Post-Game Talk: Dallas wins and my schwartz watch quit again...

[Drivesaitl]

I think Ardvisson is hurt. He looked good early preseason and then took a couple huge hits. Has not been the same since. The cap hell we are in does not allow us any flexibility to rest anyone. Everyone has to play hurt.

Arvid is almost always hurt now. The guy played only 17games last season and was hurt twice missing shifts or in one case whole game just while he back briefly last year. With his back injuries its impossible now for him to evade hits at all and he's just getting nailed out there. I said at seasons start we're lucky if he can go 40-50 games. I might have to revise that.

As I’ve said I think they haven’t recovered mentally and it shows in the multitude of small but costly mistakes the big six keep making, including Leon. This could be a deep dark hole that the boys are in and difficult to play their way out of with average goaltending and a power-play that is powerless.

Yep. We both been on that same theme for sure. Thing is how do you really play fresh inspired when they had their soul crushed just months ago. People underestimate as well how much a full season and WC playoffs can take out of a club. Hard to repeat SC appearances in WC. Even teams as good as the Hawks had trouble. Kings never did it either.

 

[McDNicks17]

As I’ve said I think they haven’t recovered mentally and it shows in the multitude of small but costly mistakes the big six keep making, including Leon. This could be a deep dark hole that the boys are in and difficult to play their way out of with average goaltending and a power-play that is powerless.

I think it's going to take a little bit for them to realize the "need to take it easy and pace myself for the Cup" idea they had in the offseason needs to end in the offseason. The league is too good to only give a half-assed effort in the regular season.

The team still lives and dies with McDavid. They need him going 100% every night.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

At this point something isn't working. Is it the offseason training? Is it a lack of mental toughness from this team? Lingering injuries from getting run through the meat grinder because we had no physical response after Kane got hurt?

 

[Oilhawks]

At this point something isn't working. Is it the offseason training? Is it a lack of mental toughness from this team? Lingering injuries from getting run through the meat grinder because we had no physical response after Kane got hurt?

I think it’s a level of disinterest after a long season that came just short that they will have to get over

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

At this point something isn't working. Is it the offseason training? Is it a lack of mental toughness from this team? Lingering injuries from getting run through the meat grinder because we had no physical response after Kane got hurt?

I think they just assumed they’d cruise to a championship. Wouldn’t be the first time they were highly touted and floundered out of the gate.

 

[VainGretzky]

most slower teams at least have a 4th line that is youthful and fast hard hitting why it is called an energy line Oilers have a geriatric 4th line, the lack of speed on this team is very alarming

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I think it's going to take a little bit for them to realize the "need to take it easy and pace myself for the Cup" idea they had in the offseason needs to end in the offseason. The league is too good to only give a half-assed effort in the regular season.

The team still lives and dies with McDavid. They need him going 100% every night.

I think they think they are giving what they think is 100% but there’s clearly another level that they have to get to.

 

[Soundwave]

I think they just assumed they’d cruise to a championship. Wouldn’t be the first time they were highly touted and floundered out of the gate.

There's no one in that room (who was here last year) that doesn't remember last year's start. These stretches are just baked into the team identity at this point, they do it every season. It's either right out of the gate or in that period around late November/entering Christmas season.

I think honestly it would be easier for this team to win a Cup than a president's trophy. 82-games is too long of a season and the team doesn't have the backbone of a goalie that can hold the fort when certain elements on the team aren't going to bail them out.

 

[CupofOil]

Drai isn't getting 14M. Lets evaluate him on that when he's making that. Not on a SC hangover season when the whole club is basically not up to speed.

I despise the McDrai thing tbh first of all because they refuse to play defense when they play together but also because Ryan Nothing can't drive a line. It's still early in the season so no reason to sound off alarms but every stupid coach resorts to it and sticks with it for a while and it rarely works long term.

I'd like to think that they're paying Drai elite money long term to be an elite line driver not a McDavid winger. He can do it, the Oilers have some good players on the wing at least in the short term so time to keep him on his own line and stick with it long term.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Reasonable take from Craig Button. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/button...-figured-things-out--they-were-excell~3014291

Oilers played a great road game for essentially two periods. In a tight game mistakes were costly with the Stetcher bad penalty which deflated all their work with a late shorthanded goal and a coverage mistake on an additional goal. Skinner wiffs on an open look deep shot that followed a clean PK face-off loss by Nugent Hopkins and a rare blown coverage by Henrique. McDavid coasting back failing to cover his d-zone responsibility on a Dallas goal. Game over.

Lots of really good play for a big chunk with tilting the ice against an elite opponent and giving up little. Then the own mistakes unravelled a really strong road game.

This team's goals and shooting percentage will normalize after starting the season underwater. Their zone play heavily tilting to pushing teams to defend. But within its window phase of Cup or Bust, the fine details of the game is what separates elite teams. This tight game reflected the small margin that separates teams.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I despise the McDrai thing tbh first of all because they refuse to play defense when they play together but also because Ryan Nothing can't drive a line. It's still early in the season so no reason to sound off alarms but every stupid coach resorts to it and sticks with it for a while and it rarely works long term.

I'd like to think that they're paying Drai elite money long term to be an elite line driver not a McDavid winger. He can do it, the Oilers have some good players on the wing at least in the short term so time to keep him on his own line and stick with it long term.

My take is McDrai need less toi. Unfortunately the rest of the team is not affording that one iota. Now as much as ever it falls on McDrai shoulders.

In anycase the topline was bending the stars every shift for two periods and eating minutes and working hard. Ran out of gas. Probably doesn't help that both get beat up with hits, slashes etc every game. Benn was taking a particular interest in belting Drai, of course, and he knows Kane isn't here to deter anything. Marchment and others were running around too because why wouldn't you against this weak roster?

 

[Drivesaitl]

At this point something isn't working. Is it the offseason training? Is it a lack of mental toughness from this team? Lingering injuries from getting run through the meat grinder because we had no physical response after Kane got hurt?

Sure its that. Its a number of factors. We're the WC champs, we made it to SC final. Every club more than usual is circling the calendar and playing us hard. This season was always going to be harder, plus the absence of Kane. Plus the absence of a lot of youthful energy and jump. This dog will hunt to playoffs. Without help not much else.

The other thing is time just passing. Many other teams that have been on rebuild getting better, less easy nights on calendar, and the league, particularly WC as competitive as ever except SJ. Seems like almost every game we're playing some young turks that are budding into tomorrows star players. This is the way of hockey and life at some point you get replaced. Not saying its happening right now but its sure coming. The Oilers only hope of having a softer transition to youth was retaining that youth. Boat has passed.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Reasonable take from Craig Button. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/button...-figured-things-out--they-were-excell~3014291

Oilers played a great road game for essentially two periods. In a tight game mistakes were costly with the Stetcher bad penalty which deflated all their work with a late shorthanded goal and a coverage mistake on an additional goal. Skinner wiffs on an open look deep shot that followed a clean PK face-off loss by Nugent Hopkins and a rare blown coverage by Henrique. McDavid coasting back failing to cover his d-zone responsibility on a Dallas goal. Game over.

Lots of really good play for a big chunk with tilting the ice against an elite opponent and giving up little. Then the own mistakes unravelled a really strong road game.

This team's goals and shooting percentage will normalize after starting the season underwater. Their zone play heavily tilting to pushing teams to defend. But within its window phase of Cup or Bust, the fine details of the game is what separates elite teams. This tight game reflected the small margin that separates teams.

Dallas though despite our zone pressure were doing enough on most plays to make it tough to finish. A lot of contested areas around slot, crease and own zone. Dallas classic bending not breaking aided heavily by OTT. I thought the Oilers played quite well for two periods but I also thought stars were waiting for the Oilers to punch themselves out, and not for the first time. Stars are more opportunistic on counters and have an elite breakout and puck movement team. A lot of their sets are very interesting. Deserves to be said that Stars practice these breakouts and Ozone sets endlessly and are not just crisp when on but they make plays that are harder to read, passes from anywhere, guys opening up anywhere. They're a harder to read offense when they were on. For the stars its good for that club that they often only need to heat up for one period.

Also of note Stars missed net entirely on several wide open looks in first two periods just shooting wide. They shoot to score and look for corners and bar unders all the time. Not muffing shots on net. Game was a bit more equal than shot count in first two periods. Also Johnson was complete shit in this game. Still young.

Still think Dallas are a fun team to watch. They play hockey the right way, jmo.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Dallas though despite our zone pressure were doing enough on most plays to make it tough to finish. A lot of contested areas around slot, crease and own zone. Dallas classic bending not breaking aided heavily by OTT. I thought the Oilers played quite well for two periods but I also thought stars were waiting for the Oilers to punch themselves out, and not for the first time. Stars are more opportunistic on counters and have an elite breakout and puck movement team. A lot of their sets are very interesting. Deserves to be said that Stars practice these breakouts and Ozone sets endlessly and are not just crisp when on but they make plays that are harder to read, passes from anywhere, guys opening up anywhere. They're a harder to read offense when they were on. For the stars its good for that club that they often only need to heat up for one period.

Also of note Stars missed net entirely on several wide open looks in first two periods just shooting wide. They shoot to score and look for corners and bar unders all the time. Not muffing shots on net. Game was a bit more equal than shot count in first two periods. Also Johnson was complete shit in this game. Still young.

Still think Dallas are a fun team to watch. They play hockey the right way, jmo.

Dallas is an elite team and certainly skilled to counter punch after a rope-a-dope two periods. Will credit their goaltending. But the fine motor skills and finishing work of Edmonton's elite Top 5 Stack Line and flaccid PP were a big difference too. Too much bobbles in critical production drivers Bouchard and McDavid's games in particular with this early start to the season. This team's production and PP will normalize but strangely the malaise is really team wise.

Oil break the goose egg first and I think the game's outcome is different. Instead the Oil broke down and the game went the other way. We've discussed Dallas before haha I don't have to like 'em but I sure as hell respect them. Model organization too for draft and development.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Dallas is an elite team and certainly skilled to counter punch after a rope-a-dope two periods. Will credit their goaltending. But the fine motor skills and finishing work of Edmonton's elite Top 5 Stack Line and flaccid PP were a big difference too. Too much bobbles in critical production drivers Bouchard and McDavid's games in particular with this early start to the season. This team's production and PP will normalize but strangely the malaise is really team wise.

Oil break the goose egg first and I think the game's outcome is different. Instead the Oil broke down and the game went the other way. We've discussed Dallas before haha I don't have to like 'em but I sure as hell respect them. Model organization too for draft and development.

Bobbles happen easier when your top players are eating punishment every game and being broken down and double teamed. Trouble is everybody was watching our quantum success and on PP, and teams have all devised ways to mitigate our top plays. We're not taking any clubs by surprise anymore doing our standard PP tricks.

The purist in me respects clubs that play like Dallas. I liked the Islanders back in the day too. Or at least had respect for them until they were our SC obstacle. Its rare these days that teams have players that will sacrifice personal results and production just to play the 200ft game.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I think it’s a level of disinterest after a long season that came just short that they will have to get over

Is that the issue?

Or is it that this leadership tunes out coaches fast and needs a new coach constantly to get up for games.

Drai isn't getting 14M. Lets evaluate him on that when he's making that. Not on a SC hangover season when the whole club is basically not up to speed.

I agree, but I also know in a year you'll be here reminding posters how underpaid he was for a long time.

Reasonable take from Craig Button. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/button...-figured-things-out--they-were-excell~3014291

Oilers played a great road game for essentially two periods. In a tight game mistakes were costly with the Stetcher bad penalty which deflated all their work with a late shorthanded goal and a coverage mistake on an additional goal. Skinner wiffs on an open look deep shot that followed a clean PK face-off loss by Nugent Hopkins and a rare blown coverage by Henrique. McDavid coasting back failing to cover his d-zone responsibility on a Dallas goal. Game over.

Lots of really good play for a big chunk with tilting the ice against an elite opponent and giving up little. Then the own mistakes unravelled a really strong road game.

This team's goals and shooting percentage will normalize after starting the season underwater. Their zone play heavily tilting to pushing teams to defend. But within its window phase of Cup or Bust, the fine details of the game is what separates elite teams. This tight game reflected the small margin that separates teams.

Ekholm was to blame for that second goal.

Ekholm was trying to cover someone that Bouchard already had.

McDavid was properly looking for the 3rd option .

Reasonable take from Craig Button. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/button...-figured-things-out--they-were-excell~3014291

Oilers played a great road game for essentially two periods. In a tight game mistakes were costly with the Stetcher bad penalty which deflated all their work with a late shorthanded goal and a coverage mistake on an additional goal. Skinner wiffs on an open look deep shot that followed a clean PK face-off loss by Nugent Hopkins and a rare blown coverage by Henrique. McDavid coasting back failing to cover his d-zone responsibility on a Dallas goal. Game over.

Lots of really good play for a big chunk with tilting the ice against an elite opponent and giving up little. Then the own mistakes unravelled a really strong road game.

This team's goals and shooting percentage will normalize after starting the season underwater. Their zone play heavily tilting to pushing teams to defend. But within its window phase of Cup or Bust, the fine details of the game is what separates elite teams. This tight game reflected the small margin that separates teams.

Ekholm was to blame for that second goal.

Ekholm was trying to cover someone that Bouchard already had.

McDavid was properly looking for the 3rd option .