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 Adam
Messages: 7757
Registered: August 2005
Location: Edmonton, AB
6 Cups
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| Babaganoosh2.0 wrote on Wed, 08 March 2023 22:16 |
| CrusaderPi wrote on Tue, 07 March 2023 15:08 |
I don't think the Oilers are capable of either getting good goaltending over a longer term or creating the conditions necessary for good goaltending over a longer term because of obvious systemic and player procurement problems that will cause them to wither against any of the teams that should be considered strong competitors for the cup. Ekholm could theoretically solve this. Kane certainly does not solve the problem, he can only make the Oilers strength better a time when scoring and powerplay matter less.
But I do look forward to people thinking that going 8-3-2 in their last 13 games means they have a chance.
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How many goalies have had great seasons followed up by complete busts. Look at Markstrom in Calgary for example. People here in southern AB bag on him as bad as we do Campbell. I think the best policy is not to sign goalies to long term deals of any sort. Its such a volatile position. Further thought what would it look like if a team only signed players to one year deals. They could spend to the max cap every season. The players would probably make more in salary on those deals because long term isn't a consideration. It would be interesting I think.
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I would suggest both goalies deserve the heat they're taking this year. Both have a big contract, but both are posting bad numbers:
- Markstrom is 40th in the league in save percentage at .893, and 25th in goals against average (among goalies with over 10 games played)
- Jack Campbell is 44th in sv% at .884 and 42nd in GAA at 3.57.
Some of the differences between them are that Markstrom's stats, while bad, are better than Campbell. He's a couple years in to his deal and he's been full value for some of his contract at least, as compared to Campbell who's in his first year on this deal and has played very few strong games for the Oilers.
On top of that, Vladar's stats for Calgary (.895, 2.95) are very similar to Markstrom. That could be coincidence but it could suggest that Calgary is doing something significantly wrong in their defensive schemes that is exposing both of their goaltenders. Certainly, Sutter's approach seems to have had a highly negative impact on a lot of their players this season.
Meanwhile, Campbell's partner is .913 and 2.86 so there's worlds of difference between them playing in front of the same team. Skinner is no world beater - he's 16th in Sv% and 33rd in GAA - but he's still miles better than Campbell has been.
The Oilers may want to try to find Campbell some Long Covid or an allergy to equipment this summer...
"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
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