Player Discussion McDavid

[Drivesaitl]

You're correct a team like Dallas would have to make room for example you'd have to drop Seguin and Johnson at 8 m each.

A team that is already a conference finalist do they improve or regress with mcdavid instead of them? Absolutely improve.

Also for Edmonton ok now they have 16 m of cap space what do they do? There is no Connor mcdavid.

They basically panic and get a huberdeau + Tavares type player. This team won't be going back to the finals.

The interesting thing is Dallas, adding Rantanen, and somehow they had the cap structure to do that and he's comparable price tag. The trouble with Dallas however is everybody on the club except Robertson went into the tank not scoring. Theres no cure for that, ever Dallas are a decent model in that they arguably have half a dozen players or more that should be scoring in series but are not.

The Oilers are clearly lacking in enough prime of age scorers that can play at highest level in the peak competition.

In anycase its not always a matter of having to add stud players but you should target middling players that can score and that can play with some identity. Even players like Foegele, and certainly Holloway who we could've had for cheap were able to score with Drai. McLeod too. This leads me to something else McD mentioned is we were lacking forwards that could use speed to stretch Florida and be able to get to pucks or be zone out skating guys. Which is exactly what guys like McLeod or Holloway are. Or even Foegele being a guy with hands and a bit of grit But importantly in prime.

It always struck me as odd that we specifically lost the players with pace that were challenging Florida contain in the series last year. They were the first guys to break Florida in game 3. Then we didn't have any of them.

You're always going to get less miles and less sustain out of an old team. The Oilers big gamble on an all vet team only worked for Perry. The other old guys didn't get it done.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

So absolutely no word on him being injured? I must say that if he wasn't hurt then besides him getting on management's case to improve that he needs to look himself in the mirror and try to be a game changer by scoring, playing better D, etc. as well.

 

[McShogun99]

The problem with your take is that other teams adding McDavid and/or Draisaitl will have to shed their best players in order to make room, while the Oilers would fill out the cap space with players of the same calibre as the ones those teams lose (perhaps even literally those players if it were a trade).

E.g. you can't just take McDavid and put him on the Panthers without something else having to give.

You add McDrai to the Panthers then you’re taking out Bobrovsky for a cheap goalie, not adding Jones and Marchand at the deadline as well as removing Bennett or another top 6 winger. They’d still be a cup favorite with this changes though.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

So absolutely no word on him being injured? I must say that if he wasn't hurt then besides him getting on management's case to improve that he needs to look himself in the mirror and try to be a game changer by scoring, playing better D, etc. as well.

He was not injured. He has slightly regressed and fanboys here need to admit/realize it.

He definitely needs to look in the mirror. He is not scoring enough goals for us to be effective in the playoffs.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So absolutely no word on him being injured? I must say that if he wasn't hurt then besides him getting on management's case to improve that he needs to look himself in the mirror and try to be a game changer by scoring, playing better D, etc. as well.

Normally we would have heard already in the post pressers and exit comments. However proviso. McD could in fact have injury that would conceivably be recurring and of a nature difficult to remedy. There could be hesitance to disclose such thing right now, and it could be damaging for McD to have any such information disclosed. Because it could obviously impact next contracts.

The Oilers are right not to make it any talking point and if there is an injury not to disclose it. just my take.

If it isn't injury thats obviously the worst news it means McD i quite clearly post peak and has been for most of two seasons.

I would never have expected Drai to outlast McD in top of table production but who knows.

 

[Stoneman89]

So absolutely no word on him being injured? I must say that if he wasn't hurt then besides him getting on management's case to improve that he needs to look himself in the mirror and try to be a game changer by scoring, playing better D, etc. as well.

Nah, he scores so many points, both he and Drai don't need to play any defence.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Normally we would have heard already in the post pressers and exit comments. However proviso. McD could in fact have injury that would conceivably be recurring and of a nature difficult to remedy. There could be hesitance to disclose such thing right now, and it could be damaging for McD to have any such information disclosed. Because it could obviously impact next contracts.

The Oilers are right not to make it any talking point and if there is an injury not to disclose it. just my take.

If it isn't injury thats obviously the worst news it means McD i quite clearly post peak and has been for most of two seasons.

I would never have expected Drai to outlast McD in top of table production but who knows.

I could also see him not wanting to use it as an excuse or to try and take away the spotlight from the 2 time champs.

 

[Drivesaitl]

He was not injured. He has slightly regressed and fanboys here need to admit/realize it.

He definitely needs to look in the mirror. He is not scoring enough goals for us to be effective in the playoffs.

Tactically in the 60 goal season McD was being more effective in many ways. He was more dangerous on the rush becasue he was doign several things. He was either trying to burn or then use pace changes to stop and start to burn coverage and then find open ice in slot or cut in or buy time. He was using his edges to dance more. He occasionally still does this but not as often, and usually when he's fresh.

My concern is all his "rocket launch" rushes have become mostly unproductive and serve to burn fuel. For the first time we're seeing McD either through injury or age have limited tank. It used to feel he was superhuman and could just bring any pace for duration of games. This is clearly not the case now. In present day we see McD periods.

I really think McD ought to talk to Mess or even Drai about getting back to using his reads to spot opportunity and saving thrusters for when those are there. I really dislike the PP back bump now, its just wasting time and not doing it. It also expends McD. Teams have adapted. Its part of McD's problem too is that his bread and butter cheatcodes have kind of been stymied.

That McD so many times this season was trying to bank it in off goalies from behind striked me as odd. Because its a low % play and suggests a lack of confidence making better scoring attempts, which seems incredulous in view of McD, but confidence has actually been in question at times. Not in his passing game though which has improved. But McD lite scoring is a huge problem for this team.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Tactically in the 60 goal season McD was being more effective in many ways. He was more dangerous on the rush becasue he was doign several things. He was either trying to burn or then use pace changes to stop and start to burn coverage and then find open ice in slot or cut in or buy time. He was using his edges to dance more. He occasionally still does this but not as often, and usually when he's fresh.

My concern is all his "rocket launch" rushes have become mostly unproductive and serve to burn fuel. For the first time we're seeing McD either through injury or age have limited tank. It used to feel he was superhuman and could just bring any pace for duration of games. This is clearly not the case now. In present day we see McD periods.

I really think McD ought to talk to Mess or even Drai about getting back to using his reads to spot opportunity and saving thrusters for when those are there. I really dislike the PP back bump now, its just wasting time and not doing it. It also expends McD. Teams have adapted. Its part of McD's problem too is that his bread and butter cheatcodes have kind of been stymied.

That McD so many times this season was trying to bank it in off goalies from behind striked me as odd. Because its a low % play and suggests a lack of confidence making better scoring attempts, which seems incredulous in view of McD, but confidence has actually been in question at times. Not in his passing game though which has improved. But McD lite scoring is a huge problem for this team.

Good post

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Tactically in the 60 goal season McD was being more effective in many ways. He was more dangerous on the rush becasue he was doign several things. He was either trying to burn or then use pace changes to stop and start to burn coverage and then find open ice in slot or cut in or buy time. He was using his edges to dance more. He occasionally still does this but not as often, and usually when he's fresh.

My concern is all his "rocket launch" rushes have become mostly unproductive and serve to burn fuel. For the first time we're seeing McD either through injury or age have limited tank. It used to feel he was superhuman and could just bring any pace for duration of games. This is clearly not the case now. In present day we see McD periods.

I really think McD ought to talk to Mess or even Drai about getting back to using his reads to spot opportunity and saving thrusters for when those are there. I really dislike the PP back bump now, its just wasting time and not doing it. It also expends McD. Teams have adapted. Its part of McD's problem too is that his bread and butter cheatcodes have kind of been stymied.

That McD so many times this season was trying to bank it in off goalies from behind striked me as odd. Because its a low % play and suggests a lack of confidence making better scoring attempts, which seems incredulous in view of McD, but confidence has actually been in question at times. Not in his passing game though which has improved. But McD lite scoring is a huge problem for this team.

He's scored on many of those over the years though. His shot just isn't what it once was.

 

[sepHF]

Tactically in the 60 goal season McD was being more effective in many ways. He was more dangerous on the rush becasue he was doign several things. He was either trying to burn or then use pace changes to stop and start to burn coverage and then find open ice in slot or cut in or buy time. He was using his edges to dance more. He occasionally still does this but not as often, and usually when he's fresh.

My concern is all his "rocket launch" rushes have become mostly unproductive and serve to burn fuel. For the first time we're seeing McD either through injury or age have limited tank. It used to feel he was superhuman and could just bring any pace for duration of games. This is clearly not the case now. In present day we see McD periods.

I really think McD ought to talk to Mess or even Drai about getting back to using his reads to spot opportunity and saving thrusters for when those are there. I really dislike the PP back bump now, its just wasting time and not doing it. It also expends McD. Teams have adapted. Its part of McD's problem too is that his bread and butter cheatcodes have kind of been stymied.

That McD so many times this season was trying to bank it in off goalies from behind striked me as odd. Because its a low % play and suggests a lack of confidence making better scoring attempts, which seems incredulous in view of McD, but confidence has actually been in question at times. Not in his passing game though which has improved. But McD lite scoring is a huge problem for this team.

back to back to back short off seasons with injury recoveries probably play a part in it. Would like to see more load managment for him going forward. Team just needs to stop sucking at the start of the year so we're not chasing all season

I have to disagree on the PP back bump though, he has an absurdly high success rate on zone entries with that

 

[Drivesaitl]

He's scored on many of those over the years though. His shot just isn't what it once was.

Its a parlor trick goal. It shouldn't ever be a mainstay or commonly done just like lacrosse goals. For the best player on the planet to be pulling it as many times as he does, and even in playoffs to me suggests something in questioning and confidence. Even on the plays he does it other options were there, other plays and even stopping up possibly being more effective. Or cutting in instead of being wide so much of the time.

I'll also mention the best players in hockey, McD and Drai, could do more of getting back to beating D one on one. The Marchand, Reinhart, goals in particular spectacular because of jumping right around the D or over the D, or walking the D. Putting the puck around the D and losing him. Something Gretz perfected and we've seen Drai and McD do.

 

[Drivesaitl]

back to back to back short off seasons with injury recoveries probably play a part in it. Would like to see more load managment for him going forward. Team just needs to stop sucking at the start of the year so we're not chasing all season

I have to disagree on the PP back bump though, he has an absurdly high success rate on zone entries with that

The team in general are pretty good at zone entries on PP. Drai is a cheat code at that too and McD without the back pass. I'd offer that the halfboards pass hitting McD in stride mid ice is more lethal as opponents have less time knowing where the play goes.

When we bumpback at McD with 170ft to go everybody has time to adjust. Its less instantaneous.

yeah I want Drai and McD to have more optionals and outs when it comes to practices. More rest and also less minuted during games. KK was working the best when he was limiting their minutes somewhat. Now he's been compelled to overplay.

 

[rboomercat90]

You're correct a team like Dallas would have to make room for example you'd have to drop Seguin and Johnson at 8 m each.

A team that is already a conference finalist do they improve or regress with mcdavid instead of them? Absolutely improve.

Also for Edmonton ok now they have 16 m of cap space what do they do? There is no Connor mcdavid.

They basically panic and get a huberdeau + Tavares type player. This team won't be going back to the finals.

This comment makes me think back to the 2006-7 season.

Coming off the finals loss to Carolina, the forced departure of Pronger and EIG eager to spend to the cap Kevin Lowe had a fortune to spend and just wasted it all over-paying everybody on his existing roster still willing to stay in Edmonton (with the exception of Ryan Smyth of course who he traded later in the season over 100 grand a season). No attempt made to build a winning roster, just excited to spend a bunch of money to look like he’s doing a good job. We all saw how that worked out. That was the launch of the decade of darkness. Thinking that the organization will be fine if McDavid leaves because we’ll have all that cap space of his to spend is naive. We don’t have intelligent people in place to spend it. Last summer proved that.

 

[rboomercat90]

So absolutely no word on him being injured? I must say that if he wasn't hurt then besides him getting on management's case to improve that he needs to look himself in the mirror and try to be a game changer by scoring, playing better D, etc. as well.

Things seemed to change in the league regarding injury revelations at the end of the year over the past couple seasons. That stuff used to come out after exit meetings but it doesn’t anymore. Not sure if that started with Toronto last season when everybody was left in the dark about what happened with Matthews or maybe thats just when I started to notice it but it seems to be standard practice for all teams now. You’re left guessing and hoping your players are fine next year.

 

[bellagiobob]

Things seemed to change in the league regarding injury revelations at the end of the year over the past couple seasons. That stuff used to come out after exit meetings but it doesn’t anymore. Not sure if that started with Toronto last season when everybody was left in the dark about what happened with Matthews or maybe thats just when I started to notice it but it seems to be standard practice for all teams now. You’re left guessing and hoping your players are fine next year.

Matthews is always the first guy to say that he was injured though, might not specify what the injury was, but always starts with the excuse after they are eliminated. Did it again this year. Our guys pretty much just keep it to themselves, or might mention that a teammate was playing hurt.

 

[Sinnerella]

McDavid not signing on july one could cost him 2-2.5 million dollars the oilers will have to pay for.

 

[redgrant]

This comment makes me think back to the 2006-7 season.

Coming off the finals loss to Carolina, the forced departure of Pronger and EIG eager to spend to the cap Kevin Lowe had a fortune to spend and just wasted it all over-paying everybody on his existing roster still willing to stay in Edmonton (with the exception of Ryan Smyth of course who he traded later in the season over 100 grand a season). No attempt made to build a winning roster, just excited to spend a bunch of money to look like he’s doing a good job. We all saw how that worked out. That was the launch of the decade of darkness. Thinking that the organization will be fine if McDavid leaves because we’ll have all that cap space of his to spend is naive. We don’t have intelligent people in place to spend it. Last summer proved that.

Yes exaclty, if you want to know exactly what will happen if a big star like mcdavid leaves we've seen this already.

Pronger left, the team panicked. They actually tried to get Chara, who would have been a great fit, but he went to Boston.

So they end up panicking and getting souray paying the same Pronger money. I mean he checked a lot of similar boxes, big tough guy, good shot from the point etc.

But he was no Chris Pronger - yet panicked ended up costing the same.

We just saw this in Calgary where the flames lost Tkachuk and panicked and got huberdeau who was never going to be an 8 figure salary player.

 

[Seth92]

Yes exaclty, if you want to know exactly what will happen if a big star like mcdavid leaves we've seen this already.

Pronger left, the team panicked. They actually tried to get Chara, who would have been a great fit, but he went to Boston.

So they end up panicking and getting souray paying the same Pronger money. I mean he checked a lot of similar boxes, big tough guy, good shot from the point etc.

But he was no Chris Pronger - yet panicked ended up costing the same.

We just saw this in Calgary where the flames lost Tkachuk and panicked and got huberdeau who was never going to be an 8 figure salary player.

Problem is we get so blinded by free agency that we don't even bother to poach prospects (we need several D prospects who are nearing NHL readiness RIGHT f***ING NOW) and we never will.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

McDavid not signing on july one could cost him 2-2.5 million dollars the oilers will have to pay for.

How do you figure this? If he doesn't sign we obviously can't go all in and then end up not being able to meet his demands.

 

[Frank the Tank]

Normally we would have heard already in the post pressers and exit comments. However proviso. McD could in fact have injury that would conceivably be recurring and of a nature difficult to remedy. There could be hesitance to disclose such thing right now, and it could be damaging for McD to have any such information disclosed. Because it could obviously impact next contracts.

The Oilers are right not to make it any talking point and if there is an injury not to disclose it. just my take.

If it isn't injury thats obviously the worst news it means McD i quite clearly post peak and has been for most of two seasons.

I would never have expected Drai to outlast McD in top of table production but who knows.

Oilers two years in a row haven't immediately run to the media like Tkachuk and Maurice and disclosed the entire teams' injuries. It's not their style.

I was surprised when McDavid revealed RNH hand injury. Hyman's injury was released publicly only because it was clear after his surgery that he had no chance on returning for these playoffs.

 

[Sinnerella]

How do you figure this? If he doesn't sign we obviously can't go all in and then end up not being able to meet his demands.

He likely merits a 15x8 and 120 total if he wants it. Off the top of my head say 72 million post tax income - he can borrow against that and take out 72 million in loans, invest it, and collect a 3% interest differential july 1 2025 to july 1 2026 which is worth 2-2.5 million dollars.

 

[jitterbug]

You're correct a team like Dallas would have to make room for example you'd have to drop Seguin and Johnson at 8 m each.

A team that is already a conference finalist do they improve or regress with mcdavid instead of them? Absolutely improve.

Also for Edmonton ok now they have 16 m of cap space what do they do? There is no Connor mcdavid.

They basically panic and get a huberdeau + Tavares type player. This team won't be going back to the finals.

he's not walking for nothing. Dallas would cripple their team trading for him

 

[oilblue]

Ovi has the largest contract of all time @ $124 million. I assume McDavid wants to beat that so 8 x 16.

However I could see him signing 3 x 15 to be the highest AAV, and try to win a cup over the next 4-5 years. Then collect a huge 7-8 year deal somewhere.

 

[oilblue]

he's not walking for nothing. Dallas would cripple their team trading for him

Especially after the Oilers just smoked Dallas in what could have been a sweep. Why would he want to go there.