WWYDW: Defence or Goaltending?
By baggedmilk
8 years ago
Peter Chiarelli’s to do list in his first summer as the Oilers’ General Manager a long one. This team has about as many holes as it does legitimate assets. For every Taylor Hall we have there is a a #1 d-man/starting goalie sized hole to balance things out. This is a problem. Which is the bigger problem? That’s what I need you to tell me.
Depending which side of the fence you’re on you may think that one position is more important than the other (at least that’s what I’m banking on for this article). It’s no secret that the Oilers desperately need upgrades on the backend and in net, but I’m wondering which you think is more important? Is one more important than the other? If you had to choose a route, which would you start on first?
If you improve the defence first, you could argue that the goaltender would have an easier time keeping the puck out of the net. If you go out and get a new goaltender you could argue that it makes life easier on the defence. I guess the question is whether you’ll go for the chicken or the egg in this theoretical scenario?
THE OPTIONS…
As we all know, last year was a disaster. That’s why I need you to tell me how we’re going to solve this goaltending/defence Sophie’s choice. Just how bad did things get in the 2014-15 season? Let me refresh your memory.
Defence:
- -85 goal differential
- Combined -114 to end the season (defence left on roster at the end of the season)
Goaltending:
- Save% – .892
- GAA – 3.29 (Scrivens & Fasth)
To say that we need improvement in these areas would be like telling Jimmy Page that he’s pretty good at playing guitar…
PICK YOUR POISON
Once you’ve decided which way you’ll go – defence or goaltending – I also want you to let me know what your solutions are. If you’re thinking defence, who are you chasing after? Are you going after cap crunched teams, and hoping to find your solution there?
If you think goaltending is most important who are you going to land us to solve the problems we’ve had in net? Would you go out and bid high on the best UFA goaltender available, or would you look at trading for someone that may need a change of scenery? Who are these mystery men and why should we believe that they will lead us out of the basement?
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