The very definition of insanity is doing the exact same thing expecting different results.

Generally Disappointed.

[Updated on: Thu, 08 November 2018 09:11]

Please do not feed the bears. Feeding the bears creates a dependent population unable to survive on their own. Bears.

Survivor LX(I) and 67 Champ(i)on

CrusaderPi wrote on Thu, 30 January 2020 12:21

und(i)sputed O.L.F.N Heavybra(i)n Champ(i)on of the Woooooooooooooooooorld. Plus. One.

PlusOne wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:03

CrusaderPi wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:08 Rocksteady wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 08:33 Tired team vs bad team.. who shows up today? Which team is the Oilers? Both are likely tired and bad if we are honest.

It's so cool how even when the Oilers are definitely NOT a bad team, the fan base still wants to think they are.

"[It was] really cool to throw on the Oilers gear, the gear that I want to play the rest of my life wearing. It was pretty cool to put it on. With all the history, it was a lot of fun." - Connor McDavid, July 1, 2015

Skoobz wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 12:08

PlusOne wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:03 CrusaderPi wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:08 Rocksteady wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 08:33 Tired team vs bad team.. who shows up today? Which team is the Oilers? Both are likely tired and bad if we are honest. It's so cool how even when the Oilers are definitely NOT a bad team, the fan base still wants to think they are.

While I am happy that they have been doing better this year I find it hard to believe they are "definitely" not a bad team.

Many games they have had zero offence out of anyone but what is driven by McDavid
Many games they have had below average goaltending
Most games the special teams have been between atrocious and mildly better

The improvement is so far this season they are not a terrible team but they are still pretty far from a good team. This leaves them in the bad category to me.

We are so used to them being SO bad that any improvement fools some into thinking that this is a good team when they are merely an acceptable NHL team at this point

Survivor LX(I) and 67 Champ(i)on

CrusaderPi wrote on Thu, 30 January 2020 12:21

und(i)sputed O.L.F.N Heavybra(i)n Champ(i)on of the Woooooooooooooooooorld. Plus. One.

Skoobz wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 11:08

PlusOne wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:03 CrusaderPi wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:08 Rocksteady wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 08:33 Tired team vs bad team.. who shows up today? Which team is the Oilers? Both are likely tired and bad if we are honest. It's so cool how even when the Oilers are definitely NOT a bad team, the fan base still wants to think they are.

I think most would agree the Oil are better than last year's showing. But the sample size so far is a bit too small to say the are "definitely" good. This set of coaches, assisted by McDavid, may even get them into the playoffs. But does anyone think they would win?

You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you can get a lottery pick.

Skoobz wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 11:08

It's so cool how even when the Oilers are definitely NOT a bad team, the fan base still wants to think they are.

We have some great players, but I think it's a stretch to say we have a good team right now, especially with some of the organizational weakness.

- Chiarelli is probably top-3 worst GMs in the league. The "brain trust" around him would all give him a run for worst if they had the job too. On top of that, even if Chia got fired, the chance of getting a top notch guy to replace him is hurt by the fact we have all those other clowns sitting there too - many with a personal relationship with the owner.

- McLellan is not good too...I'd definitely put him in the bottom third of the league in coaches, maybe lower than that. Stubborn, bad communicator, terrible special teams, over-reliance on stars, morale killing, unable to adjust mid-game or mid-series.

- The scouting staff is riddled with nepotism picks. I'm sure that Messier's brother and Chiarelli's brother are good guys, but are they really the most capable people to have in the scouting staff? Or was that just because of their last names?

- Player development remains a challenge. There is limited depth in the system. If we suffer any injuries, there's not a lot of guys who are pushing towards an NHL roster on the farm team.

- Cap situation is critical - although Chia just blames this on McDavid with a chuckle in the latest Athletic article, the team has no latitude to make any moves.

- On-ice, McDavid is sublime and we've had pretty good starts from Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl and Klefbom. Chiasson and Caggiula have surprised with the hot hands lately. Beyond that, and we're seeing some serious issues. Strome has a single point. Lucic is on pace for a 22 point season. Yamamoto and Puljujarvi's development looks to be in danger. The fourth line has been bad - Brodziak is -7. Kassian can't stay in the lineup.

- Goaltending has been iffy.

- Nurse is carrying a third pairing guy with him on the second pairing all the time - he's -6. The coach has no confidence in anyone who plays on the third pairing and so they play sparingly while Klefbom's in the top five in the league for time on ice.

I think the Oilers have been okay so far this year, but I don't think this team is anywhere near out of the woods yet, and if they played in any other division, I'd say that playoffs would be doubtful - which is unforgivable for a team with Connor McDavid.

"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
#FireBobbyNicks

CrudeRemarks wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 11:47

Skoobz wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 11:08 PlusOne wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:03 CrusaderPi wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:08 Rocksteady wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 08:33 Tired team vs bad team.. who shows up today? Which team is the Oilers? Both are likely tired and bad if we are honest. It's so cool how even when the Oilers are definitely NOT a bad team, the fan base still wants to think they are. I think most would agree the Oil are better than last year's showing. But the sample size so far is a bit too small to say the are "definitely" good. This set of coaches, assisted by McDavid, may even get them into the playoffs. But does anyone think they would win?

I said they are definitely not bad, not that they are definitely good.

"[It was] really cool to throw on the Oilers gear, the gear that I want to play the rest of my life wearing. It was pretty cool to put it on. With all the history, it was a lot of fun." - Connor McDavid, July 1, 2015

Skoobz wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 16:08

CrudeRemarks wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 11:47 Skoobz wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 11:08 PlusOne wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:03 CrusaderPi wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 10:08 Rocksteady wrote on Thu, 08 November 2018 08:33 Tired team vs bad team.. who shows up today? Which team is the Oilers? Both are likely tired and bad if we are honest. It's so cool how even when the Oilers are definitely NOT a bad team, the fan base still wants to think they are. I think most would agree the Oil are better than last year's showing. But the sample size so far is a bit too small to say the are "definitely" good. This set of coaches, assisted by McDavid, may even get them into the playoffs. But does anyone think they would win? I said they are definitely not bad, not that they are definitely good.

Fair. Those are two very different things.

I'm not sure that they're not bad right now, but I am happy with the results and leaning that way. Beating the living stuffing out of a returning from Europe team would help.

Please do not feed the bears. Feeding the bears creates a dependent population unable to survive on their own. Bears.