, Goldy and even Virtanen have shown improvement this season over last. Not all players are going to thrive under every coach and system.

I'm not sold on the coaching staff, they are inexperienced but are gaining experience every game. This team isn't going for a SC this season or next probably. It seems very Oilers like to keep changing coaches every couple seasons.

And

Jim Benning asked the fans to just be patient!

Straight up Yay or Nay.

Alex Wennberg and Brandon Dubinsky

for

Brandon Sutter and Loui Eriksson. Utunen and Palmu.

Tanks Carol


Ten things Benning has done right.

Not resigning Henrik Sedin
Not resigning Daniel Sedin
Drafted Boeser
Drafted Pettersson
Drafted Hughes
Signed Stecher
Fired WD
Dumped Shinkaruk
Dumped MDZ
Signed Beagle
Hired Ian Clark
Extended Horvat
- New world order

I’d say there is a few more (some need time)
- traded burrows
- traded hansen
- draft gaudette
- rousell signing looks good
- new hair colour
-

Straight up Yay or Nay.

Alex Wennberg and Brandon Dubinsky

for

Brandon Sutter and Loui Eriksson. Utunen and Palmu.
- manvanfan

Columbus would never go for it, but I do think Wennberg is a guy to target.

What is this all about, I'm not sure I understand what "their culture" means? Like Canada, the United States is a huge country with many diverse areas.

Culturally I don't find the metro Phoenix area any different than Vancouver to be honest. Replace the Asian population for Mexican population. Other than the accents are different. There's so many transient people there and a lot of Canadians in Scottsdale.
- LeftCoaster

Lol. Just joking.

My brother in law works in the US and I grind his gears about “becoming Americanized”.
Funny thing, his response is similar to yours. Even with the same hint of being offended by the accusation.
Interesting.