Adam wrote on Thu, 12 January 2023 10:39

It's a great narrative, but it's just a narrative. With Keith and Smith in the lineup, we were badly underperforming until February of last year. The same issues were there then too. Those two were then awful in the playoffs too. It's not just Bouchard who's looked worse this year - it's the group. The systems that the Oilers are employing, and that the coaching group has stubbornly stuck to, do no favours to the defence. It makes them all look bad. Remember Kulak through the end of the season and the playoffs? Limited Keith exposure, looked really solid. People thought it was great to sign him long-term as a top-four guy...annnnd big step back. Nurse, Ceci - both steps back. It's not like this is just Evan Bouchard. Duncan Keith was not a big loss for the Oilers and should have been easily backfilled, especially with the tax relief that came with his and Smith's departures. The Oilers signed Ryan Murray and hoped that Broberg and Niemelainen were going to be the bandaid they'd need. Maybe that even works, if the system doesn't suck and make breakouts more difficult. We miss last year's Woodcroft much more than we do Duncan Keith...even if he would tell people to smarten up every so often.

You're a great narrative! BOOOOOMMMM SICKKKKK BURN!!! Feel the heat! (Let me be a child for once)

Well the stats show you're right, Keith wasn't good, he was washed up. I don't know if the stats show poise or abilities but I seem to recall Evan being more composed than this year, he's clearly struggling. Maybe it's a narrative in my head, but I do think Evan has slid back which is disappointing because he has loads of talent.

No one said losing Keith was a big loss but I still contend with the wrong thought that Keith is missed by this defensive group. It's wrong but I feel there is a intangible there that is missing.

I feel like I'm trolling but I'm not, just my thoughts as wrong as they may be.

We've been through coaches, this is Woodcroft's first full year as coach let's not pitch them into the sun when it's the dudes on the ice that make the magic.

I know.. I know... the system... the system.. yeah it doesn't appear to be very good, but is it better than Tip's? Is it better than MacLellan's? I don't know. Stats tell us in retrospect and I'm too lazy to look it up so I will defer to you good people to check that out.

The defensive group then isn't as comparable to the group we have now, but is it better?

Can we not all agree the swarm was the worst idea?!

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

Generally Disappointed.