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Oilers Need To Think Faster |
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The Flames clearly outworked the Oilers in every facet of the game on Sunday and not only looked like the better team, but the faster team. I saw plenty of comments (and gave my own) about how the Oilers older veteran team certainly looked a step behind for almost the entire game. There is a speed issue on this roster, particularly in the bottom six but rewatching parts of that game, it's clear there is a bigger, but hopefully fixable issue. The Oilers simply are not thinking the game fast enough right now.
Watching the Flames, they were moving the puck effortlessly between players, not because of a speed discrepancy, but because they were making choices faster. Too often this season we have seen McDavid take that extra couple seconds to make a pass, or Bouchard take an extra second to get his shot off... the Oilers are not executing quick enough and that is absolutely something that can be improved and has nothing to do with straight foot speed.
Tonight the Oilers have one last chance to salvage a dismal start to the season on a 4 game homestand against a Flyers team that is coached by a man who clearly understands work ethic. The Flyers have some talented young pieces but they are not a good team yet but they will not be outworked by anyone. For an Oilers team that has slept walked through their first three games this once again has the potential to get ugly.
We are three games in and already the line juggling is coming out.
Draisaitl-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-RNH-Arvidsson
Skinner-Henrique-Brown
Janmark-Ryan-Perry
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Stecher
Kulak-Emberson
Skinner
Emberson draws back in and Stecher is the most recent player to get cycled onto the Darnell Nurse pairing. Edmonton needs a top 4 right shot defender; we know that and we have known that for a long time.
The thing that boggles my mind is hearing people talk about how it is these players that is bringing down Darnell Nurse's game. Nurse has not played like a top 4 defender for at least the past 2 seasons. Words like "work horse" and "plays in all situations" are thrown around with Nurse but seldom do I see any writer talk about the good things that Nurse is actually doing. While he can log a ton of minutes and not look gassed it is his decisions with and away from the puck that are the issue.
Whether it is Adam Larsson or Kris Russel or Cody Ceci or Troy Stecher; whatever pairing Nurse has been on has bled goals. This is a guy wearing a letter for the Oilers and right now is being asked to anchor a pairing. Somehow this player needs to find an area of the game to excel at and stop being such a massive liability.
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Aside from the new Nurse pairing, we are four games in and Draisaitl and McDavid are starting a game playing together. Knoblauch needs to get these guys going as both players have struggled through the opening few games but for once I would like to see a coach get these players going in any other way. The whole reason Skinner and Arvidsson were brought in was so that McDavid and Draisaitl could both excel with legitimate top six wingers. Instead we once again are hoping these two can fix everything and hope RNH, who really doesn't play centre anymore can maybe get something going on another line.
A win tonight helps to stave off the bleeding and refocus the team as they go on their first road trip of the season. Another loss and.... well I'm sure we will find fun ways to discuss that too.
Thanks for reading.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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