Post-Game Talk: Oilers def. Canucks in season opener, 5-3 (Pettersson, Miller, Kuzmenko)

[Just A Bit Outside]

When’s the TDL again?

 

[MS]

That was a f***ing strange game. We were easily the better team at ES for basically the whole night, outshot and outchanced them badly. But we caught a terrible break - we probably won't get a worse blown call than that all year - and our special teams were rancid. And their goalie was really good including stopping two breakaways that would have sealed the game.

- PP just awful. Edmonton is playing tick-tack-toe for high-percentage tap-ins. We're trying for low-percentage Petey one-timers from 40 feet away. Just totally ineffective and looked frazzled by their high-pressure PK.

- after all the worry about the defense pairings ... they were basically really good. Burroughs-Stillman held up really well. Burroughs needs to play more - he's really developing as a player and looks like he can handle heavier minutes. And he couldn't do worse on the PK than the guys playing there. Stillman made a good first impression - skated well, didn't make any obvious errors.

- Poolman - to his credit - played one of his best games as a Canuck. Pressed the play well, much better than usual with the puck on his stick. OEL is solid but so passive and his passivity kills him on the PK.

- Hughes was probably the defender who had the roughest night. Poor on the PP, weak on the winning goal.

- Kuzmenko is really, really good. He's probably going to push 70 points this year. So smart with the puck. He and Pettersson need a better linemate than Hoglander, though. Hoglander worked but doesn't think the game on the same wavelength. Garland or Podkolzin needs to be there.

- JT Miller was either great or horrible. Two great plays to create goals. Lots of terrible passes. Iffy effort on winning goal. But his wingers weren't great. Boeser probably gets some slack because he missed the whole preseason but on the other hand it didn't look any different from last year.

- Horvat stunk. Looked totally disengaged. Probably the most disappointing player on the ice. Podkolzin was doing his best to carry that line and played really well. Garland didn't have his best night.

- Aman and Lazar worked hard and did what they were supposed to do. Joshua needs to be much better if he's going to stay in the lineup.

- Demko made some good saves but overall did not look his best. Was outplayed by the guy at the other end.

Weird amount of negativity here. If they play that exact game most nights, they'll win a lot of games. Edmonton are a very good team and we mostly outplayed them.

 

[Lawzy]

Not only did it gift them a goal, they weren't penalized and Hughes was out of the game for a good portion of the 2nd.

Very frustrating. I can't stand watching Kelly Sutherland attempt to ref a hockey game but it definitely doesn't excuse the poor play after that goal.

 

[Green Blank Stare]

First game, but the Canucks come as advertised. They'll score a lot, but that blueline isn't anywhere nearly good enough. This was a game where they really missed Myers, particularly along the wall.

A tough night for Hughes. He was one the ice for a least 2-3 goals, and the PP went 1-8. I'm really starting to wonder about Hughes on the pp. Unfortunately he doesn't have a shot that would break a pane of glass. And teams are starting to cheat,.....they're packing of the goal and daring him to shoot.

And Boudreau needs to get Hughes off the PK. You don't risk your best d-man killing penalties. As it was he got hurt and had to miss part of the second period.

They need to get Rathbone back in there. At least the guy has a howitzer from the point. Can't understand why they sat him down for a guy like Stillman, who's the equivalent of a waiver wire pickup.

I'm at the point where I'd swap OEL for Hughes on PP1. I can't believe Hughes didn't improve his shot at all during the offseason.

 

[FlowMaster]

Hoglander doesn't have an NHL calibre shot.

Everyone knows this. Yet he is the trigger man on the PP? Wtf Bruce?

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Really didn't mind either Stillman/Burroughs tonight. Very fair efforts on their part. Burroughs I thought did quite well the few shifts against McDavid, didn't look pretty but it was effective.

Special teams f***ed us. Like I said last year, the PP needs to change drastically. That bumper play has been in (en?) vogue for like 7 seasons now. It can be defended better. It was nice to see a different variation on it tonight, McDavid seemed to think so as well. And as much as I like seeing EP bomb it, if he misses we are having to set up from our own zone again. The PP as of right now plain stinks with more than capable personnel. The only thing that's worse is the PK.

 

[Sedinery]

Bo, Pearson, And Garland need to be moved

Brock needs to get it in gear

 

[Petey O]

they pinned themselves into a corner by signing Miller, they are going for the playoffs and you need Horvat for that goal. We had to clean house and rebuild, move Miller, Horvat and Boeser but yet we we re-sign 2 of the 3, went shopping for yet another 2nd line winger and not fixing our major holes.

I'd give the team at least 20-30 games to see where it's at. I don't think it's fair to jump to conclusions the first game into the season.

It looked like a borderline elite team for a while there. And then a shitty call and McDavid just took over. It's either a coaching or leadership issue at that point, I think. I'm leaning towards a leadership issue. When your captain is playing like **** and the rest of the team is flying, those momentum shifts will hurt much worse.

Your captain needs to be a steady player who is always giving a shit, even if he's playing bad. I don't get the impression Horvat really gives a shit at the beginning of the season, or if he does, his play doesn't seem like it at all.

Doesn't help when he's relied upon as this two way stalwart and he's bang average defensively (and awful when he doesn't give a shit).

 

[DonnyNucker]

Boy .. these game day threads are poisonous..christ

Yes it’s pretty pathetic lol

I can see why nobody bit on Miller. Management screwed up not taking deals last year. He tired as game went on, made multiple bonehead plays and looked slow.

Trade him and Bo for 2 top D men

was Miller’s 99 point season erased after one game in which he really wasn’t that bad?

 

[bbud]

Overall a decent game then buttmans orders to stripes change a game what should have been no goal and 4 min pp was a twilight zone event to refs changes a game .
Id admire a commish who came out said thats not the consistency we need take accountability because when he does refs have too fuuk buttman

 

[logan5]

Boeser will not get 30 this year like he said.
Bo need to go,Oel just plain sucks.

OEL looked pretty damn solid tonight.

 

[CRDragon]

Ref makes that high sticking call on Hughes and we wouldn't be panicking already. I'm shocked to see the meltdown on the boards.

 

[TruGr1t]

Poolman was shockingly serviceable. If Demko plays like that for much of the season we aren’t making the playoffs.

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

Really need to consider moving Horvat and Pearson and advocating that money to the defense. Just look so slow out there and stand around flat footed.

We aren't winning anything with the current state of the defense.

 

[FlowMaster]

Yes it’s pretty pathetic lol

was Miller’s 99 point season erased after one game in which he really wasn’t that bad?

This is what GDTs have always been. Why are you here if you don’t enjoy it? Embrace the emotional rollercoaster. It’s fun

 

[Breakers]

Hoglander with a strong game in his minutes from an underlying aspect

 

[FlowMaster]

Poolman may have been our best defenseman tonight.

 

[Sedinery]

Yes it’s pretty pathetic lol

was Miller’s 99 point season erased after one game in which he really wasn’t that bad?

Does not give him a pass.

He made several horrible passes on the pp

Did not skate hard defensively

Horrible lazy d zone play

 

[Cupless44]

That was a f***ing strange game. We were easily the better team at ES for basically the whole night, outshot and outchanced them badly. But we caught a terrible break - we probably won't get a worse blown call than that all year - and our special teams were rancid. And their goalie was really good including stopping two breakaways that would have sealed the game.

- PP just awful. Edmonton is playing tick-tack-toe for high-percentage tap-ins. We're trying for low-percentage Petey one-timers from 40 feet away. Just totally ineffective and looked frazzled by their high-pressure PK.

- after all the worry about the defense pairings ... they were basically really good. Burroughs-Stillman held up really well. Burroughs needs to play more - he's really developing as a player and looks like he can handle heavier minutes. And he couldn't do worse on the PK than the guys playing there. Stillman made a good first impression - skated well, didn't make any obvious errors.

- Poolman - to his credit - played one of his best games as a Canuck. Pressed the play well, much better than usual with the puck on his stick. OEL is solid but so passive and his passivity kills him on the PK.

- Hughes was probably the defender who had the roughest night. Poor on the PP, weak on the winning goal.

- Kuzmenko is really, really good. He's probably going to push 70 points this year. So smart with the puck. He and Pettersson need a better linemate than Hoglander, though. Hoglander worked but doesn't think the game on the same wavelength. Garland or Podkolzin needs to be there.

- JT Miller was either great or horrible. Two great plays to create goals. Lots of terrible passes. Iffy effort on winning goal. But his wingers weren't great. Boeser probably gets some slack because he missed the whole preseason but on the other hand it didn't look any different from last year.

- Horvat stunk. Looked totally disengaged. Probably the most disappointing player on the ice. Podkolzin was doing his best to carry that line and played really well. Garland didn't have his best night.

- Aman and Lazar worked hard and did what they were supposed to do. Joshua needs to be much better if he's going to stay in the lineup.

- Demko made some good saves but overall did not look his best. Was outplayed by the guy at the other end.

Weird amount of negativity here. If they play that exact game most nights, they'll win a lot of games. Edmonton are a very good team and we mostly outplayed them.

Good take overall

 

[iFan]

I'd give the team at least 20-30 games to see where it's at. I don't think it's fair to jump to conclusions the first game into the season.

It looked like a borderline elite team for a while there. And then a shitty call and McDavid just took over. It's either a coaching or leadership issue at that point, I think. I'm leaning towards a leadership issue. When your captain is playing like **** and the rest of the team is flying, those momentum shifts will hurt much worse.

Your captain needs to be a steady player who is always giving a shit, even if he's playing bad. I don't get the impression Horvat really gives a shit at the beginning of the season, or if he does, his play doesn't seem like it at all.

Doesn't help when he's relied upon as this two way stalwart and he's bang average defensively (and awful when he doesn't give a shit).

The problem here goes further then Horvat looking like a ghost out there, the team sucks! its so clear we need a rebuild but the management group believes we can compete so they made long term commitments and tied up our cap putting us in an even worse cap situation

 

[Quinning]

Kuzmenko could legitimately pick up where Boeser left off without missing a beat.

He needs a fresh start and we need a defenceman.

 

[Paradise Circus]

Refs blew it on Hughes play. Nhl is a joke ( not just today and not just Canuck games)

Hope mcdavid never wins a cup lol

 

[wonton15]

Have to be excited about Kuzmenko and Petey though. These two dominated 5v5 and think the game the exact same way. Kuzmenko’s IQ and vision is elite and he almost never made a mistake in the offensive zone

 

[DonnyNucker]

This is what GDTs have always been. Why are you here if you don’t enjoy it? Embrace the emotional rollercoaster. It’s fun

Oh I am. It’s very amusing, just lots of crazy hot takes after a game in which they didn’t play that badly. Some positives with the D (minus Hughes) and Kuzy. Pods had a solid game as well.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

PVR didn’t work so I caught the last 4 minutes and then the highlights.

How on earth did Nurse stay in the game after that late, high headshot on Burroughs? Wow.