Can you believe that Milan Lucic scored a goal!? The house on my roof nearly lifted off when he scored (I’m still pissed at him btw) and we even saw how it re-energized the Oilers as they were flying after that goal was scored. But the veteran savvy of the Sharks withstood the pressure and didn’t allow the Oilers to get back into the game.
I asked a source close to the team if there was anything positive that the Oilers could take away from a game like that and I was told, “Lucic-RNH-Puljujarvi”. I can’t disagree with that.
Jesse Puljujarvi has put up two points in two games now. I hope thi sis the start of a very productive final half of the season for him. He’s starting to take advantage of his speed, size, and strength a little more and is reminding me of Hall-of-Famer Dave Andreychuk a bit with his net-front play. Albeit a version of Dave Andreychuk that could skate a bit better.
I love me some Ray Ferraro and I listen to as many episodes of his podcast (The Pulp Hockey Show) and as many of his radio spots as I can. I think he shoots it straight the majority of the time and I appreciate his candor and forthrightness.
Episode 143 of The Pulp Hockey Show had a small tidbit on the Oilers that I’d like to address and it’s regarding something I think near every anti-Chiarelli Oilers fan is willingly and ignorantly forgetting. That being injuries.
I often wonder what people think a coach can do. He can’t play. You know, Todd McLellan is a good coach. Hitch isn’t going to go out there and give them depth scoring, they still don’t have it. McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Chiasson, and… Oh boy, I hope somebody else. Like that’s kinda how it goes.
Look at their last three games. They stunk. They were terrible in LA. They were unreal the next night in Anaheim. They were terrible in San Jose. That’s their last three games. And so,
Todd McLellan was 8-2-1 when they started the year. Then they went 6-7 and something or other and he got fired. Right? They had a losing streak. 1-6-7 and then he got fired. Then they went 8-2-1 under Hitch, then they went 3-9-1 since then.
That’s funny, not a word about injuries to important players here. I’m sure if you asked Ferraro he might tell you that every team goes through injuries in a season and I would agree with that. But, how many teams lose two of their best defensemen and keep winning?
The value of top 4 D?
Vegas were 8-11-1 while Nate Schmidt was suspended, they are 16-4-3 since he has been back.
Nashhville went 9-9-1 without PK Subban, are now 15-6-1 with him.
Edmonton has gone 1-6-1 w/o Klefbom and Russell; 17-12-2 with them in the lineup— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) January 2, 2019
Let’s look more recently at some teams who have sustained injuries to key players and their records.
The Anaheim Ducks with all of its secondary scoring, high-potent defense, and Hart caliber goaltending can’t seem to shake off a losing streak that’s now up to 9 games. The mighty Ducks have ONE win in their last ten and they are one of the worst scoring teams in the NHL. Why do you think that is? Do you think it has anything to do with injuries to Rickard Rackell, Corey Perry, Cam Fowler, etc?
(FYI to those Oilers fans who are crapping all over Chiarelli for allowing Pontus Aberg to be picked off of waivers, he’s now a healthy scratch for the Ducks after going pointless in seven games and racking up a Yakupov-like minus ten in that time…)
The Colorado Avalanche are 2-6-2 in their last ten. A period of time where for varying amounts of time they lost their starting goalie, a top-4 defenseman (Zadorov), and one of their core bottom-6 players in Colin Wilson. Now the team is losing its collective shit and the infighting has begun.
Things got HEATED between Nathan MacKinnon and Jared Bednar on the Avs' bench. 😬 pic.twitter.com/X0PQrDzA1e
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 10, 2019
The Vancouver Canucks are playing so hot without their top man in Elias Pettersson. The Buffalo Sabres have gone 5-4-1 in their last ten and I would imagine ailments to Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart have contributed to that lovely record. How’s Ottawa doing without their top defender? How about the NJ Devils without Hall?
Hell, even the Leafs aren’t looking as invincible as they attempt to cope with the loss of their no.1 and no.2 goalies.
Injuries have a real impact on teams no matter the depth and I think it’s BS when people compare McLellan’s part of this season to Hitch’s. It isn’t fair at all. McLellan had a healthy roster! Hitch hasn’t!
Gretz- I mean, Chiarelli brought in those two defenders (Alex Petrovic and Brandon Manning) as insurance at the request of Hitchcock. Now due to a bad hit, Petrovic is out. Now, would you rather have your choice of Jason Garrison (now playing in Sweden), Chris Wideman (now playing in the AHL), and Matt Benning (clearly not a favorite of Hitchcock) or Benning and Manning?
You might not like Manning right now but he’s a much better option than Garrison and Wideman.
I don’t think Matt Benning will be here long anyhow. I got word from another source (that I don’t usually hear from) to keep an eye on him and that dovetails with the messages I’ve gotten from my regular sources.
My feeling is that he’ll be sent out and a winger who is having a tough time getting traction will come back the other way. A player like Charles Hudon from Montreal.
Oh just imagine the outrage when MacTa-, I mean Chiarelli sends away a contract worth $1.9M in return for one that is only worth 650k!
“HOW DARE HE REMOVE A SERVICEABLE DEFENSEMAN IN RETURN FOR A BOTTOM-6 WINGER!!! THE WEAKNESS IS ON DEFENSE, NOT FORWARD!”
Bla bla bla.
Now to show I can be fair, here’s the remaining portion of Ferraro’s comments on the Oilers.
They’re not good enough to sustain long periods of good play. That’s more on the manager than the coach.
They’re a team that’s going to fight for a playoff spot. That’s because the West has got some teams that aren’t exactly piling up points. You get down into the wild card, Colorado who’s stumbled all over the place, they’ve got 48 (points), Minnesota’s got 45 (points), Anaheim’s got 45 (points), Vancouver’s got 44 (points), Edmonton’s got 43 (points).
Colorado, Minnesota, Anaheim, Vancouver, Edmonton. Those five teams, two of them are going to get in.
Edmonton can do it, sure. They’re just not a great team.
I’ll say this. I do not give one rat’s ass if the Oilers are a great team or not. If they make the playoffs, that’s all that really matters at that point, right? Fans of the ’06 run to the Stanley Cup final should know all about going into the post-season as the 8th seed.
But could this fanbase put down their torches and pitchforks long enough to enjoy it if it did happen?
