Pre-Game Talk: Decisions Decisions Decisions v.3.0, now with new and improved Pole!

[ManofSteel55]

Let Nurse sit. Play Kulak in the 2nd pairing with Desharnais. Broberg with Stecher on the 3rd pairing

Why Stecher? Ceci hasn't been bad for the most part in the playoffs. He looks way better without Nurse by his side.

 

[Duke74]

Broken finger

He played better on a sprained ankle.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Had enough of Foegle. Yes, I'd put Gagner in or Perry who should be rested by now.

Perry wasn't out because he needed rest. He was out because he's old, slow and was ineffective.

That said, I'd sit Foegele and bring in Perry. Foegele hasn't been doing much.

 

[Canovin]

Why Stecher? Ceci hasn't been bad for the most part in the playoffs. He looks way better without Nurse by his side.

Give the players should needed rest

 

[McHelpus]

Ngl I respect knob. Dude isn't being complacent and sticking with it. Now it's time to try everything, I'm happy he's our coach now.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Give the players should needed rest

Ok, that's fair. I'd sit Nurse next game for "rest" and to do the mystical "reset", but I wouldn't sit them both. I don't think we want Broberg and Stecher as our bottom pair if possible.

 

[Little Fury]

Messing with the forwards is just shuffling deck chairs at this point but there's no way they can keep Ceci in, they just can't it's gross mismanagement.

I wouldn't mind even breaking up 2 and 14 just to give one other pair a lifeline.

27-2
25-14
73-86

 

[Shanahanigans]

To my eye, Draisaitl looks injured and tired. He needs help on that 2nd line. for game 4 I'd go:

Henrique-Mcdavid-Hyman
RNH-Draisaitl-Holloway
Kane-Mcleod-Brown
Janmark-Carrick-Foegele

 

[gretzkyoilers]

Why Stecher? Ceci hasn't been bad for the most part in the playoffs. He looks way better without Nurse by his side.

Ceci also scored two big goals

 

[Oilhawks]

Messing with the forwards is just shuffling deck chairs at this point but there's no way they can keep Ceci in, they just can't it's gross mismanagement.

I wouldn't mind even breaking up 2 and 14 just to give one other pair a lifeline.

27-2
25-14
73-86

I don't mind it but worry about guys playing on their off-side

Desharnais I guess doesn't matter since he handles the puck like a grenade anyhow but Ekholm will be at a disadvantage. It's too bad they couldn't get a right handed Ekholm to carry Nurse.

To my eye, Draisaitl looks injured and tired. He needs help on that 2nd line. for game 4 I'd go:

Henrique-Mcdavid-Hyman
RNH-Draisaitl-Holloway
Kane-Mcleod-Brown
Janmark-Carrick-Foegele

Agreed. If Henrique can handle the minutes they need to put him in the top 6 to shake things up a bit. Kane can play on the third line

 

[iCanada]

I don’t see it as a personnel issue but a killer instinct issue. It’s actually been an issue all playoffs. Oilers come out and dominate the first and then when the other teams increases intensity, oilers think they can coast to the end. Other team gets momentum and it’s too hard to turn around. Changes players will not help. The Oilers need to change their mindset. Look at the Vancouver series. Wasn’t until game 6/7 that they played with urgency, even then they became complacent and almost gave away game 7 in a 10 minute span

It's a killer instinct issue that Skinner still can't seal his post?



What about his pretend accountability he took then, which he repeated after last night's performance?

Why Stecher? Ceci hasn't been bad for the most part in the playoffs. He looks way better without Nurse by his side.

Ceci has the lowest expected goals percentage of every player in the entire playoffs.

 

[bettmanhatescanada]

You need a nuclear bomb to shake up the complacency of the locker room. So, screw McDavid and his feelings and u replace his best buddy Nurse with Broberg.

Ekholm-Bouchard
Kulak-Ceci
Broberg-Desharnais

That's an electroshock that will shake them. Sends a message no player is above the team, even a veteran with a guaranteed contract and best buddy of the captain. Simply, u play well, u stay, u play bad, someone takes your place regardless of your reputation, contract, money, relationship with captain or having letter on your jersey. Screw the kids gloves, tough love is needed in this must win game.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

If you think Cody Ceci hasn't been out and out the worst Oiler defenseman on the ice every night in these playoffs, I have concerns. He's been borderline unplayable at some times.

You need a nuclear bomb to shake up the complacency of the locker room. So, screw McDavid and his feelings and u replace his best buddy Nurse with Broberg.

Ekholm-Bouchard
Kulak-Ceci
Broberg-Desharnais

That's an electroshock that will shake them. Sends a message no player is above the team, even a veteran with a guaranteed contract and best buddy of the captain. Simply, u play well, u stay, u play bad, someone takes your place regardless of your reputation, contract, money, relationship with captain or having letter on your jersey. Screw the kids gloves, tough love is needed in this must win game.

If you're going to sit Nurse, just sit both Nurse and the worst defenseman on the team Ceci, and go with Broberg and Kemp.

I know you guys get hung up on contracts, but who gives a shit? They just need to win and the player isn't unaware of his contract or struggles.

 

[Shanahanigans]

Ceci has been far worse than Nurse and should be the one sitting.

 

[Oilhawks]

If you think Cody Ceci hasn't been out and out the worst Oiler defenseman on the ice every night in these playoffs, I have concerns. He's been borderline unplayable at some times.

To be fair, it's a bit of a toss up when they also have Nurse on the roster. Relative to expectations and pay, he's been far worse.

Ceci's game 7 goal against Vancouver alone makes him more valuable than Nurse with his 2 points and -13 which is laughably horrible

Bit of a random aside, buddy who is a Stars fan, also likes the Oilers but has cited many times in the past that Nurse being absolute trash is the main reason he struggles to cheer for this team. I can see why

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

To be fair, it's a bit of a toss up when they also have Nurse on the roster. Relative to expectations and pay, he's been far worse.

Nurse has been underwhelming all playoffs, he's been a disaster in this series, no question.

Ceci has been a NON-NHL player for several segments of the playoffs so far, just complete useless and a giant problem. I'm glad he played well in game 7, but he's LONG over due to come out.

 

[Reasonable Oil Fan]

Messing with the forwards is just shuffling deck chairs at this point but there's no way they can keep Ceci in, they just can't it's gross mismanagement.

I wouldn't mind even breaking up 2 and 14 just to give one other pair a lifeline.

27-2
25-14
73-86

This might be a good plan. My only concern is, does Ekholm prop Bouchard up?
If so, this might be just shuffling deck chairs, or worse

 

[0ilerman]

Where's our mean streak? This series can't be a no-hitter anymore. Need to throw the body and take this series in to the gutter a bit. It keeps everyone engaged, hopefully to ward off the 5-10 minute windows of absolute dog-sh** play that we're susceptible to.

Hintz has a hand injury. Would love to see someone, anyone, target that hand. Perry seems like the man for that job.

I'm not of the opinion that you Nurse should sit out. Put him together with Vinny again. Shelter his minutes, hopefully build his confidence up a little bit. We aren't going to beat Dallas, or win a cup, with Nurse sitting in the PB.

This feels like a good spot to get Pickard back in. Good teams have multiple goalies that can win them games. Boston, for example, played 2 goalies all year and had great success. Not sure why they deviated from that in the Playoffs.

 

[OilersaretheMcBest]

Mike Smith and maybe Campbell got undeserved heat. Skinner's is all deserved

 

[McHelpus]

Knob confirms skinner starts tomorrow.

 

[Hemsky4pm2]

Broberg for Vinny or Ceci makes sense to me. Better skater and puck mover. This is not a physical or penalty filled series. Broberg may be able to offer a different element, speed and agility. I also like changng things to throw off the opponent a bit. If they have been targetting Vinny or Ceci on dump-ins and other situations, they take that tactic away. Broberg can close on those stretch plays that the Stars are exploiting too.

Ekholm Bouchard
Nurse Kulak
Broberg Ceci

This is what I would like to see in game 4.

 

[elmeroil]

Knob confirms skinner starts tomorrow.

That's a really bad decision, I sure hope it works out but I have 0 faith that it will

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Game 4, the most important game this season and in the McDavid era.

Win and its a winnable Best of 3 series.

Lose and its a nearly impossible mountain to climb with the season in jeopardy as early as Friday night and a Saturday locker room cleanup.

Below is a very scientific and binding Pole (for the out of town lurkers, yes I know it's spelled Poll.....you have to be a regular on here to understand the sad attempt at humour) that very well may determine our fate this season.

Also if a Cabbage is voted in to play for Nurse, what number should it wear?

What number would Cabbage Man from ATLA wear?

 

[rec28]

Wait… where’d potato go? Injured?

Nurse needs a “reset”

 

[Stoneman89]

My guess is McLeod in for Foegele. Trash for trash.