Post-Game Talk: Need a win? Make it so!

[MessierThanThou]

Seems like maybe you might need a bit of a refresher. I don't know the history, but the above is a bit aggressive... .

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Yet you've flamed me a few times on here. Funny how you guys want us all to follow the rules to protect yourselves but have no problem breaking them when you can't think of a logical and/or effective rebuttal?

 

[tardigrade81]

I'm thinking shut down McDavid and Draisaitl until the playoffs.

There's 7 games left

Agreed.

 

[Drivesaitl]

nevermind

 

[Cloned]

Some of you guys are WAY above the 5 minute rule ITT lol.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Pickard getting all these starts is the biggest blessing we could get because it removes the excuses of "uncertainty" or "he can't play too many games in a row" or "he only plays bad teams."

If Skinner comes in and fails, we know exactly what we have behind him. Makes decisions like this easier on the folks that seem to have issues making them.

I didn't think he could have this much consistency, this many games in a row, it's very big for the team. Unless Skinner is back next game, I think you ride Pickard until it's untenable.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yeah, so weird how we actually have people upset after the Oilers WON. Almost like these people aren't really fans at all.

That said with Drai being injured again I'm a bit upset too. But for valid reason.

 

[bucks_oil]

There are some really weird takes in this thread. People have said...

Oilers have great goaltending?
Leon and Connor are chokers?

Where the heck is all this coming from? We are in a bizzarro world.

Nobody has said that in this thread. Posters are claiming it has been said in the past, out of context.

 

[MoontoScott]

A wise man once told me that you shouldn’t spend more than 5 minutes of your day posting about Stuart Skinner.

I’m already down 30 seconds with this post.

You know Donald?

 

[bucks_oil]

There's a lot of positives with the ability to play within and maintain composure to win close games. It reflects this team's character, resiliency, and experience. It's good to see Pickard step up through this recent period as well with a consistent game and saves on the line within team breakdowns at critical moments. They look to be starting to lock in defensively though which is vital to playoff success.

All said, there are areas of concern beginning with health of super elites and other core roster guys which haven't effected this team before during stretch drive hockey. And this team's personnel hasn't been able to outscore their problems despite being tops in league shot volume. With volatile goaltending this is a vulnerability.

Three Year Team Scoring Results:

2024-25		2023-24		2022-23
Shots: 2,403 NHL 99 percentile		Shots: 2,783.5 99 percentile		Shots: 2,754 83 percentile
Goals: 242 NHL 74 percentile		Goals: 292 90 percentile		Goals: 325 99 percentile
Shooting%: 10.1% NHL below 50th		Shooting%: 10.6% 70 percentile		Shooting%: 11.8% 99 percentile

Oilers average shots on goal is 32, 1st in NHL, yet Oilers shooting is 10.1%, 22nd. NHL below 50 percentile. They have a -30 difference between X-Goals and Actual Goals production.
High Danger: 126 goals, 87 percentile. 19.7% NHL 51 percentile
Mid Range: 63 goals, NHL below 50 percentile. 10.6% NHL below 50 percentile
Long Range: 13 goals, NHL below 50 percentile. 2.4% NHL below 50 percentile
Total Goals:
239 goals., 70 percentile. 10.1% NHL below 50 percentile

Special Teams Three Year Actuals

2024-25:		2023-24:		2022-23:
Oilers power play is 25.3%, 8th.		Oilers power play is 26.34%		Oilers power play is 32.36%
Oilers penalty kill is 77%, 20th.		Oilers penalty kill is 79.46%		Oilers penalty kill is 76.98%
Total Special Teams: 102.3		Total Special Teams: 105.8		Total Special Teams: 109.34

Most alarming is the regression in their starting goaltender's game per NHLEdge: NHL EDGE Puck and Player Tracking Statistics - Comparisons

2024-25		2023-24:		2022-23:
GAA: 2.91		GAA: 2.62		GAA: 2.75
SV%: .894		SV%: .905		SV%: .914
High Danger SV%: .791%.		High Danger SV%: .806%		High Danger SV%: .843%
Mid Range SV%: .898%		Mid Range SV%: .904%		Mid Range SV%: .898%
Games > .900: 22		Games > .900: 35		Games > .900: 28
% Games > .900: 45.83%		% Games > .900: 61.4%		% Games > .900: 58.33%
2024-25 Really Bad Starts (under 85%): 12 (of 49 games played) 24%		2023-24 Really Bad Starts (under 85%): 11 (of 59 games played) 19%		2022-23 Really Bad Starts (under 85%): 9 (of 50 games played) 18%

So ... injuries cloud things. What Draisaitl is doing with mediocre line mates and team wide production regression is Hart Trophy worthy. And criticism of Management personnel decisions off-season and in-season notably with goaltender regression is apropos.

EDIT: Sorry anyone reading this - long and my manual input failed with some year by year comps.

This is what a quality post looks like for those who care.

 

[McHelpus]

Man I miss Oilers at noon, this is the time of year when I use to listen to it. Especially when playoffs start.

 

[bucks_oil]

Yet you've flamed me a few times on here. Funny how you guys want us all to follow the rules to protect yourselves but have no problem breaking them when you can't think of a logical and/or effective rebuttal?

Have I?

Bring receipts and you'll have an apology. You've flamed two other posters in this thread in your last half dozen posts. They've been reported.

 

[MoontoScott]

Regarding lack of posting interest, my biggest beef is when it gets personal towards the player. Everyone has either their favourite or a guy or three that they don't think is very good. That's fine and dandy. But when you start seeing stuff like, "he looks fat", or " I hate the way he tosses his hair back", or " he's trying to look like Fuhr with the white pads", or "I heard he selfishly wants to play every game". Silly and ridiculous. And the criticisms are focused soley at one individual repeatedly ad naseum, completely ignoring all other players or facets of the game.

Agreed-- I think Stu has played poorly but I don't give a hoot what he looks like. I'm sure he and all the Oilers would be just fine if you met them in person. In the end its just a hockey game and when you look at the world this morning it isn't all that important. It's supposed to be an escape.

We need to calm down on the site. Use the ignore feature if you don't like a guy. I use it and I'm sure some other guys have blocked me too. That's fair because 80% of what we read on the site is just opinion and nothing more.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Yet you ignore posters like @CROTT fighting here every post game that Pickard is winning. Indeed in the Vegas win the only thing Crott was interested in talking about is Skinner, in a game Skinner didn't play and how he feels Skinner is a mistreated puppy here.

When you label "the usual suspects" its just taking a side.

But several posts here have been removed and I don't want to add to that.

In the same post you're referring to toxicity here you call somebody delusional.

In their minds they aren't being negative if they're negative about everyone and everything except one guy. It's so weird.

Look at the people we haven't seen in months who liked his post. They're all waiting for a safe opportunity to come out and excrete their out-of-touch takes. Like we saw on deadline day.

 

[Drivesaitl]

In their minds they aren't being negative if they're negative about everyone and everything except one guy. It's so weird.

Look at the people we haven't seen in months who liked his post. They're all waiting for a safe opportunity to come out and excrete their out-of-touch takes. Like we saw on deadline day.

Yeah. The main solace I have being an Oilers fan in 2025 is that we still have McD and Drai. Thats the majority of the reason anybody would even still be here talking about the club. Without those two guys we're south of Calgary. Yet they get shit on the most any misplay, and weaker stint of play, and BLAMED for the SC loss instead of the guy in net. The guy that was awful in so many games.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Have I?

Bring receipts and you'll have an apology. You've flamed two other posters in this thread in your last half dozen posts. They've been reported.

I remembered your "doesn't understand math" line because the irony made me LOL

Post in thread 'Trade Rumors & Proposals Thread | Get Us a ****ing Goalie Edition!'

Mar 7, 2025

I don't blame Bowman for supporting his tenders, as a GM it's important to not show your hand. But if he truthfully didn't both going after a goalie then he's stupid.

As for our media, they're whipped by the organization. They can only write hit pieces about players the org lets them.

Exactly this... you don't TELL your goalie (or by extension the media) that you think you have a goaltending issue... it's a mental game where the difference between a champ goalie and pretender is mostly between your ears.

Announcing you might need an upgrade is 90% guaranteed to ensure that you...

• bucks_oil

• 

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

There's a lot of positives with the ability to play within and maintain composure to win close games. It reflects this team's character, resiliency, and experience. It's good to see Pickard step up through this recent period as well with a consistent game and saves on the line within team breakdowns at critical moments. They look to be starting to lock in defensively though which is vital to playoff success.

All said, there are areas of concern beginning with health of super elites and other core roster guys which haven't effected this team before during stretch drive hockey. And this team's personnel hasn't been able to outscore their problems despite being tops in league shot volume. With volatile goaltending this is a vulnerability.

Three Year Team Scoring Results:

2024-25		2023-24		2022-23
Shots: 2,403 NHL 99 percentile		Shots: 2,783.5 99 percentile		Shots: 2,754 83 percentile
Goals: 242 NHL 74 percentile		Goals: 292 90 percentile		Goals: 325 99 percentile
Shooting%: 10.1% NHL below 50th		Shooting%: 10.6% 70 percentile		Shooting%: 11.8% 99 percentile

Oilers average shots on goal is 32, 1st in NHL, yet Oilers shooting is 10.1%, 22nd. NHL below 50 percentile. They have a -30 difference between X-Goals and Actual Goals production.
High Danger: 126 goals, 87 percentile. 19.7% NHL 51 percentile
Mid Range: 63 goals, NHL below 50 percentile. 10.6% NHL below 50 percentile
Long Range: 13 goals, NHL below 50 percentile. 2.4% NHL below 50 percentile
Total Goals:
239 goals., 70 percentile. 10.1% NHL below 50 percentile

Special Teams Three Year Actuals

2024-25:		2023-24:		2022-23:
Oilers power play is 25.3%, 8th.		Oilers power play is 26.34%		Oilers power play is 32.36%
Oilers penalty kill is 77%, 20th.		Oilers penalty kill is 79.46%		Oilers penalty kill is 76.98%
Total Special Teams: 102.3		Total Special Teams: 105.8		Total Special Teams: 109.34

Most alarming is the regression in their starting goaltender's game per NHLEdge: NHL EDGE Puck and Player Tracking Statistics - Comparisons

2024-25		2023-24:		2022-23:
GAA: 2.91		GAA: 2.62		GAA: 2.75
SV%: .894		SV%: .905		SV%: .914
High Danger SV%: .791%.		High Danger SV%: .806%		High Danger SV%: .843%
Mid Range SV%: .898%		Mid Range SV%: .904%		Mid Range SV%: .898%
Games > .900: 22		Games > .900: 35		Games > .900: 28
% Games > .900: 45.83%		% Games > .900: 61.4%		% Games > .900: 58.33%
2024-25 Really Bad Starts (under 85%): 12 (of 49 games played) 24%		2023-24 Really Bad Starts (under 85%): 11 (of 59 games played) 19%		2022-23 Really Bad Starts (under 85%): 9 (of 50 games played) 18%

So ... injuries cloud things. What Draisaitl is doing with mediocre line mates and team wide production regression is Hart Trophy worthy. And criticism of Management personnel decisions off-season and in-season notably with goaltender regression is apropos.

EDIT: Sorry anyone reading this - long and my manual input failed with some year by year comps.

Apropos. What a word.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yet you ignore posters like @CROTT fighting here every post game that Pickard is winning. Indeed in the Vegas win the only thing Crott was interested in talking about is Skinner, in a game Skinner didn't play and how he feels Skinner is a mistreated puppy here.

When you label "the usual suspects" its just taking a side.

But several posts here have been removed and I don't want to add to that.

In the same post you're referring to toxicity here you call somebody delusional.

Because @CROTT was openly mocking those who critique Skinner for literally every single thing.

There were probably more posts in the GDT dedicated to the goaltender who isn't playing than the one who was. Like, what is this board going to talk about when he's eventually shipped off for peanuts?

 

[Drivesaitl]

Because @CROTT was openly mocking those who critique Skinner for literally every single thing.

There were probably more posts in the GDT dedicated to the goaltender who isn't playing than the one who was. Like, what is this board going to talk about when he's eventually shipped off for peanuts?

One topic posters become fairly obvious.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

One topic posters become fairly obvious.

There's only so many times you can say "Skinner wouldn't have made that save", but people are repetitive creatures.

And no, the hypocrisy is not lost on me. Unrelated but fire Dustin Schwartz.

 

[MessierThanThou]

There's only so many times you can say "Skinner wouldn't have made that save", but people are repetitive creatures.

And no, the hypocrisy is not lost on me. Unrelated but fire Dustin Schwartz.

I must admit, it started as a joke for me due to CROTT randomly shitting on Pickard, and then Pickard seemed to prevent all possible rebounds for the rest of the game and made saves on shots that others have said were impossible to stop, and well...the whole thing just snowballed from there.

Also, fire Dustin Schwartz.

 

[K1984]

I didn't think he could have this much consistency, this many games in a row, it's very big for the team. Unless Skinner is back next game, I think you ride Pickard until it's untenable.

I think it makes sense to platoon them when Skinner is back. Rotate games, start whoever played the best in Game 1.

Keeping both of them warm, but not risking fatigue due to overplay is the sweet spot they need to find.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Have I?

Bring receipts and you'll have an apology. You've flamed two other posters in this thread in your last half dozen posts. They've been reported.

Honestly rhe last two pages of this thread are hilarious. It’s people replying to people I have on ignore.

I hit show ignored content to see what I was missing…. Nothing but angry old men yelling in the wind.

 

[VainGretzky]

Its that really, even when Skinner had a great two months stats below.

18GP - 2.30 GAA - .917 SCPT - 13W - 4L - 1OTL - 1SO - and then the team decided it was time to stop playing defense

And the usual suspects were still basing him at every turn, leading to pages of Skinner bashing in GDT for simply a goal being scored on him. Its a reason my ignore list has grown, and I don't have an appetite for making GDT anymore.

The fact is Oilers are 24w 22 L with Skinner in the net, not even a bubble team at 20w9L with Pickard in net, which is a division-winning record

 

[MessierThanThou]

I didn't think he could have this much consistency, this many games in a row, it's very big for the team. Unless Skinner is back next game, I think you ride Pickard until it's untenable.

100%. I wasn't all that optimistic about Pickard either, and I still want Rodrigue to get a look, but three strong starts in a row is a good sign. If he can lock things down against LA, I might actually believe.

The fact is Oilers are 24w 22 L with Skinner in the net, not even a bubble team at 20w9L with Pickard in net, which is a division-winning record

I used to ignore win-loss records for goalies because I considered it a team stat, but it's a lot harder to keep focused and stick to your gameplan when your goalie is letting in two to three goals on the first ten shots on a consistent basis, even if he tends to lock it down for the rest of the game (or used to, anyway). In The Muffin Man's defense, his GSAx is better than Pickard's so a logical argument could be made that he's actually better, but the eye test consistently tells me otherwise.

 

[MoontoScott]

Honestly rhe last two pages of this thread are hilarious. It’s people replying to people I have on ignore.

I hit show ignored content to see what I was missing…. Nothing but angry old men yelling in the wind.

I prefer the term "advanced middle aged."