HumanSlinky39

The Oilers are something else with their back to the wall.

Cozens is playing a good game. Wish we got this version of him more frequently.

Cozens shorties makes it 2-0 Sens almost midway through the third

Yep. Sad but true. Anybody hoping for significant changes/upgrades is just going to be disappointed. We're just going to be fed a diet of "youngest team in hockey" again and they'll tout the 12-7-1 finish as "progress." Adams will sign a bottom 6 forward or two and maybe another redundant bottom-pairing defenseman and call it good. Lather, rinse, repeat.

The *****?

His defense on that overtime goal was woeful and all too familiar.

Fair points. I still don't get what Detroit is doing. Yzerman has done a solid job drafting and made a couple nice signings/trades with DeBrincat and Kane, but most of his FA signings have been terrible and his inaction in-season has torpedoed multiple seasons where they could/should have made the playoffs. Apparently 6 years of failure gets you fired anywhere but Detroit and Buffalo. Re: Edmonton - Winning there shouldn't be hard when you have 2 of the best players in the world. He failed to get them a goalie. He handed out some awful contracts that has limited what they've been able to put around McDavid/Draisaitl (guys like Conner Brown/Arvidsson/Henrique/Skinner, Jeff). If he was brought in as a POHO and his power was limited to consulting, fine. I just wouldn't want him having too much influence on roster decisions. He has won, so I guess it wouldn't be a bad thing having him around in a limited role.

I don't know, but I'm not paid to make these decisions. I just know that Holland didn't leave his last two stops in a great position. He wrecked Detroit (not that I mind that), and didn't do enough in EDM and has left them without a goalie and a number of bad contracts.

Pass on Holland. He torpedoed the Red Wings on his way out and they still haven't totally recovered. Couldn't win a cup with McDavid +Draisaitl and handed out numerous bad contracts in EDM (Darnell Nurse? Oofta). Also failed to get them a goalie that's any better than "average." Granted, they got close last year, but close is no cigar.

He's going to be 83 right after the season starts and what did he do on Long Island that would make anybody want him? I would hope if we are GM shopping we could do better. But maybe not.

7 x 7.5 seems right. His upside looks like a ppg or near ppg player who eventually becomes an acceptable defender. I'd say his floor going forward is 20-25 goals and 50-55 points.

I've only been able to watch the Habs/Caps game on Monday. That game was really physical. Can't speak to the others, but I really enjoyed that game. For most of the game, the Caps looked much bigger/stronger than the Habs and it looked like they were gonna boat race them. But the Habs kept fighting and eventually forced OT. I don't like their chances in that series at all, but MTL is a well coached team with a roster that doesn't get rattled and plays well together. They did their rebuild right and should have a bright future.

Yeah. I've been saying (and I don't think I'm alone) that this organization isn't going anywhere until we get a clean sweep of the operations/coaching side. The culture sucks? Well, yeah. They haven't made the playoffs in 14 years and are moving in the wrong direction. The way things sound, if any changes are coming it's going to just be some musical chairs with the current power structure. How does shifting around the people responsible for the culture, the flawed roster, and the pitiful coaching change anything? The organization needs an enema, and it sounds like they're just preparing to pop some Pepto. No sweeping changes = a 15th year of no playoffs and each year you spin your wheels, you're shortening the runway for this current core (and it's a talented core, it just needs some help) to win anything.

This business side will suck as long as the on ice product sucks. Good luck, Jake.