OILERS NEW ATTACKING SYSTEM
Jason Gregor
February 14 2013 05:30PM
Ralph Krueger and his coaching staff want the Oilers to be a pre-gapping team. This is their new system and while some players have excelled at it, some have struggled.
Ryan Whitney hasn't adjusted as quickly as they would have liked, but they are still confident he will not only grasp the system, but excel at it.
GDB 13.0: IN NEED OF A CHANGE
Jason Gregor
February 12 2013 12:44PM
The Edmonton Oilers used to feast on the Minnesota North Stars. Over 14 seasons the Oilers were 27-7-11, but once they dropped the North, relocated to Dallas for the 1993/1994 season and became the Stars, they have owned the Oilers.
The Stars are 54-13-4-2 v. the Oilers since moving to Dallas. If you add in the playoffs, 23-10, they are a ridiculous 77-23-4-2 all-time against Edmonton. That is not typo.
Nine different Oiler head coaches have witnessed their team get dominated by the Stars over the past 18 1/3 seasons, so Ralph Krueger will be in tough to try and change this one-sided series.
AT THE QUARTER MARK
Jason Gregor
February 11 2013 01:35PM
At the quarter pole (figuratively, not in racing terms) of this abbreviated NHL season the Oilers find themselves on the cusp of a playoff spot. While many are lamenting the state of the Oilers, and I understand there are many areas of concern, the fact is the Oilers are in the playoff hunt.
GDB 11.0: SHUFFLE THE DECK
Jason Gregor
February 09 2013 10:54AM
Teemu Hartikainen will get a promotion today when the Oilers take on the Detroit Red Wings, if Ralph Krueger sticks with the lines he used at practice yesterday.
GOOD TEST FOR KRUEGER
Jason Gregor
February 07 2013 01:41PM
Coaches usually are graded on wins and losses. If you win, you're considered a good coach, if you lose more than you win, eventually you get fired. Of course there are other intangibles, but winning at the NHL level is the most important factor. With a young team like the Oilers, Krueger doesn't need to win right away, but he will need to make decisions and evaluations that will lead to more wins in the future.
His first good test will be how he handles Ryan Whitney.
