Skookum Jim wrote on Thu, 27 February 2025 22:05

Oilers PK problems is solely due the lack of speed/quickness of the PK'ers.. can't skate so there is zero forecheck pressure EVER.. we forechecked them into the ground last year.. they couldn't get out of their own end on the PP.. our PK forwards can't skate.. so now we just fall back and give up the neutral zone.. and then spend the whole PK in our own end.. with no pressure on the puck carrier.. because they skate too slow to get to them.. so they collapse into a box.. and it turns into a crap show.. and many PP goals. For all Mcleod's and Foegle's faults.. they were fast.. they could at least skate and create a forecheck on the PK.. pressure the puck carriers.. eat up tons of PP time.. the current Oiler PK problem is not systems related.. its all personnel Speed is KING We lost a lot of it over the summer..

Sounds like Foegele is playing very well in LA. McLeod just hit a career best in points.

It's crazy to think that all we had to do last summer was ... basically nothing. Probably still cool with the Ceci move, but aside from that, just valuing what we had and showing a commitment to more of the same group that just went to game 7 of the finals may have just worked out fine. With a nice LTIR scam with Kane to give us a boost at the deadline. Broberg was probably done regardless with our org, but Holloway seemed to want to stay and only went for that offer sheet because we were lowballing him and not showing any real interest.

Chasing shiny new things has been an Oilers management thing forever though. Hope there is some spark that finally gets this team going so we don't have to look back at the last summer as yet another oilers management disaster. This has been a pretty weak run of play for a month or so now though. Wouldn't be surprised if the org starts to get so desperate they that thinking Kane coming back early would give the dressing room a spark

[Updated on: Fri, 28 February 2025 12:52]

"We need to get better immediately. That starts today"
- Lowe, 2013

"Next year I would forecast as another developmental year"
- MacT, 2015

5 x $5,000,000