Post-Game Talk: A successful season?

[MettleMcOiler]

Our 1st pp unit needs to teach our 2nd pp unit how play like them.

 

[TheNumber4]

Signing Woodcroft, Yamamoto, Kulak, Jesse and Kane AND gaining a goalie should be our #1 priority

Keep what we got and add. Makes sense. Probably not realistic though. But my head isn’t fully in armchair offseason GM yet.

 

[oobga]

I'd take Makar. That kid is going to be an all-time great. Flip Nurse for Makar and the Oilers win this series in 4.

Think you only get a Makar by drafting or when they are past their prime. Our tanking was poorly timed. Actually not really, we got McDavid and Drai Just needed 1 more though!!

Fix the damn goaltending should be doable if we are still not determined to make Smith the starter.

 

[gordonhught]

Probably right. Wouldn't be surprised if the core (McDavid, etc) would prefer to keep Kane and let Pulju go.

I think Connor might drive JP to the airport tonight if he knew the team could only sign one of Kane or JP.

EDIT - the only thing I d9nt know is how well Kane is liked by the “core”. If he gets along well with them, then sign away.

 

[Da McBomb]

McLeod is one player who took a huge step this year... and even looked just as good in the playoffs. Good future for him.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I see that Yams was a -2 for the regular season and PJ was +22 but he looks so awkward out there. He's fluffed on so many grade A chances that he became frustrating to watch this season. I was high on PJ for his ability to break cycles and win puck battles. That seems to have gone. If he can somehow rebuild his confidence and his progression, I'm all for keeping him. He might have been dealing with something in the later half of the season but who really knows. I still believe Yams has a higher offensive upside and hockey IQ though.

You're going on recency effect. Pulju had double hip surgery afairc. He was one of the teams best players in first 30 games. I would say the drop off has something to do with it being hard to play 82 games, then playoffs. I think its injury or recurring related. This is a good player, and physically he's a beast.

This board really turns on players, I mean we all do, but lets try not to be like the org itself has been with discarding players. Good on Holland and Tippett to get Pulju back in the fold and have him playing here, and playing well. Thats credit to them. Something has gone on since. We don't know all the details.

 

[Connor McConnor]

4-0 sweep reminds me of the WPG sweep last year. Easily could have won games 3-4 and had a chance in G1 as well but goaltending killed our momentum in every single game.

Tough to win Playoff games when your goalie lets in soft ones at the most critical points in a game.

Smith's positioning in net and overall style of play is just not sustainable. He's a walking casino in net, and we bit the bullet in the 3rd round... like most people thought (you can't go all the way with a guy like Smith). The guy has 0 rebound control, lets in atleast 1 soft one a game, and is just very unpredictable and shaky back there which makes the team feel like they NEED to push for more.

 

[Wreckus]

Bouchard and McLeod really improved this season. Really nice to see for Bouchard specially.

100% Agreed. I was really impressed with McLeod in this playoffs.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I don't always agree with what you say but sometimes you hit one out of the park. This is a great depiction of what Smith was griping about on that play.

I understand anger. heh

 

[Connor McConnor]

McLeod is one player who took a huge step this year... and even looked just as good in the playoffs. Good future for him.

I'm not sold on him as anything more than a bottom 6 guy. He is a great skater with decent hockey IQ but his hands and overall skill lack behind his physical traits.

 

[MoontoScott]

Colorado will have their hands full with either Tampa or the NY Rangers. Goaltending and defense have a very different meaning with those clubs. You won't get too many softies and certainly not at least one per game.

 

[gordonhught]

Actually, I don’t feel too bad. Glad the team beat the flames.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I'm not sold on him as anything more than a bottom 6 guy. He is a great skater with decent hockey IQ but his hands and overall skill lack behind his physical traits.

Nothing wrong with that. We have been NEEDING good third line players forever.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I dunno…

I think he was mad at himself and rightfully so. He tried to find a reason (competitiveness) but ultimately by the time that stick smashed he knew.

That was a good goal all the way btw. Even from the brotherhood.

The official stopped the puck from going out, this resulted in the continued Ozone and the goal being scored. Not blowing the play dead compounded it. This is not a matter of contention. Without the officials getting an assist on the play there is no goal scored. None.

 

[HugentNopkins]

Tough way to go out but I am happy with the season. Our leaders definitely willed this team to get as far as they did and I can respect that.

That being said big upgrades are needed this offseason. We cannot have shaky defense and below average goaltending another season in a row. My biggest hope is Smith retires, goalie coach is axed, and Ken Holland forgets he's GM and gives the role up to someone far more competent.

To end on a positive note, I am hoping that the WCF appearance is a step in the right direction. The boys will be back. Nice to experience the highs and lows of playoffs after a long time.

 

[gordonhught]

Literally don’t have the cap to do all that. One of Yamamoto, Pulju or Kane will be gone.

JP goes please. I love Yamo. Kane fits well.

JP might just be a flop. Thanks Chia. Could have had Sergachev.

 

[OddManRush]

4-0 sweep reminds me of the WPG sweep last year. Easily could have won games 3-4 and had a chance in G1 as well but goaltending killed our momentum in every single game.

Tough to win Playoff games when your goalie lets in soft ones at the most critical points in a game.

Smith's positioning in net and overall style of play is just not sustainable. He's a walking casino in net, and we bit the bullet in the 3rd round... like most people thought (you can't go all the way with a guy like Smith). The guy has 0 rebound control, lets in atleast 1 soft one a game, and is just very unpredictable and shaky back there which makes the team feel like they NEED to push for more.

An absolute casino in net. I like that

 

[MoontoScott]

Keep what we got and add. Makes sense. Probably not realistic though. But my head isn’t fully in armchair offseason GM yet.

I think that only 1 of Yams and Puls will be back but we shall see.

 

[flyfysher]

As an Avs fan, I still think the Oilers proved they were a legit contender. Avs just proved to be a deeper team. That’s no disrespect to McDavid and Draisaitl who are incomparably exceptional as usual. And given Nurse’s injury, Oilers fans would be wise to ease up on the guy’s performance even if his impending contract term sucks. Oilers need to get deeper on D and at goal. Deserving fan base though that needs the Cup. That may be hard to do in one year.

 

[Wreckus]

JP goes please. I love Yamo. Kane fits well.

JP might just be a flop. Thanks Chia. Could have had Sergachev.

Could've had Tk....well, nvm.

 

[gordonhught]

Tough way to go out but I am happy with the season. Our leaders definitely willed this team to get as far as they did and I can respect that.

That being said big upgrades are needed this offseason. We cannot have shaky defense and below average goaltending another season in a row. My biggest hope is Smith retires, goalie coach is axed, and Ken Holland forgets he's GM and gives the role up to someone far more competent.

To end on a positive note, I am hoping that the WCF appearance is a step in the right direction. The boys will be back. Nice to experience the highs and lows of playoffs after a long time.

Frankly, a top 10 to 15 reliable goalie and an upgrade on RHD and the team should be ok. Also a tough forward not named Kassian. Had enough of him. Good player when he is on, but he is far too inconsistent.

This assumes that Kane is re-signed. Don’t forget Holloway and Borgoal are probably close.

Could've had Tk....well, nvm.

I think Sergachev was the guy if JP was not there. Tkachuk yes, but I don’t think he was being considered at draft time.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

You're going on recency effect. Pulju had double hip surgery afairc. He was one of the teams best players in first 30 games. I would say the drop off has something to do with it being hard to play 82 games, then playoffs. I think its injury or recurring related. This is a good player, and physically he's a beast.

This board really turns on players, I mean we all do, but lets try not to be like the org itself has been with discarding players. Good on Holland and Tippett to get Pulju back in the fold and have him playing here, and playing well. Thats credit to them. Something has gone on since. We don't know all the details.

Yeah, probably. Early season was a long time ago though. I guess we'll have to wait and see what those details are. I find him likable and want him to succeed. I really do. Just been frustrating to watch for a while now.

 

[Keggatron]

Its not a matter of opinion that Yama was on ice for twice as many GA this season and playoffs than Pulju was. While sporting similar production and seeing somewhat similar Quality of Competition. Yams used to be reliable defensively. NHL correction has occurred and teams are keying on him more, erasing him more, like they should. The GA is no illusion. Theres a lot of Yama on his butt turnovers.

He had 13 points in the new year. In like 36 games. Whereas Yamo's production was 30 in like 50. I think Yams brings far more to the table than Jesse. He might not end up being much more than what he is, but I would be happy if Jesse could get to where Yamo is now. And it's pretty clear, the players in the room trust him more and would rather play with Kailer.

Him being on the ice for more GA doesn't really tell the whole story though, although Jesse was +16 to yams 3 down the stretch which is quite considerable. I haven't looked into it but would assume Kailer was on the ice far more than Jesse was in that timeframe.

 

[TheNumber4]

I think that only 1 of Yams and Puls will be back but we shall see.

IF their price reflects their overall contributions this year, we should be able to. But their agents may get greedy and overrate.

 

[McDeepika]

#1 dmen are just such difference makers. They just control the game in ways that forwards just can't. Makar is going to be a problem for a long time in this conference.

We will have to go with a committee approach which means we need Nurse healthy and in peak form along with Bouchard and Broberg taking steps forward. Just doesn't seem likely.

Still what a run and so much fun watching McDavid and Draisaitl play.