Post-Game Talk: 7 Goals, 0 Drai Points = Me So Sad

Guessing Brown is a placeholder for Frederic when hes back on the second line.

Kapanen is probably a placeholder for Brown.
I love Perry but they can't go into the playoffs with him in the top 6, playoff speed is going to overwhelm him in a tough minutes role. Hopefully Kane is back by then but it's also quite possible that Kane is done as a top 6 player so not sure who they plug into that spot. They'll probably keep the Pod-RNH-Arvidsson line together if it keeps clicking so that leaves a big gap on Drai's LW once Frederic likely slides to his RW. I know who would look good there right about now, the name sounds something like Chillin', but I digress haha.
 
I love Perry but they can't go into the playoffs with him in the top 6, playoff speed is going to overwhelm him in a tough minutes role. Hopefully Kane is back by then but it's also quite possible that Kane is done as a top 6 player so not sure who they plug into that spot. They'll probably keep the Pod-RNH-Arvidsson line together if it keeps clicking so that leaves a big gap on Drai's LW once Frederic likely slides to his RW. I know who would look good there right about now, the name sounds something like Chillin', but I digress haha.

Yeah I don’t know what they will do once playoffs start. Kane is a wildcard. He could look good or bad. I think even if hes meh, he will still have more impact than 3-4 current forwards. Fairly low bar. I think Kane will be motivated with a year left on his deal to make some noise.

Not sure where they put him though. I think if they keep the pod-rnh-arv line together, Kane will be in the top 6.

I wouldn’t be surprised though if JSkinner is the placeholder for Kane. Hes going to have to break out down the stretch there if he wants to stay there. Knoblauch probably can’t wait to take him off.

Agree that Perry shouldn’t be on second line. So Kane and Frederic might stay there especially if JS sticks on the first line.

They really could of used another top 6 winger at the deadline or you know the obvious.

I think KK probably wants to play janmark-Henrique-Brown on fourth line. Probably looking for that last year magic. I doubt it’s coming through. None of them have been great this year and I don’t think Henrique has the wheels to play C. He’s probably fine as 4C though.

I still don’t really understand why they didn’t pick up a 4C to have the option to use Henrique as a winger up the lineup. Seemed like a pretty easy and obvious move to me.
 
More canadian teams mean crappier playoffs coverage and bad start timings.

Do we have any STL picks left or did we spend them all? Them missing the playoffs would give us better picks. Also, I don't want Holloway making the playoffs.

Whoever makes it hopefully knocks out the Jets for us.

Also, no thanks to cheering for Nucks or Flames to make the playoffs.
I'm on the different boat. I don't want DAL/AVS to have an easy second round so I am hoping the Jets win their first round.
 
Yeah I don’t know what they will do once playoffs start. Kane is a wildcard. He could look good or bad. I think even if hes meh, he will still have more impact than 3-4 current forwards. Fairly low bar. I think Kane will be motivated with a year left on his deal to make some noise.

Not sure where they put him though. I think if they keep the pod-rnh-arv line together, Kane will be in the top 6.

I wouldn’t be surprised though if JSkinner is the placeholder for Kane. Hes going to have to break out down the stretch there if he wants to stay there. Knoblauch probably can’t wait to take him off.

Agree that Perry shouldn’t be on second line. So Kane and Frederic might stay there especially if JS sticks on the first line.

They really could of used another top 6 winger at the deadline or you know the obvious.

I think KK probably wants to play janmark-Henrique-Brown on fourth line. Probably looking for that last year magic. I doubt it’s coming through. None of them have been great this year and I don’t think Henrique has the wheels to play C. He’s probably fine as 4C though.

I still don’t really understand why they didn’t pick up a 4C to have the option to use Henrique as a winger up the lineup. Seemed like a pretty easy and obvious move to me.
I guess the question becomes what kind of 4c was available for a decent price that would actually displace someone else from the lineup.

Essentially was there someone that was going to displace Perry, Brown or Janmark from the lineup to allow Henrique on the wing?
 
I guess the question becomes what kind of 4c was available for a decent price that would actually displace someone else from the lineup.

Essentially was there someone that was going to displace Perry, Brown or Janmark from the lineup to allow Henrique on the wing?

Well also if RNH or Henrique get injured, then I guess Janmark, Kapanen or Ryan are playing C? Woof
 
Well also if RNH or Henrique get injured, then I guess Janmark, Kapanen or Ryan are playing C? Woof
Sure, but that's the what if game.

I'm not 100% convinced that who we would've brought in would've been all that special

At the end of the day have our 4 guys that we do down the center is tops in the league. Only so much money and assets to go around.
 
It's also worth mentioning that on Monday the talk was Frederic was probably starting at center.

So there is another option at the center position
 
It's also worth mentioning that on Monday the talk was Frederic was probably starting at center.

So there is another option at the center position

Yeah but they need another winger bad. I think either RNH or Frederic need to play 3C. And at this point I would leave RNH and Arviddson together because they seem to get more from each other than with other teammates.
 
I love Perry but they can't go into the playoffs with him in the top 6, playoff speed is going to overwhelm him in a tough minutes role. Hopefully Kane is back by then but it's also quite possible that Kane is done as a top 6 player so not sure who they plug into that spot. They'll probably keep the Pod-RNH-Arvidsson line together if it keeps clicking so that leaves a big gap on Drai's LW once Frederic likely slides to his RW. I know who would look good there right about now, the name sounds something like Chillin', but I digress haha.
Yes, that’s a concern in an extended run. You have to hope that Kane, being refreshed and healthy, can step in and be a step up. As many on here have said, the team is much better when players (forward or defence) are slotted in their proper slots. It’s no different for Worm.

If not, the blender will be working hard.
 
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Sure, but that's the what if game.

I'm not 100% convinced that who we would've brought in would've been all that special

At the end of the day have our 4 guys that we do down the center is tops in the league. Only so much money and assets to go around.

You’re not wrong.

At the end of day its not that big of a deal. But I think it annoys me when they literally could of addressed it in the offseason with a 4C at minimum for free. Thinking Ryan was going to be the 4C was foolish. Its one of the easiest holes to fill and they didn’t even try. And then don’t fill it at the trade deadline when it was obvious in the offseason. Team has bigger problems, just annoys me when they can’t address the easy ones.
 
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On the McD goal he gets all the credit but that breakout pass from Ekholm to his partner Booch who perfectly one touches the puck to McD at the exact moment in time is some next level madness. The elite skill from all 3 required for this play to even occur. But People look at that play and see all McD. They were all in on it. You spill that goal on a club and they're thinking that isn't even fair. Wave the white flag.
Agreed. Honestly we aren't talking about that goal enough. That was 200 IQ, 4-D chess hockey on display there. For most organizations that would be their goal of the year and on the short list for best goal in franchise history. For the Oilers it's a Tuesday in March lol.

The entire play could and should be studied. One of the more amazing goals you will ever see. They make it look easy as hell but the entire goal is literally the highest skill and smarts you will ever see in this game. I am still shooketh watching it, just shaking my head how damn impressive it was.
 
Yeah I don’t know what they will do once playoffs start. Kane is a wildcard. He could look good or bad. I think even if hes meh, he will still have more impact than 3-4 current forwards. Fairly low bar. I think Kane will be motivated with a year left on his deal to make some noise.

Not sure where they put him though. I think if they keep the pod-rnh-arv line together, Kane will be in the top 6.

I wouldn’t be surprised though if JSkinner is the placeholder for Kane. Hes going to have to break out down the stretch there if he wants to stay there. Knoblauch probably can’t wait to take him off.

Agree that Perry shouldn’t be on second line. So Kane and Frederic might stay there especially if JS sticks on the first line.

They really could of used another top 6 winger at the deadline or you know the obvious.

I think KK probably wants to play janmark-Henrique-Brown on fourth line. Probably looking for that last year magic. I doubt it’s coming through. None of them have been great this year and I don’t think Henrique has the wheels to play C. He’s probably fine as 4C though.

I still don’t really understand why they didn’t pick up a 4C to have the option to use Henrique as a winger up the lineup. Seemed like a pretty easy and obvious move to me.
4C is a pretty irrelevant position on a team like this that is top heavy or in this case with RNH centering the 3rd line, top 9 heavy, so the 4th line isn't getting much burn. They could deploy the 3rd line from last years' playoffs as the 4th line in this playoffs and the Oilers will be fine. The major, glaring, hole is on one of Drai's wings or maybe both but need at least one. Even Frederic, as much as I like the player, is not a true 6 winger. They do have a guy in Arvidsson who is usually a true top 6 winger but he seems better suited for the softer minutes 3rd line role at this point so Drai is going to do A LOT of heavy lifting on that 2nd line but he's been doing that his whole career as a center so nothing new for him.
 
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4C is a pretty irrelevant position on a team like this that is top heavy or in this case with RNH centering the 3rd line, top 9 heavy, so the 4th line isn't getting much burn. They could deploy the 3rd line from last years' playoffs as the 4th line in this playoffs and the Oilers will be fine. The major, glaring, hole is on one of Drai's wings or maybe both but need at least one. Even Frederic, as much as I like the player, is not a true 6 winger. They do have a guy in Arvidsson who is usually a true top 6 winger but he seems better suited for the softer minutes 3rd line role at this point so Drai is going to do A LOT of heavy lifting on that 2nd line but he's been doing that his whole career as a center so nothing new for him.
Top 12 heavy with Frederic and Kane in the lineup
 
Top 12 heavy with Frederic and Kane in the lineup
The Oilers will have 13 legit forwards if Kane returns to form, one of Janmark, Brown or Perry will be rotating out (14 if you include Kapanen) but I have a feeling that Kane won't be back or he'll be an extreme shell of his former self. The guy had surgeries on like 4 different body parts at 33 years old and just started skating (apparently) about a month ago so it would be a miracle if he's able to perform at an acceptable playoff level in about a month but if he is, that's a huge boon for this lineup.
 
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The Oilers will have 13 legit forwards if Kane returns to form, one of Janmark, Brown or Perry will be rotating out, but I have a feeling that Kane won't be back or he'll be an extreme shell of his former self. The guy had surgeries on like 4 different body parts at 33 years old and just started skating (apparently) about a month ago so it would be a miracle if he's able to perform at an acceptable playoff level in about a month but if he is, that's a huge boon for this lineup.
I'm not sure which version of Kane we will be getting but I still believe he will have an impact on the Oilers. The Oilers just play so much better with physical presence in the lineup.
 
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