Oilers year in review

[yave1964]

PRESEASON OUTLOOK I liked the Oilers a lot coming into this season, a GM in Holland who ran his course in Detroit and wants to prove that he can build another winner, a coach in Tippett who is among the best at getting the most out of depth players, new faces like Neal, kids like Yamamoto to provide scoring depth, Smith brought in to push Koskinen in net. Another year older and wiser for McDavid and Draisatl. An improved young talented defense. I looked around and saw a team with flaws that was still a serious Western Conference contender.

 

 FINAL RECORD 37-25-9 5th in the Western conference. Lost in first round to the Hawks in four games.

 

HIGH POINT OF THE SEASON In typical Dave Tippett fashion the team had no particular high or low. Oh, you could make the argument for them winning their first five and seven of their first eight sending a message to the rest of the league that this wanst the chaotic Oilers of years past but a focused team with a desire to win that after that first stretch would lose but would win a few more.They never had a losing streak of longer than four (only once) after that first stretch, they never had a wiinning streak longer than four  games (only once) after the initial stretch. Yet they won more than they lost and quietly had a pretty good season.

 

LOW POINT OF THE YEAR The dismantiling of the Oilers by the veteran duo of Kane and especially Toews in four very uneven games. 

 

WHAT WENT RIGHT McDavid was great as usual but Draisatl was insane, leading the team in points, just beast mode all year and is the odds on favorite to win the league MVP. James Neal was a big deal, espcially early when the young Oilers began to build confidence. RNH provided serious secondary scoring with 61 points in 65 games. Kassian chugged out 15 goals and provided timely hiys and protection for McJesus. Yakumoto, Chiasson and Archibald were all in double digits in goals scored. Nurse absolutely came into his own as a two way defender, also on the back end, Kones, Klefbom, and Jones were anywhere from very, very good to above average. In net, The duo in net split time and did fine. Sheahan was solid up and down the lines on the bottom six.

 

WHAT WENT WRONG trade deadline additions Athanasiou, Ennis and Green were more or less worthless. Young forward Colby Cave died over the summer devestating morale. No team was hurt so bad by the shutdown, they were a lock for a playoff spot and lost all momentum. Adam larsson was injured and not himself all year. James Neal after a torrid start fell way off. Really not a lot went wring.

 

FREE AGENTS Mike Smith will likely try to stick around if they can work it out. spare part frowards Sheahan, Russell and Ennis are all lkely gone.Mike Green is an UFA and rumored to be considering retirement. Brandon Manning's contract will be mercifully off the books. 

 

OFFSEASON QUESTION MARKS: Do you resign Smith or go for an upgrade? Athanasiou looked out of sorts with McDavid, do you hope a fresh season gets better results? With Sheahan, Jurco, Green, Athanasiou can Jimmy Howard or Abdelkader be far behind? (just kidding, i think) 

 

  Losing to Chicago ruined what was a great season and the real question is what will this do to the team going forward, will they be even hungrier or will it knock them down a peg or two.

 

 

 

[pilldoc]

As usual @yave1964 ...great write up.  

 

1) RE: Neal ...yeah he has a torrid start, BUT we all knew he was never gonna keep that up. Matter of fact in the first 20 games he had 12G / 2A/14 PTS  BUT then in next 35 games he only went 7G/10A/17 PTS (take out the  3 goal / 4PT night vs. NYR) and  his point drop is even more noticeable.  I'm not blaming all of the Oilers woes on Neal but what you see is what you get and to expect secondary scoring to take pressure off McDavid and Draisaitl is just not in his cards.   However in 4 playoff games he had a whopping 2G and 1A.  Not gonna cut it in my book.

 

2) Alexis Lafrenière would take the sting off of this playoff loss.....the Oilers couldn't get lucky yet again????????

 

3) Agree McDavid and Drasaitl had phenomenal years

 

4) they need to address goaltending.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by pilldoc