Post-Game Talk: Oilers 4 Sharks 3 - Hitch a ride to McDavid
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Mclellan plays McDavid 24 minutes in a game
“Idiot is going to burn McDavid out playing him so much”
Hitchcock plays McDavid 24 minutes in a game
“Outcoached the opponent, mclellan never would have thought of something so smart”
“Idiot is going to burn McDavid out playing him so much”
Hitchcock plays McDavid 24 minutes in a game
“Outcoached the opponent, mclellan never would have thought of something so smart”
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It's different, because in the same situation where the Oilers had no power plays and with TM still behind the bench, he wouldn't have deployed McDavid like that tonight. Hitch basically put him out there every second shift in the third period because he realized the refs weren't going to call any penalties on the Sharks.
DeBoer was so worried about that that he ended up throwing out whatever gameplan he had for TOI for his defensemen and started hard matching Braun-Vlasic whenever he could.
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I mean, the guy forced the other coach into something he wasn't comfortable with but ended up doing anyways. When you're proactive like that and forcing the opponent to adjust to you rather than the other way around, you generally have the upper hand.
Braun ended up like 4 minutes above his season average and Vlasic 2-3 minutes above his season average. And they both looked terrible in the third period and OT because of all the extra minutes. Burns is a key part of their offense and he ended up with less than 19 minutes as a result.
He forced the other team to play defense instead of offense.
That's the literal definition of outcoaching your opponent.
Braun ended up like 4 minutes above his season average and Vlasic 2-3 minutes above his season average. And they both looked terrible in the third period and OT because of all the extra minutes. Burns is a key part of their offense and he ended up with less than 19 minutes as a result.
He forced the other team to play defense instead of offense.
That's the literal definition of outcoaching your opponent.
I can't recall once where McLellan found something that was working and forced the other coach to react in an uncomfortable way. Todd was always the guy reacting, and Todd always had predictable deployment.
When is the last time you saw McLellan successfully get Drai/McDavid out against not the shutdown pair at home? Let alone the road.
Burns barely played, and Braun/Vlasic looked totally gassed. AND we manmaged to score twice in regulation with McDrai out against Burns or Karlsson.
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He didn't even react though. If he did react, he'd probably still be here.
Fortunately we have someone now that's on the other side of that coin.
His version of reacting was letting Bill Peters outcoach him by placing Lucic on the top line.
Going by the responses below yours to why it was more impressive the way Hitchcock did it, context is everything.
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Oh, that. I tried to suppress that from my memory.
We're 1-0-0 on the season so far AFAIC.
While having McDavid Stapled to Gio+Backlund... LOL.
Meanwhile this game McDavid scores vs Burns + Gassed Thornton and Couture + Karlsson.
First time McDavid hasn't been hardstuck into the exact matchup the other coach wants.
Probably not the start Hitch hoped for, but they didn't buckle after giving up the first one early. Promising sign. Hopefully, they keep it rolling on Friday and gain some momentum.
I don't think McLellan was an idiot for playing him that much to begin with tbh.
But Hitchcock's usage was clearly different than McLellan's. Short shifting lines, double shifting McDavid in place of Marody to throw off the match-up game, which is something Todd was never for a second interested in doing.
Thanksgiving on Thursday, Black Friday follows. People tend to have both days off from what I know.
US Thanksgiving. It's actually kind of a compliment to the Oilers that a US team (or NHL scheduling department) would want the Oilers presumably for TV ratings (basically the McDavid effect) and/or box office purposes.
Usually that would be like a LA/Anaheim game or San Jose/Anaheim or something.
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Kinda sucks ass that the game starts at 2PM MST though, lol.
Guess I'm finding a way to bugger off early.
I just checked all the game times and it's really EU friendly. Oilers game starts at 10pm for me. It's actually quite the opposite of sucking for meKinda sucks ass that the game starts at 2PM MST though, lol.
Guess I'm finding a way to bugger off early.
Burnt Biscuits
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PP time is less physically taxing than even strength time, if you are going to take a crap on McLellan for playing McDavid that much you should do the same when Hitch does it. As a general rule of thumb Hitch plays the match up game better, McLellans never been a big fan of chasing the match-ups, it's a potential advantage he never fully utilized, but some coaches do mess up their team and the line-rotations when they over pursue match-ups.
TheNumber4
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Add another win to Hitch's win record. Must feel good for the old grandpa to finally get a win for his home town team. All that embarrassing of the Oilers in 90s is history, time for him to make us proud. Some observations on the night:
- Game had a really weird feeling from the get go, like a nervousness in the air. A lot of players trying hard to make an impression on the new coach I think mixed with insecurity in their roles lead to some unforced errors but have to like the response these Oilers showed after a weird day. They could have sulked at the loss of their "mentor" and friend Tmac... but nope, they came out with some pride and played a solid (but not spectacular) game.
- Game had a really weird feeling from the get go, like a nervousness in the air. A lot of players trying hard to make an impression on the new coach I think mixed with insecurity in their roles lead to some unforced errors but have to like the response these Oilers showed after a weird day. They could have sulked at the loss of their "mentor" and friend Tmac... but nope, they came out with some pride and played a solid (but not spectacular) game.
- You can add holding onto his stick and not falling down to the list of things Matt Benning can't do. The list grows: can't pass, can't skate, can't shoot, no vision. Get this ECHL level POS off this team ASAP before he ruins any chance of Hitch having an impact on this team. I swear Benning must have some sob story to have that contract and this spot on the team. Does he have some sort of congenital heart disease or something that makes management feel bad for him and gift him an underserved spot on the team? I can't figure it out.
- McDavid and Drai were money as usual. I think that excessive pointing to Drai on that first goal was to show Hitch, this is my winger, this guy right here. Not saying I'd like to see them together for the rest of year but you can't argue with the results (Drai's contract as an 8.5M McDavid winger on the other hand... WOOF)
- Nuge came up big with that shot. Always happy to see Nuge pot one.
- Russel had a rough night.
- Nurse left his man on that first goal against, could also argue Russel should have been infront of that net.
- Think Larsson really took the "no exceptional passers" comment to heart. He's been trying to eek some offence into his game lately, nice play to Drai on our first goal. He was probably ridiculed in the GDT for getting walked by Couture, keep in mind he was out there a long time, dead tired and that play wouldn't have happened if Klefbom didn't make a lazy dump in the San Jose end. I await the eventual posts from people saying how he's playing "bad" based on this once in a year type mishap from him.
- Klefbom has minimal offensive skill. McDavid would have an extra 20 points a year if Klefbom had some semblance of offensive skill.
- Some VERY interesting line combos and adjustments utilized by Hitch tonight. We've seen McDavid double shifted before, but he's being used to center lines we haven't seen before. McDavid instead of Marody in a tight game... it just makes sense. Lucic on that heavy 4th line that just wants to keep possession and bang bodies... makes sense.
All in all I think this team still looked like the Oilers of old. The Hitch effect isn't in full effect yet. But I'm optimistic for the future.
- McDavid and Drai were money as usual. I think that excessive pointing to Drai on that first goal was to show Hitch, this is my winger, this guy right here. Not saying I'd like to see them together for the rest of year but you can't argue with the results (Drai's contract as an 8.5M McDavid winger on the other hand... WOOF)
- Nuge came up big with that shot. Always happy to see Nuge pot one.
- Russel had a rough night.
- Nurse left his man on that first goal against, could also argue Russel should have been infront of that net.
- Think Larsson really took the "no exceptional passers" comment to heart. He's been trying to eek some offence into his game lately, nice play to Drai on our first goal. He was probably ridiculed in the GDT for getting walked by Couture, keep in mind he was out there a long time, dead tired and that play wouldn't have happened if Klefbom didn't make a lazy dump in the San Jose end. I await the eventual posts from people saying how he's playing "bad" based on this once in a year type mishap from him.
- Klefbom has minimal offensive skill. McDavid would have an extra 20 points a year if Klefbom had some semblance of offensive skill.
- Some VERY interesting line combos and adjustments utilized by Hitch tonight. We've seen McDavid double shifted before, but he's being used to center lines we haven't seen before. McDavid instead of Marody in a tight game... it just makes sense. Lucic on that heavy 4th line that just wants to keep possession and bang bodies... makes sense.
All in all I think this team still looked like the Oilers of old. The Hitch effect isn't in full effect yet. But I'm optimistic for the future.
48g90a138pts
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Sounds like Karlsson got super mad at the end of the third when Deboer pulled him off the ice with 30 sec left.
Sharks fans are livid with their coach atm and want PD gone.
At least management doesn't have to look far for a replacement...lol. Can Chiarelli ask for a third for McLellan?
Sharks fans are livid with their coach atm and want PD gone.
At least management doesn't have to look far for a replacement...lol. Can Chiarelli ask for a third for McLellan?
TheNumber4
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Larsson is inconsistent one? One bad take here. Jesus.
Burnt Biscuits
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Chia has always been high on Benning and I remember Yawney saying he was excited to coach him since he played with his father. I was pretty adamant that we needed one of Bear or Bouchard to stay with the big club, we need that added puck movement + offense even if it comes with some defensive lapses, although with the way Benning is playing I'm not sure they would even be a downgrade defensively.
Fun fact of the night- McLellan often got raked over the coals for favoritism he showed to Caggiula, tonight Caggiula played the most minutes he has at any point in his NHL career.
Fun fact of the night- McLellan often got raked over the coals for favoritism he showed to Caggiula, tonight Caggiula played the most minutes he has at any point in his NHL career.
TheNumber4
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Colorado and Boston are doing the same thing. Crosby and Malkin did when they were young like McDavid and Drai. Tavares has Marner. Maybe let them have some fun together, really learn to dominate the NHL, and time will come when Drai can do it by himself.
48g90a138pts
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So if Marody is going to be playing 5-7 minutes a game send him back to Bakersfield now. I really haven't seen too much to justify so little playing time.
This isn't the definition of developing a prospect at all.
This isn't the definition of developing a prospect at all.
TheNumber4
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Their both bad. But Bear has an excuse, inexperience. Benning just isn't good enough. Plus Bear brings more offensive skill than Benning and the other 5 D-men on this roster.
