GDT: Around the NHL - Playoff Edition

[Sidney the Kidney]

Oilers are gonna make short work of the Knights…Hill hasn’t been very good…for all we hate them, Oilers are looking like a good pick for a SC this year

They added the type of players we should have been adding these past 7 years. Adding more scoring depth like Podkolzin, Brown, Hyman, Kane, Henrique, Arvidsson, etc. is paying dividends for them. Meanwhile our organization kept catering to Sullivan's obsession with filling out the bottom six with vanilla grinders who can't score if their lives depended on it.

 

[Turin]

Oilers-Toronto final it is

 

[Turin]

They added the type of players we should have been adding these past 7 years. Adding more scoring depth like Podkolzin, Brown, Hyman, Kane, Henrique, Arvidsson, etc. is paying dividends for them. Meanwhile our organization kept catering to Sullivan's obsession with filling out the bottom six with vanilla grinders who can't score if their lives depended on it.

They also lost all their good young talent. Most of those guys suck

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

So apparently the refs are cheering for the Oilers. How do you not call that Arvidsson trip on McNab, especially after calling the 5-minute major on Roy a couple of minutes prior?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

McDavid absolutely toasted Eichel there on that game-winner.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

McDavid absolutely toasted Eichel there on that game-winner.

That was beautiful.

 

[66-30-33]

I'm done watching the Oilers. Obvious game rigging in overtime there unless you're a homer Oiler fan.

 

[Offtheboard412]

The fact that there was a not-insignificant portion of the fanbase and talking heads that seriously thought this was smart really soured me on, well... people I guess.

Had to listen to my moronic old boss say we should have traded Malkin for a goalie ... Mind you this was AFTER we won in 15/16 and in the middle of our run in 16/17.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I'm done watching the Oilers. Obvious game rigging in overtime there unless you're a homer Oiler fan.

I doubt the league is rigging things to help the Oil. They were 23rd in power play opportunities this year.

 

[plaidchuck]

Wow the East is trash this year outside of the Leafs. Don’t feel as bad about the Pens not being in it when you had teams with no business being there like Ottawa and the Habs.

Oilers and Stars is going to be the best matchup this year

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

McDavid absolutely toasted Eichel there on that game-winner.

He did, but Eichel sure f***ed that up, too.

Cheat to the right and force McD to the wall, far less dangerous than him skipping into the middle with Drai hauling ass down the left side. Knights were in an unenviable situation for sure, but they made the worst of it between Eichel's muff followed by both the Aidan and Pietrangelo focused on 97 leaving Drai wide open. Granted, that rush had a good chance of success and man, McDavid was still flying late in OT1, but still. That play after killing a major in OT definitely sucks.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Had to listen to my moronic old boss say we should have traded Malkin for a goalie ... Mind you this was AFTER we won in 15/16 and in the middle of our run in 16/17.

Jail

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Had to listen to my moronic old boss say we should have traded Malkin for a goalie ... Mind you this was AFTER we won in 15/16 and in the middle of our run in 16/17.

It's doubly stupid because dude had 28 in 25 that Cup run and it could even be ARGUED (I wouldn't but it's not crazy) that he should have added another CS to his trophy case.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Aside from this, I always thought Staal would have benefitted from one more year in juniors to hone his offense and really dominate as he hadn't really done that before hitting the NHL. I mean it's cool he made the team so young but I always wondered if his game suffered a bit for it. If I'm being honest probably not... he was always a little bit of a boner in the OZ. But dude was a horse and would have probably made a nice power winger/center hybrid.

Trying to put Malkin on HIS wing was the height of stupidity, though. I've come around on Staal and his role here in the intervening years but the dude could barely make a clean ten foot pass through the NZ nevermind pivot the second line next to a guy who was his superior in just about every way. It wasn't fair to him if nothing else.

Well Staal got like 20 goals on Malkin's wing in his rookie season if memory recalls. Would have been interesting if they kept that arrangement.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Well Staal got like 20 goals on Malkin's wing in his rookie season if memory recalls. Would have been interesting if they kept that arrangement.

29... the highest total of his entire career

 

[MikeS24]

I doubt the league is rigging things to help the Oil. They were 23rd in power play opportunities this year.

And last this playoffs. Have a -9 differential. They get hosed even when they dominate games

Meanwhile, Vegas broke an NHL record for being penalized under 200 times this year. The Wild were enraged at how much they got away with in series 1.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Using penalty differential to argue ref favoritism is so backwards. Teams don't commit penalties at the same rate, or anything close.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

they made the worst of it between Eichel's muff followed by both the Aidan and Pietrangelo focused on 97 leaving Drai wide open.

It still blows my mind how many NHL defensemen continue to big-brain 2on1s. Just focus 100% on shutting down the pass. It really is that simple.

 

[BHD]

You know it's bad when fans are saying Vegas - who they unanimously despise - got screwed.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Yeah, boys. THIS is the team the league is rigging things for.

Against these guys, no less.

 

[Khelandros]

View attachment 1032878

Yeah, boys. THIS is the team the league is rigging things for.

View attachment 1032879

Against these guys, no less.

Are you comparing Regular Season vs the Playoffs? Really?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Are you comparing Regular Season vs the Playoffs? Really?

Okay. Vegas has the 5th best differential in the playoffs.

Are you suggesting the league is screwing the team which has gotten the most (and widely recognized) favorable officiating since 2018? In favor of the team with the current worst penalty differential in the playoffs?

 

[Pancakes]

The Oilers really do give off Pens vibes. It's kinda hilarious. They'll look amazing and then blow (or nearly blow) a lead like it's nothing. They're also extremely top heavy and then filled with guys that I'm surprised are still in the league.

Lot of familiar ground with the Oilers