Value of: Functional Toughness to the Oilers

[macbowes]

We don't need more grit or toughness, absolutely not something the Oilers are lacking in any meaningful way. The only mildly gritty player we lost off our roster from last year was Holloway. Desharnais wasn't really gritty, nor Foegele, obviously not McLeod, or Broberg, or Ceci. Not sure why you think this is something the Oilers need. It's not.

Oilers are going to be completely fine. They'll get a better pair for Nurse, hopefully in a couple months. We could use some speed on our bottom 6, especially good PKers. Now that's something we actually lost from last season to the current.

 

[DJJones]

Imagine getting bullied by the lowly Flames and having to go out to get toughness

I mean we have a big team. We added a bunch of huge guys in the last year and even our smaller guys aren't going to take shit.

Kadri, Backlund, pospisil down the center. Not big but they'll annoy the shit out of you. The lack of any response whatsoever from the Oilers was very apparent in the game

 

[Double Dion]

I mean we have a big team. We added a bunch of huge guys in the last year and even our smaller guys aren't going to take shit.

Kadri, Backlund, pospisil down the center. Not big but they'll annoy the shit out of you. The lack of any response whatsoever from the Oilers was very apparent in the game

I don't disagree that the lack of response was very apparent. I just think it wasn't because there was no one who could have. Nurse and Bennett was a pretty close fight a few years back. There isn't anyone on the Flames roster right now who is really tougher than Bennett. Lomberg is probably the best fighter on our roster and he's 5'9" 180 ppunds

 

[McShogun99]

How about some NHL caliber RD? You guys got any of those?

 

[DJJones]

I don't disagree that the lack of response was very apparent. I just think it wasn't because there was no one who could have. Nurse and Bennett was a pretty close fight a few years back. There isn't anyone on the Flames roster right now who is really tougher than Bennett. Lomberg is probably the best fighter on our roster and he's 5'9" 180 ppunds

Fights are meaningless though. They're rare and are mostly weak if they do happen. Like the Mantha Miller fight... big nothing.

It's the corner battles, its the forecheck, the scrums in front of the net. Even though the slash was nothing and I think Leon dove more than got hit. Finishing a few checks on McDavid. You can't let that shit happen. It's exhausting and demoralizing. Every goal we had a big guy in front of Skinner uncontested. If Hyman is in those spots I want Bahl to wreck him.

Obviously the Oilers are a more skilled team than us right now. Making it ugly can close the gap significantly. We got outclassed by Vancouver and Edmonton in the 1st periods. By the third we looked dominant.

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

You can have Krebs. He fights. Just make sure he fights the other team.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Fights are meaningless though. They're rare and are mostly weak if they do happen. Like the Mantha Miller fight... big nothing.

It's the corner battles, its the forecheck, the scrums in front of the net. Even though the slash was nothing and I think Leon dove more than got hit. Finishing a few checks on McDavid. You can't let that shit happen. It's exhausting and demoralizing. Every goal we had a big guy in front of Skinner uncontested. If Hyman is in those spots I want Bahl to wreck him.

Obviously the Oilers are a more skilled team than us right now. Making it ugly can close the gap significantly. We got outclassed by Vancouver and Edmonton in the 1st periods. By the third we looked dominant.

100%. The physical play was one way other than Nurse feeding Rasmus in the one scrum. As I see it we have Ekholm who is physical but not a very good fighter and too important for us to be fighting, Nurse who is just kinda there these days and old man Perry as physical guys that can fight a bit. RNH and Hyman rarely fight but Hyman can hit really hard when he sets his mind to it. Podkolzin hits but doesn't scare anyone.

We don't need more grit or toughness, absolutely not something the Oilers are lacking in any meaningful way. The only mildly gritty player we lost off our roster from last year was Holloway. Desharnais wasn't really gritty, nor Foegele, obviously not McLeod, or Broberg, or Ceci. Not sure why you think this is something the Oilers need. It's not.

Oilers are going to be completely fine. They'll get a better pair for Nurse, hopefully in a couple months. We could use some speed on our bottom 6, especially good PKers. Now that's something we actually lost from last season to the current.

Ever heard of this guy named Evander Kane? Desharnais played guys physically more with lumber than hits but he never made it easy on the opposing team in front of the net. This is a problem going back to last season after Kane got hurt and we lost Kostin.

I don't disagree that the lack of response was very apparent. I just think it wasn't because there was no one who could have. Nurse and Bennett was a pretty close fight a few years back. There isn't anyone on the Flames roster right now who is really tougher than Bennett. Lomberg is probably the best fighter on our roster and he's 5'9" 180 ppunds

Nurse is 1 player and most of the time he fights when guys take liberties with him. A healthy Evander Kane would've made his presence known in this game. The problem is that our management knew that he'd be out and we have no one to fill his role as team badass.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

How about some NHL caliber RD? You guys got any of those?

In a perfect world a RHD that can also kick some ass. How about it Colorado? Hook us up with Manson please!

 

[macbowes]

Ever heard of this guy named Evander Kane? Desharnais played guys physically more with lumber than hits but he never made it easy on the opposing team in front of the net. This is a problem going back to last season after Kane got hurt and we lost Kostin.

He's still on the team, he'll be back when he's healthy. You're telling me that the Oilers are in desperate need of toughness because we lost Desharnais? Give me a break. Toughness is absolutely NOT what this team is lacking. The team is literally above league average toughness. The only thing this team lacks that last years cup finals team had is speed in the bottom 6, and RD depth. That's it.