NHL 2017-2018 - All Out Discussion

[The Whovian]

My Hawks are pathetic. They lost to the Yotes last night 6-1. The Yotes! And they now get to play the VGK.

I love coach Q and everything he's done for this team. StanBo too. But I think everyone needs a change of scenery. I think Q has lost this team and he just seems uninterested. StanBo has made some good moves over the year, but also some bad ones. He has to be held accountable for the last three seasons as well.

I just think it would benefit everyone involved if the Hawks went with a new GM and coach. Bring in some new perspective.

[Arfguy]

My Hawks are pathetic. They lost to the Yotes last night 6-1. The Yotes! And they now get to play the VGK.

I love coach Q and everything he's done for this team. StanBo too. But I think everyone needs a change of scenery. I think Q has lost this team and he just seems uninterested. StanBo has made some good moves over the year, but also some bad ones. He has to be held accountable for the last three seasons as well.

I just think it would benefit everyone involved if the Hawks went with a new GM and coach. Bring in some new perspective.

The Hawks have been one of the best franchises over the last 10 years. I wouldn't be surprised if they have grown complacent. No guarantee that drastic changes will lead to success, but it almost seems like sometimes renewed energy being infused into a team due to changes can lead to good things. Some of those contracts will be hard to move, but I have a feeling a lot of teams would love to have the kind of players that Chicago might be looking to move. I was watching a hockey show on TV tonight and they were talking about some pretty alarming statistics. Apparently, the Hawks give up about 6 chances per game on the rush. They are tops in the league for allowing passes in the slot and they were like 26th in the league at puck retrieval within their defensive zone. These are astonishing numbers for a team filled with veterans that know how to win. Best examples? Last night, I saw Duncan Keith lose the puck behind the net and the Coyote player just passed the puck to an open player at the edge of the crease. The player had a good shot which Glass (I think it was Glass in net by that time) stopped, but the rebound was easily tucked in by another Coyote with Duncan Keith right there. Same thing with Seabrook. I saw a Coyote player take a shot that managed to squeeze loose in the crease...Seabrook was just staring at it. No urgency to clear or shoot it into the corner and sure enough, a Coyote came in and pushed in the puck into a gaping net.

I saw those highlights and it looked like how my Oilers have played basically the entire season. No sense of urgency or speed, no heads up plays, no sense of communication. The Hawks looked lost last night and I think it's a huge sign that it's time for some drastic changes.

I keep hoping for some big time personnel changes for my Oilers, as we have too many spectators in our roster, too.

[Arfguy]

LOL...I just checked the scores around the league and in the LA vs. Carolina game, the first 5-goals of the game were all scored by Hurricane players and every single goal was scored by Hurricane players whose name starts with the letter "J"

Justin Faulk with 3
Jaccob Slavin with 1
Jeff Skinner with 1

[WestPhillyPunisher]

So, goalie Brian Elliott, arguably the Flyers MVP will be on the shelf for five to six weeks following core surgery. URGH!

[The Whovian]

The Hawks have been one of the best franchises over the last 10 years. I wouldn't be surprised if they have grown complacent. No guarantee that drastic changes will lead to success, but it almost seems like sometimes renewed energy being infused into a team due to changes can lead to good things. Some of those contracts will be hard to move, but I have a feeling a lot of teams would love to have the kind of players that Chicago might be looking to move. I was watching a hockey show on TV tonight and they were talking about some pretty alarming statistics. Apparently, the Hawks give up about 6 chances per game on the rush. They are tops in the league for allowing passes in the slot and they were like 26th in the league at puck retrieval within their defensive zone. These are astonishing numbers for a team filled with veterans that know how to win. Best examples? Last night, I saw Duncan Keith lose the puck behind the net and the Coyote player just passed the puck to an open player at the edge of the crease. The player had a good shot which Glass (I think it was Glass in net by that time) stopped, but the rebound was easily tucked in by another Coyote with Duncan Keith right there. Same thing with Seabrook. I saw a Coyote player take a shot that managed to squeeze loose in the crease...Seabrook was just staring at it. No urgency to clear or shoot it into the corner and sure enough, a Coyote came in and pushed in the puck into a gaping net.

Yep. When I saw Seabrook just stand there staring at the puck like he was daydreaming, I turned it. It's completely ridiculous that he is even on the ice anymore. This guy has gone from being average to below average and now waaaaaaaaay below average in two seasons. And what really drives me nuts is that StanBo defends him. A reporter asked him the other day why they are playing Seabs and not trying to at least dump his salary to another team and his response was "Because we love his leadership". REALLY?? So you're paying a crap player $7 mil a year for his leadership? No, you're not. You just don't want to own up and take responsibility for the terrible decision to give him that insane contract extension.

Keith is still serviceable, but I think he has one more year after this and then he'll be the next Seabs. If the Hawks were smart (which they're not acting like it lately), they would trade Keith to a contending team and at least get out of that contract before he becomes unmovable. That's $6 mil that would come off the books.

They could try to trade Seabs to a team that has a ton of cap space but the only way that team would take on his salary is if the Hawks gave them picks and or a prospect to do so.

[Arfguy]

Yeah...I think Bowman realizes that Seabrook is on a serious decline. However, sitting him probably won't do anything for them. I mean, you're paying the man already and sitting him will not improve his stats and if the plan is to trade him, well then you're even worse off.

[Arfguy]

N. Kucherov 57GP 30G 42A 72PTS
S. Stamkos 57GP 21G 44A 64PTS
V. Namestnikov 57GP 19G 22A 41PTS

J. Gaudreau 57GP 19G 48A 68PTS
S. Monahan 56GP 27G 23A 50PTS
M. Ferland 56GP 20G 14A 34PTs

C. Giroux 57GP 19G 47A 66PTS
S. Couturier 57GP 28G 29A 57PTS
T. Konecny 57GP 14G 16A 30PTS

Basically every player that is having a great season has a consistent linemate that can compliment them.

At this point, I don't know why you wouldn't play Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together more, since the rest of the team is next to useless.

[The Whovian]

Yeah...I think Bowman realizes that Seabrook is on a serious decline. However, sitting him probably won't do anything for them. I mean, you're paying the man already and sitting him will not improve his stats and if the plan is to trade him, well then you're even worse off.

At this point, I hope they DO play him. Our season is over, so may as well stink for a high draft pick. LOL

N. Kucherov 57GP 30G 42A 72PTS
S. Stamkos 57GP 21G 44A 64PTS
V. Namestnikov 57GP 19G 22A 41PTS

J. Gaudreau 57GP 19G 48A 68PTS
S. Monahan 56GP 27G 23A 50PTS
M. Ferland 56GP 20G 14A 34PTs

C. Giroux 57GP 19G 47A 66PTS
S. Couturier 57GP 28G 29A 57PTS
T. Konecny 57GP 14G 16A 30PTS

Basically every player that is having a great season has a consistent linemate that can compliment them.

At this point, I don't know why you wouldn't play Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together more, since the rest of the team is next to useless.

I wondered about that too. Why aren't they on the same line? Has a reporter asked McLellan?

[Arfguy]

At this point, I hope they DO play him. Our season is over, so may as well stink for a high draft pick. LOL

I wondered about that too. Why aren't they on the same line? Has a reporter asked McLellan?

LOL. I keep hoping that the Oilers don't end up with the first overall pick. I really do. This team needs to figure out how to win without the constant first overall picks.

As for has anyone asked MacLellan...honestly, I don't think anyone cares. I care because I'm an Oilers fan and with the season lost, I just want McDavid and Draisaitl to be selfish and get a bunch of points, maybe score some highlight reel goals. However, it looks like fun has to be sapped out of this team in every possible way.

[sirmarkus]

At this point, I hope they DO play him. Our season is over, so may as well stink for a high draft pick. LOL



I wondered about that too. Why aren't they on the same line? Has a reporter asked McLellan?

I think it's because they feel Draisaitl can carry his own line and they can then have two scoring lines. Needless to say it hasn't been working and that contract is looking uglier by the day. He's a good player, but not worth that.

On a happy note for a Flames fan, we got a much needed two points tonight! Rittich(for keeping the puck out, or not visible if you're a preds fan) saved them big time at the end. Going 4-2 on a road trip is something I'll always be happy with.

[Arfguy]

I think it's because they feel Draisaitl can carry his own line and they can then have two scoring lines. Needless to say it hasn't been working and that contract is looking uglier by the day. He's a good player, but not worth that.

On a happy note for a Flames fan, we got a much needed two points tonight! Rittich(for keeping the puck out, or not visible if you're a preds fan) saved them big time at the end. Going 4-2 on a road trip is something I'll always be happy with.

Not much going right for my team, but I gotta defend the very little bright spots the Oilers have.

Last year, McDavid and Draisaitl were pretty much together the entire season and they were doing spectacular. When Ryan Kesler's focusing all his attention of the first line, and specifically Connor McDavid, Todd MacLellan got the bright idea to split the duo up. It worked for a little while, but that's when things fall apart.

Not only has the team been absolutely awful, the one guarantee that MacLellan has, he won't fall back on until the game is basically out of reach. Milan Lucic is one of the worst players in the NHL right now, yet he can't seem to find himself anywhere but the top two lines. Either he can't keep up with McDavid or he can't reach a simple pass from Draisaitl, but sure enough...night after night, MacLellan is pairing up Lucic with someone on the top two lines.

MacLellan is desperately trying to find production, but he won't go to the well that is about as strong a guarantee as anything the Oilers line-up can promise. If either McDavid or Draisaitl had wingers that were capable of putting the puck in the net, every other player's inability to score would not be a factor. When you consider that the top 3 point getter on the Oilers are the centres of McDavid, Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, it's pretty telling how badly this team is playing. When you consider that a player like RNH is injured and has played 10 less games than Milan Lucic and still has more goals and points than Lucic, it all starts to make a lot of sense.

[The Whovian]

Well, my Hawks lost again last night. *sigh*

It was their ninth straight loss, their worst skid since the 2011 season. When Kane left the ice last night, he held his head down, like he felt the fans' pain. I'm sure he's disgusted by his team's play and can't wait for next season.

I still think some drastic changes need to be made, and it starts at the top.

[sirmarkus]

Not much going right for my team, but I gotta defend the very little bright spots the Oilers have.

Last year, McDavid and Draisaitl were pretty much together the entire season and they were doing spectacular. When Ryan Kesler's focusing all his attention of the first line, and specifically Connor McDavid, Todd MacLellan got the bright idea to split the duo up. It worked for a little while, but that's when things fall apart.

Not only has the team been absolutely awful, the one guarantee that MacLellan has, he won't fall back on until the game is basically out of reach. Milan Lucic is one of the worst players in the NHL right now, yet he can't seem to find himself anywhere but the top two lines. Either he can't keep up with McDavid or he can't reach a simple pass from Draisaitl, but sure enough...night after night, MacLellan is pairing up Lucic with someone on the top two lines.

MacLellan is desperately trying to find production, but he won't go to the well that is about as strong a guarantee as anything the Oilers line-up can promise. If either McDavid or Draisaitl had wingers that were capable of putting the puck in the net, every other player's inability to score would not be a factor. When you consider that the top 3 point getter on the Oilers are the centres of McDavid, Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, it's pretty telling how badly this team is playing. When you consider that a player like RNH is injured and has played 10 less games than Milan Lucic and still has more goals and points than Lucic, it all starts to make a lot of sense.

Don't get me wrong, Draisaitl is a good player, but given that most of his success is based off playing with McDavid, I think the Oil would have been better off giving him a bridge deal. As for Lucic.... damn, that's quickly becoming the worst contract in hockey. I knew it was bad from day 1. McDavid deserves better on his wing. At least Maroon works his butt off out there, Lucic is just a mess.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Thanks to an overtime goal by Sean Coutorier, the Flyers won in Columbus last night for the first time since December 2005. WHOO!!

[Arfguy]

Don't get me wrong, Draisaitl is a good player, but given that most of his success is based off playing with McDavid, I think the Oil would have been better off giving him a bridge deal. As for Lucic.... damn, that's quickly becoming the worst contract in hockey. I knew it was bad from day 1. McDavid deserves better on his wing. At least Maroon works his butt off out there, Lucic is just a mess.

Probably would have been a good idea to give him a bridge deal, but then if he outperforms, the organization is in bigger trouble. Oddly enough, despite the team doing so poorly, Draisaitl and McDavid are both on about the same pace, points-wise, as last season, despite playing a lot of the season separated.

As far as Maroon is concerned, even he has basically been floating most of the season. Not that I blame him, because he has more goals than Lucic, yet found himself playing third-line minutes for quite a few games. No way should the Oilers try to resign Maroon, but if I had the option to keep Maroon or Lucic, I'd definitely keep Maroon. Put him on Draisaitl's wing, but that would be too simple a move for MacLellan to consider.

Thanks to an overtime goal by Sean Coutorier, the Flyers won in Columbus last night for the first time since December 2005. WHOO!!

The Flyers are playing pretty well down the stretch, but got some bad news today. Not that I'm surprised, since Neuvirth is a career fragile goalie with a long history of injuries.