Monday Mailbag – What’s wrong with the power play?

Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached that magical time of the week when we answer all of the Oilers questions that have been rolling around in your brains over the last week. As always, I’ve taken five of your questions and sent them off to our panel of writers to give you a free dose of their worldly wisdom. Without you guys the Mailbag doesn’t work, and I need questions for next week so if you have something you’d like to ask you can email me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or hit me up on Twitter. Without further adieu, the Mailbag.

They are trying to be too perfect and I think they are a bit stubborn, as Letestu puts it, “Being married to plays, rather than taking what is there.”

I think they went away from what worked last year (Letestu getting inside for good looks and shots, Lucic the screen). Lots coming from the point, lower percentage shots.

When guys go to the net they have to stay there to provide screens and tips for shots from the point and to hack away at rebounds. Can’t be a fly-by. Nothing fancy. There’s plenty more, but I rank that pretty high on the list of issues.

You have to start with the admission that there is less skill to mix around the 2 units than there were a year ago. Even if it’s just Eberle for Strome, it’s a downgrade. Next, Lucic had unreal — never before shown — production last year. It was never likely to continue. After that, it’s crazy complicated but McLellan hasn’t been afraid to make changes before and I think they’ll solve this.

They seem to be overthinking it and are trying to make perfect plays, grooving passes through sticks, trying to pull off no-look dishes, and all that highlight reel stuff to get the perfect chance. Last year they were successful when they moved the puck around quickly, kept it simple, and got a shot from the circle and pushed towards the net.

I feel like momentum hasn’t been on our side. Honestly, it seems like we’re doing everything right on the power play — moving the puck well, getting shots off, etc. We’re just not scoring. Maybe we’re gripping our stick a little too hard but I think it’s just one of those hockey things that when it’s going well things start bouncing in our favour. I’m confident that things will turn around and the team will start to feel more loose and comfortable.

They’re getting a lot of zone time on their power plays but I don’t think they’re getting nearly enough shots through. With Connor, they know that he’s probably not going to shoot so they’re overloading him and it’s causing mayhem. The second PP unit, with Nuge and Draisaitl, has looked pretty good but they haven’t been able to cash anything in yet. I think it will come but they need to shoot a lot more than they have been. Get greasy out there boys.

Scoring wingers aren’t very common. They are hard to find. Any legit, consistent offensive player, regardless of position, is difficult to find.

Edmonton has invested heavily in wingers Leon Draisaitl and Milan Lucic, among other high priced players at other positions. They need ‘value’ wingers who can score now and cost little. Difficult to acquire and or develop.

Teams need a trading partner who has what they want and covets somebody they are willing to give up. How many GMs are actually offering up skilled wingers? Not many. Add in cap considerations and it’s not just as simple as saying, “This guy would fit.”

I don’t want to shock you, but you were lied to. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but they justified downgrading on talent with garbage lines like that and the rubes in the media just repeated it enough that they believed it. It’s not easy to acquire talented players no matter what position they play. When you give them away it is difficult to overcome.

That statement was said a lot but it isn’t accurate. The most difficult thing to do in the NHL is score. Whether you’re a centre, winger, or defenceman and you can score goals, you’re valuable. The Oilers have dealt quite a bit of offensive talent in order to put together a big, lumbering team, and right now it isn’t working. Nobody is handing out players who can score just for fun.

This probably isn’t true at all but I almost think that Chia has lost some cred within the league. After getting fleeced on the Hall and Eberle trades, it’s almost like other GM’s will be a lot tougher on him than other guys. It always seems to happen that when we’re shopping for a D-man or a winger, other teams are making all these deals and we’re left out of it.

I don’t want to talk about this. Every time I talk about it, people tell me that I need to get over these trades or that I complain too much. No comment. You have to enjoy the irony of this whole thing, though, right?

Many factors. Unlucky is one. They’ve had some great chances and can’t finish and then their confidence takes a dip. The third and fourth lines played quite well the past two games, but a lack of finish is killing them.

Some of it is luck for sure. I can’t give you a number but if you recall Tyler Pitlick’s run last season from the fourth line that would be an example (he had a crazy shooting percentage). Some of it is a lack of proven scoring ability, with names like Anton Slepyshev and Drake Caggiula not yet established.

Don’t know for sure. Bottom six forwards aren’t going to produce big numbers at the best of times, so finishing the chances they do manage to generate is important. That’s lacking right now. It’s a thin line between getting nothing and chipping in here or there. Oilers are on the wrong side of that line right now.

Caggiula is the worst 5v5 scorer on the Oilers dating back to last season. Strome is a 30 point guy. Jokinen is cursed. Kassian is more talented than his point totals have ever shown so he’s a bit of a head scratcher. Letestu is a 4C and we shouldn’t be expecting a whole lot even though he has PP potential. It’s just not a great mix. I think Letestu, Kassian, and Jokinen will give more. The others are what you’d expect.

Likely just a lack of execution. Pretty much everyone on the team is generating chances and putting up good shot numbers, but the puck hasn’t bounced the right way. That isn’t uncommon for bottom six players because, well, there are reasons they’re bottom six players.

Dressing room problems! I don’t know though. Could be a chemistry thing with a couple new guys like Jokinen and Strome in there. Almost seems like Kassian has lost some fire that he showed last year. I think once we win a couple in a row and build up the confidence things will turn around for them.

The bottom six came up big against the Devils and I’m really hoping (read: wishing) that it will open the floodgates a little bit. Maybe confidence is an issue right now and having a few goals go in will be enough to get those guys to loosen up a little bit.

I’m not sure a minor transaction will shake things up. It might, but if they add a fourth line winger or a #6 D-man, I don’t see that altering the outcome of many games.

If he could make a small move, like Michael Grabner (who Jason Gregor mentioned a couple of weeks ago) then it might make sense. Otherwise, stay the course.

Teams usually look within to shake things up first, but if that doesn’t work you go outside the organization. You can’t ride things out too long when you’re already 4-8-1 and were expected to not only make the playoffs but contend for the Stanley Cup. There’s a fine line between being proactive and panicking.

I feel more comfortable with Chiarelli waiting things out than trying another trade. He’s done enough to the Oilers, don’t you think?

I would rather he not make a panic move. I’m terrified of the idea of Puljujarvi or the 2018 first being used for a rental in a panic deal.

I would ride it out a little longer… say, 25 games? If we can’t turn it around and we’re hovering around .500 at the 25 game mark, then we should consider shaking things up. Missing the playoffs this year is not an option for Edmonton.

I think he has to ride it out. Trading from a position of weakness probably isn’t the best idea right now. Besides, who would the Oilers have to trade that could realistically help in this scenario? Nuge? DON’T DO IT PETE! Puljujarvi? NO! It’s too early to give up on 19-year-olds.

They are currently 4-8-1, so .500 in my books would be winning half the actual games. I see them five games under .500 now…I say they aren’t back to my version of .500 until at the earliest December 16th, and I won’t be surprised if it takes a bit longer.

Early December? That’s my guess. Somewhere in there.

The answer to that takes a big swing based on the upcoming road trip. If they can go 3-1 they can be .500 before the end of the month. If they go 1-3 then it could take well into December. The third option is they don’t get there at all, but let’s not entertain that one yet.

October 2018.

Christmas at the earliest.

I’m torn because I obviously want them to win, but I REALLY enjoy seeing Dan wearing shorts every day and Baggedmilk eating beets until they get back to .500. But actually, I think we’ll see them back at .500 in the next five games, so by the end of next weekend. 🙂

Gord damn I hope it’s soon. I’ll be eating a can of beets after ever loss until they get back to .500 and I really don’t want to do it. I really need a winning streak.

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