Pre-Game Talk: Dropping like flies, whose the biggest surprise? (guaranteed to please Pole)

[joestevens29]

If Ekholm isn't ready, it's Jeff Skinner time.

Playing Roster

I did not realize the list of players we have with the club lol.

Lowetide had a funny one about Buffalo back in 06 or something running out of d-men so they phoned one of their AHL players that was on a beach on holidays to get back and play

 

[Arpeggio]

One thing about inserting Skinner is that it does allow the rest of the forwards to stay where they are in the lineup, where they've had some success this series. You hope that Skinner can contribute with McDavid and Nuge, and then run the rest of the group the same. If Skinner isn't working, you can bump Perry or Frederic back up too. Maintains the depth.

If Skinner doesn't play, I'd expect to see a lot of McDrai together in game 5.

 

[kevy9999]

I hit RNH and then Enter so I messed up my own Pole. My other 2 would have been Klingberg and Stetcher. Skinner is not a surprise to me because that is who he always is, bad until he is good, then he gets on these insane heaters and back to being bad again. Its like riding the WEM rollercoaster.

Except he didn't go back to being bad after Picard played 2 games against vancouver last year. He was good rest of playoffs

 

[Ol' Jase]

Not really all that surprised by the RNH or Kane performances, they've been here before and have impactful playoff series in the past.

Stetcher and Klingberg for me by quite a margin. Knew Walman was good, but not this good, so he's my third choice.

 

[McJadeddog]

They aren't dropping like flies. Connor Brown and elkolm will be back very shortly. Only loss is hyman and we will miss him but we can go forward and not miss a beat. Maybe jeff skinner steps in and is hungry to show what he can do in playoffs. We have options

I was about to write "Brown has to wait 10 days due to the NHL concussion protocol", but then I second guessed myself and did a search on it. I can't actually find a X number of days rule around this. I could have sworn it was 10 days minimum for concussions, but in a short Google search, I couldn't find something stating that. Does anybody know if there is a X days rule or not? If there isn't, then yeah, I guess Brown could be back pretty quickly (assuming it was a concussion that took him out in the first place, which I suppose we don't actually know).

 

[Wretched Oil]

Can't vote the way I'd actually want to. Probably only have 3 selections that I wouldn't call a surprise.

View attachment 1043204

Shitty poll

 

[McHelpus]

Kapanen is my vote.

 

[WaitingForUser]

I was about to write "Brown has to wait 10 days due to the NHL concussion protocol", but then I second guessed myself and did a search on it. I can't actually find a X number of days rule around this. I could have sworn it was 10 days minimum for concussions, but in a short Google search, I couldn't find something stating that. Does anybody know if there is a X days rule or not? If there isn't, then yeah, I guess Brown could be back pretty quickly (assuming it was a concussion that took him out in the first place, which I suppose we don't actually know).

10 days as far as I know which means he will be good to go for game 7 if it happens (it won’t) or the finals game 1

 

[Oilhawks]

I don't think he even makes sense in that situation. Toughness/grit is only valuable if the player has other functional skills. Max Jones sucks at basically everything and is a net negative every time he is on the ice. We’d honestly be better off running 11-7 and playing a forward short.

Yup. Jones is more or less a guaranteed goal against in regular season games let alone playoffs

 

[OilyAlbertan]

Sucks about hyman but this team is locked the f*** in and will make up for his absence. 5 wins away, 1 win away from home ice in the f***ing finals. These guys can smell it

 

[russ99]

11-7 would be a disaster. Not for tomorrow night but the cup final if we get there, it adds a significant icetime load to every forward, expecially the top end ones and all the centers. If we go that route and win and the next series goes 6 or 7 games, the guys we most need to step up will be worn out.

Would rather put Stetcher at 4RW than go 11-7.

 

[kevy9999]

I was about to write "Brown has to wait 10 days due to the NHL concussion protocol", but then I second guessed myself and did a search on it. I can't actually find a X number of days rule around this. I could have sworn it was 10 days minimum for concussions, but in a short Google search, I couldn't find something stating that. Does anybody know if there is a X days rule or not? If there isn't, then yeah, I guess Brown could be back pretty quickly (assuming it was a concussion that took him out in the first place, which I suppose we don't actually know).

Knob said he will be back shortly i

 

[McFlyingV]

Jason Gregor is absolutely correct here. Having both Brown and Hyman out tomorrow is a huge hit to our depth. It's not a coincidence that we didn't score a single even strength goal yesterday without them. Skinner needs to be in the lineup to inject some offensive talent.

The only problem with Gregor's logic here is that going 11-7 only impacts the ice time of our centres. It means our centres take a few more shifts, and we really haven't needed to ride McDavid or Draisaitl this series because they have lead for most of the series.

I don't see a major concern going 11-7 to ease Ekholm back in. Its a safer approach than going 12-6 if something goes wrong with Ekholm's return.

 

[russ99]

Yup. Jones is more or less a guaranteed goal against in regular season games let alone playoffs

But we know he'll play the system game and work hard. Better that than Skinner cherry picking and floating back.

 

[McFlyingV]

11-7 would be a disaster. Not for tomorrow night but the cup final if we get there, it adds a significant icetime load to every forward, expecially the top end ones and all the centers. If we go that route and win and the next series goes 6 or 7 games, the guys we most need to step up will be worn out.

Would rather put Stetcher at 4RW than go 11-7.

They wouldn't be going 11-7 next series when Brown is back.

 

[bone]

11-7 would be a disaster. Not for tomorrow night but the cup final if we get there, it adds a significant icetime load to every forward, expecially the top end ones and all the centers. If we go that route and win and the next series goes 6 or 7 games, the guys we most need to step up will be worn out.

Would rather put Stetcher at 4RW than go 11-7.

I don't think they'd seriously consider 11-7 long term and through the finals. If they did it, it would only be a game or two to ensure Ekholm can play the required minutes. That said, lining up Stetcher as a RW isn't a terrible idea as you can make up some set lines but if something goes sideways on the backend he can quickly slip back. His style of game might actually translate decently to a 4RW.

 

[McHelpus]

Nuge - Mcdavid - Arvdisson
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Kapanen
Kane - Henrique - Perry
Frederic - Janmark

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - kulak
Walman - Klingberg
Stetcher

They are going to have lock it down.

 

[bone]

I was about to write "Brown has to wait 10 days due to the NHL concussion protocol", but then I second guessed myself and did a search on it. I can't actually find a X number of days rule around this. I could have sworn it was 10 days minimum for concussions, but in a short Google search, I couldn't find something stating that. Does anybody know if there is a X days rule or not? If there isn't, then yeah, I guess Brown could be back pretty quickly (assuming it was a concussion that took him out in the first place, which I suppose we don't actually know).

I'm pretty sure there used to be a 7 day rule, but like you, when I went searching awhile back couldn't find it. I do think teams generally will err on the side of caution now with Concussions so it still often ends up that way. Maybe it's tied to insurance or something.

 

[foshizzle]

Hopefully Knob agrees, but he seems to hate the player, even after he's changed his game.

Lowetide & Declan going on about how J Skinner isn't the answer, and suggesting Max Jones in the bottom 6 and moving someone up.

I don't think they realize that Max Jones is an absolute disaster in the fancies, and the eye test matches. Jeff Skinner from January onward is by far the best player not currently dressed.

Scored 16 ES goals in the regular season too

 

[joestevens29]

I'm pretty sure there used to be a 7 day rule, but like you, when I went searching awhile back couldn't find it. I do think teams generally will err on the side of caution now with Concussions so it still often ends up that way. Maybe it's tied to insurance or something.

Tough to know what the rules are anymore. You clearly see goalies get hit to head like Skinner was this playoffs, yet they don't even get pulled from the game to get check out.

I often wonder if the concussion spotters are just at the beer line

 

[bone]

Tough to know what the rules are anymore. You clearly see goalies get hit to head like Skinner was this playoffs, yet they don't even get pulled from the game to get check out.

I often wonder if the concussion spotters are just at the beer line

Funny you mention Stu being hit in the head. Looking back to his actual concussion vs. Dallas, I had forgotten he had also been pulled 6 days earlier vs. Winnipeg by the spotter. Seems to be a good example how sometimes these can be a bit of a cumulative effect or that symptoms can have a delayed effect.

 

[Gregsky99]

I'm pretty sure there used to be a 7 day rule, but like you, when I went searching awhile back couldn't find it. I do think teams generally will err on the side of caution now with Concussions so it still often ends up that way. Maybe it's tied to insurance or something.

Just looked it up via Grok. 6 step process between nhl/nhlpa that a player can't move forward from until the previous step is done. This process is done when a player is removed from the game and can't return. Each step takes about a day at the best case and can't begin until 24 hours minimum after the concussion happens.

 

[oXo Cube]

Just do the obvious thing.

RNH - McDavid - Perry
Skinner - Draisaitl - Podkolzin
Kane - Henrique - Arvidsson
Kapanen - Janmark - Frederic

Kulak - Bouchard
Nurse - Walman
Ekholm - Klingberg

Forwards still look good IMO and that's easily the best defense the Oilers have iced in my lifetime.

 

[Pip]

Skinner is the only significant healthy forward not in the lineup. I think you have to give him a shot and there is likely no better situation to put him in than game 5 against the Stars. Without Brown and especially Hyman they need more goal scoring ability. Right now they have a lot of responsible two way guys that can push play but lack finishing ability and I don’t think it would make sense to add a Jones/Ryan to the mix.

If it doesn’t work it doesn’t work and you make the necessary adjustments but putting Jeff in is a move to win the series and create something going into the finals. Putting in a nothing player you deem safer is a loser mentality.

I could see the argument for 11 and 7 but that’s not a long term strategy and I think this d group plays its best with consistent pairs.

 

[rboomercat90]

He has his own box! Look look look!

Now I’m inspired to vote in the pole.