Pre-Game Talk: Apparently Skinner is starting Game 2

[Seth92]

I love Skinner but.. he was like -3 wasn't he?

Stu Skinner -6 though.

 

[bucks_oil]

Podkolzin was worse than both.

Agree here... and Podz plays essentially the same style as Kane, but one of them has proven to bring offense at this level and the other has definitely, definitely not. I don't know how he continues to draw in. All tools, no toolbox (except maybe defensively).

 

[Canovin]

I'm okay with Jeff Skinner sitting out. Players are bound to get injured. Having some healthy guys ready to go in the later rounds will help. Definitely would have helped against Florida last year

 

[MessierThanThou]

I dunno... I don't think I've ever seen another goalie gift a game like Mike Smith. Far more Jekyll and Hyde with him. Skinner is just always consistently below average and not quite good enough (and therefore not always to blame, despite the narrative around here).

Mike Smith had Nurse and Ceci as his top defensive pairing. Stu was gifted Ekholm in 2023 and still finished 26th out of 28 goalies in GSAx that postseason.

 

[Shizuka]

15 goals primarily playing with the best passer in the game at ES. Arvidsson's and Podkolzin's lack of goalscoring with Drai is criminal. They should have at least 40 goals between them yet they have a little over 20 combined.

Arvidsson is a plug and I agree, but the reason Draisaitl has always favoured the likes of Yamamoto and Podkolzin is because they work like dogs along the walls, digging out pucks and winning battles, and had enough offensive acumen to know when to get the puck to him and where to go. Less need for him to do the heavy work. Podkolzin was invisible in game 1. He can do a great deal of small things that go unnoticed in a game but when he is on he keeps plays alive. Unfortunately that was not the case in the first game so he had better show up here and make a difference. He will never, ever be a producer at this point. You'd be happy to get 15-20 = 35 out of him in a season.

 

[McShogun99]

All they had to do in the offseason was try and keep almost the exact same team but upgrade the starting goalie spot and we’re easily the cup favorite.

 

[Canovin]

15 goals primarily playing with the best passer in the game at ES. Arvidsson's and Podkolzin's lack of goalscoring with Drai is criminal. They should have at least 40 goals between them yet they have a little over 20 combined.

You're forgetting Draisaitl's total. They're probably the reason Drai is more open.

 

[McHelpus]

I love Skinner but.. he was like -3 wasn't he?

Unfortunately he went -2 in 2:22 with McDavid, so KK has his justification to yeet him into the sun.

If Arvdisson was a -2 or -3 would he have sat?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Kane won’t be remotely close to a top 6 level to start

As long as he's better than some of the other guys in the lineup that's all that I can hope for. His size and tenacity will allow him to get to and more importantly stay in the areas where goals are scored in the playoffs.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

I won't believe it until I see it. Nobody seems absolutely 100% certain until the puck drops it seems.

That said, fingers crossed for the return of Citizen Kane!

 

[McShogun99]

Agree here... and Podz plays essentially the same style as Kane, but one of them has proven to bring offense at this level and the other has definitely, definitely not. I don't know how he continues to draw in. All tools, no toolbox (except maybe defensively).

Draisaitl line didn’t get scored on which is huge in playoff hockey. Pretty much every goal scored for and against involved Mcdavid on the ice. He needs more responsible wingers.

 

[Seth92]

Thank you for making the declaration that I am not a real fan. Very insightful

Florida reactions for your garbage comments

 

[bucks_oil]

Mike Smith had Nurse and Ceci as his top defensive pairing. Stu was gifted Ekholm in 2023 and still finished 26th out of 28 goalies in GSAx that postseason.

He also had Klefbom-Larsson in his first season, still Larsson in his 2nd and Keith in his third...

but back on topic: do you think that Smith was NOT prone to self-imploding? Because that is the statement that I made. His highs were way, way higher than Skinner is capable of, but his lows were far lower.

 

[bucks_oil]

Draisaitl line didn’t get scored on which is huge in playoff hockey. Pretty much every goal scored for and against involved Mcdavid on the ice. He needs more responsible wingers.

Fair enough. But for me I'd like to see more needle-moving from Podz. Feels like it's been months since he did that.... and we need Drai's line to outscore, not just tread water, the guy is a playoff beast.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Well Bob said it yesterday as well, and Bob usually has a pretty good line into what KK is thinking.

This ain't great.

 

[Seth92]

Arvidsson is a plug and I agree, but the reason Draisaitl has always favoured the likes of Yamamoto and Podkolzin is because they work like dogs along the walls, digging out pucks and winning battles, and had enough offensive acumen to know when to get the puck to him and where to go. Less need for him to do the heavy work. Podkolzin was invisible in game 1. He can do a great deal of small things that go unnoticed in a game but when he is on he keeps plays alive. Unfortunately that was not the case in the first game so he had better show up here and make a difference. He will never, ever be a producer at this point. You'd be happy to get 15-20 = 35 out of him in a season.

Just checked Podz stats he was neutral when it comes to some of the advanced stats. Other players like I mentioned before like Nurse and RNH and Connor Brown were remarkably worse. Jeff Skinner in his first playoff game was utilized wrong and had his lines all mixed up due to our silly coach who second guesses every line change he makes.

 

[Zerotonine]

Listening to CHED sports in the morning, Morley Scott said he expects Skinner will start.

Schwartz and the rest of management/coaching involved with this call can GTFO if it’s true.

You know someone brought up a good point on the main boards.

The kings need to score more goals then edmonton tonight and not chase skinner in doing so if he in fact does start. And honestly if that happens I think we are in series trouble

If the kings manage to win a close game 3-2 and skinner looks someone competent and we go down 2-0 that pretty much gaurnteed Stuart starts game 3 were he could have his epic collapse and we automatically are down 3-0 and on serious life support

 

[OilyAlbertan]

f***head walrus in net again? Gotta keep stuart little happy? f*** off

 

[K1984]

Yet in his two playoff starts he allowed goals inside the final 2 minutes to turn the games. The first being a tying goal inside the 2 minute mark that fortunately Bouchard got right back to get him the win, the 2nd being a game winner with about 30 seconds to go.

Didn't seem to have that big save in a critical moment in those games.

I appreciate Skinner sucks and all, but it's not like we have a 23 year old Hellebuyck sitting on the bench waiting to take the reigns from him, or even a Aiden Hill journeyman waiting for his chance to run with it.

I'd have started Skinner tonight as well, but with a short leash that if he loses the game or gets lit up in a victory, Game 3 goes to Pickard and he keeps the net until he loses.

Neither of those two goals he allowed are saveable by the god of goaltending himself. Context is important. There were a lot of games he played this year where the team was trash in front of him and he had to hold down the fort shorthanded in one goal games. There was more than one like this against the Blackhawks alone.

Pickard also stood on his head in Game 5 and was pretty much the only reason the Oilers didn't get blown out and even had a chance to win that game. He stepped up and brought it even when his teammates decided to take a night off in what was arguably the worst game the Oilers played all playoff.

We don't need the 23 year old stud behind him, we just need someone that's going to give us some saves at the right time and I have infinitely more faith that Pickard can do that than Skinner at this point.

 

[Seth92]

He also had Klefbom-Larsson in his first season, still Larsson in his 2nd and Keith in his third...

but back on topic: do you think that Smith was NOT prone to self-imploding? Because that is the statement that I made. His highs were way, way higher than Skinner is capable of, but his lows were far lower.

Larsson was never good and Keith was so terrible I lost my mind yelling at the guy doing some live commentary back in the day and I called and begged for Keiths retirement out of pure anger. Was good times! Glad we lost Larsson 100% and Keith was such a useless scrub it is one of Hollands greatest fails.

 

[Shizuka]

All they had to do in the offseason was try and keep almost the exact same team but upgrade the starting goalie spot and we’re easily the cup favorite.

They allegedly knew for months in advance from Holloway's side that the OS was coming. I can't help but feel they were pissed at Holloway for signing the offer sheet and let him walk. How stupid would that be? We're the fans, we're the ones who get emotional. That should not be management's reaction FFS. You are a better team with him in the lineup. But that chapter has closed, and it's just another textbook example of the bush league front office we've seen bungle so many other things in the past.

 

[bone]

Statistically Pickard has been way better than season, and the team also plays way better in front of him.

Really? Had generally got easier starts until the last month or two and here are the stats on Money Puck. NST gives him an advantage, but that should be the case when 48% of your starts are vs. the Bottom 10 and only 33% vs playoff teams. Vs. the other guy where 58% of his starts were vs. playoff teams and only 24% vs. the Bottom 10.

Granted his record against good teams was better than last year, so I'm fine giving him the net at some point, but I'm not sure it's today.

 

[Zerotonine]

Every one called Skinner sitting in favor of Kane. Fk knoblach is a fking moron

 

[bone]

I mean one has been playing much lower competition all year and has a lower GSAx.

And it’s not like Skinner has never elevated before. He shut out the Kings last year even.

He shut out the Kings this year as well.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Florida reactions for your garbage comments

Nothing I said was wrong.