Post-Game Talk: Build The Wal

[OilerTyler]

Sorry you missed the game and didn't see that weak goal get by. Guess what would happen if that goal didn't get by?

The team would have another 20-minute period with a chance to score. It's called overtime.

If Skinner has to have a <1 GAA and >0.950 save percentage for the team to win the game the team in front of him has failed. Like I said earlier, the Oilers aren't built to win games that way. Take a look at our pay structure or simply ask anyone around the league.

We had 25 minutes to muster up another goal after Florida took the lead and our offence failed. Sure we could've gotten the game to overtime. If we lost the game there I'm sure you'd be complaining that Skinner didn't get them to a second overtime. We also could've gotten the game to overtime by scoring a second goal. Expecting to hold one of the top scoring teams in the lead to one goal for ∞ minutes isn't realistic. Expecting your highly paid, star studded offence to score two measly goals is. Unfortunately our offence didn't show up and that's why we lost the Stanley Cup. It is what it is.

 

[Bumblebee Man]

If Skinner has to have a <1 GAA and >0.950 save percentage for the team to win the game the team in front of him has failed. Like I said earlier, the Oilers aren't built to win games that way. Take a look at our pay structure or simply ask anyone around the league.

We had 25 minutes to muster up another goal after Florida took the lead and our offence failed. Sure we could've got the game to overtime. If we lost the game there I'm sure you'd be complaining that Skinner didn't get them to a second overtime. We also could've gotten the game to overtime by scoring a second goal. Expecting to hold one of the top scoring teams in the lead to one goal for ∞ minutes isn't realistic. Expecting your highly paid, star studded offence to score two measly goals is. Unfortunately our offence didn't show up and that's why we lost the Stanley Cup. It is what it is.

Logic 101

 

[guymez]

I'd even say that at 26, that is young for a goalie, and maybe Skinner does put the final pieces together sooner rather than later. He was better last year in the playoffs than he was the year before. He might still have room to grow

We have to hope at this point in time.
He has only played 147 regualr season games as an NHL starter...thats not very much especially when you consider that a Dman needs approx 300 NHL games to really get his feet under him.

This is a tough market to play in and the added pressure on Skinner being from here must be quite a challenge.
If he f**ks up he really hears about it.
So when he has a post game presser where he is very casual about the game I kind of understand it.
He is trying to manage the pressure the best way he can.

I have no bitterness towards this player.
I badly want to see this team win so I hope that the fans lay off a bit, the team in front of him gets its act together, and Skinner knocks it out of the park.

 

[OilerTyler]

Logic 101

Skinner has struggled this year, I think it's obvious to all of us. Personally, I was hoping the Oilers would find a way to acquire another goalie at the deadline. However, Skinner struggling this season doesn't mean everything bad that has happened to this team during his time here is his fault. Some people get way too emotional about things and lose all logic.

 

[MessierThanThou]

If Skinner has to have a <1 GAA and >0.950 save percentage for the team to win the game the team in front of him has failed. Like I said earlier, the Oilers aren't built to win games that way. Take a look at our pay structure or simply ask anyone around the league.

We had 25 minutes to muster up another goal after Florida took the lead and our offence failed. Sure we could've got the game to overtime. If we lost the game there I'm sure you'd be complaining that Skinner didn't get them to a second overtime. Expecting to hold one of the top scoring teams in the lead to one goal for ∞ minutes isn't realistic. Expecting your highly paid, star studded offence to score two measly goals is. Unfortunately our offence didn't show up and that's why we lost the Stanley Cup. It is what it is.

Oh boy, you actually double-downed on that statement.

Yes, the Oilers aren't "built like that" because they cheaped out on goaltending and played Russian Roulette in net with Skinner. That's our whole point. That's why they lost. That's why we fear they will lose again. That's why we want a better goalie, and not even an expensive one, just one who we haven't come to expect will implode in half of the series he's in (which, after two failed postseasons of this, I think is a realistic expectation), or crush our dreams by letting in a muffin in the most important game of our best players lives.

Also, someone on here dug up stats in the SCF comparing McDavid to other contemporaries like Kucherov, Crosby, MacKinnon, and I believe even Ovechkin, and McDavid came out looking quite strong. Might be worth looking that up before blaming our sole reasons for this team being anything but a laughingstock.

What I need to ask is, if you are defending the status quo here, does that mean you think this team is wise to enter another postseason with the same goalie and same strategy that has failed for two consecutive years?

 

[guymez]

If Skinner has to have a <1 GAA and >0.950 save percentage for the team to win the game the team in front of him has failed. Like I said earlier, the Oilers aren't built to win games that way. Take a look at our pay structure or simply ask anyone around the league.

We had 25 minutes to muster up another goal after Florida took the lead and our offence failed. Sure we could've gotten the game to overtime. If we lost the game there I'm sure you'd be complaining that Skinner didn't get them to a second overtime. We also could've gotten the game to overtime by scoring a second goal. Expecting to hold one of the top scoring teams in the lead to one goal for ∞ minutes isn't realistic. Expecting your highly paid, star studded offence to score two measly goals is. Unfortunately our offence didn't show up and that's why we lost the Stanley Cup. It is what it is.

I get what you are saying here.
Its not like Skinner couldnt have been better in a couple of games but the strength of this team failed at a crucial time.
Scoring 0.67 goals in 3 games of a 7 game series just isnt good enough.
The team couldnt afford to have their offence completely disappear for 43% of the series.

 

[OilerTyler]

Oh boy, you actually double-downed on that statement.

Yes, the Oilers aren't "built like that" because they cheaped out on goaltending and played Russian Roulette in net with Skinner. That's our whole point. That's why they lost. That's why we fear they will lose again. That's why we want a better goalie, and not even an expensive one, just one who we haven't come to expect will implode in half of the series he's in (which, after two failed postseasons of this, I think is a realistic expectation), or crush our dreams by letting in a muffin in the most important game of our best players lives.

Also, someone on here dug up stats in the SCF comparing McDavid to other contemporaries like Kucherov, Crosby, MacKinnon, and I believe even Ovechkin, and McDavid came out looking quite strong. Might be worth looking that up before blaming our sole reasons for this team being anything but a laughingstock.

What I need to ask is, if you are defending the status quo here, does that mean you think this team is wise to enter another postseason with the same goalie and same strategy that has failed for two consecutive years?

I already pointed out that I'm not talking about the Stanley Cup Finals as a whole, I'm talking about game seven. I know McDavid was great in the playoffs. He wasn't great in the most important game though. Do you think his performance in game seven was good enough?

I also mentioned that I was hoping the Oilers would find a way to acquire another goalie this season. Skinner has been struggling this season, we all know that. That doesn't mean losing the cup last season was his fault. People have issues differentiating the two.

The Oilers themselves identified scoring as the biggest issue on this team and went out to address it on July 1st. Things have obviously changed since then but that should show you where our main issue was in the finals.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I get what you are saying here.
Its not like Skinner couldnt have been better in a couple of games but the strength of this team failed at a crucial time.
Scoring 0.67 goals in 3 games of a 7 game series just isnt good enough.
The team couldnt afford to have their offence completely disappear for 43% of the series.

Hyman had 54 goals, Drai had 41, McDavid had 132 points
That trio combined for 0 points in 3 games in Florida
Somehow this is Skinner’s fault

 

[MessierThanThou]

I already pointed out that I'm not talking about the Stanley Cup Finals as a whole, I'm talking about game seven. I know McDavid was great in the playoffs. He wasn't great in the most important game though. Do you think his performance in game seven was good enough?

I also mentioned that I was hoping the Oilers would find a way to acquire another goalie this season. Skinner has been struggling this season, we all know that. That doesn't mean losing the cup last season was his fault. People have issues differentiating the two.

It's not solely his fault, again, nobody is solely to blame here, nobody thinks in absolutes here, but it's foolish to pin more blame on players for not scoring against a goalie putting on an elite performance than the goalie who made the most devastating mistake of the game.

 

[OilerTyler]

It's not solely his fault, again, nobody is solely to blame here, nobody thinks in absolutes here, but it's foolish to pin more blame on players for not scoring against a goalie putting on an elite performance than the goalie who made the most devastating mistake of the game.

Saying Bobrovsky put on "an elite performance" is just a cop out way to say our offence failed at finishing.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Hyman had 54 goals, Drai had 41, McDavid had 132 points
That trio combined for 0 points in 3 games in Florida
Somehow this is Skinner’s fault

You have all of these posters agreeing with you now, this is your big moment to shine!

Don't bungle it like Skinner bungled his big moment...in Game 7

 

[guymez]

Hyman had 54 goals, Drai had 41, McDavid had 132 points
That trio combined for 0 points in 3 games in Florida
Somehow this is Skinner’s fault

I hear you and its not just on them.
When the primary scoring isnt happening then the secondary scoring needs to help out.

That didnt happen either.
You could make the argument that based on how well those 3 players played in every series prior to the Florida series that the secondary scoring should have stepped up in at least one of those 3 games.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Saying Bobrovsky put on "an elite performance" is just a cop out way to say our offence failed at finishing.

Saying our best players failed is just a cop out for saying Skinner couldn't stop a muffin.

Except the players you're blaming are consistently better at their jobs, historically so, than the goalie you're defending.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Logic 101

There isn't an ounce of logic in it. By that posters words the team "failed" because its goalie let in a routine shot that ended up being the deciding goal. They failed on the basis of their goalie giving up a weak goal.

Apparently to you that makes sense.

In anycase its looking at a microset one game. Try to tell Connor McDavid "failed" last postseason as he broke several playoff records.

Theres a difference in anycase between what side of the discussion one is on vs saying theres illogic in the other view.

But this discussion has been done so many times it should stop.

 

[Mr Positive]

We have to hope at this point in time.
He has only played 147 regualr season games as an NHL starter...thats not very much especially when you consider that a Dman needs approx 300 NHL games to really get his feet under him.

This is a tough market to play in and the added pressure on Skinner being from here must be quite a challenge.
If he f**ks up he really hears about it.
So when he has a post game presser where he is very casual about the game I kind of understand it.
He is trying to manage the pressure the best way he can.

I have no bitterness towards this player.
I badly want to see this team win so I hope that the fans lay off a bit, the team in front of him gets its act together, and Skinner knocks it out of the park.

I'd say that Skinner should stay off social media. Any player should. I can't imagine any benefit to it.

I know our healthy fanbase has positives and negatives, and fan pressure is a negative. He should try to make it that the only critiques he hears come from the coaches

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I hear you and its not just on them.
When the primary scoring isnt happening then the secondary scoring needs to help out.

That didnt happen either.

Sure but secondary scoring came up huge in Game 6
Foegele, Henrique and yes Hyman scored..just 1 point for Drai, 0 points for McDavid
Heck, Mattias freaking Janmark scored in game 7 and Skinner only gave up 2…if you told me those things would happen before the game I would’ve told you there no way we lose with the offensive weapons we have in the lineup

 

[Drivesaitl]

Saying our players failed is just a cop out for saying Skinner couldn't stop a muffin.

Except the players you're blaming are consistently better at their jobs, historically so, than the goalie you're defending.

McDavid set playoff records but "failed" It beggars belief that a person says that while self saying logic.

hooboy

 

[MessierThanThou]

McDavid set playoff records but "failed" It beggars belief that a person says that while self saying logic.

hooboy

We should just let Tkachy have his moment. He actually has his own team now. This is his Stanley Cup!

 

[MessierThanThou]

I'd say that Skinner should stay off social media. Any player should. I can't imagine any benefit to it.

I know our healthy fanbase has positives and negatives, and fan pressure is a negative. He should try to make it that the only critiques he hears come from the coaches

Except Dustin Schwartz. When that guy speaks, Stu needs to listen to whatever self-help audiobook he can. At max volume.

 

[Drivesaitl]

It's not solely his fault, again, nobody is solely to blame here, nobody thinks in absolutes here, but it's foolish to pin more blame on players for not scoring against a goalie putting on an elite performance than the goalie who made the most devastating mistake of the game.

Wouldn't be too sure about that.

The most foolish thing, always, is assertions around the best players in the world "failing" to score, and one was badly injured, while completely absolving the Goalie that almost blew the Nucks series and has been mostly bad in playoffs.

The Oilers scored more goals in playoffs than anybody. But they "failed" according to faulty logic because they didn't score even more. lol

Occam Razor would suggest the weakest goaltending of any team in playoffs was our ultimate failure. Denial to suggest otherwise.

 

[guymez]

Sure but secondary scoring came up huge in Game 6
Foegele, Henrique and yes Hyman scored..just 1 point for Drai, 0 points for McDavid
Heck, Mattias freaking Janmark scored in game 7 and Skinner only gave up 2…if you told me those things would happen before the game I would’ve told you there no way we lose with the offensive weapons we have in the lineup

I just looked and if we dont count the game 4 blowout (Florida packed it in after the first period) then the Oilers secondary scoring accounted for 6 goals out of the 10 goals the team scored in games 5 and 6.
Janmark was the only goal scorer in game 7.

In the first 3 games the Oilers secondary scoring accounted for all the goals.

So you are making a completely valid point.

What you are saying is an objective fact but it wont be popular.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Wouldn't be too sure about that.

The most foolish thing, always, is assertions around the best players in the world "failing" to score, and one was badly injured, while completely absolving the Goalie that almost blew the Nucks series and has been mostly bad in playoffs.

The Oilers scored more goals in playoffs than anybody. But they "failed" according to faulty logic because they didn't score even more. lol

Occam Razor would suggest the weakest goaltending of any team in playoffs was our ultimate failure. Denial to suggest otherwise.

Like I keep saying, anyone running a cult, pyramid scheme, or some kind of scam needs to DM these guys now. Money on the table.

 

[Duke74]

Leon is a literal one-man army this season. It'll be a travesty when he doesn't win the Hart.

Sadly, I think MacK has that locked up.

The Rocket will probably be his best chance at an award provided he can hold on.

 

[bellagiobob]

I'm pretty sure everyone bashing Skinner actually cheers him on at these games. I know I do. And we actually want to be proven wrong, unlike the other side of this debate, who seem to take more joy in showing us up and "riding and dying" than actually seeing our team reach its full potential.

It becomes even more pathetic when you read the posts above and see these self-proclaimed Oiler fans who would rather throw McDrai under the bus than admit the problem in net.

You know why players actually want to play here now? It's not because of the city and its "beautiful River Valley." And I'm sorry, but it's not the fans either. It's pretty much entirely because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl (Oh, and our generosity with NMCs...). And you know why we aren't enduring yet another decade of darkness like Buffalo is? Take a wild guess.

After enduring decades of mediocrity and outright failure, this team is (was?) not only a contender but has generational talents doing shit we haven't seen since Mario and Wayne, and it couldn't be any more clear what is obviously holding us back, based on every possible shred of proof that seems to exist, and should be plain as day to the vast majority of us...yet somehow isn't because some people here think that blind obedience is synonymous with fandom. Or are strangely devoted to an objectively mediocre goalie.

The problem is, this is year 3 of the Skinner experiment. He's played in six playoff rounds, imploded in three of them, and is looking worse than ever this season. Can you blame actual fans of this team for being a little concerned and even upset that our most glaring weakness wasn't addressed going into a critical year for the McDrai era?

To the bolded, of course not, I'm not thrilled at his play at times, and not sure he's the guy that we can win a cup with. But the TD is over, there is nothing that can be done about it. No issues if people want to chat about any players performance after the game, but there a few here that make it their mission in life to come on here day after day, just to rag on Skinner. multiple daily posts by the same people on the subject just get old, and doesn't bring up anything new we don't already know. Don't really see the point of it. And there are people that have taken it to a personal level with Skinner, with personal insults. To each his own, but not a fan of when it gets to that level.

 

[MessierThanThou]

To the bolded, of course not, I'm not thrilled at his play at times, and not sure he's the guy that we can win a cup with. But the TD is over, there is nothing that can be done about it. No issues if people want to chat about any players performance after the game, but there a few here that make it their mission in life to come on here day after day, just to rag on Skinner. multiple daily posts by the same people on the subject just get old, and doesn't bring up anything new we don't already know. Don't really see the point of it. And there are people that have taken it to a personal level with Skinner, with personal insults. To each his own, but not a fan of when it gets to that level.

I don't agree with personal attacks on him either. Skinner seems like a genuinely kind person and I enjoy hearing his interviews. Some of the things he says, especially about Connor, I can imagine any of us saying in that same situation. You can tell how happy he is to be playing here and living out his childhood dream. It's a touching story.

I just hope it has a happy ending.

That's all we can do now. Hope. And pray.

Hope and pray to any god that will listen.