Check back with both teams in a couple of years. Toronto are doing the "old Oilers fight for eighth every year" rebuild. The Oilers are doing a "run for the cup" rebuild. Toronto may be a little farther ahead now but not much. If you take into account the fact that 3 or our top 4 D men are just coming off injuries a game like last night is no big surprise. And in reality the Oil could easily have won last night anyway. We had way more chances but just didnt finish.
Bottom line, 2 years from now we will thump the Leafs on a regular basis.
Rangers fan here. With all the trades and management relationship between our two teams, the Oilers have become a sort of second-favorite out West for me. And of course, like most people outside of Toronto, I can't stand the Leafs. But two things:
1) I hope RNH is okay. It's good for the league to have another budding young star. There are other players in the league not named Crosby, and people should know about it. Here's hoping he becomes a hell of a player. But first things first, I hope he's alright.
2) I have full faith that, provided you guys can resolve the goaltending issue, the statement about thumping the Leafs (and most of the rest of the league) in two years is true. The Rangers, while contending for first, don't have a heck of a lot to look forward to outside of our young defense. We have one good offensive prospect in the system. Hall, Eberle, RNH...even Gagner was pretty highly hyped coming up. In a few years you guys will have an offensive powerhouse. Maybe trade some of the surplus assets for a good young goaltender. The best option is probably Bernier from LA...they won't keep both him and Quick.
Check back with both teams in a couple of years. Toronto are doing the "old Oilers fight for eighth every year" rebuild. The Oilers are doing a "run for the cup" rebuild. Toronto may be a little farther ahead now but not much. If you take into account the fact that 3 or our top 4 D men are just coming off injuries a game like last night is no big surprise. And in reality the Oil could easily have won last night anyway. We had way more chances but just didnt finish.
Bottom line, 2 years from now we will thump the Leafs on a regular basis.
The Oilers are a few decent defensemen, some better depth scoring and some consistent/solid goaltending away from being a very good team. We're not that far off.
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The Oilers are a few decent defensemen, some better depth scoring and some consistent/solid goaltending away from being a very good team. We're not that far off.
Agreed. With 2-3 solid additions, things can change quickly. There is such a fine line between winning and losing in this leage, that may be all it takes. It's why teams like Pittsburgh and Chicago went from 50 point seasons to 90 points in the span of 12 months, and then stayed there. I hope like hell Tambellini has the smarts and the balls to take it to that next level. For example, take out Barker and Potter from last nights game, and replace them with a couple decently competent dmen, and that score is likely reversed, despite the shyte that is Horcoff and Hemsky.
Agreed. With 2-3 solid additions, things can change quickly. There is such a fine line between winning and losing in this leage, that may be all it takes. It's why teams like Pittsburgh and Chicago went from 50 point seasons to 90 points in the span of 12 months, and then stayed there. I hope like hell Tambellini has the smarts and the balls to take it to that next level.
Agreed, a couple of significant upgrades alone could see us contend for the postseason next year. That said another elite/semi-elite talent coming from this years draft is crucial to this IMO.
This is why I hate the Leafs. They get a little streak going, partly due to great goaltending, and suddenly the entire country is proclaiming them to be the second coming of the 80s Oilers. Wash rinse repeat, every time they get hot.
This is why I hate the Leafs. They get a little streak going, partly due to great goaltending, and suddenly the entire country is proclaiming them to be the second coming of the 80s Oilers. Wash rinse repeat, every time they get hot.
And with the Oilers, its only the entire city proclaiming them to be the second coming of the 80s Oilers right?
Check back with both teams in a couple of years. Toronto are doing the "old Oilers fight for eighth every year" rebuild. The Oilers are doing a "run for the cup" rebuild. Toronto may be a little farther ahead now but not much. If you take into account the fact that 3 or our top 4 D men are just coming off injuries a game like last night is no big surprise. And in reality the Oil could easily have won last night anyway. We had way more chances but just didnt finish.
Bottom line, 2 years from now we will thump the Leafs on a regular basis.
oh man oh man, this is so not true
first off i'll say, i'm not saying the oil will be or won't be better than us, i haven't followed their team long enough
they have some solid pieces for sure!
regarding the leafs, this is so NOT a type of rebuild to just get into the playoffs
burke made MANY trades for the future. if you look at what he did last year at the deadline, he basically traded kaberle, versteeg and beauch for 2 1st, colborne, gardiner etc
this summer we also picked up franson, a young stud
look at the marlies, they are one of the top teams in the ahl, littered with young talent ready to step in, in a year or two
trust me when i say this, burke did not take a shortcut
right now the bad thing is we have some questionable contracts, but most of those are up next year! so with our strong young core for the first time in maybe decades and some top UFA signings/ more trades we could be good for years
calgary is an example of a team just trying to get into the playoffs
The Oilers are a few decent defensemen, some better depth scoring and some consistent/solid goaltending away from being a very good team. We're not that far off.
That can be very far off.
Defenseman - We either have to wait for our young prospects to turn into this, 3 years down the road of we have to obtain them. They will come at a cost.
Depth scoring - See above
Goaltending - See above.
Until the oilers younger prospects start to show something we are not going to have the resources to upgrade unless we overpay in FA in $ and term (See the Eager and Belanger contracts).
I dunno why Dubnyk is getting so much stick. The only goal I can really pin on him was Kessel's first which came from Dubnyk misplaying the puck in the corner. Beyond that, though, he was pretty much hung out to dry.
Agreed, posters are (not surprising) blaming the wrong person yet again.
On Lupul's goal, Hall made TWO mistakes. On the rush, Whitney jumped in the attack - Hall should have recognized it and dumped it to the same corner. Instead he tried to pass the puck across which was intercepted leading to a Leaf counterattack with Whitney caught deep.
To Hall's credit, he came back to defend. But he had the opportunity to clear the puck out of the Oiler zone. So he cleared it with his backhand LOW which was easily intercepted by the Leafs defenseman at the Oiler blueline who shot the puck (which was subsequently grabbed by Lupul and scored).
Hall goofed up twice on one play - not Dubnyk's fault. Not the defenders fault.
On the Kessel goal (second period), Kessel was RNH's man. RNH lost Kessel sneaking behind the net to appear at the backside, receive the pass and slide it into the open net. How on earth was this Dubnyk's fault when there's an unmarked Kessel on the backside?
Since Dec 26th, the Oilers have scored 48 times and allowed 67 goals against. Thats a difference of 19 goals. Of course this includes PP and Shorthanded goals against too.. But in that same time span, Shawn Horcoff has been -14 and Jordan Eberle is +4.
Your rebuild is better since the Leafs never did one; I would have liked to see them do a traditional rebuild but am actually happy with what they have.
RNH, Hall, AND Eberle are certainly not overrated. I don't know much about the others on the team to comment further.
Burke has done a good job, and in my opinion, gets blasted way too often by people that really don't know much about him (not saying you). He's not God though.
I understand I am a Leafs fan (not-plural), but hopefully you don't feel like you have to bend over..
I like what Burke has done. You guys haven't been all that good the past few years but at least it's been watchable hockey and while he's made some big blunders, he's more than made up for them with other moves. The biggest thing is that you can see him trying to always address team needs, and I'd love a dose of that. If Toronto can add a significant top-4 d-man for this year while moving less significant pieces (and I think you have the pieces to do it), I think Toronto could even win a series or two.
When he caught it, his feet were at the far left side of the crease. When he dropped it, his feet were at the far right side. So yes, he did skate with it.
The Oilers are a few decent defensemen, some better depth scoring and some consistent/solid goaltending away from being a very good team. We're not that far off.
So pretty much a whole team, save for three or four players away?
