Monday Mailbag – How much leash for McLellan and Chiarelli?

Another Monday is upon us, the Oilers have had another tough week, and that means it’s time to get down to business and solve all of the world’s problems in this here mailbag. Well, either that or argue with us depending on whether or not you agree with the answers held within this here mailbag. If you’d like to join in the fun and ask a question, email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or hit me up on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk. Now sit back, relax, and waste as much company time as possible. Have a good week, everybody.

They haven’t been able to find consistency. Those two games were at the complete opposite ends of spectrum and illustrated their main issue this year: consistently inconsistent.

Too many aspects of their game out of sync right now. Difficult to be consistent when the list of issues is so long. They get goaltending, they can’t score. They score, the goaltending isn’t good. Etc.

Flu probably had a lot to do with it and it’s important to remember we are dealing with young players at important positions. Prospects and young NHL players don’t develop in a straight line.

I wonder how much that flu has ravaged the team. When you hear about McDavid losing 10 pounds it’s kind of shocking. Yet at the same time, we don’t like to use illness as an excuse. But how many others are in McDavid’s shoes? The level of illness affecting the team is going to drastically change their effectiveness game to game. Maybe that’s your answer.

St. Louis is good and Detroit… isn’t. I think that’s what that example largely comes down to. But it’s odd seeing them play well against Detroit and then laying an egg against the Sabres only to really outclass Boston. I think the flu has played a big part because the top players, who are already struggling with compensating for a lack of depth, are grinding through not playing at 100 per cent themselves.

I’m with ya, buddy. It’s really annoying and hard to watch. I think the Detroit game was a special circumstance because all eyes were on them and they KNEW they had to come out hot. But this has been a problem throughout the whole season so far. Consistency is key and that’s a big reason why our record is the way it is.

Great question. The real answer is, “Who the hell knows?” This team can look drastically different from game to game and it really is wild to watch. They need to find a way to play consistently but time is running out now.

He looks more comfortable. He is skating better and has looked fine for me. He is better at finding the open ice to get his shot off, and he is getting it off quicker.

He’ll need more time to adjust to the size and speed of NHL opponents. You can see instincts and talent, but this is a whole other level for him.

He started well and then faded a little but the goal against Detroit might spike his confidence. I’m not one who puts a lot on that aspect of the game but do believe young players can flag when they’ve lost confidence.

I like JP best when he’s forechecking really aggressively. Also his shot looks deadly. I’m a fan of what I’ve seen, to the point where I would like to see him on the power play. He was scratched against the Bruins, which is not a decision I really support. Send him back out there.

He’s looked confident out there. Its noticeable especially with the one-time goal he scored against the Red Wings. A nervous rookie wouldn’t attempt something like that but he did and executed. He’s playing big and fast, as he should based on his size and skillset. I don’t know why he was scratched against Boston and hope to see him on McDavid’s wing at some point soon.

I think he’s been doing well. The pressure is off of him a little bit because the team as a whole has problems to work out so the media isn’t just as focussed on him, which I think is great. Hopefully, he continues to build some confidence and he can grab a permanent spot on this team.

I think he’s looked pretty good, actually. I wish they would give him a chance on the power play as a shooter on the boards but who knows if that’ll ever happen. I guess I just appreciate his willingness to fire the puck, and both of those goals that he’s scored have been a result of that.

I have it as a six. I still believe they are better than they have played, but it is only a six because the fact is they need to win 36 of final 60 games to make it. Not an easy task, but doable for sure.

Right now it’s about three at best. They need work in so many areas and they’re playing a chase game in the standings now. If there’s a silver lining it might be that 90 points get you in this season. Even with that, it’s a tough ask.

I’ll say a 6.5-7, somewhere in there. It’s based on Edmonton’s ability to close ground in December and January and on an active trade deadline. I think Peter Chiarelli will be aggressive at the deadline, possibly before.

I rate their odds at a two on your scale. The only reason it’s not a one is that so many games remain against Western opponents. Teams in Edmonton’s position this late in the year just don’t make the playoffs. They would need a six or seven game winning streak just to get in the race.

A two or three. They have a lot of games against team they’re trying to catch, but as do the teams they’re trying to catch, unfortunately. It’ll be hard to make up points on Minnesota, Chicago, Dallas, and other pretty good teams who are currently ahead of them and on the outside looking in. The only truly questionable teams in the playoffs are… uhhh… Vegas? Otherwise it’s a big mess of decent teams to hop.

Ugh…like a five? I do honestly believe that they will pick it up and become hot fire in the last half of the season but losing so many games so early will be devastating. I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a solid playoff run and come up short. HOPE that’s not the case though.

Ah man, I don’t want to do this. Like… what is realistic at this point? A four? Five on a good day? No matter what, the number is probably getting smaller by the day.

He has stayed down too long at times. I think he is thinking too much and not reacting. I still expect him to find the consistency he has had for the majority of his career.

Bad defensive play. Breakdowns. Too many Grade A chances. He’s also allowed too many soft goals.

I’m not sure, to be honest. Goalies get in zones just like all players do and when they’re out of sync, slumps occur. The problem is poor goaltending gets noticed way more when things go awry.

I’m not a goalie guru (or any kind of guru), so I don’t have anything in depth for you. He’s got one year old twins at home and I would lose focus too if I were in his shoes.

I don’t think the defence has made life easy on him, but this could be an issue of fatigue from playing in almost every game last year. I don’t know, goalies are so weird.

Saving the puck? I think it’s a combination of the team doing poorly and media attention being pinned on them. I don’t believe it has anything to do with a ‘style change’ or anything like that. It’s the same reason the rest of the team is playing poorly as well.

I’ve noticed that he’s going down early and he’s staying down for a long time. There are goals that are flying over his shoulders that he would have stopped last year because it seemed as though he was more patient. He needs to get his confidence back, because I think he’s much better than his numbers this year. Needs to find that groove again.

The Oilers would have to continue to flounder for them to be in any real danger. McLellan was coach last year when they had 103 points and won a playoff round. I don’t think 22 games means he is suddenly a bad coach. But if they finish bottom five then he and the GM would be re-evaluated in the summer.

Like it or not, there’s more for Chiarelli than McLellan. The coach always goes first if changes are made. Before either one of them go, you’ll see a trade or two.

Suspect they have full leash, to be honest. These men aren’t new to the business or their jobs. If ownership doesn’t trust them, they should fire both. I don’t believe that to be the case.

While I don’t always agree with McLellan on choices (like Caggiula’s usage), I think he has a lot less blame to carry around for this season than Chia. So I’m hoping TM has more rope than PC. If I’m Bob Nicholson, I’m making calls about the availability of some other executives around the league on the hush hush.

I think this is more of a Chiarelli problem than a McLellan problem. That said, McLellan will be the first to go in the event somebody is made scapegoat.

The rumours that I hear is that Todd is on a shorter leash than Pete right now. This is not right and should be reversed. I have a feeling that if the Oilers continue to play consistently .500, both McLellan’s and Chia’s jobs are safe (maybe until the offseason). It will only be if the team struggles to win a single game (which hasn’t happened yet) that Todd’s job will be on the line unfortunately.

You know how this works. Coaches always get fired before the guy that built the flawed roster. Here’s my sad but likely prediction: McLellan gets fired, Nuge gets traded for beans and a turd, and Chiarelli sneaks through because he sells people on now knowing why things went wrong.

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