Pre-Game Talk: Apparently Skinner is starting Game 2

[foshizzle]

Stu in tonight reminds of when Woodcroft refused to start Campbell. Next year he was fired.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Stu in tonight reminds of when Woodcroft refused to start Campbell. Next year he was fired.

He was fired for different reasons. And Campbell wasn't trustworthy in the slightest. Pickard is, which is a knock against Knoblauch.

 

[K1984]

What? In the last 10 games Arvidsson has the same goals but 1 less point than Skinner 5v5.

Over the last 40 games Skinner has a lower xGA than Arvidssson, a higher xGF…and pretty much better in every noticable category. And in those 40 games they are tied for points 5v5 however Skinner has played 150 less minutes.

No measurable metric has Arvidsson better than like anything than Skinner.

Arivdsson has 5 goals in his last 10 regular season games and Skinner has 2. Against the Ducks and Sharks. Arvidsson can skate without having to raise his arms in the air to get momentum.

I don't need metrics to see that there is quite a bit less risk in Arvidsson's game, all while scoring quite a bit more than Skinner has of late.

 

[K1984]

I’m willing to give Skinner a pass on his literal first playoff game ever.

And I'll take the guy that wasn't a disaster, has a track record of playing well in the playoffs, and has the hotter hand.

 

[ManOfSteelI]

Lol, I have posted his metrics a number of times on this site. Search my name. Someone also posted Mike Kelly's tweet on Bouchard here about a month ago. Search it. The tweet said Bouchard touches the puck more than any other oiler and one of the most in the league. Only 11% of his possessions result in turnovers. That's 6th best in the league. Goals resulting in turnovers- he is in the middle of the pack amongst D men- but we also have shit goaltending.

You must have also been asleep when he set a playoff scoring record for Dmen last year...at the age of 24. Bouchard put up 60+ points this year- in an off year. But carry on with your nonsense

I also posted this a few days ago:

Pre-Game Talk: Post in thread 'The Only Series We’ve Ever Known: Oilers @ Kings'

Apr 19, 2025

He had some highlight reel bloopers from giveaways or just lack of GAF, a stat that doesn’t show up on any sheet.

Actually, they are accounted for in the above noted stats. Yes, he had some blunders. Without those, those stats would look even better.

You know what else we know? That he has shown over the last couple of years that he steps it up in big moments during the playoffs.

Who cares about a few ugly moments in the regular season, especially when his net impact is still a significant positive.

Dom still had him at #7 for D-men, despite the relative "down" year...

• ManOfSteelI

• 

 

[MikeS24]

Stu in tonight reminds of when Woodcroft refused to start Campbell. Next year he was fired.

Poor guy got sent down when he was actually outperforming Stuart lol

 

[CycloneSweep]

And I'll take the guy that wasn't a disaster, has a track record of playing well in the playoffs, and has the hotter hand.

Arvidsson is a worse player than Skinner. It’s just a reality. Skinner is better than Podkolzin and Janmark too.

 

[MikeS24]

Arivdsson has 5 goals in his last 10 regular season games and Skinner has 2. Against the Ducks and Sharks. Arvidsson can skate without having to raise his arms in the air to get momentum.

I don't need metrics to see that there is quite a bit less risk in Arvidsson's game, all while scoring quite a bit more than Skinner has of late.

They need more set plays. The only thing tiny Arvidsson should be doing, besides being knocked over every other second, going to the hashmarks and being open for a one timer shot. That's it. It is the other two guys job to get that pass off.

But we know what always happens. Rim around to the point. Show from the corner point, Forwards all skate away from the net.

 

[K1984]

Arvidsson is a worse player than Skinner. It’s just a reality. Skinner is better than Podkolzin and Janmark too.

I can listen to putting him in over Podkolzin. It isn't "just a reality" because you want it to be.

You said there aren't any metrics to support it, but there are. Arivdsson was better down the stretch in the regular season and better in Game 1. That is reality.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Poor guy got sent down when he was actually outperforming Stuart lol

He even looked better than him in the 2023 playoffs, granted the sample size was small...

 

[MikeS24]

I won't deny that. I mean the guy had scored his hole career. But this is 25 year old perry.

Yeah I agree, but dude had almost 20 goals this year as a 40 year old. He puts a lot of guys to shame

Perry being up on line 1 is an indictment as to how bad the coach sees the others

 

[MikeS24]

He even looked better than him in the 2023 playoffs, granted the sample size was small...

Campbell saved our series when he stood on his head before Hyman scored that OT winner tit the series up

Just another example of the other guy having to come in to save Stu's derriere

 

[timekeep]

Oilers need amazing faceoff specialists. We have Derek Ryan and that is it. McDavid has always been bad at the draw and Drai gets kicked out too much.

The one improvement Nuge has made in his game is faceoffs, but he was brutal from the start. Henrique is probably our best faceoff man away from the offensive zone. Drai is the best for the offensive zone.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Yeah I agree, but dude had almost 20 goals this year as a 40 year old. He puts a lot of guys to shame

Perry being up on line 1 is an indictment as to how bad the coach sees the others

Not really, it's a guy who they see can contribute and who's also fine with taking shifts off. I don't know why everyone acts like these lines are set in stone, locked in place.

Hyman will get time with McDrai, Arvidsson might as well, maybe Nuge or Henrique (or Kane or Frederic), I can guaranteed as well that both McDavid and Draisaitl will get time center Podkolzin and Arvidsson.

Like when you have the 2 best players on the planet, you can structure your roster differently to use them however fits.

 

[Heavy Dee]

Sitting Skinner is wild with this ljneup
He’s better than 4 of the guys above him at minimum.

Also lol at Knob already in panic load the top line mode.

The problem when Skinner isn't scoring he offers nothing else. That said I would have sat Podkolzin

 

[CycloneSweep]

The problem when Skinner isn't scoring he offers nothing else. That said I would have sat Podkolzin

What does Arvidsson bring? All his defensive metrics are worse than Skinner. He can skate at an NHL level but he is often falling on his ass.

 

[timekeep]

If I remember correctly, he fell asleep on the wing with McD so they gave him his own line and he briefly showed signs of life. Might be a good idea to switch him back if he keeps being invisible.

He doesn't drive the play, he passes it McD or Drai not much else. Snipes a goal a few times a year, has a multi point game or two, but not much else.

 

[McDNicks17]

Let's try McDrai together and ice the worst #2C in the league for the 1000th time.

It'll definitely work this time.

 

[foshizzle]

He was fired for different reasons. And Campbell wasn't trustworthy in the slightest. Pickard is, which is a knock against Knoblauch.

Campbell played great in his relief. Campbell also had good playoff numbers. Skinner’s playoffs that year is one of the reasons he is one of the worst playoff goalies of all time

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Neither does Arvidsson

Arvidsson is a proven playoff performer and plays a semblance of defense

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Campbell played great in his relief. Campbell also had good playoff numbers. Skinner’s playoffs that year is one of the reasons he is one of the worst playoff goalies of all time

He did, but he was f***ing UNPLAYABLE the rest of the season, there's no reason to trust him, I don't care how much you base being mad a Stu now retroactively.

You guys and your blind spot for how horrendous Campbell was is infuriating.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[CycloneSweep]

Arvidsson is a proven playoff performer and plays a semblance of defense

And yet for the last while Skinner has been better defensively and Arvidsson isn’t even remotely close to the player he was last year.

 

[Heavy Dee]

What does Arvidsson bring? All his defensive metrics are worse than Skinner. He can skate at an NHL level but he is often falling on his ass.

You tell me. We weren't talking about Arvidsson. I just said I would have sat Podkolzin simply because he was completely out of his element in game one. Total non factor.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Saw this on Facebook not sure if correct.