I am hoping for their demise…. And maybe EK65 gets too drunk at their Christmas Party….. that always works out well for us.Agreed...and what would make the next few months really interesting is if the Pens start slipping in the standings.
OK Tampa Kucherov fan. Imagine being offended because somebody on an Oilers board is critiquing the Lightning. I wouldn't know if Kuch just leaves the puck go lots on his breakaways. Considering Skinner, and that a wrap would certainly have been a goal, it was a poor choice. you might pull that against a goalie that is quick moving, but on Skinner, on a breakaway you deke, tuck.
You wouldn’t know what to do on a breakaway. Go back to your garden you turnip
LOL...I hear you.
It was so important to know that he was the only right hand shot on Detroit for 2 years
Case by case basis. Some goalies that would work because they buy the deke and are quick moving. Skinner was set, and wasn' going to be moving, and the tuck was there. If Kuch just completes the play he scores. I could see it being successful sometimes. Seems like kind of a jerk play to pull, on purpose, and I never said he didn't do it on purpose. Was the wrong play in the instance. he had skinner.
Maybe. But if one of the most skilled players in the League had Skinner on a dead to rights breakaway. Can’t really fault Skinner there. That’s a breakdown on our D. Same as the breakdown that sent McD flying in alone that we wouldn’t fault Vasi for.
Skinner is set pads down. he's committed. the tuck far side was there. Kuch was moving full speed and Skinner wouldn't get to it. Was an error and Kuch probably not being too familiar specifically with Skinner.
You could be right, I’ve really only watched it once. But a breakaway is a breakaway. And if I’m finding blame on that sequence, it falls on the breakdown that created the breakaway in the first place. Different discussion than whether that goal goes in or not though.
I've posted on EK65 a bit. Where I would be curious about him is with the PP puck transportation which is solely McDavid at mach 5 with opposition extending their coverage to impede his speed and o-zone penetration angling him to the boards. I could imagine a dual carry option with McDavid and EK65 mitigating their stack defending against a sole carrier. And to have EK65 as a lethal left flank right shot option in place of Nugent Hopkins - a d-man with elite puck poise and a wicked shot receiving those feeds from left handed elites. Imagine Bouchard top of umbrella with his elite kill shot and distributor ability with EK65 on the flank to shoot, distribute, or penetrate all while McDavid in zone carrying at elite speed and scanning for openings.
EK65 is a zone entry MACHINE. He can navigate with speed into the o-zone at an elite level. And once he gets in there, he can find options quickly. The rumors of his demise are overblown, he can and does still fly out there. I hadn’t considered him on PP1 just cause the Oilers likely stick with the same unit. He’s also a bit of an alpha QB, likes to hold the puck and look for the options on his own. So that may not mesh well with McD, and you’d like McD to be the main puck carrier and QB. That said, I have very little doubt that EK65 can integrate into any offensive system. He’s too smart, he has too much ability not to be able to adjust.
I think the PP has gone stale. Heavily scouted and teams are much more aggressive in their kill extending into neutral zone and beyond to mitigate McDavid carry with speed; greater pressure on Bouchard to take away time and space; sticks in lanes to reduce cross ice Draisaitl kill shot. I think you could run Bouchard at top of umbrella and EK65 as a lethal flank option with Nugent Hopkins role enhanced with elite right shot finishing ability. Still have McDavid as the elite speed disruptor and puck possession driver.
Well can’t argue with the numbers. It has gone stale. I really haven’t thought about the PP1 in detail, cause I assume it’s something that won’t change and will figure itself out like it has these last few years. That said, we saw the PP introduce brand new plays in the playoffs to break through and surprise teams. And adding EK65 would be a brand new look that definitely has high potential to work. I know EK65s vision and ability will be up to the task. Interesting ideas here with the layout.
Makes a ton of sense. EK65 loves the puck on his stick and is always looking to create. A defence first partner, let’s him focus on what hes best at. Nurse sounds like more of a 2 way guy compared to Methot though but with how fluid and 5-man-involved todays offense is, it could still work well imo.
The Oilers were great all night defensively, but there's no way you're blaming Skinner for a Bouchard turnover on the TB goal and there's certainly no way you're trying to criticize him for making a point blank grade A save off Hagel because the puck went 3 feet over the net and got high sticked down.
He's hit a few crossbars on absolute rockets as well. Looks like a guy who can add some speed and chip in a bit of offence off the rush in the bottom 6 when Kane and Arvidsson are back.
