@TopTierPucks If Bouch can be a bit more committed defensively you will have a Norris candidate every season with both defensive and offensive play. He should have been nominated this year for his offensive stats alone.
I don't understand the love for Cossa. We have a strong goalie in Ingram who is a proven commodity in the NHL.
Over his last 15 games he posted a 2.35 GAA and .909 save percentage, which lined up with the team tightening up in their own end during a playoff push.
And while Jarry's wheels fell of after the injury in Edm in 14 games with the Penguins he was posted 2.66 GAA and a .909 save percentage.
I know we all want solid goaltending and IF and I mean IF we get a clear bonified NHL starter, ie Bob in FLA or someone of that pedigree I don't trade young assets for a maybe.
Goaltending is about tracking, calmness, anticipation, and skating, but it’s also heavily dependent on team defense.
In 25/26 under Knoblauch and Stewart, this team lost its defensive identity, and that led to the Skinner trade.
Just like when Trotz coached Ovi, he challenged him to defend, and it led to a Cup in 2018. Defense isn’t flashy, but it wins championships.
The core of this Oilers roster is strong and committed. If they buy into a structured, accountable defensive system, I don’t think there’s a team in the league that can beat them.
At the time, the Oilers valued cap space more. Holloway has had success since leaving, but he dealt with injuries here and was mostly used in a third line role. He never truly secured a top six spot. Broberg wanted out well before the team chose not to match. His role was tied up by Bouchard, and Broberg was never going to take that spot. Both players are now benefiting from bigger roles, top six forward and top pairing defenseman, on teams where those opportunities were available.
Hindsight is always clearer, but their success comes in situations that did not exist in Edmonton.
Should the Oilers have matched on Holloway, probably, but based on his time here, he had not shown he was ready for a top six role.
YES it falls on Knobs. He gets to celebrate the good things but also he is the leader of this team and when things go wrong he has to wear that too. In the two cup finals was outcoached by Maurice. Needed to make adjustments and didn't. This season also had the same signs. the PK wasn't working needed change, the defensive structure wasn't working needed change. Maybe just maybe our goaltending wouldn't be an issue if we could defend in our end appropriately.
@ReaganPodelec@TSNRyanRishaug I know we are all happy for Kulak and he was a good Oiler. How much of his defensive struggles in Edmonton that made him expendable are due to coaching style and systems on the Oilers.
@jimmathesonnhl Booch doesn't get as much credit because he plays with Mcd which is not fair but I personally believe that is a factor in the voting. I am hard on booch as much as the next person but not to be nominated is just not right.
@oilers_hub It doesn't matter who our goaltender is if this team is not committed to a system and team defense. they need to be all bought into playing well and structured in our end of the ice.
@TSNRyanRishaug The penalty kill is chasing and getting pulled out of position. Its hasn’t been working so get compact, tighter together and have a better box.
If the City of Edmonton is relying on the lost revenue of a few parking stalls at $1.50 per hour then we are missing the picture. How many people are coming downtown with the current safety and security issues. These business have been bootstrapping to keep alive. Give them a hand. Walk around the core, take a look and you can see that the retail tenants are still struggling trying to make a go of it.
@SpuddyMcKenzie We are going to need all 4 lines come playoff time. 97/29 will be able to do more later in the game after 34/81/10 wear teams down. Especially when we have the match up on home ice.