Post-Game Talk: Oilers dig a self-inflicted grave

[Valhallis]

I felt like this team actually DID show up up to play for the first 10 minutes, then the wheels fell off. Hopefully they move on and can just beat up on Chicago on Saturday.

 

[oobga]

Garbage game. McDavid still trying to pass the puck into the net. Hyman and Nuge look like they've aged years from the last run. This is why it's good to have young legs to mix throughout the lineup. Without Kane we have no one to spark the team with a huge hit.

I wish Nurse with his size and 9.25M cap hit was smart enough to be able to catch someone with a big hit now and then, but he can’t anticipate plays to safe his life. Just little routine hits in scrums on someone fully braced to take it is all you get from him.

 

[OiledUp]

I think we can all agree that this was a great first game of the season.

 

[MoontoScott]

I really think they need Gulatzan losing his mind and tossing a stick into the upper deck like he did in Calgary. Send a message.

Seriously though they honestly should do what you suggest.

My biggest fear is after more than 50 playoff games in the past 3 years and a very short summer after a crushing Game 7 defeat that this team is mentally and physically still tired. They had zero jump in the preseason and nary an ounce of it last night.

This weekend will be a big tell.

Oh and S Skinner simply cannot start slow like he did last season. (Not that he was the sole reason we lost last night)

So much of the game is mental and not physical.

Sky high expectations and all you need to get back there is a grueling 82 game regular season and 3 long and bloody playoff battles. And oh ya, since you are considered a top contender, everybody is pumped up to play you.

I get tired just thinking about it. I think I'll add some Irish cream to my morning coffee.

 

[brentashton]

Meh. Jets had something to prove after getting buttblasted in playoffs vs the Avs. Nowhere to go but up

Sounds painful.

So much of the game is mental and not physical.

Sky high expectations and all you need to get back there is a grueling 82 game regular season and 3 long and bloody playoff battles. And oh ya, since you are considered a top contender, everybody is pumped up to play you.

I get tired just thinking about it. I think I'll add some Irish cream to my morning coffee.

I think aside from the wonderful banter, we could enjoy coffee time together.

 

[dem]

There hasn't been a frickin ounce of anything good from preseason to now.

Do Connor and Leon just sniff each others asses all summer? These starts are fn unacceptable.


I've defended Skinner when I thought he was fine....
But he is an absolute garbage fire far too often. He isn't a starter in the league. As a starter... you get to have maybe 1 night a year where you are the worst player on the ice. You're supposed to be the frickin anchor. There is no way the team feels good playing in front of him.

Quite frankly.. I don't even know how he's in the league.

 

[FlameChampion]

Its almost pointless analyzing individual players because in the past we generally don’t start playing like a team until January.

Hopefully Chicago and Calgary aren’t too much for this group on the weekend, while they learn how to play hockey again.

 

[BertMcDrai]

I am still speechless...I have joked before the game that we will get 6 like in every pre season game... usually I like it being right but not this time.
Let's hope the best for the next game... hopefully McD will be motivated against Bedard.

 

[McShogun99]

The bottom six were the only players that came to play tonight. Top six, all the Dmen and Skinner were bad. They looked like they were still in preseason mode.

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

Knobby showing he doesn't know how to get intensity from this group at all. Too much skill, not enough heart and desire. I'm sure Knobby is actively preaching for the team to not worry about being engaged physically, as he has literally come out during our playoff run and said that hitting is a sign of not having the puck and that he'd rather his team check "with their legs" instead of be physical.

We lost 4 of our top 5 best skaters in the summer, and we are now the oldest and slowest team in the league when mcd isn't on the ice, and we no longer have any youth and speed in our bottom 9 and entire d-core.

I would be okay with this if we had a coach that preached work ethic and will, but this coach has shown time and time again that he cannot get this team to start games/playoff series' on time, and it already cost us a cup. Now that our roster is notably worse, slower, and even less physical, it's going to be interesting to see how this team adapts.

Big time gut check on Saturday and Sunday

 

[nabob]

It's a dumb analogy. But whatever.

If the venting and concern drives you nuts, like you say, you should just take a break from the forum until the team turns it around. It will be better for your mental health.

Weird that you’d openly identify with something that you call dumb lol.

The sky isn’t falling. I did take most of the offseason btw. Sorry that you aren’t able to detach and it shows.

I get that you’re reserving your spot at the “I told you so table” so that if the Oilers don’t win the cup the way you think they should win the cup you can feel like you’re better than everyone who is just a fan hoping that the team wins. Guess I have enough wins in real life that I don’t need try to reserve I told you so’s on the most likely outcome.

You can't tell me it isn't at least somewhat alarming that one team was ready for the start of the season and one wasn't.

It’s more alarming that the mental health of those jumping off the Heavy Dee-p end because of one game when they spent the entire offseason struggling just to tread water in the kiddy pool.

 

[dem]

Knobby showing he doesn't know how to get intensity from this group at all. Too much skill, not enough heart and desire. I'm sure Knobby is actively preaching for the team to not worry about being engaged physically, as he has literally come out during our playoff run and said that hitting is a sign of not having the puck and that he'd rather his team check "with their legs" instead of be physical.

We lost 4 of our top 5 best skaters in the summer, and we are now the oldest and slowest team in the league when mcd isn't on the ice, and we no longer have any youth and speed in our bottom 9 and entire d-core.

I would be okay with this if we had a coach that preached work ethic and will, but this coach has shown time and time again that he cannot get this team to start games/playoff series' on time, and it already cost us a cup. Now that our roster is notably worse, slower, and even less physical, it's going to be interesting to see how this team adapts.

Big time gut check on Saturday and Sunday

Its not the coach. Its never been the coach.

It's the players who are too cool to show a lick of effort before they need to.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Ian Clark basically changed his role in Vancouver and he isn't happy. Oilers should poach him.

Don't know if he could do anything with Skinner though

Oilers just haven't ever taken goaltending seriously since we drafted McDavid

Trading for Talbot, signing Campbell is not taking it serious?

 

[FlameChampion]

Knobby showing he doesn't know how to get intensity from this group at all. Too much skill, not enough heart and desire. I'm sure Knobby is actively preaching for the team to not worry about being engaged physically, as he has literally come out during our playoff run and said that hitting is a sign of not having the puck and that he'd rather his team check "with their legs" instead of be physical.

We lost 4 of our top 5 best skaters in the summer, and we are now the oldest and slowest team in the league when mcd isn't on the ice, and we no longer have any youth and speed in our bottom 9 and entire d-core.

I would be okay with this if we had a coach that preached work ethic and will, but this coach has shown time and time again that he cannot get this team to start games/playoff series' on time, and it already cost us a cup. Now that our roster is notably worse, slower, and even less physical, it's going to be interesting to see how this team adapts.

Big time gut check on Saturday and Sunday

Whats the point of calling out Knoblauch? We have seen the same starts under Tippett and Woodcroft. Its not the coach. Its the players or the roster creation. But the team generally plays well from January on. Team has shown time and time again that they can’t bring their game until their backs are against the wall.

 

[Canovin]

How does a team that supposed to be cup favorites start like this? Seriously, where's your drive?

Skinner sucks. It's crazy there's people who still believe in him

 

[jukon]

I don't mind if the Oilers get embarrassed on their season opener. They can't be thinking that anything will come easy. Analysts and odds makers call them cup favorites but it starts with hard work.

Get TF to work.

 

[brentashton]

But of note tonight we were playing another of the oldest teams in the league. Watch out how slow we look when we play one of the younger speedier teams. Jets were pretty awful tonight, and their top lines were, and they weren't even sharp in getting out of zone, and didn't even have to be. It was a poorly played game, just that the Oilers were abysmal. The shot clock won't show that but the Jets were granted open areas around net and scoring areas so many times in this one. I mean one minute into the season we give up a breakaway.


5-0 in the third period and he's trying to pump up the crowd and make something happen. heres a memo. Take the mascot out of there in a game thats a slaughter. It almost annoyed me. Whats he jumping up and down celebrating...

At least there wasn't a wave. That would've completed the inanity.

Maybe he excited because he got a new suit this season and it smells fresher inside than it used to? I don’t know. It wasn’t a game to be excited for, agreed.

 

[popo]

The Good:
-Thought we were dominating puck possession and chances for a lot of the game, Winnipeg also blocked a tonne of shots.
-Henrique line was generally good, getting chances and driving the play
-I won't be too envious of elite goaltending like Hellebuyck, knowing he turns back into a pumpkin once the clock strikes playoffs.
-Podzkolin looks like a great addition, played his role perfectly.


The Bad:
-Rust was showing. For every glimpse of elite talent McDavid or Bouchard showed, they over handled the puck and turned it over or over passed. Hyman didn't have as much jump. Hopkins looked bad. Draisaitl took a lazy line change and a dumb penalty.
- immediately resorting to a McDavid-Draisaitl combination in a lost cause in game one was questionable. Get some chemistry with the new line combination.
-Dermott not the answer on our defense. I'd swap back to Stetcher next game.


The Ugly
-Skinner. Beat cleanly numerous times in one game. Slid out of his crease to allow someone to bank a goal off of him.... Thought after Round 3/4 Skinner had maybe grown.

 

[CornKicker]

to much negativity out there, the oilers let in 2 less goals than they did in the season opener last year, thats a 25% improvement

 

[oXo Cube]

It's just really hard to evaluate people in games like this where 36 minutes were garbage time and in the other 24 your goalie let in 3 goals he shouldn't have.

Second pairing wasn't good enough though for sure.

 

[Reasonable Oil Fan]

This is the best thing that could have happened in game one. If anyone was reading their own press clippings and believing them, they aren't anymore.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I'm so interested to see all the Dermott stuff. I didn't think he was great, he had a few tough reads, but he played largely ok, and looked like he can play at the NHL level.

Emberson was very rough, imo, he looked overwhelmed by the play and the pace. I expect him to be better, but I pull Emberson out long before Dermott.

 

[GOilers88]

Is anyone actually surprised?

Team is always slow after a break

 

[McTonyBrar]

Score flattered the Oil. When is Nurse going to make a smart defensive play? Second goal he’s way over getting beat along the boards with a ton of open ice for the Jets.

Yeah it’s all Nurse. Never his 3rd pair partners at all lmfaoo

 

[Oilers]

Safe to say McDavid did not give them the “Dig The F*&k in” speech during intermission lol