glad of what you said about our Teemu. I'm becoming a fan of his and he's exactly the type of player the oilers need more of.
He's going to be a very very good one, that guy. Had I been a kid and witnessed the way he played, I would've tried to be just like him...with Eberle's hands of course
Other than the goal, Gagner was a passenger. He made a nice set up to Getzlaff though, for the winner in OT. Yet another year where he fails to take the next step. He makes no one else around him better. Jones was hitting people all night and digging pucks out and Hemsky was flying, but the line did very little, orchestrated by Gagner. This team badly needs more scoring on the top 6 and I sincerely hope they do something about it this June by taking one of the Russian centres.
Gagner does have the unfortunate tendency of that dangerous shot miss late in the game moreso than a lot of our other guys. Very strange for a player who is usually quite smart.
Maybe I am the only one who likes Vandevelde, I thought he created decent pressure last night, I noticed him quite a bit along the boards in the offensive zone and being physical...maybe it was my imagination though.
I like him better than horcoff or belanger minus faceoff %. I know hes redundant only because of the contracts were locked into, which I think is unfortunate. I think he has a superior upside in the bottom 6. I also think he's been relatively effective for what he is in most the games hes been in so far. If it weren't for terribad contracts I would be giving the guy the guy a permanent 4th line job, especially if he improves over summer.
I hate how we suck because we think we have some obligations to play people because of their contracts. This is why I don't want renney and I want a coach not afraid of benching complete mediocrity. But he will be here one more year.
I don't see Renney staying another year.
The thing about VandeVelde, is I don't see any high-end components to his game. This separates the NHL potential of a guy like Phil Cornet (who could be useful if he's able to round off the rough edges) from guys like #54.
LIke I say I already called out Gagner and Whitney on that play in the PGT. No disagreement on that at all.
But I maintain that 4 on 4 OT is a braindead time for Schultz to jump into the play while being partnered with the clueless Whitney and facing the Ducks that were out on the ice at the time.
Any coaching direction is subject to the player making time and place decisions on ice.
If Schultz hasn't detected that he was paired with one of the biggest defensive liabilities on this team this season, and maybe needed to be more careful in that situation, then I'm not sure what he's thinking about.
Really I assume by now that Whitney will play like a useless stationary turd. If I'm paired with that guy I'm not assuming he'll make the responsible good play. I'm assuming I have to look out for him.
Don't get me wrong, the only reason I'm critiquing Schultz play on this is I assume he can think the game better than this. I expect him to.
4 on 4 is a very dangerous time out on the ice. Players should play like it. Funny thing is we had 2 D and 2 forwards on that shift and still self destructed and Gagner, Whitney, Schultz all made errors in judgement out there. The only reason a coach puts 2 D out in that situation is a decision to play it careful. (reflect on that assignment and why 2 D are out there in that situation, against dangerous opponents, in 4 on 4) You tell me that any coaching staff wanted both D pinching in that situation.
Its exactly the type of thing that keeps us losing. Last night was a picture perfect illustration.
If either D are being remotely responsible on that play we likely survive the OT period.
How silly. You don't go into a game and make plays thinking about constantly covering up everyone else's mistakes. You do your own job and if others don't perform, that's managments and coaches problem, not yours. Once guys start constantly playing to cover others mistakes is when they start breaking down and making their own mistakes. You do your own job, and let the rest play out.
The reports were great throughout the year. Though I don't always agree with everything, they were quite on the mark with a lot of the player's performances.
It's too bad the Oilers only have 3 players who can score with any sort of consistency. Half their defence is very poor. Whitney, Peckham and Barker should be gone by next season though I think the Oilers will give Whitney another chance. I don't like Sutton, but he has a signed contract so we are stuck with another slow d-man.
Still like to get an up and coming goalie to challenge for a backup to Dubnyk. I'm not sold on Dubnyk ever winning the SC for us though.
September and new hope seems so far away now. I hope we get a great player in the draft.
It was Lemaire that turned Schultz into a stay at home D, like the Oilers did with Smid. The guy has a good shot, so I think you're way off base. He's had quality scoring chances and been robbed a few times in his short time here.
The guy can't blow one by an NHL goalie to save his life. Please.
Robbed. lol. This guy averages 1-2 goals per season. On total screens.
Any goalie worth his salt that can see Schultz's shot stops it in his sleep.
Again no point whatsoever for him to be up in the slot.
You fail to understand that the coaching staff asked him to add that dynamic into his game. Either way, Schultz is twice the player Whitney is.
Don't expect to get any argument here from me on the bolded.
I don't fail to understand anything. Its up to players on the ice to pick their spots. Again no coach in the league expects or wants BOTH D to jump on a 4 on 4 in OT.
Although nothing should surprise coaches in this town anymore.
Schultz has been GREATLY overrated. That doesn't mean it's a bad trade, or he isn't a valuable piece.
But people dicussing his untapped offensive upside are kidding themselves.
I have no problem with him jumping up on the rush...it is every players responsibility to provide options for their teammates. But not at the expense of what he is truely here for.
There should not be breakaway's in ot.
Equal blame to all involved...
Schultz has been GREATLY overrated. That doesn't mean it's a bad trade, or he isn't a valuable piece.
But people dicussing his untapped offensive upside are kidding themselves.
I have no problem with him jumping up on the rush...it is every players responsibility to provide options for their teammates. But not at the expense of what he is truely here for.
There should not be breakaway's in ot.Equal blame to all involved...
Precisely this.
Schultz is here to be a stay at home D.
He's on ice for the game winning GA on 4 on 4 OT, and he's way out of position which is incongruent with what he's here for period.
Until the club finds mistakes like this unacceptable they'll continue to happen and we'll continue to be a losing club with a losing culture. With idiots like Whitney that are record stating "it was just bad luck".
We lose games like this in the stupidest fashion.
If I was coaching a bantam team losing games like this I'd ask them to use their heads out there.
