CrusaderPi wrote on Wed, 15 November 2023 12:02

RDOilerfan wrote on Wed, 15 November 2023 11:36 CrusaderPi wrote on Wed, 15 November 2023 10:28 RDOilerfan wrote on Wed, 15 November 2023 09:48 CrusaderPi wrote on Wed, 15 November 2023 09:29 I'd like Pickard to start. The Oilers, through all their failed coaches, GMs, seasons and goalies, have this habit of running goaltenders into the ground. Then they get mad at their burnt out goalies for not being 76 game starters. If The Knob™ can't trust Pickard, send him down and find someone that can start 30 games. The new coach has been on the job for 4 days and your are complaining about his handling of the goalies? WOW man! They need to get Skinner going. They are only a month into the season. He's had time between Monday and today and then they don't play until Saturday. I hardly call that burning a goalie out with no back to backs and rest between games plus it being so early in the season. We've all seen the pattern here. Feel free to ignore it. I am not ignoring it. No need to be an jerk about it. I am simply saying worrying about the work load of your goalie when you have been on the job for 4 days probably isn't job #1 for the new coach. Especially since he's started 9 games and you are a month into the season and he's getting ample rest. All the existing goaltending baggage is now assumed by The Knob™. His appointment to the job doesn't reset Skinner. So if the Oilers aren't going to ride Skinner for 65 games, the coach absolutely has to figure out a way to get him some bench time. Starting him 5 straight games against 4 bad teams is not a path to sustainable success especially when that guy burnt out after a heavy workload last season. If Pickard doesn't start tonight, where does the coach think he can start? Editing to add: if goalies aren't the #1 priority for the new coach, they have to be top 2 or 3. I don't think anyone can look at this team and think the goalie box is checked. Since this conversation has started Jack Michaels has said he expects Skinner to start tonight. It's a bad decision.

I can think of one guy who might check the box!



Skinner has to be at least at the Victor Fasth level, right?

I tend to agree on the workload issue. The next four games are a road trip through Florida, Tampa, Carolina and Washington. If you're not playing Pickard now, which one of those games are you comfortable throwing him in for?

After that, there's the Ducks - who are riding high - then the Golden Knights ahead of the Jets at the end of the month. There's not a lot of easier match-ups than tonight and Pickard's NHL numbers leave a lot to be desired. I don't think I want him starting his first Oilers game against the Panthers, Lightning or Golden Knights...

"Thinking that a bad team's best players are the reason the team is bad is the "Tambellini re-signing Lennart Petrell" of sports opinions." @Woodguy55
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