Pre-Game Talk: Lets Light This Candle. Edmonton v Winnipeg, Wednesday 8 PM.

[Drivesaitl]

He's been awarded a 14 million extension, it technically doesn't kick in until next year, but c'mon anyone with any pride would make it a point to say "yeah I'm taking my game up a notch even higher".

My point is if that 2nd line doesn't work, it's not going to fall all on Skinner and Arvidsson. Leon is the one that's going to take the lion's share of blame for it.

Leon doesn't have pride now? Why do you sink your ship on comments like these? You defeat your own arguments. We all do at times.

But again you're talking about Drai taking it up a notch subsequent to new contract that hasn't taken effect yet in a season that hasn't taken effect yet.

Chicken just a little?

Drai has already earned the 14M contract and teams that could would line up for the rights to pay him that. He's established as one of the most valuable players in the world. Thats the reality already here.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

We might get touched by Hurricane Milton on Wednesday night or Thursday, hopefully the Starlink will hold up so I get to watch the game.

Hurricane season has been wild this year.

 

[Drivesaitl]

We might get touched by Hurricane Milton on Wednesday night or Thursday, hopefully the Starlink will hold up so I get to watch the game.

Hurricane season has been wild this year.

Just curious but don't you reside in Edmonton Area? Why go to Florida or be there in Hurricane season? Its one of the last places I would ever be in October. In Hurricane season.

 

[jukon]

We waived Lavoie and now Janmark will play on the second line. Cleary this is just a bad dream.

 

[Soundwave]

Leon doesn't have pride now? Why do you sink your ship on comments like these? You defeat your own arguments. We all do at times.

But again you're talking about Drai taking it up a notch subsequent to new contract that hasn't taken effect yet in a season that hasn't taken effect yet.

Chicken just a little?

Drai has already earned the 14M contract and teams that could would line up for the rights to pay him that. He's established as one of the most valuable players in the world. Thats the reality already here.

That 2nd line needs to produce and be one of the better second lines in the league, I don't think that's an unreasonable ask, you're the one already blaming Arvidsson and Skinner for this and that, and fine they're not perfect players but lots of top end players have made things go with less than perfect wingers. But the fact is Leon is the one who will take the blame mostly if that line doesn't work and deservedly so.

That's the burden that comes with being a star player.

 

[Drivesaitl]

That 2nd line needs to produce and be one of the better second lines in the league, I don't think that's an unreasonable ask, you're the one already blaming Arvidsson and Skinner for this and that, and fine they're not perfect players but lots of top end players have made things go with less than perfect wingers. But the fact is Leon is the one who will take the blame mostly if that line doesn't work and deservedly so.

That's the burden that comes with being a star player.

What great line is composed of two wingers that are old, injured, and the one being incompetent defensively?

Skinner is a 100ft joke player. He's neve been part of a great line or playoff team, and he's the type of player that has sunk teams. RV is coming to us after two back surgeries and in a sport where back health is a predominant issue and often the end of careers.

Is Drai supposed to be be a miracle man as well. New back and vertebrae for RV. New Heart for the tinman?

Drai would work fine with a healthy RV in prime. For Skinner, I'm not sure what player in the world makes Skinner an outscorer.

Bottomline is names aside these are just two more wingers that fell off the apple cart that neither club wanted to retain. One team thought so poorly of the player they bought him out. You can make it seem like the Oilers fought long and hard to find these guys. They were imminently available.

 

[Oilgasms]

Calling it right now - This year will be a return to 20 goal Connor Brown. Maybe even the beginning of 30 goal Connor Brown

He led the 2020-21 Sens in goals and almost led them in points lol

 

[Soundwave]

What great line is composed of two wingers that are old, injured, and the one being incompetent defensively?

Skinner is a 100ft joke player. He's neve been part of a great line or playoff team, and he's the type of player that has sunk teams. RV is coming to us after two back surgeries and in a sport where back health is a predominant issue and often the end of careers.

Is Drai supposed to be be a miracle man as well. New back and vertebrae for RV. New Heart for the tinman?

They can both score, if you're already making excuses for why that line can't work I'm just going to point out the obvious, Leon is the one that will take the lion's share of blame for it.

Arvidsson was scoring at near a 30 goal rate last year even after coming back from his surgery, Skinner paced at a 25/26 ish goal rate.

If Matthews can still put up points with interchangable parts like Knies and Bunting the year before, the expectation is going to be Leon makes this work.

 

[Canovin]

Probably just a kick in the ass to Skinner to pick it up. If he doesn't work out here, he's likely gone at the trade deadline which would open up $3 mill in cap space to get someone else (more if the other team retains on whatever play is coming back our way).

If Skinner doesn't work out, there's always Kuzmenko

 

[Drivesaitl]

They can both score, if you're already making excuses for why that line can't work I'm just going to point out the obvious, Leon is the one that will take the lion's share of blame for it.

Arvidsson was scoring at a 30 goal rate last year even after coming back from his surgery, Skinner paced at a 25/26 ish goal rate.

If Matthews can still put up points with interchangable parts like Knies and Bunting the year before, the expectation is going to be Leon makes this work.

RV played only 17games last year. You know thats not adequate sample but you cite it anyway. Did you even watch RV in those games. He got hurt twice in his return. One game in the first minutes missing the whole game. The other being hurt in 3rd period and missing remaining. He was also awful in the playoffs. RV is not coming to us at any peak. He's a player LA had no reason to retain. He had no remaining role there.

Really its a miracle if the Oilers even get 40-50 regular season games from RV. I don't know any player ever that has had multiple back surgeries required that has come back to play full seasons. Usually its end of career stuff. Anybody remember Craig Simpson?

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Can't stand when ex-Oilers do this.

Not because I hope the player fails on an individual level, but because it's f***ing painful to read the few, but loud voices around here incessantly melt down over it for days/weeks afterwards.

Both sides of the spectrum weigh in - good games and bad games. The pearlclutching cuts both ways. Would personally rather not get any updates at all - people can search them out if desired. The players are dead to me and I hope they both fail.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Just curious but don't you reside in Edmonton Area? Why go to Florida or be there in Hurricane season? It’s one of the last places I would ever be in October. In Hurricane season.

I live in North Abaco in the Bahamas and usually spend April/May to Sept/Oct in Alberta. This year I’ve had to return to the Bahamas a bit earlier than usual for work while my wife stayed in AB. I’m supposed to fly back Friday to help her get everything ready for our fall migration and was planning on catching the Hawks game Saturday and maybe another since I don’t get the chance to go to games for most of the season but it’s looking like this storm could delay flights out of south Florida.

Hurricanes and Tropical storms are just a fact of life around here, you learn how to live with it. But generally we are in AB for most of hurricane season.

 

[Coffey]

What's our d-core looking like?
And will it make me cry?

 

[oXo Cube]

What's our d-core looking like?
And will it make me cry?

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Emberson
Kulak - Stecher
Dermott

It's not any worse than last year(where despite the constant complaints it was good actually). What you should be worried about is the bottom 6 forwards.

 

[Oilhawks]

I'm amazed at people's zeal for writing off Skinner and drooling over Lavoie over absolutely nothing other than pre-season. Christ.

Out of all places, we should be the most in tune with the fact that individual pre-season performances are indicators of absolutely nothing, but it seems like half the fanbase gets amnesia every year.

Connor Brown and Jack Campbell were cooking last pre-season. Did anyone want either in the lineup by Oct 15 last year? Anyone?

I agree that writing off Skinner is laughable, and while I don’t know if Lavoie would have stuck, it’s just frustrating seeing depth youth out the door for free when they don’t have much of it

 

[bone]

RV played only 17games last year. You know thats not adequate sample but you cite it anyway. Did you even watch RV in those games. He got hurt twice in his return. One game in the first minutes missing the whole game. The other being hurt in 3rd period and missing remaining. He was also awful in the playoffs. RV is not coming to us at any peak. He's a player LA had no reason to retain. He had no remaining role there.

Really its a miracle if the Oilers even get 40-50 regular season games from RV. I don't know any player ever that has had multiple back surgeries required that has come back to play full seasons. Usually its end of career stuff. Anybody remember Craig Simpson?

Haven't Eichel and Stone had similar surgeries? Maybe the plan is getting 20-50 effective games, then LTIR near the deadline if he's struggling and get him back as an option for playoffs.

I'm only partially kidding.

 

[jukon]

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Emberson
Kulak - Stecher
Dermott

It's not any worse than last year(where despite the constant complaints it was good actually). What you should be worried about is the bottom 3 forwards.

FTFY

 

[ConnorNova0929]

We might get touched by Hurricane Milton on Wednesday night or Thursday, hopefully the Starlink will hold up so I get to watch the game.

Hurricane season has been wild this year.

Take care, I hope this doesn't go as bad as the predictions.

Those oceans are so hot right now.

 

[Arpeggio]

I just want to see the Oilers come out and look like the better team consistently to start the year. It's such an old team, these guys have no excuse for not coming to the rink prepared to play. I don't want to see periods where they get outshot 15-2, just come out strong and look like a composed contender.

I want us to look like Colorado from a couple of years ago.

 

[North]

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Emberson
Kulak - Stecher
Dermott

It's not any worse than last year(where despite the constant complaints it was good actually). What you should be worried about is the bottom 6 forwards.

To be honest, I like that they focussed on guys who can move the puck. Hopefully Emberson grows into his role.

 

[ConnorNova0929]

Whole hockey world is going to be watching the Blues today so I can only assume they're going to win 3-2 on the back of a Holloway hattrick.

Blues will win 3-2
Holloway with 3 points
Broberg will end up +4 somehow

It's the way it goes with ex Oilers. I hope they fall flat on their faces lol

 

[Drivesaitl]

Haven't Eichel and Stone had similar surgeries? Maybe the plan is getting 20-50 effective games, then LTIR near the deadline if he's struggling and get him back as an option for playoffs.

I'm only partially kidding.

Eichel surgery to my knowledge was quite different than the ones RV had which are degenerative and irreversible damage.

Stone might be a better example but also Stone was a franchise level player who has had his game cut back and who had tons of support on a team and so much he could even be Season long LTIR to rest him. RV isn't even in that player orbit. A diminished Stone can still be effective because he's an enormous talent and has considerable strength to start with.

Appreciate though that you gave answers and the players that have gone onto have careers are rare.

ps Stone might support my case as in multiple seasons he's missed a shitload of games. Just spitballing it he's missed around 180 games while playing 250. So 42% of games missed.

 

[McAsuno]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843698563060248616

 

[Little Fury]

I just want everyone to do their best and have fun out there.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Edit: Wrong Skinner.

Jeff Skinner will be fine, he's not some kid, it's an adjustment. From no system in Buffalo to the firm system in Edmonton.

By all means I do hope and think he capable of doing just that.