Post-Game Talk: A successful season?

[bone]

I saw signs from him during the regular season that told me he was the better of the three goaltenders.

That being said, we didnt see enough from him, so honestly I dont know. Hes a question mark. I think it was a fail on management to not give him more games and see what hes capable of. It would of made this offseason a bit easier to project. Going into the season with a Smith/Skinner tandem is what I expect but its a really problematic bet if Holland goes this route.

My biggest concern with Skinner still remains that he only played 2 games all season vs teams that made playoffs and both of them were only wild cards and both were losses with 3 or 4 goals against.

So we really haven't seen if he can handle the better teams yet. Really wish they had tested him in a few prior to the end of the season to help decision making for next.

 

[SnooPac]

Posted by @nabob here:

Can someone do a high quality capture of Kassian’s face after that goal it’s amazing.

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[TheGreenTBer]

Idk about that.

Pretty sure that was a high stick.

And that Ryan penalty... Jesus. Whatever. It's no secret why Canada hasn't won a cup in over 30 years.

Remember how smug Bettman was when he awarded the Cup to Carolina in '06? That little gremlin mother f***er was BEAMING. I'm sure he had to change his adult diapers after that buzzer sounded.

 

[McTonyBrar]

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

Not yet either

 

[Drivesaitl]

Posted by @nabob here:

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Really enjoyed that goal. Kass was one of our better forwards in conference final, its unfortunate the coaching staff didn't realize it until too late. Kass averaged only 8mins toi in first 3 games of series when it was evident we were vastly in need of some players sharing the load. Kass had his minutes elevated in game 4 and had a remarkable game.

Nor was Kass selectively bringing it. 24hits/60min in the playoffs is off the charts bringing it. Kass is a noted playoff performer, anybody following his career knows this. Too bad the coaching staff didn't. No excuse for it really.

 

[joestevens29]

Really enjoyed that goal. Kass was one of our better forwards in conference final, its unfortunate the coaching staff didn't realize it until too late. Kass averaged only 8mins toi in first 3 games of series when it was evident we were vastly in need of some players sharing the load. Kass had his minutes elevated in game 4 and had a remarkable game.

Nor was Kass selectively bringing it. 24hits/60min in the playoffs is off the charts bringing it. Kass is a noted playoff performer, anybody following his career knows this. Too bad the coaching staff didn't. No excuse for it really.

Kassian was pretty close to being benched last night. I love the player, but if he would've gotten one more penalty(which he should've had at least two more) he was probably going to be sitting.

 

[ujju2]

My biggest concern with Skinner still remains that he only played 2 games all season vs teams that made playoffs and both of them were only wild cards and both were losses with 3 or 4 goals against.

So we really haven't seen if he can handle the better teams yet. Really wish they had tested him in a few prior to the end of the season to help decision making for next.

Eh, the Jets didn't make the playoffs but he out-duelled Hellebuyck with a 45-save performance for a 2-1 shootout win. Just an example.

Does anyone here actually think Skinner is ready or capable of being an NHL Playoff team goalie?? I do not. No offence, but he hasn't grabbed my confidence. Smith unfortunately is under contract next year too. So perfect nightmare storm... We can't even have Skinner be a #2...

I do. Not a starter (yet) of course, but I do think he's more than capable of being a backup or 1B on a playoff team.

Edit: This may be the first time with the merge feature that both quoted posts are actually somewhat related...

 

[Drivesaitl]

Kassian was pretty close to being benched last night. I love the player, but if he would've gotten one more penalty(which he should've had at least two more) he was probably going to be sitting.

Kassian DREW two penalties last night. What about that? In addition to that he successfully got Rantenen and Landeskog off their game, and running him. This is exactly what anybody should want Kassian, an antagonist, to be doing.

Kassian only got one penalty and drew two in the game. How is that not positive?

In addition Landeskog losing his mind on Kassian and trying to slam him head first into the boards while cradling his head to direct him head first into the boards should have been a 5 minute major. Landeskog was incensed. Kassian had caused the player to completely lose it. Far from the first time this has occurred with Landeskog.

In the game within a game Kass was probably the best Oiler at getting in the AV's heads. I salute that. He even scored our last goal of the season. He certainly earned his minutes.

The two players in this series that knew how to mindf*** the AV's were Kane and Kassian. We need more of that, not less.

not saying you disagree, just elaborating some more thoughts on the matter.

 

[Fourier]

Kassian DREW two penalties last night. What about that? In addition to that he successfully got Rantenen and Landeskog off their game, and running him. This is exactly what anybody should want Kassian, an antagonist, to be doing.

Kassian only got one penalty and drew two in the game. How is that not positive?

In addition Landeskog losing his mind on Kassian and trying to slam him head first into the boards while cradling his head to direct him head first into the boards should have been a 5 minute major. Landeskog was incensed. Kassian had caused the player to completely lose it. Far from the first time this has occurred with Landeskog.

In the game within a game Kass was probably the best Oiler at getting in the AV's heads. I salute that. He even scored our last goal of the season. He certainly earned his minutes.

The two players in this series that knew how to mindf*** the AV's were Kane and Kassian. We need more of that, not less.

not saying you disagree, just elaborating some more thoughts on the matter.

If he was making $1.5M then he would be easy to keep. But for a cap strapped team at $3.2M he is a victim of his own inconsistency.

 

[Zguy370]

If Mike Smith starts for this team next season I won't even bother watching.

Yup, it's a no brainer actually. I'll go a step further and say if Mike Smith has the courage to even think of wearing the jersey, I won't bother watching

 

[Canovin]

If he was making $1.5M then he would be easy to keep. But for a cap strapped team at $3.2M he is a victim of his own inconsistency.

I agree for 1.5M Kassian is worth keeping. We can live with his inconsistency and stupid penalties. 3.2M is too rich for us at the moment

 

[Fourier]

I have been resigned to Smith/Skinner for a while and based on his play down the stretch I was concerned but not panicked. Now I think there is strong evidence that something needs to give. My problem still remains, goalies are voodoo and there is a reasonable chance that the team spends precious assets and does not even get better.

 

[Drivesaitl]

If he was making $1.5M then he would be easy to keep. But for a cap strapped team at $3.2M he is a victim of his own inconsistency.

Depends though how he is utilized. The player can play more minutes, and up and down the lineup, and can even play top minutes. This is still a skill player but often so under utilized he can't get much of a feel in games. He's about 1M overpaid. He's not a league minumum type vet player. he brings a lot of intangibles, hitting. I mean he does more than Foegele. Even at 2.5M you keep him, imo. At 3.2, yes, its a concern.

i don't disagree with you. But I was just taking in the joy of how he did play in the post season, and albeit he has struggled to cash around the net he's been around the play and getting the chances and making contributions. Was just nice as a fan to see this be his last game here, a very positive one, if indeed it is.

 

[BlackDogg]

Still disappointed after the leads that they lost. Should be able to hold a two goal lead in the third.

 

[oobga]

Yup, it's a no brainer actually. I'll go a step further and say if Mike Smith has the courage to even think of wearing the jersey, I won't bother watching

Remains ridiculous we gave him a 2 year deal. The battler Smith seems like a guy that will always be lobbying to start. Just keep pushing to play, keep trying to play more to make up for the screw ups. I respect his determination for sure but he is at the point now where, against good teams, he will never be able to make up for compounding errors and weak goals no matter how much he wants to keep trying.

If he is stubborn then a buyout might be the only option. No way we demote him. We are too nice. We probably love him too much for the buyout as well.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

the org drank its own koolaid on mike smith. but he sort of forced it.

koskinen and smith are both capable of being better than the other---woody should have given koskinen some rope but it seems like the org had moved on---and supposedly koskinen had move on.

anyway-----the solution is still defense. they fell apart defensively.

 

[Fourier]

Depends though how he is utilized. The player can play more minutes, and up and down the lineup, and can even play top minutes. This is still a skill player but often so under utilized he can't get much of a feel in games. He's about 1M overpaid. He's not a league minumum type vet player. he brings a lot of intangibles, hitting. I mean he does more than Foegele. Even at 2.5M you keep him, imo. At 3.2, yes, its a concern.

i don't disagree with you. But I was just taking in the joy of how he did play in the post season, and albeit he has struggled to cash around the net he's been around the play and getting the chances and making contributions. Was just nice as a fan to see this be his last game here, a very positive one, if indeed it is.

The real problem is the cap crunch next year if you keep Kane. If Kane walks, Kassian probably stays and Foegele gets traded. But if you keep Kane the money has to come form somewhere and moving both Kassian and Foegele would be necessary unless for some unexpected reason Keith retired.

 

[Del Preston]

I mean let's face it. The Pacific division was the worst division in the NHL by a lot this year. So coming out of that division and getting swept is kinda like being the tallest midget.

And it's hard to congratulate the Oilers org when everyone who has ever laced up a skate knew the team was going no where with Smith in net and nothing was done about it.

I think the Oilers need scoring depth and goaltending the most. Guys like Yamamoto and Puiji should be traded if there any takers out there. You can't just hold on to draft prospects and hope forever. And ya Kane is gone so new bodies are needed.

This is bs. The team the Oilers knocked out in the second round was picked by a bunch of experts and fans to either get to the SCF or win the whole thing.

 

[foshizzle]

yes and no. McDavid and Drats went off the whole playoffs no doubt, but we had support from other forwards as well. Hyman and Kane led the team in goals with 13 and 11, both of which were great signings this year. Heck even Nuge chipped in for 14 points in 16 games who was also a signing this year.

Changes will need to happen next year, no question about it, but I'd hardly say Holland can't build a good roster.

He had both Hyman and Kane fall into his lap. Nuge has always been an Oiler. McLeod was a Chiarelli pick. He wanted to let Woodcroft go and sign Tippett to an extension. He also signed Smith in years 7/8 of McDavid and Leon. 30M this past off season and he didn’t do anything to improve the team. He arguably made it worse than last year. I would have loved to have seen last years team under Woodcroft

My biggest concern with Skinner still remains that he only played 2 games all season vs teams that made playoffs and both of them were only wild cards and both were losses with 3 or 4 goals against.

So we really haven't seen if he can handle the better teams yet. Really wish they had tested him in a few prior to the end of the season to help decision making for next.

Holland did the same thing with Bouchard last year. The result was they overpaid Barrie only to find out that Bouch can do what Barrie can do. That 4.5M could have done elsewhere, like a starting goalie

 

[oobga]

He had both Hyman and Kane fall into his lap. Nuge has always been an Oiler. McLeod was a Chiarelli pick. He wanted to let Woodcroft go and sign Tippett to an extension. He also signed Smith in years 7/8 of McDavid and Leon. 30M this past off season and he didn’t do anything to improve the team. He arguably made it worse than last year. I would have loved to have seen last years team under Woodcroft


Holland did the same thing with Bouchard last year. The result was they overpaid Barrie only to find out that Bouch can do what Barrie can do. That 4.5M could have done elsewhere, like a starting goalie

I think the Bouch thing was all Tippett. Bouch was there to be used the entire time. Tippett just had a small group he trusted that he would play infinity minutes if it was possible, and a group that he trusted to let the good group catch their breath. Bouch couldn't crack that second group of time waster players.

 

[foshizzle]

The real problem is the cap crunch next year if you keep Kane. If Kane walks, Kassian probably stays and Foegele gets traded. But if you keep Kane the money has to come form somewhere and moving both Kassian and Foegele would be necessary unless for some unexpected reason Keith retired.

You would have to moved Barrie, Foegele, and Kassian to keep the forward group together. Personally, I’d sign Kulak and see what you can do to get Debrincat

 

[BlackDogg]

the org drank its own koolaid on mike smith. but he sort of forced it.

koskinen and smith are both capable of being better than the other---woody should have given koskinen some rope but it seems like the org had moved on---and supposedly koskinen had move on.

anyway-----the solution is still defense. they fell apart defensively.

Kosk could have been used with a short leash. I believe they'd still have a game left if so. But Smith calls the shots.

 

[bucks_oil]

If we want to debate the logic then fine, I just can't see in what world they could turn it into crossbar everywhere as it's such a hard thing to determine, especially live speed.

I could live with a tweak that if the high stick directs it on net crossbar is the determining factor rather than shoulder and believe it would be within the spirit of the rule, which was original intended to discourage getting the stick up whatsoever to prevent people getting a stick in the face.

So last nights game may be useful to debate that interpretation, but the goal itself I believe should have counted as it did.

By the rules, yes it counts.

By the intention of the rule, it logically fails. If a high-stick goal is illegal, then so should a high-stick shot on goal. In the spirit of fair play, if it isn't fair to do it (score by high stick) then it isn't fair to try to do it and gain advantage from the failed attempt.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Still disappointed after the leads that they lost. Should be able to hold a two goal lead in the third.

A twice two goal lead in the third period, at home, in an elimination game, in a game where we gave up a disgusting 4GA in the 3rd period. Then promptly the OT winner.

We can't outscore the volume of our brutal breakdowns and defensive mistakes.

We didn't just give up the lead, we allowed the AV's 3 straight goals to take the lead. We needed a late Kass marker just to put the game into OT.

 

[Arpeggio]

What a wild playoff run though. The Oilers probably played 3 of the most entertaining playoff losses that I've ever seen, you can't say they ever gave up. I'll be going back to these highlights for a long time, even last night prior to the OT will be something we can enjoy for a while.