Sean Maloughney: A Quick Outline For The Oilers Off Season

#6 makes or breaks you in a year. You need a few of those.

Well done Sean.

Address the 5/5 play in the PO's and focus on Skinner's coaching if need be.

#trustinHolland

I actually thought Philly and Edmonton could make sense if the Flyers moved Provorov. He could slide right into the top 4 with Nurse, Ekholm, and Bouchard. The return would be the question. Ceci would almost have to be part to help with money but not sure the rest.

I actually thought Philly and Edmonton could make sense if the Flyers moved Provorov. He could slide right into the top 4 with Nurse, Ekholm, and Bouchard. The return would be the question. Ceci would almost have to be part to help with money but not sure the rest.
- J35Bacher

Doesn't Provorov exclusively play LD whilst the Oilers need a RD? Very few topics are more in agreement in the hockey universe than not playing dmen on their offhand. Almost all dmen play much better on one side of the ice and it is very often their strong side.

Woodcroft also needs better load mgmt. Limit Skinner to 45 games or less.

A guy like Hyman has a lot of hard miles and faded over the last 2-3 months. Manage his time better. Kane is 30+ as well. Give other guys a look on the PP.

Try to avoid playing Nurse and Ekholm for 25+ minutes. Spread it around better.

If these moves mean you squander a few points, so be it. Better to qualify in a wildcard spot and best rested than to push for 1st and burn out your key players.

Every team that almost made the playoffs and half of them that did seem to "need" a goalie. There just isn't that much talent to go around.... and it seems like the teams with good goaltending can't score and vice/versa. The only ones that seem to be available on the UFA market are already overpaid and on the wrong side of 30....many of them over 35.

Outside of their scorers, the team doesnt have an identity. I feel like a Nino Niederreiter, Cal Clutterbuck and a Corey Perry would give them grind and grit. Then see what you can do to acquire Gibson from the Ducks. Yamamoto and Ceci have got to go.

wow..... Skinner was an All-Star is is a nominee for Rookie of the Year and yet most of the fans want to give him less starts and get another goalie..

news flash, Goalies like Gibson are not an upgrade. Skinner should be the starter unless Campbell out performs him at the start of next season.

The focus should be on playing a better defensive structured game.

wow..... Skinner was an All-Star is is a nominee for Rookie of the Year and yet most of the fans want to give him less starts and get another goalie..

news flash, Goalies like Gibson are not an upgrade. Skinner should be the starter unless Campbell out performs him at the start of next season.

The focus should be on playing a better defensive structured game.
- stefano76

Oilers rode Skinner heavily down the stretch. He played 50 games overall. Then 12 straight starts in the playoffs. I think he wore down. Look around the league. Vasilevsky, Shesterkin, Georgiev, Hellebuyck all played around 60 games. Where are they now? Totally worn down by the playoffs. Oettinger is the only exception - played 62 games and still looking strong. None of the Vegas goalies are worn down since they all played minimal games due to injuries throughout the year. Look at Carolina - Anderson and Raanta played 34 and 27 games repsectively. They are fresh and ready to go. Bobrovsky had almost a full month of rest before the playoffs began so looks fresh now. My point isn't to give up on Skinner, but instead of 50+ games, keep him closer to 40, and don't play him basically every night for the last 2 months of the season. Skinner started 28 of the last 33 hockey games! Stupid.

So like a 4th for Ceci and a 6th?

Oilers rode Skinner heavily down the stretch. He played 50 games overall. Then 12 straight starts in the playoffs. I think he wore down. Look around the league. Vasilevsky, Shesterkin, Georgiev, Hellebuyck all played around 60 games. Where are they now? Totally worn down by the playoffs. Oettinger is the only exception - played 62 games and still looking strong. None of the Vegas goalies are worn down since they all played minimal games due to injuries throughout the year. Look at Carolina - Anderson and Raanta played 34 and 27 games repsectively. They are fresh and ready to go. Bobrovsky had almost a full month of rest before the playoffs began so looks fresh now. My point isn't to give up on Skinner, but instead of 50+ games, keep him closer to 40, and don't play him basically every night for the last 2 months of the season. Skinner started 28 of the last 33 hockey games! Stupid.
- Cooleus

Well then you better hope Campbell improves dramatically next year.. 3.41 GAA in 36 games wont cut it. I think that is why they played Skinner so much down the stretch.

Well then you better hope Campbell improves dramatically next year.. 3.41 GAA in 36 games wont cut it. I think that is why they played Skinner so much down the stretch.
- stefano76

He will improve with more starts. Hard to find any groove playing 5 out of 33 games. As I said, you may lose a few points here and there. But the point is to be rested for game 83.

Every team that almost made the playoffs and half of them that did seem to "need" a goalie. There just isn't that much talent to go around.... and it seems like the teams with good goaltending can't score and vice/versa. The only ones that seem to be available on the UFA market are already overpaid and on the wrong side of 30....many of them over 35.
- greenyone

Goaltenders are the least consistent position in the league. How many have provided consistently above average play for the least three seasons? Maybe 5-8. How above over the last five years? Maybe 2-3. The reason NHL GMs refer to goalies as "Voodoo magic" is because they are almost all very inconsistent.

EX: Bobrovsky had great regular seasons with Columbus then busted every postseason. Went to Florida and had three out of four bad regular seasons and now after a poor regular season is having a good postseason. Very few are consistent performers.

wow..... Skinner was an All-Star is is a nominee for Rookie of the Year and yet most of the fans want to give him less starts and get another goalie..

news flash, Goalies like Gibson are not an upgrade. Skinner should be the starter unless Campbell out performs him at the start of next season.

The focus should be on playing a better defensive structured game.
- stefano76

100%

So many Monday morning QBs around here. People seem to forget what a train wreck Campbell was EVERY TIME they went back to him.

So I ask people...On the biggest stage, at the most important time of the year, if YOU were behind the bench...you would choose the guy that needs a sports psychologist? Puhleeeeze. I'm surprised Campbell got one second of ice time after his several showings.

Give Skinner the #1 spot and he'll do fine. (But back him up with someone who doesn't cry at fkn Disney movies).

100%

So many Monday morning QBs around here. People seem to forget what a train wreck Campbell was EVERY TIME they went back to him.

So I ask people...On the biggest stage, at the most important time of the year, if YOU were behind the bench...you would choose the guy that needs a sports psychologist? Puhleeeeze. I'm surprised Campbell got one second of ice time after his several showings.

Give Skinner the #1 spot and he'll do fine. (But back him up with someone who doesn't cry at fkn Disney movies).
- JLO961

Woodcroft was in a lose/lose situation.... if he starts Skinner and they lose, most people would second guess him for starting Skinner. if he started Campbell and they lost, most people would second guess him for starting Campbell.

The team has other areas to address. let the goalies sort themselves out next season.

Woodcroft was in a lose/lose situation.... if he starts Skinner and they lose, most people would second guess him for starting Skinner. if he started Campbell and they lost, most people would second guess him for starting Campbell.

The team has other areas to address. let the goalies sort themselves out next season.
- stefano76

A sign of a good coach in the PO's is someone who can take the swings and not get out-coached. The decision to not start Campbell game 6 was one of them if they win they could have always chose to go back to Skinner for game 7. What I noticed was that Woody was getting caught shortening his bench for some weird reason to counter Vegas' slick 4 line attack. Plus sitting or not playing Kostin enough was a head scratcher. Maybe he was hurt not sure.

Bottom line is Woody got out-coached and it also cost the team. Gotta be able to handle the swings of PO Hockey or you will be left behind. Trust us we know as Canuck fans watching Alain Vignault getting out-coached in the PO's all those years ago. When we made the PO's that is lol....

I can’t believe Woodcroft wasn’t fired. Even a monkey could have gone 7 games coaching the Oilers. Cup slipped out of their grasp.

I can’t believe Woodcroft wasn’t fired. Even a monkey could have gone 7 games coaching the Oilers. Cup slipped out of their grasp.
- K-man25

Yeah they should go back to firing the coach every year.

Yeah they should go back to firing the coach every year.
- shack67

I agree.

Woodcroft was in a lose/lose situation.... if he starts Skinner and they lose, most people would second guess him for starting Skinner. if he started Campbell and they lost, most people would second guess him for starting Campbell.

The team has other areas to address. let the goalies sort themselves out next season.
- stefano76

Yet Campbell had the 4th best Analytics of ANY goalie in the playoffs this year. Skinner had the second worst of the 30 goalies in the playoffs. If Woodcraft swapped to Campbell, the Oilers are 100% still in the playoffs.

You had a Stanley cup quality team this year and the organization blew it by running with Skinner instead of going with the numbers. Woodcraft/Organization let the players down imo.
The only player that failed you was Stuart Skinner. The rest of the team was playing like a team that was going to the finals at the minimum.

Yet Campbell had the 4th best Analytics of ANY goalie in the playoffs this year. Skinner had the second worst of the 30 goalies in the playoffs. If Woodcraft swapped to Campbell, the Oilers are 100% still in the playoffs.

You had a Stanley cup quality team this year and the organization blew it by running with Skinner instead of going with the numbers. Woodcraft/Organization let the players down imo.
The only player that failed you was Stuart Skinner. The rest of the team was playing like a team that was going to the finals at the minimum.
- I-own_da-Northwest

I dunno about that. Some were. Connor and Leon. Most of the bottom 6 forwards were pretty not bad.Cici wasn’t good. Deharnais wasn’t good. RNH wasn’t good. Kane was okay but unproductive . Ditto for Hyman and Yamamoto.
They certainly didn’t play a great defensive as a team 5 on 5, so I’m not sure what you witnessed.
Everyone is a genius in hindsight but Skinner seemed overwhelmed in more than a few games and we should have played Campbell more, I agree. There’s some areas that need tweaking, but I think we’re stuck hoping Campbell finds some consistency ( doubtful) and that Skinner takes a step forward in his development ( likely).

Yeah they should go back to firing the coach every year.
- shack67

I get what you’re saying but I’m not sure Edmonton even had a defensive system in these playoffs . Every time they turned over the puck I think 4 or 5 guys in Oilers sweaters poop their pants and had to skate with full diapers.

I get what you’re saying but I’m not sure Edmonton even had a defensive system in these playoffs . Every time they turned over the puck I think 4 or 5 guys in Oilers sweaters poop their pants and had to skate with full diapers.
- HonkyTonkMan

I admit that I don’t get to watch them very often, damn Atlantic time zone. Coaching in the playoffs is a lot different than the regular season. I remember Peca saying he wasn’t surprised at all that they went to the finals because mactavish had them so well prepared for it.

I dunno about that. Some were. Connor and Leon. Most of the bottom 6 forwards were pretty not bad.Cici wasn’t good. Deharnais wasn’t good. RNH wasn’t good. Kane was okay but unproductive . Ditto for Hyman and Yamamoto.
They certainly didn’t play a great defensive as a team 5 on 5, so I’m not sure what you witnessed.
Everyone is a genius in hindsight but Skinner seemed overwhelmed in more than a few games and we should have played Campbell more, I agree. There’s some areas that need tweaking, but I think we’re stuck hoping Campbell finds some consistency ( doubtful) and that Skinner takes a step forward in his development ( likely).
- HonkyTonkMan

Yes I’m just saying that Skinner had the second worst stats of any goalie in these playoffs including backups.
Why anybody would keep running with him is mind boggling. And it’s really a credit to the rest of the team that they even made it past the first round with him in net. That’s how bad his numbers really were.