As the Edmonton Oilers entered a do-or-die Game 6 in the second round of the NHL playoffs, some discussion had started to come up regarding the moves GM Ken Holland made at the deadline to bolster the team for the upcoming playoff run.
We decided to ask the Oil Country faithful their thoughts, specifically whether their opinion on the deadline deals had changed as the playoffs have gone on.
Bad before, still bad
With a very nice lead at 69.3%, the majority holds the view that the deadline did not spark joy at the time, and continues to disappoint.
This is pretty much in line with the Sunday Census we conducted immediately after the Trade Deadline for people saying the Oilers should have done more, although it appears almost 7.6% of you have retconned your initial opinion (that’s right, we kept receipts). Granted, a further 18.3% said they were disappointed overall, so not quite sure how to rectify that disparity.
This definitely tracks, as lots of other big names were moved that day that seemingly would have fit in with the Oilers and that the Oilers had the ability to match the offers made. Every time one of those deals occurred, the chorus of “Why couldn’t the Oilers do that?” and “Oh man, X team is making good moves,” could be heard all across the land, be it on Twitter/X or in your local group chat(s).
If you didn’t like the moves back then, it makes sense that nothing will have happened to change your mind. The big get, Adam Henrique, posted just six goals and nine points in his 22 regular season games (although that is a 22 goal pace still), and just a goal and an assist in six playoff games, both of which came in the very first game of the playoffs. It has to be taken into consideration that Henrique has been injured and so that is the reason he is not playing (although based on some tweets I’ve seen, Holland should have foreseen that the injury would have happened and not traded for him).
The other player who came with Henrique was Sam Carrick. After having a pretty decent regular season with the team (two goals and five points in 16 games from the fourth line), Carrick has played just four playoff games with one assist, coming out after Game 3 against the Los Angeles Kings and not returning to the lineup until last night’s Game 6 win (interestingly, the Oilers have scored 22 goals and gone 3–1 in the 4 games he’s played, versus scoring 21 goals and going 4–3 in the seven without him. Make do with that information what you will).
Finally, Troy Stecher, the last piece added, only played seven regular season games and has yet to suit up in the playoffs. Granted, this isn’t necessarily surprising, as he was added as a depth insurance add on the back end. Although I think quite a few fans have been clamouring for him to come into the lineup to replace the struggling Cody Ceci, in which case, maybe it was a good trade but the Oilers aren’t making use of it.
If Henrique had not been injured and continued to be on McDavid’s wing, perhaps people would be looking at the deadline in a bit of better light going into Game 7, but he isn’t and wasn’t necessarily a difference maker in his own right when he was playing, so it isn’t surprising that people aren’t pleased.
Good before, worse now
In second place with 18.2% of the vote are people who thought the deadline deals were good at first, but, given the current status as outlined above, are feeling a bit of buyer’s (or lack of buyer’s?) remorse.
This is again in line with our previous poll, although we have now found 1% of you that jumped ship to the first category.
I will admit that I had high expectations for Henrique. Those expectations looked like they were going to be met in Game 1 of the playoffs, but have since fallen flat. I still think that if Henrique was healthy and in the lineup, he would be contributing in one way or another, so the deadline could still be looked at as salvageable. But alas, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts.
Good before, still good
In third place with a surprising 12.5% are people who both liked the deals then and still do now.
Perhaps they are taking into consideration the Henrique injury, the fact that Carrick seems to have some kind of goal scoring voodoo from the bench and that Stecher could be playing in Ceci’s place.
Maybe they are just the uber-positive fans who are doing everything in their power to maintain the good vibes, in contrast with a vast amount of Oilers fans seem to hit the “it’s so over” button after every shot against (who, to give them credit, do smash the “we are so back” button after every goal for).
It is interesting that there were 11 people who voted for this option, and approximately that number of people in the Oilers’ front office who potentially had a hand/say in the deadline deals…
That’s probably not correct though, as it seems very unlikely they would be reading our posts, let alone voting in our polls.
On a completely unrelated note, I want to say that I think that the Oilers’ management is one of, if not THE, best in the NHL and that their deadline moves were indeed inspired. The only thing they are missing is a former Oilers blogger who could definitely help round out this already amazing group of people (how does one attach a resume on a blog post? Asking for a friend).
Bad before, good now
Literally not a single vote for this category, which makes plenty of sense, given everything written above. But you’d think there would be at least one troll out there picking it. I’m kind of disappointed to be honest. Be better Oilers fans.
