Post-Game Talk: A successful season?

[CycloneSweep]

Gudbranson would be the RHD that I would take. Bottom pairing. Tough as nails. BOTTOM PAIRING ONLY.

Sure but we already have a bottom pairing guy in Bouchard for that side. We desperately need a good right shot top pairing d so Ceci and Bouchard can play down the lineup. I loved Ceci this year, but he isn’t a top pairing d

 

[Mr Positive]

Can we get Husso?

Forgive my ignorance if it’s being discussed already.

Imo a good option. His ask probably fell during the playoffs. Maybe a Dreidger deal. Kind of a show-me bridge deal

 

[Sra1974]

If you didn't have a contract for next season and didn't really have anyone better to play, what would you do? This man turned around a sinking ship and brought us to the playoffs. In half a f*cking season. There are lots if things to complain about, but having woodcroft as a coach isn't one of them.

Yup, this. I think he made some mistakes but in the end when you are looking at your roster and you have to choose two of Malone, Holloway, Archibald and Shore and between Smith and Koskinen, well good luck.

 

[LTIR]

Zadorov would be a good add if we can LTIR Keith.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Both had a solid playoffs. Counted maybe one or two mistakes by Barrie all playoffs long. He wasn’t the issue.

No. I still think we need to move Barrie out to get a legit right shot top 3 d to play with Nurse but I wouldn’t want to just swap him for a meh bottom pairing guy

 

[Drivesaitl]

This isn't what we're looking for but a bright silver lining to consider;

Most Points In A Single Postseason By A Player NHL | StatMuse

Wayne Gretzky has collected the most points in a single NHL playoff run, with 47 points in 1984-85.

www.statmuse.com

Leon and Connor, in only 3 series, and a short 3rd series are among all time playoff pt producers. They were on pace to shatter the all time record. pretty amazing. No slouch, Kane had 13 playoff goals in only 15 games. Also amazing.

Only 11 NHL players in playoff history produced more pts in a playoffs season as Connor McDavid did in 15GP. Just remarkable.

Its sad that Connor didn't get a chance to eviscerate the Playoff record book this post season.

 

[gordonhught]

I agree , I liked woodcroft, he did an incredible job to save the season but IMO completely washed that away om the avs series. With some real heavy hitters available on the coaches list right now it will be interesting to see what happens

Disagree. This is Woody’s job. His roster was half dead this series. Oilers were in 3/4 games with missing or injured players aplenty.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Can we get Husso?

Forgive my ignorance if it’s being discussed already.

Pleaaaaaase!!!

 

[onetweasy]

Hilarious and so on brand that the first target for some people is the coach.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I do wonder about the off-season. Usually gms will tweak the roster to a coaches liking so I wonder what kind of guys Woodcroft would want brought in

 

[gordonhught]

I can picture this, but thank god I can't smell it.

NO shit through mouth.

I can cauterize the asshole taste buds.

 

[TheNumber4]

No. I still think we need to move Barrie out to get a legit right shot top 3 d to play with Nurse but I wouldn’t want to just swap him for a meh bottom pairing guy

The off season game plan always made more sense retaining Lars and walking from Barrie. The team needed more steady D instead of puck movement at various points in the year. Still though, you can’t just want a too 3D and expect that’s realistic. Those players rarely get free by whoever has them.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Hilarious and so on brand that the first target for some people is the coach.

Did he make some mistakes? Absolutely.
Did he turn a round a team that looked destined to draft high? Yes
Did he have a chance to properly implement his systems and have a summer of planning and roster building? Nope.
He deserves a look.

 

[Mr Positive]

Zadorov would be a good add if we can LTIR Keith.

Imo we could do that thing Washington did. Get Arizona to buy Keith out and then sign him

 

[OilersaretheMcBest]

Proud of this team and the boys. What a season what a ride. Love this team

 

[Keggatron]

Mike smith is bad

If we had just even average goaltending it would have been closer than it ended up being

Team has to score 5 goals to a night to win

We did that twice this series and lost both games.

In all seriousness, I was happy just getting to play Calgary. But when we beat them as badly as we did, I wanted more, and this series was a complete failure. We literally didn't start playing in this series until a minute or two before we scored the first one tonight. That's what hitting can do against a skilled club like the Avs. Their small bitchy D started turning pucks over scared to get hit. We do this all series and we're probably tied up right now. Sucks we didn't start playing the body until so late in this, especially seeing the complete turn around of the series when we started doing that against the Flames in game 2.

I seriously f***ing hate that team, they outplayed us sure, but at every moment in this series as soon as we got a bit of momentum, the refs took the whistles out and knocked that off right away. I mean look at the f***ing Ryan penalty. Two guys running interference on our guy trying to skate into the corner to get the puck and we somehow come away with a penalty in a tied f***ing elimination game with 6 minutes left. Absolutely unacceptable. First penalty fine, sure it happens 30 times a game but whatever. How about you call that the same way for the rest of the game? Mackinnon should be suspended for that f***ing disgusting knee and of course scores coming out of the box. And let's top it off with a high stick goal and have it stand just for good measure. Jesus I hope that team gets the doors blown off them in the finals. I'm sure there are some that hate people who whine about the refs, but I don't really care. I've been watching this bullshit happen for as long as I can remember and when reffing consistently goes one way for years, there's definitely more to it than the law of averages. We have Connor and Drai on our f***ing team and we still manage 19th in PP opps? Get the f*** out of here. It's such a f***ing disgrace and beyond frustrating. It's why I wanted Calgary, at least I knew the reffing would be somewhat fair because we're playing another Canadian team that the league could give a shit about winning. And we got by far the better shake in that series, big surprise.

Why the f*** is Smith still in after the 3rd, 4th or even 5th goal tonight? Like holy shit. He definitely shouldn't have started after the shit he's let in this series. That backbreaker third he gave up in game 3 is enough to tell the coach that he doesn't have the fire to win this and something should be changed.

But I mean, WCF I guess is a solid finish and had I been told back in February we'd lose here I'd have considered it a great success. But like f*** it sure doesn't feel that way tonight.

 

[Patch101]

Can we get Husso?

Forgive my ignorance if it’s being discussed already.

Please no. 27 years old, with One good season (bad playoffs)
No....

 

[gordonhught]

I do wonder about the off-season. Usually gms will tweak the roster to a coaches liking so I wonder what kind of guys Woodcroft would want brought in

I think Woodcroft likes tough vets. Expect some of that.

Or not. What do I know.

 

[Wreckus]

So my early thoughts for next year

Out

Kassian
Smith
Barrie
Puljujarvi

Due to cap issues, I think Kassian and Barrie will be on top of the trade list for Holland. Smith, I think it's best that he hangs them up as I doubt we will have a trade partner to trade him. Puljujarvi, not sure honestly. I think it depends what he wants to do and how much. Possible he may want to go back to Europe after this playoff run.

 

[Shizuka]

So my early thoughts for next year

Out

Kassian
Smith
Barrie
Puljujarvi

Probably need a separate thread for the offseason stuff, but I'd agree with all those. It's entirely contingent on what happens with Kane but I'd say he's a goner. He needs the $ for his creditors and the big numbers won't be coming from us unless they end up gutting the roster or moving some other piece in a lateral move.

Kuzmenko the Russian was being sweet talked by his agent, whom I think represents another Oiler or two. Not sure where that will go but you could potentially find some scoring from him if he is still interested. I'd add re-signing Kulak, whom I think has shown well enough to warrant time as a really safe bottom pairing partner to either Broberg or Niemelainen (the latter of whom I really like).

Finding a starter is the huge issue. A shooter tutor provides more reliability than the two mercurial headcases currently (though one is gone back to Europe allegedly).

 

[larek]

He is a bottom pairing left shot d

He's a 2nd pairing who big strong skated pretty well for his size - plays stronger than Nurse- and can surprise with his offensive play

 

[Sea Eagles]

AVS fan coming in peace,

You guys are BRUTAL to play against. By FAR the toughest opponent yet. Not close, FAR better than anyone we've faced. Y'all a crumb away from a Stanley Cup, that's for certain. Hope y'all hang tough - your times just around the corner.

Appreciate some of y'all spending time in our GDT's, and being good sports.

Cheers guys PS. You had a GREAT season, as much as it stings right now.

 

[TheNumber4]

Bednar and Cooper are two guys that Won everything they could before making the NHL. AHL Calder Cups we’re lifted, then they were ready for the show. I liked what Woody did all year, but in the offseason I stated we should be looking for a guys who dominated the AHL not did pretty good in the AHL. I hope we didn’t prematurely hitch our wagon to him out of necessity.

 

[gordonhught]

So my early thoughts for next year

Out

Kassian
Smith
Barrie
Puljujarvi

Add Foegele. Can’t pay that much for a fourth liner.

 

[McHelpus]

In fairness a spectacular play by Lehkonen, who is no stranger to making those kinds of monumental game and series winning plays around the net. Was a perfect deflection, and then potting the rebound. We never get a goal like that from the punters we've brought in. Lehkonen is quality, thats the difference. I mentioned before Helm was also valuable all series, and there he was late in game OWNING Connor McDavid on the boards, getting to the net, and almost getting the winning goal. We just don't have the bottom players that Holland has brought in making those kind of plays. Target the right help and maybe we do. Colorado got better. Other than Kane rental we didn't.

Sucks we weren't in a position during the trade deadline to go all in. If they started playing more consistent just a little bit earlier we could have made more moves.