Post-Game Talk: GDT 7-0. Just sayin.

[McSpecial DraiBlend]

Knob is the first Oilers coach in the McDavid era to actually play a full aggressive offensive system with weak side D activation and a 1-2-2 low forecheck.

It’s great.

Also Coffey turned Nurse into an actual 9M defenseman.

Knobber.

 

[oobga]

This is probably the best team defense i've every seen them play to my eye. I don't know the advanced stats but the defensive play has been stellar.

Agree 100%. Some would say it's just goalies making saves, but I see a 5 man unit that is actually trying to properly cover the opposition and passing lanes. Proper defending on rushes too, while before it was like we were parting the sea of opposing players and giving them endless gold on their rushes.

These guys are being active in our own end and doing actual useful stuff with their bodies, not chasing mindlessly, or just sitting in open ice staring off into space. That really hasn't been close to the case since maybe the months after Tippett was fired. I guess the catch with that is, it was after a coach was fired, which we just did again! lol. So, let's see if the team keeps it up I guess. If they actually do, and it's not just a matter of effort, but actual effective systems being implemented and practiced, we have a shot. Then the next test for the Knob will be adjusting come playoff time, which Oilers coaches have failed miserably at for the last few guys.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Since KnobCoff replaced WoodMan...

Since November 13th:


Oilers are #1 in the NHL in GF/G (by a lot) with 4.33... next best team has 3.82 in that stretch.

Oilers are #11 in the NHL in GA/G with 2.75

Oilers are #1 in the NHL on the PP over that stretch with 31.7%

Oilers have the #4 PK in the NHL over that stretch at 91.1%

Most importantly the Oilers have picked up 18 points in those 12 games since Nov 13th... tied for the 3rd best pts% over that stretch.

How much of all that is the players kicking each others asses to be better and how much is due to the systems/methods/work ethic instilled by the new coaches? It's likely some of both... but regardless it was time for a change and a much needed refocus on team D... and it appears the offense and PP has been reignited as well as a side benefit.


Hopefully this "new coach bounce" continues and the team enjoys this feeling of winning enough to keep working their asses off every game to keep those winning feelings around all season long and during a very long playoff run as well.


I have to be honest... I thought this team was cooked under Woodcroft and knew a coaching change was needed to get the chemistry of this team re-ignited BUT I thought the season was very very likely a lost cause... so I'll be happy as a pig in shit to be proven completely wrong if they can turn this all around and continue to be the solid team we have seen them be over the past dozen games under KnobCoff.

 

[I am the Liquor]

If it’s Brown flush it down

 

[booyakasha]

a heads up to anyone...
if any one wants to watch "leave the world behind:=", f***in DON;T!

 

[Soundwave]

Knob is the first Oilers coach in the McDavid era to actually play a full aggressive offensive system with weak side D activation and a 1-2-2 low forecheck.

It’s great.

Also Coffey turned Nurse into an actual 9M defenseman.

Lets not get crazy, if he's a 9 mill D, then Makar is like 14-15 mill? Hedman?

I am encouraged by the new staff's results, that said, when Woodcroft and Manson first took over, the Oilers also had (believe it or not) a good GA and seemingly improved defensive structure for his first stretch of 20-30 games here.

It fell apart right around period 2, game1 of the Calgary series and never really came back (though hey playing fire wagon hockey killed the Flames) other than that hot stretch when the team got all amped up due to the Ekholm add.

I hope KKCoff are the real deal here, because what that suggests otherwise then is this team/defense plays better with basically no structure than whatever it is they are being coached to do, which then raises about 50 other questions.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

Someone post that clip of Darnell’s dad because that’s exactly how I felt watching this hit

I’m just in disbelief with this team lately. They were the worst in every area, now they’re the best in every area. Like yeah you can call many of us bipolar fans but this team is just crazy this season, up and down like a toilet seat you might say

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

Knob is the first Oilers coach in the McDavid era to actually play a full aggressive offensive system with weak side D activation and a 1-2-2 low forecheck.

It’s great.

Also Coffey turned Nurse into an actual 9M defenseman.

I agree on a rudimentary level, but would love some insight into how those new systems actually play out on the ice, how it's effective, and how it's so different from what we did prior. I've noticed a few things on the breakout that have been a lot different, ie. using the middle more, but want to get a ground-level sense of how we're so different under the new coaching staff.

tl;dr: I, too, don't think it's a coaching bump, but looking for all of you smarter hockey people to actually break it down for me on a tactical level because I dumb

 

[iCanada]

Someone post that clip of Darnell’s dad because that’s exactly how I felt watching this hit

I’m just in disbelief with this team lately. They were the worst in every area, now they’re the best in every area. Like yeah you can call many of us bipolar fans but this team is just crazy this season, up and down like a toilet seat you might say

 

[jukon]

It's only like the third game I've watched this year and the first of the Knob era. I'm impressed but we need to see more before I'm convinced.

 

[iCanada]

It's only like the third game I've watched this year and the first of the Knob era. I'm impressed but we need to see more before I'm convinced.

Bro we didn't even play that well today relatively to the rest of the knob era so far, the devil's have speed to them which matches us well.

Get on the wagon.

 

[McSpecial DraiBlend]

If it’s Brown flush it down

f***in Lahey.

 

[Cloned]

I agree on a rudimentary level, but would love some insight into how those new systems actually play out on the ice, how it's effective, and how it's so different from what we did prior. I've noticed a few things on the breakout that have been a lot different, ie. using the middle more, but want to get a ground-level sense of how we're so different under the new coaching staff.

tl;dr: I, too, don't think it's a coaching bump, but looking for all of you smarter hockey people to actually break it down for me on a tactical level because I dumb

Playing an aggressive forecheck gives the opponent less time to transition into our zone and also forces our players to react quickly instead of overthinking where to be on the ice. That has ripples throughout our game because of how this roster is constructed. We don’t have a lot of cerebral shifty players like other skilled teams do. Our players are generally more of the toolsy athletic type, so playing a fast physical system suits their strengths and masks their weaknesses.

There are other changes but this one has made the biggest difference. We have never seen the Oilers play this type of aggressive system before. Tippett liked his D to pinch but the actual forward forecheck was more passive. Woodcroft dialed back the pinching D and went with a more passive forecheck, even before this year.

 

[TheNumber4]

Pretty sweet to have the lowly Hawks up next. Let’s get a huge blow out added to this win streak. There are still Trophies/Scoring races we need to secure for our big boys. (Bouch included now).

 

[Soundwave]

Playing an aggressive forecheck gives the opponent less time to transition into our zone and also forces our players to react quickly instead of overthinking where to be on the ice. That has ripples throughout our game because of how this roster is constructed. We don’t have a lot of cerebral shifty players like other skilled teams do. Our players are generally more of the toolsy athletic type, so playing a fast physical system suits their strengths and masks their weaknesses.

There are other changes but this one has made the biggest difference. We have never seen the Oilers play this type of aggressive system before. Tippett liked his D to pinch but the actual forward forecheck was more passive. Woodcroft dialed back the pinching D and went with a more passive forecheck, even before this year.

Yeah I have noticed this too. The forecheck is clearly more aggressive, even today on the disallowed goal by Brown it's basically because of a more aggressive forecheck. There's been multiple goals like that since KK took over.

 

[rboomercat90]

a heads up to anyone...
if any one wants to watch "leave the world behind:=", f***in DON;T!

Would have appreciated this heads up on Saturday night before I wasted 2 1/2 hours on pointless nothing. Probably the worst movie I’ve seen in this genre.

 

[BertMcDrai]

It would be the most Oilers thing to lose to the Hawks...but maybe, not this time old friend ;-)

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Playing an aggressive forecheck gives the opponent less time to transition into our zone and also forces our players to react quickly instead of overthinking where to be on the ice. That has ripples throughout our game because of how this roster is constructed. We don’t have a lot of cerebral shifty players like other skilled teams do. Our players are generally more of the toolsy athletic type, so playing a fast physical system suits their strengths and masks their weaknesses.

There are other changes but this one has made the biggest difference. We have never seen the Oilers play this type of aggressive system before. Tippett liked his D to pinch but the actual forward forecheck was more passive. Woodcroft dialed back the pinching D and went with a more passive forecheck, even before this year.

I think this a defining feature of the Babcock coaching tree, their ideal is to use the trap in order to slow the game down and keep it in front of you.

It's the only reason why I can think of on why Woody would want to install a more controlled, but slower system. Sadly that only works if you have complete buy in from the entire team to play like grinders, or a bunch of elite 2 way talents. So the '03 Ducks or late 2000 Wings, otherwise you get picked apart by speed or team's focusing on playing mistake free, like the '06 Wings, Babcock's Leafs, or anytime TMac has ever been in the playoffs.

Speaking of our favourite koala, it was especially dumb for Woody to go to a slower system after he just saw it fail twice in the playoffs, as TMac's over-reliance on a super defensive 1-2-2 always let the Oilers regroup.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I'm just wondering if opposing NHL teams will adjust to what the Oilers are doing... I mean there's a "book" on everything and when you change things up... it takes opposing teams/coaches a while to adapt as well.

That's why the 1st time through each team with this new structure... Oilers likely have the advantage with their new look/systems... but by the 50/60 game mark... teams across the league one by one will likely be up to speed with what the Oilers are doing and will be able to adapt.

Hopefully this Oilers team can keep 1 step ahead though and be good enough to "adapt to the adapting" that opposing teams do.

I guess that's how we'll find out if these Oilers players are truly good enough to stay elite like they are playing now... or whether they'll fall back to average again as a team.

Hopefully KnobCoff can keep them ahead of the pack and make adjustments when needed to stay one step ahead of the competition constantly.

That's likely where Woody went wrong... the book was out on the Oilers and he couldn't/wouldn't change things up to make those adaptations... and KnobCoff seemingly are able to.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

I'm just wondering if opposing NHL teams will adjust to what the Oilers are doing... I mean there's a "book" on everything and when you change things up... it takes opposing teams/coaches a while to adapt as well.

The Oilers aren't doing anything special or unique though. Like Brindamour said, he showed their team that video 5 times. The simplicity is why we look, early this season blind passes were like 70% of possession

The difference is so night and day it can't be just systems imo

 

[McSuper]

You don't have to be obtuse. Woodcroft is a good coach, Knoblauch just looks like a better fit.

If they had fired Tippett for Knoblauch, you'd still be whining about it

I doubt that. I am not one to complain about refs or coaches but there has to be something to this. Nurse has never looked better. The whole defensive system looks night and day better. When have you seen Nurse skate so hard to get back on that 3 on one to save a sure goal on an open net. Woody had a great record but he was bad for his defensive system and never adapted in the playoffs. Also I like the fact Knob is trying to develop chemistry but having set lines, set PK and he better at using his players strengths

 

[Travis093]

Do you guys think we can hire McDavids junior goalie coach next?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Do you guys think we can hire McDavids junior goalie coach next?

Honestly maybe Coffey knows a guy.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

I think the biggest question mark concerning KK will be what he does with a full season.

How will he run training camp? Will he stick to the better, simpler, and more disciplined system that he has right now? Will he know how to adjust come playoff time?

Or will he go the way of Woodcroft and outsmart himself by not sticking with what made him so effective at the beginning?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I think the biggest question mark concerning KK will be what he does with a full season.

How will he run training camp? Will he stick to the better, simpler, and more disciplined system that he has right now? Will he know how to adjust come playoff time?

Or will he go the way of Woodcroft and outsmart himself by not sticking with what made him so effective at the beginning?

Yeah when they have some adversity that will be a big test. They've had some in the games on this 7 game winning streak, so it bodes well imo.