Again you and I or anyone can't say that for sure since he never had the chance to Coach the Oil with all this new players,so to your compromise I will only say this,lets wait till half of the season and will see where this team is at the standings and from there we can talk about the improvement your talking about.
- AlEx_OiL

Eakins' Oilers are 4-7-1 for 9 points.

Krueger's Oilers was 19-22-7 for 45 points.

So in the next 36 games, Eakins' Oilers will have to go 15-15-6 or better to best the Krueger squad in a way that satisfies you. Is that what you're saying?

Well obviously. If there's a trade to make the team better, do it....

but that applies to every team at every moment, doesn't it?
- Morris

100%. If we want to get a big name back or potential big name back we have to give up quality. I think we should target Seth Jones out of Nashville.

All very fair points. This is where I prefer to leave it to those who delve deeper than I. Personally, I try to just generally ignore goaltending altogether and look at it as a seperate entity from the team. I know that's foolhardy, but it simplifies things for someone who's still learning.
- BINGO!

yeah, and to be fair we've had about 2/3rds of the Eakins era being categorized by poor goaltending. Maybe not so easy for me to eschew that that's not at all systemic.

100%. If we want to get a big name back or potential big name back we have to give up quality. I think we should target Seth Jones out of Nashville.
- Yeti1181

Good luck. According to their fasn at HF, they'll move any d-men not named Weber/Josi/Jones. So basically Ryan Ellis is their best d-man realistically available.

Teams like ARZ/WIN/NJ might be willing to move a decent d-man.

hey you never know till giving the chance right?question if the Oil finish same as last season or two spots up,would you still believe there was a improvement?
- AlEx_OiL

I would at that point be pretty disappointed that Eakins did not succeed in surpassing the VERY LOW THRESHHOLD set by Ralph Krueger's Oilers and would suggest we get an NHL coach far far better than either of them.

Eakins' Oilers are 4-7-1 for 9 points.

Krueger's Oilers was 19-22-7 for 45 points.

So in the next 36 games, Eakins' Oilers will have to go 15-15-6 or better to best the Krueger squad in a way that satisfies you. Is that what you're saying?
- Morris

Nope,I want to see where the team is at at that time of the season so i can see the improvement your talking about.

Good luck. According to their fasn at HF, they'll move any d-men not named Weber/Josi/Jones. So basically Ryan Ellis is their best d-man realistically available.

Teams like ARZ/WIN/NJ might be willing to move a decent d-man.
- Nucker101

Columbus needs forwards and has ~4 dmen better than our best.

I'd be into targeting them in addition to the teams you listed.

another coaching change just for the sake of it is ludicrous. if theyre going to go that route, we're talking a fundamentally different plan.
ive mentioned it before, but it has to be a defensive minde guy that locks it down first and foremost. even if it dramatically stifles offence/pushing the play.
a defensive/counterpunch type game.

much like some of that 4 game win streak we had.
we eked out points in an ugly manner. protected the areas where high quality chances come from, kept shots mostly to low percentage areas, had our mediocre defence collapse around scrivens, had our forwards hanging back late and slowing the transition game way down.
none of those games were pretty at all really. but imo, this is how we're going to get points for now, and build confidence. which we desperately need to ever get over this hump.
offence and tweaks to the system cs take place at a later date with players that have that much offensive talent.

and to take it a step further, if we're gonna go with this clog it up type game, we also would need to make at least one big love acquiring player(s) that play a style much more conducive to this counterpunching game.

Good luck. According to their fasn at HF, they'll move any d-men not named Weber/Josi/Jones. So basically Ryan Ellis is their best d-man realistically available.

Teams like ARZ/WIN/NJ might be willing to move a decent d-man.
- Nucker101

Well according the fans Leafs are the greatest ever, soooo yeah.

Good luck. According to their fasn at HF, they'll move any d-men not named Weber/Josi/Jones. So basically Ryan Ellis is their best d-man realistically available.

Teams like ARZ/WIN/NJ might be willing to move a decent d-man.
- Nucker101

I want Josi for ROR deal and I want it yesterday

I would at that point be pretty disappointed that Eakins did not succeed in surpassing the VERY LOW THRESHHOLD set by Ralph Krueger's Oilers and would suggest we get an NHL coach far far better than either of them.
- Morris

That I can compromise with but halfway only since Krueger only had 48 games as a Coach.

I want Josi for ROR deal and I want it yesterday
- DDM-Coga

Again, good luck with that.

Columbus needs forwards and has ~4 dmen better than our best.

I'd be into targeting them in addition to the teams you listed.
- Morris

Agreed.

Well according the fans Leafs are the greatest ever, soooo yeah.
- Yeti1181

Just saying, not many teams are willing to move a guy who has a realistic shot to be a top pairing defensemen. And Weber-Josi is one of the better pairing s in the league as well so I doubt they want to mess with that either.

Very rarely do you see an equally talented defensemen for winger swap...defensemen are just much more in demand(I assume you were going to suggest Eberle-Jones with other pieces involved).

Again, good luck with that.
- Nucker101

That guy is just worth his weight in gold. Solid dman, steal of a contract long term. Ill give you Iggy for Edler as Plan B....

You're still here.
- Nucker101

although EDM's giving me every reason not to be

Agreed.
- Nucker101

Middle of next week at the earliest.

Jack Johnson has been suspended for 3 games.

Last year, the Oilers gave up the most short-handed goals in the league.

They also had 17 games where they allow under 30 shots and their goaltender had a sub .850 sv% (which means at absolute best the goalie allowed 4.5 goals on 30 shots)

If we're talking about what ifs, what if those (frank)ing disasters hadn't all hit at the same time?

I want Josi for ROR deal and I want it yesterday
- DDM-Coga

Does ROR suck this season or something?

Does ROR suck this season or something?
- BlazinMike

well he's got a bad +- so some on this site would tell you he's bad

Does ROR suck this season or something?
- BlazinMike

Hes looking a bit lost not being on Dutch's wing.
Its more asset management with him. If they cant sign him long term for a reasonable cap hit this summer via extention, trade him for help now.

cant take a chance letting him walk for nothign at the end of 2016

100%. If we want to get a big name back or potential big name back we have to give up quality. I think we should target Seth Jones out of Nashville.
- Yeti1181

I think you're right but it would cost a pretty penny to get him.

Kruger had a team with worse defense, worse bottom 6, worse goaltending and a younger smaller, less mature core and had us fighting for a playoff spot by the end of the year. Not to mention in the shortened season where 100% of the games were played against the much stronger/tougher western conference.

Renney came out and publically stated in an interview that the reason why he was fired was because he refused to rush the kids back into the lineup after their injuries/surgeries. Team is a joke.

Eakins' Oilers are 4-7-1 for 9 points.

Krueger's Oilers was 19-22-7 for 45 points.

So in the next 36 games, Eakins' Oilers will have to go 15-15-6 or better to best the Krueger squad in a way that satisfies you. Is that what you're saying?
- Morris

Krueger's team would have had 76 points based on a 82 game schedule.

Eakins team last year had 67 points And played 16 Eastern Conference games against much easier opponents. So you could probably realistically add 6-8pts to Kruegers total.

Based on this year thus far which is way too small a sample size over 48 games Eakins would have had 36 pts. Take out the Eastern conference games and I believe he would have 1 point so far? which totals 4 points?

Not pretty at all.

Now I am done the argument , reason I don't usually come on these boards is exactly because arguing with some people who have never played a high level of hockey is somewhat pointless.

Krueger's team would have had 76 points based on a 82 game schedule.

Eakins team last year had 67 points And played 16 Eastern Conference games against much easier opponents. So you could probably realistically add 6-8pts to Kruegers total.

Based on this year thus far which is way too small a sample size over 48 games Eakins would have had 36 pts. Take out the Eastern conference games and I believe he would have 1 point so far? which totals 4 points?

Not pretty at all.

Now I am done the argument , reason I don't usually come on these boards is exactly because arguing with some people who have never played a high level of hockey is somewhat pointless.
- oilermeister

Stop pointing out the obvious, the neck beards are looking for deeper issues and the "big picture" everyone else is oblivious