Call it: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst.
I just don't see how this team expects to outperform the 06-07 edition.
Same crummy D (made worse through injuries). Worst goaltending in the league, and half the forward roster under 22.
It'll be fun to watch, but anyone expecting the playoffs this year shouldn't hold their breath.
Crummy D: No argument there. Worst Goaltending: Not great, but more Dubnyk and less Khabibulin = improved. That's got to count for something. Young Forwards: Young, but older and more experienced than last year's squad. It's also deeper and more skilled.
Another thing that should keep us out of the lottery (or at least the top pick) is that our 30th ranked PK should be much improved with the additions of Petrell and Belanger (and possibly Lander too). It's already looked great in preseason, and even if it only improves to "average" throughout the regular season, that'll go a long way in improving the fortunes of the Oilers.
I'm not saying this is a playoff team, but I do believe they'll be better (something I haven't said about this team in years).
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If you are offended by this post, it's probably because you're ugly.
I don't see this as a last place team this year, I really don't. Unless injuries hit us hard (again) or we have some really bad sophomore slumps, I think that we are looking at 3rd-5th worst in the league. If we move a guy like Gagner for a solid D and Whitney comes back strong in short order, I think that we could surge up the rankings a bit. It's rather obvious that defence is our achilles heel, that said I expect that to be addressed this upcoming offseason, not now (at least not in a better than makeshift sort of way).
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Really? The pre-season went surprisingly well. In fact I see that the Oilers are on top of the pre-season NE division, not that I expect that to continue. But yknow. Nothing that screams "Fail For Nail"...
Which teams have a chance of finishing last? Trade Gagner to that team and I say we finish outside of the lottery. Nail and a chance to draft a franchise Dman. Heck, I'll even take Grigorenko if he's still around.
Timing might be bad, but you gotta admit; It's a pretty catchy slogan.
My expectations are not for a team to go from twice at the bottom to a playoff team. Playoff teams tend to have most of their ish together, maybe missing one or 2 pieces.
Keep in mind Chicago made the playoffs after the last game of the season. I think we're a pretty steep ways away from where Chicago was last year.
I'm expecting improvement. But still a bottom 5 team. We need a 19 point improvement to be in 6th place, and I don't know if we can reasonably do that this year. Especially if Barker starts out of the gate as our #1. A Dman who was waived by arguably the worst D in the league.
The way I see it, I have much less to complain about this year. I'm expecting a last place finish.
Timing might be bad, but you gotta admit; It's a pretty catchy slogan.
My expectations are not for a team to go from twice at the bottom to a playoff team. Playoff teams tend to have most of their ish together, maybe missing one or 2 pieces.
Keep in mind Chicago made the playoffs after the last game of the season. I think we're a pretty steep ways away from where Chicago was last year.
I'm expecting improvement. But still a bottom 5 team. We need a 19 point improvement to be in 6th place, and I don't know if we can reasonably do that this year. Especially if Barker starts out of the gate as our #1. A Dman who was waived by arguably the worst D in the league.
This thread actually made me laugh more than anything, also really catchy. Disgraceful is better served for horrible crimes people commit or something along those lines. For example, "that person is a disgrace to humanity!" Pathetic is for things like Horcoff's play. For example, "It is pathetic that Horcoff is our top paid center!"
Alot could change between now and April as far as rankings go. I'd rather see another Larsson type seperate himself from the pack as far as the next entry draft goes.
With Rome burning while Tambellini sits idly by, why not move out a Hemsky and or Gagner in an effort to land two of the top five kids next summer. Hemsky/Gagner may get you a top 10 selection. Flip that 10th along with maybe an Omark to get you into that top 5 or 6 again. Both selections would make the Oilers roster next season. This team isn't going anywhere till Taylor Hall takes them there, get him the help he needs so they have an opportunity to grow together. These overpaid often injured types are of no help here, the Oilers have been deadlast two yrs running with them.
We do understand that starting this thread every year before the season starts makes Oilers fans look stupid right?
Dude, I live in another Canadian city, and get chastized relentlessly about wearing my Oilers touque and cap everywhere.
When they tell me my team will likely get last place again, I agree, then they run out of all ammo against me.
I also say the Oil are closer to winning the cup than the Calgary, Winnepeg, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.. to which they reflect for a sec and realise I'm right.
I want to see improvement this year and not a last place finish. I think realistically moving from 30th to 20-25th in the league is fair. If we did somehow finish last again, I would want to trade the pick since I think we desperately need some defense. A guy like Ryan Murray is the player I want. If we can get two top defensive prospects in round 1, that would be great (assuming if we finished last). Personally, I think we will pick around #7.
Dude, I live in another Canadian city, and get chastized relentlessly about wearing my Oilers touque and cap everywhere.
When they tell me my team will likely get last place again, I agree, then they run out of all ammo against me.
I also say the Oil are closer to winning the cup than the Calgary, Winnepeg, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.. to which they reflect for a sec and realise I'm right.
Alot could change between now and April as far as rankings go. I'd rather see another Larsson type seperate himself from the pack as far as the next entry draft goes.
With Rome burning while Tambellini sits idly by, why not move out a Hemsky and or Gagner in an effort to land two of the top five kids next summer. Hemsky/Gagner may get you a top 10 selection. Flip that 10th along with maybe an Omark to get you into that top 5 or 6 again.
So your saying Lets move Hemsky and Omark for upshal Brule/Brassard/ Montoya/ Filatov/ type pick that might be NHL ready 4 years down the road you are a genuis
Dude, I live in another Canadian city, and get chastized relentlessly about wearing my Oilers touque and cap everywhere.
When they tell me my team will likely get last place again, I agree, then they run out of all ammo against me.
I also say the Oil are closer to winning the cup than the Calgary, Winnepeg, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.. to which they reflect for a sec and realise I'm right.
Yes it is a great. This way no matter where the Oiler finish you can feel good about things and that is your perogative. I understand it to a degree.
But finishing last every year is not really something to be proud of and really means this team is not progressing.
I don't think it is in any way heartening or encouraging to try to cover our bases by having a failure thread at the start of every year.
I am really excited about the peices that we have in place but with our defence being as bad as it is right now I think we are a borderline bubble team just trying to make it to 8th place. Nothing wrong with that, I think the kids could use the experience. But realistically its a longshot. Right now here is how I see the conference breaking down:
Conference Contenders:
1. Vancouver Canucks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Detroit Red Wings
4. Los Angeles Kings
5. San Jose Sharks
6. Anaheim Ducks
IMO it would take nothing short of a miracle for Edmonton to rank higher then any of these teams. That leaves 2 spots IMO for the rest of the teams.
Playoff Teams:
7. Nashville Predators- With the predators finishing 5th last year and the big three (Suter, Weber, and Rinne) all in contract years, I would expect them to be at the top of their game and challenging for a playoff spot. They may not have the offence at this point
8. Columbus Blue Jackets: With the additions of Carter and Wishnewski the blue jackets look a lot better and poised for a playoff run. I don't see both Nashville and CLB both making the playoffs but you can bet that one of the two will.
Bubble Teams:
9. Minnesota Wild: With the addition of Healtey and Setegoughi the Wild might actually have enough offence to make the playoffs this year. At this point their goaltending, defensive style and offence are all further along then Edmontons.
10. Calgary Flames: They might be getting older but with Kipper, Iginla and Bouwmeester still on the team they look to be better suited for a playoff run then the oilers, especially since they can trade their picks away yet again to add near the deadline. We will see if the flames start to mortgage off their team for youth or push for a playoff spot.
Wild Cards:
11. Colorado Avalanche: With Varlamov between the pipes and a couple additions on defence they should be a whole lot better than the 288 goals against they had last year. I think their core of Landeskog, Duchene, Statsny can provide a bit of offence but they are certainly in a rebuild right now and it could take some time.
12. Edmonton Oilers: Obviously the oilers have a better offence then the AVS but they are beat when it comes to defence and goaltending at this point.
Non-Playoff Teams:
13. Dallas Stars: With the loss of Richards I don't see them doing any better than the 9th place the finished with last year.
14. St. Louis Blues: They have some great goaltending but after finishing 11th last year I don't see how they are better this year then last.
15. Phoenix Coyotes: Losing Bryz and several support players (Jovo, Belanger, etc) are really going to hurt the yotes this year. They simply don't have the goaltending to make a run to the playoffs.
I will probably get blasted for this but its the way that I see things.
All I can say is that if this team is anywhere near last place again, then people need to temper their expectations of this team ever amounting to much. At the very least, this team should be in a playoff race in the last week of the season. This would be a good year to start getting some playoff experience.
