Why, in the sweet (frank), is everyone so comfortable in moving Eberle? Does no one realize that Perron would most likely bring back a better return to the cap-tight hockey clubs?

And why would we trade Petry when he is arguable our best dman!?
- ProfessorChaos

Perron or ebs. I believe ebs would bring more of a return but it doesn't matter. Who gives a (frank) if he's our best dman? We're the worst d corps in the league.

Eakins can't help the fact he effectively has poop ingredients to work with. Eakins I believe is a good coach. He has no choice to ice arcobello because mact has not provided an nhl centreman to replace him. Drai on the third and gordon on the fourth would be ideal but he is forced to play arco way to many minutes. Mact needs to bring in a proven 2nd or even 1st line centre or the line juggling will continue. Eakins is scrambling to find anything that works. Mact DID bring in some help. But the largest glaring holes are still there. I'd be comfortable moving any of ebs/petry/shultz/1st rd for one or both of the issues. Mact needs to make something happen.
- edmhatescal

Agreed complete ly on the massive deficiencies this squad has. And the lack learning how to win that these kids were never given.
Not sure about Eakins myself. But it certainly isn't all on him. Those that have started the 'all his fault' campaign are far too invested in that single track way of thinking to be able to truly understand anything else.

It's too bad, cause it makes any rational debate almost impossible

Holes are still there yes, but this isn't a bottom feeding roster. Sure centre depth is weak, doesn't explain having Hendricks on the 2nd line.
- SpoiledByOil

Perron has been poop this year. He's been playing bette but Eakins holds his players accountable so he limited his ice time.

Why, in the sweet (frank), is everyone so comfortable in moving Eberle? Does no one realize that Perron would most likely bring back a better return to the cap-tight hockey clubs?

And why would we trade Petry when he is arguable our best dman!?
- ProfessorChaos

Not comfortable, but when Petry is our best defenseman we are in serious trouble. He is a 2nd pairing defender on most other teams and we seriously need an upgrade on the backend and if Eberle can provide that then I could part with him.

I would rather trade Perron but if we can get a number 1 with Eberle I'm for that.

What if.....Marincin is being protected because he is trade bait for a top dman.
- ProfessorChaos

He's not. Marincin is being made an example of to the management from Eakins, he is one of the players Eakins has problems motivating. But Marincin, like most of people who follow the Oilers, has problem understanding Eakins.
As a child, Eakins must have attended Don Cherry's daycare: that is the only thing that can explain his hard-on against European players and only wanting to make examples out of them.

Yeah our forwards are decent enough, our real woes lie on the back end.
- Dangles13

If the forwards were decent enough they'd be able to string some offense together and be able to cycle the puck in the offensive zone a little more than 3-4 passes.

If the forwards were decent enough they'd be able to string some offense together and be able to cycle the puck in the offensive zone a little more than 3-4 passes.
- Bosanuts

There is no support from the back end, nobody can make an outlet pass and we can never throw it to the point and expect someone to hold the line. Our forwards aren't the best but they would be a playoff team with an NHL d core.

If the forwards were decent enough they'd be able to string some offense together and be able to cycle the puck in the offensive zone a little more than 3-4 passes.
- Bosanuts

So you're saying that our group isn't nearly good enough? Or our core forwards isn't mature enough or ready to dominate?

This very well could be it. Nuge has been great in spots and is a huge piece going forward. But with our center depth like it is, and then if nuge doesn't outplay his counterpart in getzlaf, Bergeron, Sedin, Kopitar etc, we're in huge trouble.

I don't see how this is truly a coaching problem at its heart

Parikenen(sp?)-Nuge-Eberle
Perron-Arco-Yakupov
Pouliot-Drai-Purcell
Hendricks-Gordon-Joensuu

At least for a few games.
- SpoiledByOil

I don't hate this at all, the only concern I might have is the middle 6 have some potential liabilities on defense, maybe even the top line ( I don't know (frank) all about that Euro kids defensive awareness).
I think we're in a bit of a pickle because if we pair Yak and LD together it will tough to get them quality minutes on the road ( sorry, although much improved I don't trust either of those guys with tough zone starts/competition) and even tougher if we spread them over 2 lines. We are not going to replace Hallsys production seamlessly so we have to tighten up defensively.
I also like to minimize changes to Whats working. None of the middle 2 lines have stood out to me this year at all, just the 4th and 1st.

There is no support from the back end, nobody can make an outlet pass and we can never throw it to the point and expect someone to hold the line. Our forwards aren't the best but they would be a playoff team with an NHL d core.
- Dangles13

I dunno about that......great wingers with weak Center depth is way harder to work with than weak wingers with great Center depth, IMO.

Grinders that have been put in scoring situations on succesful teams
Already this year. Some for injury reasons, some cause the coach wanted to add another element to a scoring line.

Dwight king career PPG before this year .344
Kyle Clifford nope, been playing 3rd line
Dan paille been playing 4th line, even if he played a couple games, career PPG .319
Reilly smith career PPG before this year .488
Darren helm playing 4th line, even so, career PPG .354
pascal dupuis really? hahahaha alright then. career PPG .471
Steve downie actually playing top 2 lines congrats career PPG .307
Matt belesky career PPG .307
Lee stempniak Career PPG .535

And these are just off the top of my head.
Daryl Sutter, Babcock, Claude Julien, vigneault.

Pretty decent collection of hockey minds I'd say




- hugefemale dog77

all of these PPGs listed is not including this years production...


how does Hendricks compare? Career PPG before this year? .191, less than half of anyone you suggested. Great comparisons no wonder you're so full of yourself with that kind of knowledge

I don't hate this at all, the only concern I might have is the middle 6 have some potential liabilities on defense, maybe even the top line ( I don't know (frank) all about that Euro kids defensive awareness).
I think we're in a bit of a pickle because if we pair Yak and LD together it will tough to get them quality minutes on the road ( sorry, although much improved I don't trust either of those guys with tough zone starts/competition) and even tougher if we spread them over 2 lines. We are not going to replace Hallsys production seamlessly so we have to tighten up defensively.
I also like to minimize changes to Whats working. None of the middle 2 lines have stood out to me this year at all, just the 4th and 1st.
- Jeropotato

That's what i would start with, can always switch on the fly, and with injuries that's the time you start double shifting players who are looking good during the game. Not ideal.

And i agree with not wanting to change what's good with the 1st and 4th, that's why it made no sense to me at all to put Hendricks on the 2nd line.

He's not. Marincin is being made an example of to the management from Eakins, he is one of the players Eakins has problems motivating. But Marincin, like most of people who follow the Oilers, has problem understanding Eakins.
As a child, Eakins must have attended Don Cherry's daycare: that is the only thing that can explain his hard-on against European players and only wanting to make examples out of them.
- Bosanuts

At his post seems a bit sensationalistic. Got any media snippets to back up your claims?

Agreed complete ly on the massive deficiencies this squad has. And the lack learning how to win that these kids were never given.
Not sure about Eakins myself. But it certainly isn't all on him. Those that have started the 'all his fault' campaign are far too invested in that single track way of thinking to be able to truly understand anything else.

It's too bad, cause it makes any rational debate almost impossible
- hugefemale dog77

I've never once heard a single person ever say this. Selective hearing is fun

Hendos got a blog up, what are you losers still doing here???

Perron has been poop this year. He's been playing bette but Eakins holds his players accountable so he limited his ice time.
- edmhatescal

no he doesn't

That's what i would start with, can always switch on the fly, and with injuries that's the time you start double shifting players who are looking good during the game. Not ideal.

And i agree with not wanting to change what's good with the 1st and 4th, that's why it made no sense to me at all to put Hendricks on the 2nd line.
- SpoiledByOil

I understood why it was done, but I would have someone with at least a little offensive ability with them. Poulliot , Perron or even joensuu?

Hendos got a blog up, what are you losers still doing here???
- HouseArrest187

Be right there.

Hendos got a blog up, what are you losers still doing here???
- HouseArrest187

slowly going crazy

So you're saying that our group isn't nearly good enough? Or our core forwards isn't mature enough or ready to dominate?

This very well could be it. Nuge has been great in spots and is a huge piece going forward. But with our center depth like it is, and then if nuge doesn't outplay his counterpart in getzlaf, Bergeron, Sedin, Kopitar etc, we're in huge trouble.

I don't see how this is truly a coaching problem at its heart
- hugefemale dog77

You don't see how this is truly a coaching problem at its heart because you do not want to.

Most would agree that our core group of forwards is better than that of the Flames.
Most of the most would agree that the reason the Flames are more competitive is due to the coaching approach, not the players skill set.

How many other teams/coaches in the NHL put their best three forwards on the 1st line?
Why must Hall, RNH and Eberle play together on the 1st no matter what? Because they want to? Or because the coach wants them to?
Why not spread the wealth through out the line-up of they your stars and so good?

Why waste most of the preseason playing guys everyone and their grandmother knows have no business playing in regular NHL games? Why not use that time so mix the forwards you know you have and see what you can come up with?

Who chose to play a Dman a lot of minutes in the first 10 games and then put him on waivers? Once on waivers no other team wanted to pick him up. How was he so good to be our 1-2 Dman and not even a 6-7 on any other NHL team(most of which are better than the Oilers)? Who made that decision and gave those minutes? How much smarter does Eakins believe he is than the rest of the NHL? He's results would show otherwise, no?

I understood why it was done, but I would have someone with at least a little offensive ability with them. Poulliot , Perron or even joensuu?
- Jeropotato

Whoa whoa whoa!!!!!
Joensuu??!!
We can't be asking lower skilled bottom 6 guys to ever step up to a different role!! This is crazy. You're so stupid! We need to pigeonhole our players into a specific role at all times! Having players with different skill sets on a line is insanity!
No coach has ever tried such a thing except for Eakins.

Hendos got a blog up, what are you losers still doing here???
- HouseArrest187

Hi, friend.

At his post seems a bit sensationalistic. Got any media snippets to back up your claims?
- Jeropotato

Just my opinion.

poor oiler fans
you guys deserve better

You don't see how this is truly a coaching problem at its heart because you do not want to.

Most would agree that our core group of forwards is better than that of the Flames.
Most of the most would agree that the reason the Flames are more competitive is due to the coaching approach, not the players skill set.

How many other teams/coaches in the NHL put their best three forwards on the 1st line?
Why must Hall, RNH and Eberle play together on the 1st no matter what? Because they want to? Or because the coach wants them to?
Why not spread the wealth through out the line-up of they your stars and so good?

Why waste most of the preseason playing guys everyone and their grandmother knows have no business playing in regular NHL games? Why not use that time so mix the forwards you know you have and see what you can come up with?

Who chose to play a Dman a lot of minutes in the first 10 games and then put him on waivers? Once on waivers no other team wanted to pick him up. How was he so good to be our 1-2 Dman and not even a 6-7 on any other NHL team(most of which are better than the Oilers)? Who made that decision and gave those minutes? How much smarter does Eakins believe he is than the rest of the NHL? He's results would show otherwise, no?
- Bosanuts

Again, back to the defensive group with you guys. It's really your only leg to stand on cause Eakins certainly has made some strange decisions in that regard.

I always been all for taking hall away from the nuge/ebs. Always. I'm a huge believer in depth and spreading the wealth which makes it tougher to match against. My guess would be that it's the only combination that has proven to be a dominant group. If he can find a way to expand that into another one. Why wouldn't he wanna do this?

U keep trying to say my way of seeing things is the close minded one. It's not. Quite the opposite in fact. I'm no Eakins lover. I just think our issues are much deeper than moving Matt fuking Hendricks to the second line for reasons that really shouldn't be that confusing.
Not seeing why or how it may have been prudent is the limited way of looking at things. Not the other way around