So a day later. After the Oilers win the biggest game of the playoffs, in OT, in Vegas, to take a 2-0 lead.
Strikes me that the biggest difference in management of the team is that KK made sure that the stars got as much time as they needed to get healthy for playoffs. Sit Kane all season so that he's good to go? check. Give McD and Drai several games off down the stretch. check (and this is the first time in the whole McDrai arc that the two have been parked for appreciable time. Previously its maybe 1-2 games off)
Then have McD particularly have less of a superstar role this season. WE got some of McD lite this season. Also Hyman lite, Nuge lite etc. Only Drai was bringing his usual. The others took some rest, the team was quicker this year to park any first place ambitions, and personal trophy ambitions and just rest up for playoffs.
Then we pull a Vegas going on a run with a backup goalie instead of the one every club expected, and now other teams are going f***!!!!. Teams don't know how to solve Pickard. for so long scoring against the Oilers was just moving puck across or plays from behind net or screen shots. Pickard is dealing with these.
But the genius in parking a lot of superstars this season and being less reliant on them is trying to force the support players to dig down deep. Indeed the last few weeks of regular season was a strong message that if the team was going anywhere it was doing that with solid support through the lineup. I didn't think this was going to occur, but what a masterful coaching job all round, and getting everybody rowing before playoffs, getting everyone involved.
This is the best coaching staff the Oilers have had since the glory years in everything from strategy, prep, adjustments, involving players positively. Enjoy it people.