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Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault [message #816555 is a reply to message #816487 ]	Thu, 12 January 2023 08:42

RDOilerfan
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Registered: January 2016

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Steve wrote on Wed, 11 January 2023 19:09

Adam wrote on Wed, 11 January 2023 14:56

Steve wrote on Wed, 11 January 2023 14:55

McDavid and Drai are not to blame, certainly, but I do think that their presence has a psychological effect that can have a negative consequence on the team.

1) The GM thinks he can stock the rest of the roster with AHL players and still win because the stars will carry the team. Multiple McDavid years have been wasted for this reason alone.

2) The depth players think they don't need to score because the stars will do it for them.

3) The coach plays the hell out of the stars thinking that they can win the games by themselves.

These aren't conscious thoughts for those involved, but I think it has an effect. It takes leadership at all three levels to break the cycle. It's not all on the stars to fix these problems happening around them.

We saw the coaching change help last year, but I don't really want the coached changed every year. We may not have the best coaches, but I don't think they are the biggest problem. The biggest problem is the supporting cast. Kane, Nuge and Hyman are the type of support players we need, but we need more of them. On defense I didn't think we would miss Duncan Keith as much as we are, but it's been a massive black hole on left D behind Nurse.

The margins for winning in this league are small. The addition of Kane back from injury and a solid defensemen could make a big difference.

I still think that "We miss Duncan Keith" is just the biggest myth going. The guy was atrocious in the playoffs. His lack of foot speed was constantly exposed and he was burned for many, many goals against. He's a minus player in that playoffs, and almost single-handedly lost us the one game against Los Angeles.

The defence has all underperformed this year, but I don't really think the difference maker is Keith, and I think the system flaws are still there whether he is or not. He might actually make it worse given that he can't skate any more.

If we REALLY believed we need his leadership, then they should just pay for a flight to get him to come hang out with the team and impart pearls of wisdom.

I do miss the cap credit we should have gotten from his retirement though. Stupid NHL.

To be clear, I’m not a fan of Duncan Keith either, but I don’t think ‘addition by subtraction’ worked in his case. They still needed to replace him with a better player. They didn’t. Even with his deficiencies, his D position is worse today than it was this time last year.

I think what Keith and Smith did and what they severely lack and it has been touched upon by some of this years players, they were some vets into the locker room that could bring a little accountability to the room. Smith was a vocal, fiery guy, Keith the been there, done that, won everything. When the guys weren't doing the right things, screwing up in the game, not playing right, they could be a voice to call guys out. The weight of your teammate telling you, you need to be better is a lot more than a coach. The Oilers leadership core is made up or pretty much exclusively, talented but quiet, not rah rah guys. McD isn't a super vocal guy, Nuge isn't a vocal guy, Leon isn't a vocal guy.

Barrie in an interview touched on how they miss that vocal guy to keep them accountable and how HE, being one of the older guys, probably needs to step into that role. Barrie is supposedly a really good, keep the room light, well liked guy in the room. He doesn't strike me as a call you to task guy and no offense but while a decent player, what's he ever won to say "hey, Nurse, don't make that pass" especially when he makes as many mistakes as the rest. So I think they lack a few players who at times can stand up in the room and say guys, we need to be better.

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Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Adam on Tue, 10 January 2023 21:57
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: inverno76 on Wed, 11 January 2023 08:02
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Dragon_Matt on Wed, 11 January 2023 08:10
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Kr55 on Wed, 11 January 2023 08:22
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Mike on Wed, 11 January 2023 08:42
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: CrusaderPi on Wed, 11 January 2023 08:49
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: CrusaderPi on Wed, 11 January 2023 09:44
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Steve on Wed, 11 January 2023 14:55
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Kr55 on Wed, 11 January 2023 15:28
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Adam on Wed, 11 January 2023 16:04
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Kr55 on Wed, 11 January 2023 19:59
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Goose on Wed, 11 January 2023 16:33
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Kr55 on Wed, 11 January 2023 19:58
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Adam on Wed, 11 January 2023 15:56
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Steve on Wed, 11 January 2023 19:09
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: nullterm on Wed, 11 January 2023 19:54
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: PlusOne on Wed, 11 January 2023 20:07
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Oscargasm on Wed, 11 January 2023 20:13
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: PlusOne on Wed, 11 January 2023 20:20
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Oscargasm on Wed, 11 January 2023 20:37
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: PlusOne on Wed, 11 January 2023 20:38
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Babaganoosh2.0 on Thu, 12 January 2023 01:57
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: nullterm on Wed, 11 January 2023 20:18
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: RDOilerfan on Thu, 12 January 2023 08:42
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: CrusaderPi on Thu, 12 January 2023 09:01
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: RDOilerfan on Thu, 12 January 2023 09:17
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: CrusaderPi on Thu, 12 January 2023 09:27
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Babaganoosh2.0 on Thu, 12 January 2023 09:32
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: CrusaderPi on Thu, 12 January 2023 11:01
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Babaganoosh2.0 on Thu, 12 January 2023 11:11
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: CrusaderPi on Thu, 12 January 2023 11:18
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Adam on Thu, 12 January 2023 11:50
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Babaganoosh2.0 on Thu, 12 January 2023 17:47
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Adam on Thu, 12 January 2023 18:03
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: CrusaderPi on Thu, 12 January 2023 18:22
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: smyth260 on Thu, 12 January 2023 19:19
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: inverno76 on Thu, 12 January 2023 15:23
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Rocksteady on Thu, 12 January 2023 09:45
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Dragon_Matt on Thu, 12 January 2023 10:12
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Babaganoosh2.0 on Thu, 12 January 2023 10:32
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Dragon_Matt on Thu, 12 January 2023 10:44
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Adam on Thu, 12 January 2023 10:39
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: Rocksteady on Fri, 13 January 2023 08:59
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: inverno76 on Thu, 12 January 2023 21:23
Re: Why it isn't McDavid's Fault	By: nullterm on Thu, 12 January 2023 22:34

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