How did the Oilers Penalty Kill become so elite?

[KCC]

From practicing against the Oilers power play lol.

They’re fast and aggressive on the PK, you have to move the puck quickly and accurately. Vancouver was the only team that had some success on the power play against the Oilers; LA, Dallas & Florida were completely nullified, it’s actually a momentum killer for the Panthers. Oilers have the best special teams in the league.

Let’s hope it holds up for a few more games then.

 

[cruisecity]

Iron sharpens iron. Every day these guys are going up against the best PP in the entire NHL, makes the game environment a lot easier.

Combination of that and Knoblauch delegating the PK system to Mark Stuart who has done a fantastic job.

 

[syz]

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Hard to see but that is our PK for the playoffs after 23gp. That is ridiculously good! I thought our PK was just fine but I didn't think it'd be this good. And we seem to consistently score shorthanded too!

Currently the best of all time, slightly ahead of the Stevens/Brodeur cup winning Devils.

 

[Czechboy]

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Currently the best of all time, slightly ahead of the Stevens/Brodeur cup winning Devils.

As a fellow Oil fan, did you see that coming?

Eg. if you said we had an all time PP coming into game 7 I'd say 'yeah'. PK?

 

[Dynamic]

I'm not going to get in the X's and O's end of things but it cannot be understated enough that player deployment did a complete 180 after knob came in. With woody we had Hyman and Mcdavid taking PK minutes. At some level for players like Yanmark and Brown that must of been demoralizing. Overall the PK was kind of a jumbled mess.

Now the PK is more or less set players. Brown who struggled offensively could now rest his hat a bit on the fact that he was still contributing as he worked out his game this year. The players being deployed in the way they are is the key to the Oilers PK. When you as a player have a purpose and care counted on it just feels great to contribute. Its not even a hockey thing, it is universal to all human endeavours. We are better when we feel we are contributing. And the players who play on the PK are contributing and playing their part.

 

[Ol' Jase]

Another part of it, an it have been very noticeable in the past two series especially, is the PK is centered around neutralizing the puck movement and not being overly concerned with the opposition player movement. Interrupting the passing lanes and having the top guy go puck hound on the opposition's point guy creates so much havoc.

Brown is particularly fantastic at this top of the zone work, but RNH is also incredibly good at it.

 

[Sniper99]

If you read the previous posts you understand. Not sure if you can read properly.

I beg you... Stop embarrassing yourself even more.

says the guy that think Dallas and Vancouver are not real opponents.

 

[gretzkyoilers]

I'm not going to get in the X's and O's end of things but it cannot be understated enough that player deployment did a complete 180 after knob came in. With woody we had Hyman and Mcdavid taking PK minutes. At some level for players like Yanmark and Brown that must of been demoralizing. Overall the PK was kind of a jumbled mess.

Now the PK is more or less set players. Brown who struggled offensively could now rest his hat a bit on the fact that he was still contributing as he worked out his game this year. The players being deployed in the way they are is the key to the Oilers PK. When you as a player have a purpose and care counted on it just feels great to contribute. Its not even a hockey thing, it is universal to all human endeavours. We are better when we feel we are contributing. And the players who play on the PK are contributing and playing their part.

THIS. Finally they are playing as a team and using player's strength's than weaknesses. The Oilers have more than a few players to out in in the net. They needed defensive players who will contribute offensively.

 

[McFlyingV]

I think there's a few reasons.

One, their system is excellent and they pressure the puck carrier into poor shooting areas and tight spaces along the boards where turnovers and clears and more likely to happen. They also play a very aggressive style at the blue line in limiting zone entries, and they have a lot of forwards who have very good active sticks.

Two, they play duos on the PK so their penalty killers always know where their partner is and what they're going to do. That predictability just further builds on their structure.

Three, Skinner is a big goalie who can usually make the first save if he's set and if the team limits a lot of east to west movements through the slot, and they play to Skinner's strengths while limiting his weaknesses.

 

[snag]

From practicing against the Oilers power play lol.

They’re fast and aggressive on the PK, you have to move the puck quickly and accurately. Vancouver was the only team that had some success on the power play against the Oilers; LA, Dallas & Florida were completely nullified, it’s actually a momentum killer for the Panthers. Oilers have the best special teams in the league.

Imagine the measure of success being 13%

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Insanely aggressive and quick to counterattack. I've never seen anything like it. Teams just have zero space to work with and spend 75% of the time fishing the puck out of their own end.

 

[647Hockey]

Anecdotal opinion from what I see on TV, but all I remember is any team that is aggressive on the PK chasing players forcing hem to pass, dump or take a crappy shot on net leads to good PK.

It seems when I watch a team turtle up in a box or diamond playing zone defence gets lit up.

 

[Grifter3511]

Iron sharpens iron. Every day these guys are going up against the best PP in the entire NHL, makes the game environment a lot easier.

Combination of that and Knoblauch delegating the PK system to Mark Stuart who has done a fantastic job.

Same reason my buddy and I don't quit when we're getting our asses whooped by Reds in Chel. We won't get better by continually beating up on silver and gold chumps.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I think the Oilers PK may have gotten robbed of the Conn Smythe.

Incredibly, they were only -1 (3GF 4GA) while shorthanded through the entire playoffs, killing 48 of the last 49 opponent PPs.

This may sound crazy, but the Oilers were actually better shorthanded than they were 5v5 without 97:

5v5 without McDavid:
1.90 GF/60
2.89 GA/60
-0.99 GD/60
~707 mins

Oilers on the PK:
1.47 GF/60
1.89 GA/60
-0.52 GD/60
~125 mins

Oilers should have just quadruple shifted McDavid at 5v5, let him play one shift and then rest / cherry pick for the next 3 shifts while the rest of the team plays 4v5 lol.

 

[RogerRoger]

Panthers finished the SC final series with -4.8% PP.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

They admit it…
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…when they feel like it.
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Holy f*** lmao.

Shades of that politician in the states who tweeted something to the effect of "I'm a black gay guy..." but forgot he was on his main account

 

[Turin]

Vibes


No really. They may be the best in the NHL, but no pk is that good. They rode the waive of pure vibes and confidence.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Vibes


No really. They may be the best in the NHL, but no pk is that good. They rode the waive of pure vibes and confidence.

It seems like an aggressive system plus players that were confident and playing their roles well. When that is clicking, it works really well and really frustrates opponents creating a snowball effect as the opponent starts to clench up and hesitate, making the aggressive system even more effective. Of course the “hot” factor can’t be overstated as it wouldn’t be sustainable for an entire season.