Pre-Game Talk: Decisions decision decisions

[Forgot About Drai]

I'm open to the argument, but I don't buy it's because he's not working the refs and media enough. I think we could swap coaches and end up with the exact same result because we have a bottom 9 that can't score, a $12.5 million defence pair that can't defend and a goaltender who has completely forgotten how to stop pucks.

I think its a small piece of the overall pie. Like tochett was out there talking about embellishment before the series even started. Cant imagine the refs didnt hear that and at least clock it a bit sub conciously.

But I agree, this is a much smaller piece then Skinner and our horrid second pair. It just something that adds to all of it IMO

 

[McJadeddog]

This drives me crazy.

I love Strudwick and love GYB, but I was rage driving listening to him crow on about the "low intensity start." We skated them into the ground for the first 10 mins and it only went the other way after they scored on the PP and we chose to soil ourselves over it.

It was the goalie on Sunday, it was the goalie yesterday, and it's still the goalie today. He's the only reason it isn't at least 2-1 Oilers in the series at the moment.

Yeah, Struds is great and obviously knows more about hockey than the vast majority of people. But he does get blinders on sometimes for certain things, and this was clearly a case of that. This wasn't an "intensity problem", it was an "playing in your own zone problem". 2 disastrously bad giveaways/coverage issues in our own zone and both in the back of the net. The Oilers were, by far, the better team all night. It wasn't that close either.

 

[CornKicker]

It’s a joke. I had been multi tasking when posting and made a mistake. A pretty obvious one that most people intuitively figured out. I don’t delete or edit change my posts. Instead leave my goof ups.

But yes, there would be a hella lot of other clone options. Not really big issue. Most people figured it out or scrolled by.

100% just like piling on when it doesnt die lol

 

[NeverForget06]

Just win.

 

[Zerotonine]

No way. Broberg would get utterly slaughtered by Vancouver's forecheckers. Terrible idea imo. I'd rather put in Stetcher for Ceci.

I dunno about that. Broberg is a fantastic skater

The problem is Pickard really ain't any good either.

But starting him takes some stones so I'll give the coaches credit for that.

If Pickard puts up a sub 900 save percentage we win
Pretty simple

 

[TB12]

This series feels exactly like the Vegas series. This team just isn't built for a playoff run.

To me it's Pickard or nothing. I guess we could start Campbell in game 5 if we lose tonight but at that point, I don't think it would matter. The series would be over anyways.

Hopefully Rodrigue happens to be the next Cujo because we don't have any other goalies coming to help us in the foreseeable future.

They dominated last game. Absolutely they are built for the playoffs, NO team "built" or not can win with the horseshit goaltending they've gotten. They're up 3-0 with even a modicum of talent in the pipes.

"Not built for the playoffs" is such revisionist bullshit, that is 1000% untrue and just a product of the Moustache.

 

[CornKicker]

I dunno about that. Broberg is a fantastic skater


If Pickard puts up a sub 900 save percentage we win
Pretty simple

id rather have broberg in that ceci or stecher,

id even like 73 to play with 25 and let playoff kulak handle the ceci baby sitting

 

[Zerotonine]

id rather have broberg in that ceci or stecher,

id even like 73 to play with 25 and let playoff kulak handle the ceci baby sitting

Kulak hasn't stuck out as much like he did the previous 2 playoffs tho

But yes still better

 

[ChaoticOrange]

That's f***ing embarrassing. Does anyone on this team have pride?

I can make it worse.

Quinn Hughes - 5'9, 161 pound Quinn Hughes - has more hits than Ceci and the same amount as Desharnais this series.

Tyler Myers ALONE almost has more hits than our entire D group. He has 14. Our entire D group combined has 19.

 

[CornKicker]

Kulak hasn't stuck out as much like he did the previous 2 playoffs tho

But yes still better

agree, which i would argue has been a good thing, ceci has stood out....but not for the reasons we would like

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I dunno about that. Broberg is a fantastic skater


If Pickard puts up a sub 900 save percentage we win
Pretty simple

He is, but Broberg really struggles on retrievals. If they start dumping it in on him they'll blow him up while the wheels are turning trying to figure out what to do with it once he's got it.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

They dominated last game. Absolutely they are built for the playoffs, NO team "built" or not can win with the horseshit goaltending they've gotten. They're up 3-0 with even a modicum of talent in the pipes.

"Not built for the playoffs" is such revisionist bullshit, that is 1000% untrue and just a product of the Moustache.

If that's true, why has our entire bottom 9 turned into pumpkins? Ceci and Nurse have sucked lately again too. Any time you notice them do something, it isn't something good.

A good goaltender is a key building block for a team that goes on a long playoff run. Skinner sucks in the playoffs, that I know and I'm thrilled he's finally being held accountable for his failure but the rest of the team needs to start doing something.

So far the team isn't overcoming it's weaknesses. Maybe they are built for the playoffs on paper but their mental will to get to the final is too weak? Maybe I should have used the phrase, "Not built to win a championship." Let's be honest, it would take a miracle from God himself to advance past Dallas or Colorado.

 

[CornKicker]

He is, but Broberg really struggles on retrievals. If they start dumping it in on him they'll blow him up while the wheels are turning trying to figure out what to do with it once he's got it.

the alternative is ceci letting them skate by him and giving them open looks

 

[Forgot About Drai]

They dominated last game. Absolutely they are built for the playoffs, NO team "built" or not can win with the horseshit goaltending they've gotten. They're up 3-0 with even a modicum of talent in the pipes.

"Not built for the playoffs" is such revisionist bullshit, that is 1000% untrue and just a product of the Moustache.

I half agree. While I think it is revisionist to just pack it up now and say this team cant win in playoffs, but anyone w/ a brain could predict Nurse/Ceci get f***ed in playoffs. You arent fully built for a long run w/ that second pairing IMO. Should have been addressed if you are serious about a long run.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The problem is Pickard really ain't any good either.

But starting him takes some stones so I'll give the coaches credit for that.

Disagree. Pickard is much more mobile, quicker moving across, can make reaction saves and is good to decent at handling the puck. What you sacrifice in size with Pickard you get in skillsets. I do think Pickard also better in looking around screens or anticipation. Just a fundamentally decent goalie whereas Skinner is suspect.

I'm thrilled if Pickard is in.

Have people been watching Pickard? What games has he been bad in? Seems like he's been reasonably reliable and to those that say he's only facing poor teams its not accurate and in anycase can only be judged against the teams he's playing.

Through 7 games now Skinner has been poor against Vancouver. How much more sample would we need? Nucks have the book on how to solve Skinner, it happens.

 

[Mez]

I can make it worse.

Quinn Hughes - 5'9, 161 pound Quinn Hughes - has more hits than Ceci and the same amount as Desharnais this series.

Tyler Myers ALONE almost has more hits than our entire D group. He has 14. Our entire D group combined has 19.

Well we have been in their end a lot more so they will naturally have more hits. They just come into our zone off the rush and pot a 5% or less scoring chance goal behind skinner....no time to hit.

 

[Drivesaitl]

They dominated last game. Absolutely they are built for the playoffs, NO team "built" or not can win with the horseshit goaltending they've gotten. They're up 3-0 with even a modicum of talent in the pipes.

"Not built for the playoffs" is such revisionist bullshit, that is 1000% untrue and just a product of the Moustache.

yeah. Totally. btw the TNT broadcast of Dallas-Colorado was awful. So many dumb comments on the other series. According to them Vancouver is so great and worthy and yet they're getting badly outplayed in games. They also made the comment Mcdavid is just another player and NHL shouldn't treat him differently as if thats ever occurred. They figured somehow that the Oilers must be playing worse than the AV's that they are watching who have been pretty much no show in the Dallas series. Not sure how people would deal with that here but in the two game set in Colorado the AV's look to have caved against Dallas in both of the games. I mean it was 5-1 last night and deservedly so, and the fans were booing. Unlike in Edmonton, to add insult, Giorgiev was their best player. Makar was missing in action even though he was out there. Only on a few shifts did he do Makar things. Mostly he just stood around looking depressed.

Whatever Edmonton fans are seeing its nothing like the shitshow going on in Colorado.

 

[Vagabond]

I feel the lack of hitting is half Knob's fault especially after hearing him talk. I don't think he understand that a massive hit has potential to change a playoff series. Ask the Oilers of 06 when Torres cranked Krons into next week. I understand to not go out of position to force a hit but my Gawd the Oilers look like p***yes on the fly-bye. It's ridiculous.

I'm happy to see Picks get the nod. Hopefully he has a massive game for us and wins us the series.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Edmonton media be like...

"the team needs to be better at limiting scoring chances to help out their goalies. It's all on the defensive structure of the team leading to the goals against".

Now they are saying "the team isn't allowing enough scoring chances to help out their goalies. The defensive structure of the team is too strong leading into too much time between scoring chances leading the to goalie being ill-prepared to make the saves".

What the f*** do they want, is it ever the goalies fault? Is the goalie at least not somewhat culpable in his own poor performance?

Its like new levels of stupidity have been reached. This narrative comes right out of the Skinner presser yesterday and people should watch it, its so cringe. In the presser the media are establishing any and all narratives to support Skinner including his bouncebacks, his rags to riches story as starter, and then "doesn't it help you when more pucks come at you, aren'ty you a like to see a lot of pucks player" Skinner basically said sort of, it depends, was ambivalent and the press ran with that anyway that the Oilers are doing Skinner a disservice by being so dominant.

They're alternately saying the Oilers don't start well enough, or that they are not imposing will on games or they complain that the Oilers are so dominant Skinner can't get a feel for pucks. No questions at all that Skinner doesn't even do basic pregame prep of skating, working on edges, flexing, stretching that other goalies do. With Skinner he's standing around looking cool, doing his little saunter around the net front thing, and tossing his hair back like Joe Cool. The Press love him. Skinner isn't culpable because they adore him. I said yesterday Skinner talks to the press like he's visiting folks in an old age home. They eat it up. Smiles all around.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I feel the lack of hitting is half Knob's fault especially after hearing him talk. I don't think he understand that a massive hit has potential to change a playoff series. Ask the Oilers of 06 when Torres cranked Krons into next week. I understand to not go out of position to force a hit but my Gawd the Oilers look like p***yes on the fly-bye. It's ridiculous.

I'm happy to see Picks get the nod. Hopefully he has a massive game for us and wins us the series.

While he is voicing the don't hit and get out of position narrative because he wants strong positioning he's not against the hits taking place. Finish if they are there. KK hasn't been entirely above smokescreens either. May say one thing and then you're watching the game and something else is occurring.

I'll predict the Oilers smoke several Canucks in the first 5mins of the game. I predict the best performance from the Oilers yet in the series and taking the Nucks out of the game early.

The bear has been poked. its going to be hungry.

I'll remind posters as well the Oilers have dominated 2 of the games in this series. We should be up 2-1 with a crack at 3-0 if we had even average goaltending.

 

[oobga]

I dunno about that. Broberg is a fantastic skater


If Pickard puts up a sub 900 save percentage we win
Pretty simple

Sub .900? Or just anything close to .900? Skinner can do sub 0.900 any day of the week

 

[Drivesaitl]

What do we do guys? Series is 2-1 but how do we win this?

If Skinner can somehow, out of nowhere, just SOMEHOW find his game, we can win this series. That's the only way.

We can start Pickard. Why does it always have to be Skinner in your mind? This isn't the Edmonton Skinners.

 

[bone]

Its like new levels of stupidity have been reached. This narrative comes right out of the Skinner presser yesterday and people should watch it, its so cringe. In the presser the media are establishing any and all narratives to support Skinner including his bouncebacks, his rags to riches story as starter, and then "doesn't it help you when more pucks come at you, aren'ty you a like to see a lot of pucks player" Skinner basically said sort of, it depends, was ambivalent and the press ran with that anyway that the Oilers are doing Skinner a disservice by being so dominant.

They're alternately saying the Oilers don't start well enough, or that they are not imposing will on games or they complain that the Oilers are so dominant Skinner can't get a feel for pucks. No questions at all that Skinner doesn't even do basic pregame prep of skating, working on edges, flexing, stretching that other goalies do. With Skinner he's standing around looking cool, doing his little saunter around the net front thing, and tossing his hair back like Joe Cool. The Press love him. Skinner isn't culpable because they adore him. I said yesterday Skinner talks to the press like he's visiting folks in an old age home. They eat it up. Smiles all around.

Yeah, it's funny them wrapping themselves around this to create narratives. The Oilers' starts in this series, while not dominant having been ridiculously bad, but Vancouver has generally created a higher percentage of their chances in the first and faded as the game progresses. But if the concern was not facing pucks, why are they scoring so many goals in the first period when facing the most pucks on net.

The lone exception to this of course was Game 1, where maybe you could argue Edmonton was limiting them too much as somehow Vancouver scored 4 goals on 1 scoring chance, but Games 2 and 3 showed that Skinner let in more goals with the more pucks faced.

 

[Vagabond]

I'll predict the Oilers smoke several Canucks in the first 5mins of the game. I predict the best performance from the Oilers yet in the series and taking the Nucks out of the game early.

I really hope you're right because that's exactly what I'm expecting as well!

 

[MoneyGuy]

Skinner or Picard (or Campbell???)
Split McDrai up or keep the nuclear option?
Carrick or Ryan?
Henrique ok to play or not?
Foegele or Gagner or Brown?
Ceci or Stetcher?
Kane or Hyman on the top line?

Here are my answers even though it might look like panic moves but we have only 5 players going right now - the top pair and the top line.

Picard- can’t trust Stu anymore
Split up McDrai - can’t win with one line
Carrick
Hope Henrique is good to go
Gagner
Stetcher
Hyman

RNH McDavid Hyman
Kane Draisaitl Holloway
Henrique McLoed Perry
Janmark Carrick Gagner

Ekholm Bouchard
Nurse Stetcher
Kulak VD

Picard
Campbell

Skinner gets the press box to refocus,

Skinner or Picard (or Campbell???)
Split McDrai up or keep the nuclear option?
Carrick or Ryan?
Henrique ok to play or not?
Foegele or Gagner or Brown?
Ceci or Stetcher?
Kane or Hyman on the top line?

Here are my answers even though it might look like panic moves but we have only 5 players going right now - the top pair and the top line.

Picard- can’t trust Stu anymore
Split up McDrai - can’t win with one line
Carrick
Hope Henrique is good to go
Gagner
Stetcher
Hyman

RNH McDavid Hyman
Kane Draisaitl Holloway
Henrique McLoed Perry
Janmark Carrick Gagner

Ekholm Bouchard
Nurse Stetcher
Kulak VD

Picard
Campbell

Skinner gets the press box to refocus.

It’s Pickard; Picard is the Star Trek captain.