GP please. Prior to the season there were loads of people saying the Oilers were going to make it to the Cup Final. The very first reason that the Oilers started very poorly was because McDavid played very poorly and became frustrated. The fact the McDavid won the scoring title this year is irrelevant to the argument that he is a dominant player. The reason - the vast majority of his points came only once the Oilers were playing meaningless games and many of their games became high-scoring. This is the opposite of Leadership. Same for Mathews who completely froze in the play-offs again. Kane on the other hand thrived under pressure as a young player. Kane 3-5-8 against Philly including the winning OT goal as a 21 year-old. Kane is in the highest tier of NHL players and has been for a long time regardless of which words we use to describe that tier.
- Z3Hawk

Alright you nailed it about his point accumulation
.Now i ask exactly when did the oilers start experiencing major issues - which resulted in losses - due to the dmen injured and or playing badly on their wrong off side pairing. Was part of McDavid frustration related to his fewer touches of the puck? Or Edm defense turnovers and lack of consistent execution in plays?

Just bring Wingels back
The draft choice comes to fruition - meaning nhl player - it at all only after a few years
- jhawk59

Agree. Consider bringing Wingels back on an affordable 1-2 year deal and kick the tires on a guy like Beagle. Have them form a 4th line with Kampf as center.

Backup options should include Martinsen, T. Sikura, and Hayden. Hopefully Hayden earns a spot in the top 9 and can slot down to the 4th line if needed or whenever the Q blender is in full swing.

Long shots for 4th line are Samuelsson and Knott. Then there's Highmore and Kero, too, who at least have NHL games under their belt but they don't bring much toughness that the others do to flank and complement Kampf.

Agree. Consider bringing Wingels back on an affordable 1-2 year deal and kick the tires on a guy like Beagle. Have them form a 4th line with Kampf as center.

Backup options should include Martinsen, T. Sikura, and Hayden. Hopefully Hayden earns a spot in the top 9 and can slot down to the 4th line if needed or whenever the Q blender is in full swing.

Long shots for 4th line are Samuelsson and Knott. Then there's Highmore and Kero, too, who at least have NHL games under their belt but they don't bring much toughness that the others do to flank and complement Kampf.
- AEL_Fox

Martinsin beagle hayden/ wingles 4th line

Really?

Like McDavid? Mathews? Kane? Crosby?

I'm reading more a very valuable top pairing guy - who could contribute immediately - great to get - not a sure franchise player like the ones noted.
- StLBravesFan

Can a defenseman be considered a franchise player like those mentioned above? Thoughts???

https://www.draftsite.com...ayer/rasmus-dahlin/27163/

Can a defenseman be considered a franchise player like those mentioned above? Thoughts???

https://www.draftsite.com...ayer/rasmus-dahlin/27163/
- walleyeb1

That's just about as close to saying "generational talent" one can get without actually saying it.

Can a defenseman be considered a franchise player like those mentioned above? Thoughts???

https://www.draftsite.com...ayer/rasmus-dahlin/27163/
- walleyeb1

Absolutely. Why wouldn't they?

https://www.tsn.ca/habs-s...er-knee-surgery-1.1067967

Shaw out 6 months after knee surgery.

mr. anderson..
- bogiedoc

Thank you pass on Anderson!!!

https://www.tsn.ca/habs-shaw-out-6-months-after-knee-surgery-1.1067967

Shaw out 6 months after knee surgery.
- AEL_Fox

Sounds like a major knee reconstruction. Godspeed to Mr Shaw for a complete recovery.

Really
It would have helped at least somewhat. A lot of the publicity and news reports derive from Canadien cities. A Cansdien player wins an award is a big deal. More so than non Canadien
- jhawk59

Poor Ovie - Poor Malkin - Poor Panarin - poor Kopitar - poor Lunquist - poor Karlsson - poor Hossa - if only all of you had been born Canadian you may have amounted to something and been more well-known. Does this “argument” also extend to Americans? Hossa did just fine for himself and this will be shown when he enters the HOF.

Alright you nailed it about his point accumulation
.Now i ask exactly when did the oilers start experiencing major issues - which resulted in losses - due to the dmen injured and or playing badly on their wrong off side pairing. Was part of McDavid frustration related to his fewer touches pf the puck? Or Edm drfernse turnovers and lack of consistent execution in plays?
- jhawk59

McDavid’s poor play was the result of McDavid playing poorly and not leading. The team was not a different team the second part of the year after falling out of the play-off race early.

mr. anderson..
- bogiedoc

What our goalies and defense was like:



What our goalies and defense need to be like to compete:

McDavid’s poor play was the result of McDavid playing poorly and not leading. The team was not a different team the second part of the year after falling out of the play-off race early.
- Z3Hawk

A lot of the talk around the Oilers early in the season was around not enough secondary support behind McDavid. He was still over a point per game every month but January where he had 9 points in 10 games.

I can't see how the Play of MaDavid was an issue. The Oilers didn't miss the playoffs because of McDavid, but the PK stunk (65% at home) and they didn't get any goaltending. Didn't help that they are thin on the blueline and missed Sekera to start the season and Klefbom was a bit of a disappointment this year. Lucic was also terrible for the Oilers only managing 10 goals, he has taken a lot of heat for his lack of impact.

Was reading on TSN that the "Generational" player Mathews is not happy with all world god of gods Babcock. Can't wait to see who looses that battle.

Can a defenseman be considered a franchise player like those mentioned above? Thoughts???

https://www.draftsite.com...ayer/rasmus-dahlin/27163/
- walleyeb1

Bobby Orr.

Any Bobby Orrs in this draft?

Was reading on TSN that the "Generational" player Mathews is not happy with all world god of gods Babcock. Can't wait to see who looses that battle.
- riozzo

Apparently, there is talk that Babcock misused him at the end of the season and in the tournament.

Apparently, there is talk that Babcock misused him at the end of the season and in the tournament.
- StLBravesFan

Not Babcock, how can that be? (red font implied)

Just bring Wingels back
The draft choice comes to fruition - meaning nhl player - it at all only after a few years
- jhawk59

What if Boston wants to re sign him and he likes it out there? What would you do knowing the mess this front office is in? Easy decision for me, Boston strong baby!

Yikes...

https://www.12up.com/post...-this-year/partners/36553

No
- DarthKane

OK, then go Bolts

Yikes...

https://www.12up.com/post...-this-year/partners/36553
- riozzo

Wow. That's hockey!

remember DK has guaranteed #1 to the hawks...
- bogiedoc

Oh right me forget .Then all is good

We should not forget how great Toews has been in the past because of present play. He was great completely on his own. Leading forward at the Olympics. No Hossa there he was on another team. Toews was a very special player, hopefully we will see again. Hossa did not make Toews. Hossa was a nice player but didn’t make Toews nor was he in the same category as Kane or Toews. Nice player but not Top 100.
- Z3Hawk

Lol false, he played with Rick Nash in his prime and either Mike Richards (before the drugs or with juuuuust the right amount of them) or Jeff Carter on the other side.

Kind of good players.

Kane has more points than any player over the last 3yrs.

Only Crosby has more if you go the past 5 (Sid has 47 more points the last 5yrs while playing 18 more games.)

1st American to lead the NHL in scoring ever and may go down as the best American ever to play the game.

If he isn't "generational", i dont know what is then
- PatShart

Kane has more points than every player except three (OV, Crosby, Malkin) over the last 10 years.

Kane has a better PPG rate than every other player except four (OV, Crosby, Malkin, McDavid) over the last 10 years.

Total playoff points the last 10 years. Crosby Malkin Kane

Crosby is the most complete player of the bunch and probably best all around player. Malkin is very close. McDavid is very good going forward with the puck on his blade. And Patrick Kane is defiantly part of the discussion based on total points, Cups won and all that jazz.

Regardless of what word you want to banter around, all of those guys are top players in the league you can build a successful franchise around.

Yes I’m Canadian and very familiar with every Olympic team. My reference was that on that loaded team at that loaded Olympics Toews was voted Best Forward, for the Olympics. Don’t want any more confusion - Best Forward for the entire Olympic Hockey Tournament. Hossa a good player but wasn’t part of Top 100 of the NHL and there was no outcry, not even a peep, that he wasn’t. Toews included, Kane included.

Again I’m not criticizing Hossa but he was not in the same class as Toews or Kane. The NHL voters agree with me. I never compared Toews to Kane - but for the record Kane is the more valuable and should wear an “A”.

Also neither have I defended Toews’ recent performance. However, he was such a force earlier in his career that Crosby spoke to him about the fact that there was a groundswell that Toews should be the Captain of Team Canada, before taking the “C”. You are forgetting how great Toews was. On those Olympic teams struggling players like Nash were purposely put with Toews for Toews to straighten them out. Toews did not excel because of others they excelled because of him.

At the end of the day Kane, Toews and Hossa all wonderful players.
- Z3Hawk

Malkin was also off that list and he is probably the 2nd best player in the league if Crosby is one soooooo I'd say that 100 list is far from accurate.

Lol Rick Nash scored 40 goals in 08 - 09 and 33 in 09-10 on a garbage CBJ team. Totes riding the struggle bus. And the Olympics are a pretty low standard. Other than the Russians and the USA team there wasnt a whole lot of competition.