Post-Game Talk: Four Nations, Three Losses, Two Forwards, One Defenseman, Zero Goalies

[brentashton]

How many gut checks does a team need to do in one season (or year after year for that matter)?
This isn’t the first time this trope has been trotted out…

Gut-check time arrives for Oilers after being outclassed by Capitals

“You have to learn how to dig yourself out of the hole.” Adversity has arrived for the Oilers, who looked slow, small and soft in a whupping at the hands of the league-leading Capitals.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Only one word to describe the team and game right now. Lifeless.

 

[Heavy Dee]

Unless Bowman can pull off a Hail Mary at TDL, it feels like Jackson really effed up this roster. We aren't as good as last year at this time and our record against winning clubs proves it.

 

[Soundwave]

Connor is no longer quite like Connor. 71 points vs MacK at 87. Even with a couple games off, its not good. The team, aside from goaltending even, can't afford that with the way the rest of the Top 6 play outside of Drai.

Team Canada scored 4 goals against Team USA in the most intense hockey you'll see this side of a game 7 SCF.

McDavid had half the goals, including the series winner.

Think McDavid is just tired of the same shit every year here. Regular season holds no appeal any longer, he's won everything that matters outside of a Cup, he even now has his golden goal Crosby type moment that will be part of Canadian history.

This org needs to pull its head out of its ass and show him they're serious as they should be about the Cup. Nothing else matters and I don't expect him to go balls to the wall for dumb regular season check points at this point. It's time for the management here to put up or shut up.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Me thinking about Mike Smith
View attachment 981537

Foegele, Holloway, McLoed, Broberg…..
For
Henrique, Arvidsson, Skinner.

 

[iCanada]

Playoffs don't look too promising..

We'll be fine if our goaltending could be half average against top teams. I was about to dig out the stacks but @McDNicks17 already did the work.

I was curious what goaltending looked like during these.

45 goals against on 35 xGA.

-0.90 goals saved above average per 60.

The worst GSAA/60 in the league by goalies with over 15 games played is -0.78 GSAA.60(Georgiev).

 

[Louis Cypher]

Team Canada scored 4 goals against Team USA in the most intense hockey you'll see this side of a game 7 SCF.

McDavid had half the goals, including the series winner.

Think McDavid is just tired of the same shit every year here. Regular season holds no appeal any longer, he's won everything that matters outside of a Cup, he even now has his golden goal Crosby type moment that will be part of Canadian history.

This org needs to pull its head out of its ass and show him they're serious as they should be about the Cup. Nothing else matters and I don't expect him to go balls to the wall for dumb regular season check points at this point. It's time for the management here to put up or shut up.

He's also a little let down when he gets back to his team and has Kapenin and Potkolzen give to him as line mates.

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

This team has a crazy high ceiling and a crazy low floor. We are capable of playing like the best team in the league for stretches but no other “good” team is capable of playing this bad.

For whatever reason our mental inability to start strong is a huge part of this team identity. We are right back to October here.

it's why we're a top 5 team in the league that can't beat most of the top 5 teams. I'm concerned that we blew our chance last season and we just aren't ready to take the next step. Year 10 of McD era and not a single convincing regular season that leaves little doubt

 

[McHelpus]

This is sad lol. Guess we arent for real

No but if I saw that on any other team my immediate thought would be that they are a fools gold team. I don't this team ever sucked this time of the year usually, this is the time they go on a run.

 

[Soundwave]

it's why we're a top 5 team in the league that can't beat most of the top 5 teams. I'm concerned that we blew our chance last season and we just aren't ready to take the next step. Year 10 of McD era and not a single convincing regular season that leaves little doubt

Your front office has to do their home work to get those kinds of results, ours doesn't so we don't deserve to have that kind of season.

All this shit about "dur hur! Colorado 2022 won after Kuemper got hurt!". Yeah that team was also a wagon that season, demolishing everyone in the regular season and playoffs (hence Sutter's infamous "waste of 8 days if you have to play them" comment).

Their GM made like no less than 7 or 8 great moves to bring in different players to that team and many of them all had career best years (to that point) or close. The situation here ... certainly is not that.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

I will say what nobody wants to hear…

We look like Chicago and Pittsburgh after they had won their cups, except we haven’t won a damn thing. The team as a whole is too old now and the cupboards are bare thanks to incompetent management. It’s too late to rebuild things at this point. We will not win a Cup in the McDrai era.

You are bang on.

I Called this multiple times last year and said our window is closing. This season might be the last run and the roster is still somewhat salvageable.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

I would put money on Connor needing some kind of surgery but delaying it because of his wedding last summer. I don’t love that about him if that is the case.

No way his wedding would get in the way of that. A Stanley Cup is at the top of his list. Sometimes players just regress a bit.

I think one of his biggest problems is he has crap for line mates. When he plays 5 on 5 with Drai he looks much better.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Did anyone see the dressing room closeups before the 4Nation Final? When they focussed on CmcD, I was surprised at the guys appearance. He has lost most of the upper bulk he once had (and he didn’t have much). His upper arms aren’t even muscular in the “fit” sense. They were skinny, lacking in any definition. Even my wife commented that he looked far too skinny (not lean) in an unhealthy way. He’s not a guy that needs bulk, his game and speed depend on being lean and sinewy almost, but it’s very pronounced this year.

I did drop a theory last year of the start of a potential auto immune issue. Obviously just a long shot theory, but he is regressing.

 

[brentashton]

I’m sure the next waiver claim by Stan will rectify our woes. What a shitty management group we have.

Vancouver, San Jose, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Chicago, Seattle, would fight you (rightly) on that one bud.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

I'm a little confused about the weird ass D pairings. Why was Klingberg playing with Emberson. (might have been the Philly game)

We need to start keeping things the same around here. Too many line combos being changed.

 

[MoontoScott]

I'm not sure I'd characterize Fuhr that way. Biggest thing is that he was an elite pedigree prospect who defined athletic ability in a different generation of 40 pound horsehair goaltender pads and heavy equipment. His mental strength in resiliency, grit, determination and ability to let go of bad goals was the foundation within what was a hall of fame career.

The Oilers have arguably been the worst organization within the NHL for the past decade in their approach to goaltending. They were fortunate to recycle an ancient warrior Smith because of Tippett's belief in the guy and despite some wobbles at times battled within every game to give this team largely above average goaltending. Betting big money and term on a known mentally weak Jack Campbell has to be one of the poorest scouting decisions ever made. But again because this organization has never prioritized the most difficult position in either drafting or development it has been a chronic weakness.

Now after rolling an off season spending big on small skill wingers this team's most crucial position and team's fortune is placed within the play of a mid-level development phase default #1 who was pegged as a project back-up through peak window years and a plucky AHL/NHL career tweener. It's a miracle Skinner didn't melt down under the pressure.

Neglecting this position forever carried massive risk and consequences. Magnified when this team defending goes pear shape like this recent run.

I met him one time. I would definitely characterize him that way. He had his share of issues and then some.