Around the league part 2

[ru4reals]

I really expected McDavid would have a super human series to solidify his legacy. Pretty surprising the series are pretty much done now.

Honestly, looking at the panthers roster to compare to the Stars.. I’d give them about equal in offensive ability. I think the real difference here is just one team had good enough coaching to shut down the oilers PP while also playing very structured.

Difference maker here vs Dallas is just that.

Pretty crazy because there is not a big difference in ability from Dallas to Florida yet the Oilers don’t have a single win

Difference between Dallas and Florida is Alex Barkov. Dude is so good and if not for Bob he'd no doubt get the Conn Smythe. Dallas just didn't have that number 1 center that would nutrilize McDavid. So damn happy Oilers are losing.

 

[Omni Owl]

Difference between Dallas and Florida is Alex Barkov. Dude is so good and if not for Bob he'd no doubt get the Conn Smythe. Dallas just didn't have that number 1 center that would nutrilize McDavid. So damn happy Oilers are losing.

Barkov is legit. Ferraro compared him to prime era Kopitar which is right on the money, guy just has very few flaws in his game, if any. The best kind of 1C.

 

[The Butcher]

I know everyone is happy to see Edmonton lose, but I was hoping for a good 7 game series.

I appreciate this take. After seeing the Kings win two cups I kinda stopped rooting against teams, feels little wasted negative energy, especially if they win. The Oilers have brought out the worst in me lately, I just don't like dudes like Perry, Kane, Nurse, and Dry.

I know I was praising Holland in earlier threads but I still believe that teams that want to win cups must build a roster around defense, goaltending, courage, and character and that Florida team is the one this year.

 

[YP44]

This is the copium oilers fans are using to justify mcdavid in the Final

Florida is just so mean

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800735015069966336

Edmonton Media is f***ing biased and for some reason still think they are the championship teams from the 80s. they are true shit.

One of the worst articles ever written. There is something wrong with that fanbase mentally. You want to reason with them so they can see their own bs but it is like talking to a toddler in a tantrum.

I don't even fully blame the oiler fans. they are exposed to so much biased media it is like WW2 propaganda. Hear that shit constantly all the time eventually you believe it.

I nearly got banned last year for arguing with Oiler fans. They are next level. I think part of the issue is that TSN and Canadian markets are desperate for a Canadian champ. So much hype is put on them. They have great players but are not a well constructed team. Their best addition was Ekholm honestly. He is the type you need to win. I don’t care what anyone says either, McDavid has elevated the stats of guys like Bouchard and Hyman. Good players yes, made better by the best player in the game.

LA did not measure up well against Edmonton and hasn’t for three years in a row. This has benefited the Oilers runs too.

Oilers broadcasts are sportsnet, but this is still true.

 

[YP44]

Even if the Oilers get swept tomorrow, there's a good case to be made for McDavid winning the Conn Smythe this season. He's been that good. Just an absolutely amazing player to watch. The best forward to play the game in a generation. Electrifying every time he's on the ice.

When was the last time a losing player won the conne smythe and it was not the goalie?

He has been held in check in the finals, otherwise I could support this. For me it has to be Barkov or Bobrovsky. Bob was mediocre the first two rounds, but has been unreal in the final two.

 

[BigKing]

Agree 100%, he is the best player since prime-Lemieux, and to me it's not even close.

Things people don't consider, there are 32 teams in the league now, there is a salary cap, teams don't have control over assets until age 31 like they did for many of these great players. There are waaaaaaay less teams now that are "drawing dead" (to use a poker term) than there were for Gretzky and Lemieux.

I do agree with the sentiment that the term generational gets thrown around to much, but for him it's warranted. The stuff this guy does with the puck on his stick, with the speed he does it is unprecedented, but this is the NHL, it's not like having a LeBron James in basketball or a Tom Brady in football where one guy can win a championship largely on his own. These Oiler teams have gotten better, but this wouldn't even be a playoff team if you took him off the roster, with him they are in the final, that is a big difference for an individual to make in this sport.



The two biggest differences between Dallas and Florida are Barkov and coaching. DeBoer is a great coach, but Maurice is coaching at a different level right now, it's just genius level, like Bill Belichick or Danny Hurley. He is pushing all the right buttons and neutralizing the strengths of the Oilers like nobody else has. These two runs have been the most impressive coaching display I can ever remember in the NHL.

Dallas is like the Kings on steroids, but this is another reason why I HATE the Kings roster construction and so many of the things Blake has done. Depth and coming at you in waves doesn't make up for not having an elite 1C, the 1C is just so important to winning in the playoffs. Crosby, Toews, Kopitar etc. Had the Kings been properly constructed we would have had a chance to end up with a guy like this in the 2023 draft, but Blake decided to push all of his chips into the middle without the most important part of a roster, instead opting for the quantity over quality roster construction, which can be achieved quicker but has historically produced crappier playoff results.

When push came to shove Dallas had nobody to do one of two things they needed to win that series, take over offensively or neutralize McDavid.

Moving up to #2 in the 2020 draft "accelerated" (Blake's quote) the timeline because they banked on Byfield being that type of #1C--or close to it--by now. It's why I've been saying for multiple seasons that this only works if Byfield is that type of guy and instantly since him being an elite 1C has to occur while 11/8 are still legit players. Instead, we are now going into Byfield's D + 5 season with him on the wing.

It's just more Blake bullshit since Byfield was always going to be a slower boil towards elite status. It should not have accelerated a damn thing and only made the team much more of a potential contender now and in future seasons since they would have had another high pick in 2022 and probably still had Faber.

One of the worst articles ever written. There is something wrong with that fanbase mentally. You want to reason with them so they can see their own bs but it is like talking to a toddler in a tantrum.

They have nothing else going for them. Hockey is the national passion and the Oilers are the most important thing in town. They want it so, so badly. It's like if the Lakers or Dodgers were literally the only team in LA but maybe more intense than that would be since there is probably a higher percentage of Edmontonians (?) that are die-hard hockey fans than Angelenos that are die-hard baseball/basketball fans due the huge difference in total population. Don't fact check me, please.

I actually admire the passion, although I have more respect for us lunatics on this board since being a hockey fan out here generally isn't a birthright. Yes, I am a lunatic that missed the first and second periods last night so, before going to bed, I put on the 2nd period just so I could see their excitement when tying the game at 1-1 and then fast forwarded to the six minute stretch so I could enjoy the silence of despair, the tortured faces and then Subban calling them soft.

Slept like a baby.

damn did florida win big landing tkachuck, got rid of their contract headaches while getting a beast still early in his prime

Biggest Tkachuk guy on this board. Wished the Kings could have swung a deal but don't think he would have wanted to come here anyways.

The big miss is Bennett was sitting there and Florida got him for free at the deadline. Blake just used a 2nd rounder a few months earlier for Andersson, betting on pedigree. Bennett was a pedigree move as well plus we at least knew he was an NHL player that is tough as nails, a thing that was seriously lacking on this team at both the NHL and pipeline levels (still is).

You win with these types of players. Blake then goes out in the offseason after Bennett is traded and signs Danault and trades for Arvidsson. I like both players but Bennett is three years younger than RV and was going to be an RFA so Florida was able to control his rights.

Listened to the Terry Ryan podcast on the way to work today. Was an episode from a few months back with Jordan Nolan on it. Nothing earth shattering was said but one thing Nolan said really stood out. Ryan was saying something about how the Kings were lucky to get any sort of production from a 7th round pick and Nolan said, paraphrasing:

"Back then, the Kings drafted guys that competed hard."

We can bemoan DL's track record on developing scoring forwards, but it is a nightmare scenario that Blake isn't doing any f***ing better while, at the same time, not getting any Simmonds/Clifford/Nolan types. I honestly don't even know what a Blake type player is. Right or wrong, you knew what a DL type player was. It is very refreshing to see a team that reminds me of the Cup-era Kings up 3-0 in the SCF in 2024.

If Blake ran a Baskin Robbins, the 31 flavors would all be vanilla. Well, maybe a bit of rainbow sherbet along with pralines and dick.

 

[BaileyFan]

Zito traded away his leading scorer and best defenseman from a Presidents Trophy winning squad because they were not “right there” in terms of being a Cup team.

Compare that to Blake, who is probably going to further handicap a black hole team with another long term overpay because he’s too scared to let Matt Roy walk.

 

[Johnny Utah]

The Panthers play a system, play hard, and have a great goaltender.

The Kings wish they had players like Kulikov, Bennett, Tkachuk.

 

[Nasti]

Panthers have more depth on D

and sorry but Florida doesn't really have Seguin / Duchene types on their roster in significant roles either

Also, if you watched Oettinger during the playoffs, this was the year to conclude he might be a tad overrated

Whereas Bobrovsky, solidified his elite status

To me, there are big differences between the Panthers & Stars however i wouldn't even make this comparison in reference to the Oilers' struggles, because the reality is this:
Demko in?
Boeser in?
Oilers out
Fact

Bingo. Aside from Barkov, Bobrovsky has been the difference. Oettinger has built a reputation on the Calgary series from a couple of years ago but has been largely disappointing ever since then. Demko was hurt and we all know the shit show the Kings presented in goal.

 

[unicornpig]

The Panthers play a system, play hard, and have a great goaltender.

The Kings wish they had players like Kulikov, Bennett, Tkachuk.

one of these is not like the other haha

 

[Nasti]

Even if the Oilers get swept tomorrow, there's a good case to be made for McDavid winning the Conn Smythe this season. He's been that good. Just an absolutely amazing player to watch. The best forward to play the game in a generation. Electrifying every time he's on the ice.

I still can’t help but wonder if all the time he spends with the puck is him hogging the puck or if he really has no other option but to try to go end to end every shift.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

YEah for all the other stuff, Bob is putting one one of the best Final performances in history, rivaling Tim Thomas right now

 

[Nasti]

I still think the Selke centers are more valuable to winning cups than the high scoring ones. Yes, McDavid is “the best player in the game” when we only consider offense, which is what 99% of people do. But if someone like Barkov can come in, neutralize him while also putting up more points, who’s really the better player? We can go back to past winners too. Datsyuk on Crosby, Bergeron on Sedin, Kopitar on Getzlaf, Toews on Sedin, etc.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I still think the Selke centers are more valuable to winning cups than the high scoring ones. Yes, McDavid is “the best player in the game” when we only consider offense, which is what 99% of people do. But if someone like Barkov can come in, neutralize him while also putting up more points, who’s really the better player? We can go back to past winners too. Datsyuk on Crosby, Bergeron on Sedin, Kopitar on Getzlaf, Toews on Sedin, etc.

I remember i used to say something to the effect of Kopitar is worth 100 points since he'll put up 70 himself and take 30 off the 100pt scorer.

All that matters in the end is your dude sawing off the other dude.

 

[Nasti]

I remember i used to say something to the effect of Kopitar is worth 100 points since he'll put up 70 himself and take 30 off the 100pt scorer.

All that matters in the end is your dude sawing off the other dude.

If the Panthers pull it off, 10 of the 19 cup winners since the 2005 lockout will have won with a Selke winning center.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

I do agree with the sentiment that the term generational gets thrown around to much, but for him it's warranted. The stuff this guy does with the puck on his stick, with the speed he does it is unprecedented, but this is the NHL, it's not like having a LeBron James in basketball or a Tom Brady in football where one guy can win a championship largely on his own. These Oiler teams have gotten better, but this wouldn't even be a playoff team if you took him off the roster, with him they are in the final, that is a big difference for an individual to make in this sport.

This is it in a nutshell. You take McDavid out of the game and secondarily Draisaitl, the Oilers are nothing. I mean that might be an exaggeration, but they rely so heavily on the two to both produce and help others produce that when they are neutralized the rest of the team folds like a house of cards. The Oilers finally met their match. I was honestly surprised they got through Dallas but credit to them for getting it done. Don't forget it took them 7 games to get through both Vancouver and Dallas.

 

[chris kontos]

Pierre luc dubois
Future kings selke winner

Then his mom woke him and said: "its time for school pierre."

 

[fivehole32]

The Panthers play a system, play hard, and have a great goaltender.

The Kings wish they had players like Kulikov, Bennett, Tkachuk.

Sam Bennett is the rat man for the rat job, lol Guy has good hockey IQ too. I appreciate and enjoy his game. He is one of those players that elevates his play in bigger games too. Would love to have someone similar on the Kings.

 

[fivehole32]

I still can’t help but wonder if all the time he spends with the puck is him hogging the puck or if he really has no other option but to try to go end to end every shift.

He doesn't have any other option. Both he and Drail were making tape to tape passes to guys and they were losing it off their stick. You gotta have guys that can play with McDavid and they don't have rush guys that can.

 

[tny760]

The Panthers play a system, play hard, and have a great goaltender.

The Kings wish they had players like Kulikov, Bennett, Tkachuk.

proper identity-based roster with "compete" out the ass

not blake's "fling the flavor of the week at it and pray" method

 

[Kingfan1967]

Edmonton is ending the season like they started it. What do you mean that that's not a good thing? (Cup Less Canada, 31 years and counting).

 

[Nasti]

proper identity-based roster with "compete" out the ass

not blake's "fling the flavor of the week at it and pray" method

Blake does tend to just try to copy whatever the recent cup winner did because he lacks any kind of vision. Glad it’s a tough, aggressive team with good goaltending this year. Unfortunately, he’s gonna say we already have our Barkov in Kopitar as though the two aren’t a decade apart in age.

 

[Sol]

I’m not surprised at McDavid. He’s so far showing what I’ve always said in many posts. Yes he’s the best player in the game but he’s yet to show he’s truly generational. It’s such an overused term.

Gretzky in ‘93 out the Kings on his back to beat Toronto. The better team lost because Gretzky was able to dominate. Gretzky was so underrated defensively, when he had to back check he did. He was great at steals from the back check too.

Maybe McDavid can find another gear and dig deep. Maybe he can elevate his game to generational levels because the talent is there. However he needs to deliver because it’s more than just good numbers (which are not as dominant as 66 or 99 on the same consistent basis).

I really don't agree with this. I think McDavid is undoubtedly generational. I think he's also played phenomenally these entire playoffs. I think the only thing these series proves is that every single player like Hyman should out of principle donate his entire salary to McDavid because the entire team is filled with bums if it isn't for McDavid. McDavid is the consistent danger the entire series and has been trying to make a bunch of plays. He's been thwarted by Bobrovsky a lot and his teammates cant stand up. Draisaitl is the only fraud on the team I see. Hyman is a fraud. but Draisaitl LIVES so f***ing comfortably because of McDavid. Dudes a f***ing bum whos entire existence is below the dots on the PP.

Difference between Dallas and Florida is Alex Barkov. Dude is so good and if not for Bob he'd no doubt get the Conn Smythe. Dallas just didn't have that number 1 center that would nutrilize McDavid. So damn happy Oilers are losing.

Look, I hate the oilers as much or probably more than anyone else here. I was always talking about my hate about them the entire season lol BUT I dont think the Oilers are getting outplayed at all. Just watch the first period of game 3. A bunch of high danger oppurtunities and breakaways. Barkov is playing well but this is undoubtely Bobrovsky stealing the show. The Panthers as a team aren't putting on a 3-0 series lead performance. Skinner is letting in medium difficulty shots, and Bobrovsky is saving High difficulty shots. That's the big difference for me. Even the PP for the oilers looks super dangerous but Bob is stopping it all. Its a great goaltending performance that really has the panthers sweeping for me. It's nothing else, not even Barkov.




Id say this is my breakdown Oilers = Panthers Bob>>>>>>>>>Skinner

 

[Herby]

Sam Bennett is not somebody you use a Top 10 pick on, he’s somebody you pick up for a fraction of that cost when a team that overdrafted him has soured on him and is cutting bait.

That is why most top 10 disappointments (if they find a second life) do it on other teams.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Remind me, which team in the finals has guys in their mid 30s playing the most minutes and getting paid the most money?

If I had known that the price of the team winning some cups meant that we’d be married to the stars till death do us part, I’d have at least asked if a prenup was on the table.