GDT: Preseason Games 2 & 3, Oilers Flames in a Double header beer leaguer

[Reasonable Oil Fan]

Again
Relax everyone, this is the most meaningless pre-season for us in a long time and all the players know it.

 

[CupofOil]

Not going to sell free trials to Oilers+ with these types of performances

I subscribed before the game then cancelled after the game haha. That's enough preseason games for me, I'll just fish for streams of the not so legal variety if I'm interested in watching.

He’s gonna have to get over that if it comes down to it.

The best our defense was all playoff was when Kulak was with Nurse and Broberg on the left side with Ceci. Then Knoblauch changed it purportedly because Kulak “wasn’t comfortable” on his off side. Then defense went right back to shit for the most part immediately in the final.

The defense wasn't the problem in the finals.

 

[Canovin]

Dermott won't get an NHL contract.

Brown will be sent to the minors.

Stetcher is a #7.

We should be okay.

Am I missing someone?

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Emberson
Kulak-??
Stecher

Is Kemp playing #6?

 

[Canovin]

I subscribed before the game then cancelled after the game haha. That's enough preseason games for me, I'll just fish for streams of the not so legal variety if I'm interested in watching.


The defense wasn't the problem in the finals.

Don't you still get a month of subscription even if you did that?

 

[WaitingForUser]

Well that happened. I know it’s just preseason but I hope that shows the guys that no one will lie down for them this season. Every team in the league will be gunning for us so I hope they take notice and make sure they are ready when that puck drops on October 8th

 

[CupofOil]

Don't you still get a month of subscription even if you did that?

I was able to deactivate the plan with the option to reactivate if I chose to.

 

[K1984]

Well that happened. I know it’s just preseason but I hope that shows the guys that no one will lie down for them this season. Every team in the league will be gunning for us so I hope they take notice and make sure they are ready when that puck drops on October 8th

In the back of my mind I am a little concerned about this group flopping again for the first quarter of the season. Not because of the pre-season games being any sort of indicator, but it's just in their nature. We haven't had a non-roller coaster October - January maybe ever. This is the best coach we have had in recent history so I am cautiously optimistic, but this team has made me feel dumb on more than one occasion when I have been convinced that they won't blow up the first 25% of the season anymore, but still do.

I don't need the team to win the President's Trophy by US Thanksgiving, but at the bare, bare minimum they need to be very comfortably in the top 3 in the Division by January 1.

 

[FlameChampion]

For the game in Edmonton, did any of the younger or bubble players stand out in a good way?

Didn’t get to watch because I refuse to pay for Oilers+

 

[ZJuice]

Am I missing someone?

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Emberson
Kulak-??
Stecher

Is Kemp playing #6?

Gleason looks ready for some 6 time.
But he could be a preseason phenomenon

 

[VeteranPresence]

Am I missing someone?

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Emberson
Kulak-??
Stecher

Is Kemp playing #6?

I think the team will give the current D group one more shot against Winnipeg, and if Brown/Stecher/Dermott continue to look like trashola they call in a vet like Schultz or Shattenkirk. The good news is that still gives a new player four games to warm up their legs and settle into the room.

In that case our defense looks like this:

Ekholm-Bouch
Nurse-Vet
Kulak-Emberson
Stecher

Gleason-Brown
Dineen-Carrick
Hoefenmayer-Wanner

I said it before preseason but I wouldn't be shocked to see Kemp dealt before the season starts for an F along the same trajectory, he just doesn't have the tools to be an NHLer IMO and Wanner is basically the same player with more skill. We will also need some top six help with Jarventie still recovering from his injury so it's a needed boost for Bako.

 

[BIeucheeseWithWings]

I am hyped for Lavoie. The kid looks like an NHLer. I love his size and willingness to battle for the puck. He has no problem finding ways to get a scoring chance.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Are you shitting me? Stetcher was the second worse defenceman tonight next to Brown lol

Lol it’s the beginning of pre season.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I am hyped for Lavoie. The kid looks like an NHLer. I love his size and willingness to battle for the puck. He has no problem finding ways to get a scoring chance.

I think you have to give him some NHL games. He could be a cheap top 6 option in time.

 

[Frank the Tank]

I didn't watch but I read that some people thought Barrie looked good (albeit when fighting for a job on a PTO on a basement team).

If Brown and Dermott aren't the options, would Barrie be an option to round out the defense and allow the Oilers to get revenge for the Versteeg signing a few years later?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I didn't watch but I read that some people thought Barrie looked good (albeit when fighting for a job on a PTO on a basement team).

If Brown and Dermott aren't the options, would Barrie be an option to round out the defense and allow the Oilers to get revenge for the Versteeg signing a few years later?

Maybe. I'd rather try for Schultz personally. The longer he goes without a deal the more I wonder if he might join camp late on a pto?

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

Well that happened. I know it’s just preseason but I hope that shows the guys that no one will lie down for them this season. Every team in the league will be gunning for us so I hope they take notice and make sure they are ready when that puck drops on October 8th

People are still going to whine when they win or lose on opening puck drop.

 

[Sanchez]

I was at the game here last night and here's what I noticed:

- Flames were more quicker, hard working, and I feel it's because they have a lot of younger players trying to make the team, and have a good shot at doing so.
- Oilers had their chances, their goalie made some big saves.
- Oilers were passing too much. McDavid had a few chances in the slot and passed; his pp goal was nice and love to see more of that shooting mentality.
- Too many defensive errors and that needs to be cleaned up.

It's early, it's the preseason, and most of the vets were playing their first game. Nobody here thinks the Flames are going to be this powerhouse when the season starts.

 

[WaitingForUser]

People are still going to whine when they win or lose on opening puck drop.

Not worried about people whining this is Oilers fans and that’s a past time lol. I’m just hoping that the team learned from past mistakes and play a consistent season. We are not gonna win every game but let’s just make sure we stay grounded don’t let the highs be too high or the lows be too low.

 

[On The Prowl]

I was at the game in Calgary and Hoffman looked pretty good in the offensive zone, Skinner is kind of slow but he can pass the puck very well, Arvidsson looked like the best player for us out there, and Savoie/Gleason/Caggiula looked alright. Brown and Rodrigue were completely shambolic with Stetcher/Dermott not looking great either. Hopefully they make some cuts soon, and Brown should probably only be used in an enforcer role judging by that game.

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

In the back of my mind I am a little concerned about this group flopping again for the first quarter of the season. Not because of the pre-season games being any sort of indicator, but it's just in their nature. We haven't had a non-roller coaster October - January maybe ever. This is the best coach we have had in recent history so I am cautiously optimistic, but this team has made me feel dumb on more than one occasion when I have been convinced that they won't blow up the first 25% of the season anymore, but still do.

I don't need the team to win the President's Trophy by US Thanksgiving, but at the bare, bare minimum they need to be very comfortably in the top 3 in the Division by January 1.

I’ve been conditioned and pretty much resigned to their inconsistent start of the season through January.

I’m probably the few that don’t really care for most of the regular season. I still think this current roster is good enough to go deep in the playoffs.

 

[Oilslick941611]

You dispute the majority of my posts and you act like I'm the only one who overreacts. I'd like to know why you only attack me

Maybe he's like me and has 90% of the board on ignore.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Maybe. I'd rather try for Schultz personally. The longer he goes without a deal the more I wonder if he might join camp late on a pto?

Reports from everyone in Washington State and Washington DC:

Justin Schultz is not an NHL caliber defenseman anymore, and is often a major liability.

He's not the player he was in Pittsburgh anymore. He's a slower, and lower effort version of what we saw the last time he was in Edmonton.

So any "flash" you might see of him in pre-season is likely not going to differ too much over the recent 200-game sample size.

 

[VeteranPresence]

I was at the game in Calgary and Hoffman looked pretty good in the offensive zone, Skinner is kind of slow but he can pass the puck very well, Arvidsson looked like the best player for us out there, and Savoie/Gleason/Caggiula looked alright. Brown and Rodrigue were completely shambolic with Stetcher/Dermott not looking great either. Hopefully they make some cuts soon, and Brown should probably only be used in an enforcer role judging by that game.

I've liked Hoffman too and with him + the other adds we're looking at having the strongest top nine in a longggg time (talking decades here):

RNH-McD-Hyman
Skinner-Drai-Arvidsson
Hoffman-Henrique-Podkolzin
Janmark-?-Brown
Perry, Ryan

Just need a dependable 4C and you can roll those lines all night long without having to lean on 97/29 near as much. Defense is another story right now, but overall we're looking at a really special team if the new guys have even an average impact.

 

[Lacaar]

I listened to a fair chunk of the game in Edmonton on the Radio.

I got a chuckle at how the game turned out. Even in pre-season they lost in Oiler fashion.
Lots of chances generated and the Oilers made a mess of them. Coolie played great but I'm guessing if the game was stat tracked (do they stat track pre-season?) the oilers would once again have scored well below their expected scoring rate.

I kept hearing Noah Philp and Lavoie's names getting robbed by Coolie. They'll fit right in with this team

No team gets goalie'd as often as the Oilers. Pre-Season, Regular Season, Playoffs. The Oilers are so much fun to watch generate scoring chances etc. Then so frustrating to watch them butcher a good chunk of them. I feel when the Oilers are on their game.. their inability to finish is the only thing that stops them.

 

[K1984]

I’ve been conditioned and pretty much resigned to their inconsistent start of the season through January.

I’m probably the few that don’t really care for most of the regular season. I still think this current roster is good enough to go deep in the playoffs.

For me it's about home ice. The Oilers would have won the Cup if they had home ice, I can't conceive a way that they would have dumped both Game 1 and 2 at home or Game 7 in the Final. Quite literally lost the Cup due to how they chose to start the season last year.

I think an important thing for this team to get over the hump and win it is to not be a circus, just once. Try and win the President's Trophy, or at least get close, and they will put themselves in the strongest position to win the Cup without the typical drama that we have around here. Home ice in the playoffs is a massive advantage for this team, and I hope they don't forego it again based on nothing other than unpreparedness and stupidity.