Top-Oilers' Insider blasts fans and media for team's misusage of bottom-six
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
While hosting a recent episode of The Jason Gregor Show, the analyst was in fine-form as he ripped into anyone that suggested Edmonton's depth players aren't being given the chance to play.
Mangiapane compared to Corey Perry
Do you know how may minutes Andrew Mangiapane has played this year with McDavid and Draisaitl 5v5? Two-hundred and forty. And the season isn't even three-quarters old, so he's on pace to play way more.
Guess what, I thought that should give him the confidence to score. It hasn't, has it? Cause he hasn't played as well. He's not doing the things Corey Perry did. Corey Perry scored on whichever line he was on.
- Jason Gregor
Guess what, I thought that should give him the confidence to score. It hasn't, has it? Cause he hasn't played as well. He's not doing the things Corey Perry did. Corey Perry scored on whichever line he was on.
- Jason Gregor
To illustrate his point, Gregor analyzed forwards who've played at least 19 games on WC teams that have at least 60 points.
Of these teams - Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Utah, Vegas, Seattle, Anaheim, LA Kings - Edmonton was last in total points recorded by their bottom-six players, in some cases with comparable TOI.
Oilers' top-six, however, outscored all of these teams, except for Colorado, 125 goals to the Avalanche's 129.
Whether you agree with Gregor or not, the bottom-six lack of production for Edmonton speaks for itself.
As with Derek Ryan last week, many suggest it's a result of Kris Knoblauch not playing his depth-players enough, about which Gregor disagrees, claiming Edmonton's ice-time compares with other teams; they're just not producing.
"To me it's the most bogus argument going in Edmonton right now," Gregor said. "They've (Edmonton) got 11 players, forwards, averaging 12 minutes a game. There's no one else in the West who has that many guys (playing that many minutes)."
Of course, statistics can be skewed and presented to support any argument, so take the above numbers with a grain of salt.
The eye test and actual results are the most indicative of a player's performance, which to me say the bottom-six, though also not good enough in their current form, are being mismanaged.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch has 24 games to figure it out.
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