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

[Zerotonine]

Ahhh the sky is falling already i see. Great to be back for another season at HF boards

 

[K1984]

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.

The first 10 minutes we had some jump, and for the most part the breakouts were fast and crisp. Unfortunately, that stretch of decent play coincided with a refusal to shoot across the board. The highlight being McDavid throwing away a Grade AA look to a well covered Hyman. That was almost the turning point and then it went downhill from there.

Look at how the Jets scored all their goals last night. Find a man open high, send an open man to the net, shoot the puck quick and score off deflections or the shot. The Oilers? We have to f***ing cycle it for 5 minutes before even thinking about making a play to the net. Every puck dusted off, pretty much nobody thinking shot first, pretty much nobody going to the net. This group quite simply refuses to play a simple offensive game and it has to stop.

McDavid can't do this again this year where he mystifyingly just will not shoot the puck. He had 0 shots last night. 0. That just isn't acceptable considering the amount of zone time he had. "Best player in the world, he knows what he's doing, blah, blah, blah." This isn't effective and someone needs to tell him that.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Don't get me wrong, the whole team was pretty awful tonight.
But Skinner letting these constant back breaking weak ass goals go in has gotten old. How has there been a lack of improvement from that crap with this apparent 'amazing' goalie coach in Dustin Schwartz.

Skinner is the 37th highest paid goalie.
He performs like a 20-30th best goalie.

Goalies tend to be what they are at 24/25. I can't recall many improving very drastically.

If you want an improvement in net we need a $7m goalie. Skinner won't steal one for us, nor should we expect him to.0

 

[Drivesaitl]

You have to wonder what the person underneath the costume is thinking when it’s a blowout like that. I think it’s along the line of “f%#k my life”

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

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

While I certainly don't think his partner was great, he's getting paid enough money to elevate his partner and he hasn't done that since Bear.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

Defence needs to shore up, but remember last year there were rumors that EDM was looking at Sam M in Montreal? I remember so many people getting up in arms about him.

Doesn't mean MTL was even considering it. He looks like Patrick Roy compared to Skinner.

I bet Stolarz would outplay Skinner if we signed him for what TO did.

 

[AUAIOMRN]

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.

Hopefully it doesn't take 10+ games this year for them to figure it out.

 

[Drivesaitl]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1844242723618078967

Same old, same old. If I was making that much money and played so disgusting poorly, first thing I would do is apologize to the fans for stealing their hard earned money. I’m still livid after that game, so disappointed in the effort and barely caring that they were humiliated.

In fairness this happens to pretty much every club that goes to the SC final a year prior. It was evident in preseason the Oilers were having trouble dialing it up. They were having trouble bringing intensity. But its also a lineup that is old and lacking in intensity. There are zero firepots on this club. No energy players that light up the bench. Year after year with this club it falls on the following to not only be superstars but be grit as well: McDavid, Drai, Nuge, Hyman. They were a collective -8 in that game. Do we carve a bunch that just got to game 7 of the SC final because of one bad game? Really?

The entitlement around here at times is odd. All teams have these letdowns. All these starring players have well earned some benefit of doubt.

If one wants to have some scorn about the club and about hard earned money being stolen then focus that on Darnell Nurse. The rest have earned their keep and then some.

 

[Drivesaitl]

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 touched on this as well Bryan. They don't have the Kostin type player in the lineup to get things going, to get some blood flowing, to ramp up the intensity in a game like this. They had Stu Skinner pissing all over the game and dousing any good start the team had, and then nobody to light the fuse again. Like I said in fairness to Nuge, McD, Hyman, Drai its almost always the same players carrying this club. That gets tiring, I'm sure it does. Especially when every other game you're getting goalied as your own goalie is letting anything in.

 

[brentashton]

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

Tony
I think the issue is that we expect (and probably rightly so for an upper echelon player) to carry the play and act as a quarterback in their own end and to compensate for lesser players. More often than not with Nurse, he doesn’t do any of that and, in fact, it’s even hard to know which player is the “lesser of the two” Dman when he’s on the ice. More is expected of him. He can’t run from that.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I touched on this as well Bryan. They don't have the Kostin type player in the lineup to get things going, to get some blood flowing, to ramp up the intensity in a game like this. They had Stu Skinner pissing all over the game and dousing any good start the team had, and then nobody to light the fuse again. Like I said in fairness to Nuge, McD, Hyman, Drai its almost always the same players carrying this club. That gets tiring, I'm sure it does. Especially when every other game you're getting goalied as your own goalie is letting anything in.

If they need a Kostin to get them ramped up for a season in which they're supposed to contend for the Cup then there's problems between the ears.

Nobody on the Oilers is telling #97 "hey you've got a clear lane to the net, maybe try passing it into a low percentage area" or #2 "Make a stupid play with the puck at the blue line and give up a breakaway".

That was a pathetic performance from the entire squad. Hellybuick could've taken a nap in the crease and the Oilers still would've found a way to f*** up every offensive chance they had. They didn't get goalied, they got beaten by a good defensive club that punished them for their mistakes.

 

[brentashton]

These posts are tiring.

The way this team treated preseason bled into last night. It must be corrected sooner than later.

Had we had home ice advantage for the final last season we probably win the cup.

What does this have to do with last nights performance, effort and outcome?? Odd comment.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

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.

He is a very good backup goalie IMO. Teetering as a starter. No consistency whatsoever. Loses his net a ton. Throw the puck laterally and he is f****d

I don't care if we had trouble scoring in game 7. FLA did too.

That GWG was ATROCIOUS. That is your last line of defense in a game 7 Cup final.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

In fairness this happens to pretty much every club that goes to the SC final a year prior. It was evident in preseason the Oilers were having trouble dialing it up. They were having trouble bringing intensity. But its also a lineup that is old and lacking in intensity. There are zero firepots on this club. No energy players that light up the bench. Year after year with this club it falls on the following to not only be superstars but be grit as well: McDavid, Drai, Nuge, Hyman. They were a collective -8 in that game. Do we carve a bunch that just got to game 7 of the SC final because of one bad game? Really?

The entitlement around here at times is odd. All teams have these letdowns. All these starring players have well earned some benefit of doubt.

If one wants to have some scorn about the club and about hard earned money being stolen then focus that on Darnell Nurse. The rest have earned their keep and then some.

How did FLA kick Bostons a** game 1? They have been 2 2 finals in a row lol.

I do agree with people that it is a mental hurdle. Imagine going to game 7 and losing by 1 goal and then having to start this gauntlet all over again.

I panicked last year. I won't this year. I know they will turn it around, but they are not cup favourites to me. I can't believe how many media picked them .

If we somehow upgrade on SKinner and get a solid #4 dman, I will consider us cup contenders

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

could've used Broberg's goal and Holloway's assist last night

 

[K1984]

How did FLA kick Bostons a** game 1? They have been 2 2 finals in a row lol.

I do agree with people that it is a mental hurdle. Imagine going to game 7 and losing by 1 goal and then having to start this gauntlet all over again.

I panicked last year. I won't this year. I know they will turn it around, but they are not cup favourites to me. I can't believe how many media picked them .

If we somehow upgrade on SKinner and get a solid #4 dman, I will consider us cup contenders

I think it's pretty clear at this point that there is absolutely nobody or no thing to blame other than the players in the room for continually doing this. This is coach 4 or 5 now where it's been a problem, and we've done it plenty in seasons where we don't go to the Stanley Cup Final.

Here's what used to happen though - the team generally would stink from October - January, but McDavid and Draisaitl would light the league on fire through October on the road to a bunch of 6-5 wins. Then they would get tired, everyone else would still stink, and the team would crater from about mid-December to January.

Now? Those two look like they want to put themselves right there with everyone else. They sucked to start last season, and it looks like they've put themselves back in that position. That game from McDavid and Draisaitl was not acceptable last night, especially McDavid. They're the leaders, now they better start acting like it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

How did FLA kick Bostons a** game 1? They have been 2 2 finals in a row lol.

I do agree with people that it is a mental hurdle. Imagine going to game 7 and losing by 1 goal and then having to start this gauntlet all over again.

I panicked last year. I won't this year. I know they will turn it around, but they are not cup favourites to me. I can't believe how many media picked them .

If we somehow upgrade on SKinner and get a solid #4 dman, I will consider us cup contenders

Proviso that the West is different. For teams in WC its always a hard slog after a cup Final. Its one reason why you don't see teams in West have repeat SC finals. Much more arduous in the west, much more travel all season, much more living away and spending nights away from home. For anybody, and especially family men or with spouses the toll adds up. In the East you go on roadtrips that can be as little as 15mins travelling.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

I think it's pretty clear at this point that there is absolutely nobody or no thing to blame other than the players in the room for continually doing this. This is coach 4 or 5 now where it's been a problem, and we've done it plenty in seasons where we don't go to the Stanley Cup Final.

Here's what used to happen though - the team generally would stink from October - January, but McDavid and Draisaitl would light the league on fire through October on the road to a bunch of 6-5 wins. Then they would get tired, everyone else would still stink, and the team would crater from about mid-December to January.

Now? Those two look like they want to put themselves right there with everyone else. They sucked to start last season, and it looks like they've put themselves back in that position. That game from McDavid and Draisaitl was not acceptable last night, especially McDavid. They're the leaders, now they better start acting like it.

When he came in on the wing, I thought 100% he was going to crash the net and go backhand. I don't know what he was thinking trying to throw it to Hyman who had 2 guys draped all over him. It was basically a half breakaway.

I hope he doesn't have some lingering issue still.

0 shots is crazy for him.

 

[K1984]

When he came in on the wing, I thought 100% he was going to crash the net and go backhand. I don't know what he was thinking trying to throw it to Hyman who had 2 guys draped all over him. It was basically a half breakaway.

I hope he doesn't have some lingering issue still.

0 shots is crazy for him.

Mental. It's been a calendar year now of him refusing to shoot the puck, it's not injury.

For whatever reason he decided to follow up his career year, a 64 goal season on the back of an aggressive shooting approach, by out of nowhere pretty much treating shooting as his last possible choice. It's ineffective, it limits his impact, it hurts the team, and it has to stop.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Defence needs to shore up, but remember last year there were rumors that EDM was looking at Sam M in Montreal? I remember so many people getting up in arms about him.

Doesn't mean MTL was even considering it. He looks like Patrick Roy compared to Skinner.

I bet Stolarz would outplay Skinner if we signed him for what TO did.

Yeah I rememvber. I was drooling over that one. We can't have nice things in net. Think about it the best goalie we've had through the entire McDrai arc was Cam Talbot. Given that its been a decade of wasting superstars by the org that is an indictment that will live on in memory of this. Top players on the planet but "thats good enough" in net. Most cup wins come from clubs with studs in net or guys that are playing out of their head in net.

 

[BlackDogg]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1844242723618078967

Same old, same old. If I was making that much money and played so disgusting poorly, first thing I would do is apologize to the fans for stealing their hard earned money. I’m still livid after that game, so disappointed in the effort and barely caring that they were humiliated.

There is something about this group that really irks me. You could spend hundreds on tickets and get one of their "I don't think I'll bother trying" nights. Happens so often at home.

So it takes being down three games in the SCF to give a shit?

 

[Drivesaitl]

Was it just me but were the cheers for all the players pregame really hushed last night? Had the volume cranked and the decibels weren't going up at all. No throaty roars for a team playing its first home game after a SC game 7 season. Was really odd. Pretty quiet crowd, and dead silent for most of this game. But sure no big applauds for any of the players pregame. I think KK might have got the most.

 

[CornKicker]

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.

that makes sense, emberson came from a team that plays pond hockey at 50% of the speed of the oilers. he will adjust quickly

 

[Drivesaitl]

There is something about this group that really irks me. You could spend hundreds on tickets and get one of their "I don't think I'll bother trying" nights. Happens so often at home.

So it takes being down three games in the SCF to give a shit?

This aspect I agree with. It shouldn't take Connor McDavid freaking out in the dressing room to get the club motivated in a SC final. That was odd to me. But a game 1 of another long arduous season isn't as weird. Its probably quite easy to find that game anticlimactic and the crowd didn't help even before puck drop. Then Skinner inevitably happened, which we've seen so many times before. At the start of both first and second periods the Oilers were all over the Jets and all over the game. The scoreline being 4-0 Jets was laughable considering balance of play. If thats a team like Boston last season they're only tied 0-0 in that game and have all day to arrive at their game. It was like that for Boston all season. Its not like that here.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

There is something about this group that really irks me. You could spend hundreds on tickets and get one of their "I don't think I'll bother trying" nights. Happens so often at home.

So it takes being down three games in the SCF to give a shit?

That's why there is no value anymore going to a game (Unless you have a lot of disposable income).

Too expensive and you have no idea what you will get for entertainment.

Overall, you just have to go in with a positive mindset and accept it might suck lol. Makes the night better.