Pre-Game Talk: Return of the Rat - Stanley Cup Finals '24: Edmonton vs. Florida

[BlackDogg]

What the hell is this? I'm totally disgusted watching this.
Was this in Edmonton? If so, I can understand if he wanted to sign elsewhere. I know that can happen anywhere but still....
Might be time for Connor to hire some security.

They were definately from Vancouver

 

[Canovin]

At least when McDavid gets home with the beers for the boys, he'd have a story to talk about.

 

[McShogun99]

Just gross. Leave the guy alone.

You could clearly tell by his body language that he wanted to get tf out of there. I think Lauren was getting amused by it though.

 

[Fishy McScales]

40 years ago, in the year of our Lord 1984, the Oilers:

Knocked out a divisional rival by a 3-game margin.

Knocked out a western Canadian rival in 7 games.

Knocked out the (North) Stars.

Went on to play a finalist from the previous year in the SCF.

COINCIDENCE?

I mean yeah probably. Anyway hope we beat these losers.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

Yes, we did pick the only home game that they lost. Lol. We travel out to Edmonton every year for a few games. They're 5-2-2 in the last 9. Not bad.... right?

Lol you're better off than I am! 1-3 in the last four I've seen...but granted, I can only see them when they come to Carolina. They were 11-3-0 when I saw them while living in Edmonton.

Soooo, if anybody wants to donate tickets to Game 5 in FLA so I can go...

 

[BlackDogg]

 

[Canovin]

View attachment 879454

That's the lucky suit. It's just faded over the years. You can tell by how short the pants is lol

 

[bone]

I honestly have no opinion about The Panthers.... I'm vaguely aware that they exist.

At this point, I fully trust Kris Knoblauch. He has shown some basketball-sized clackers already with the line-up / line changes he has made, and he always seems to get it right. Obviously, the up-and-down PK has landed in elite territory (for now).

I worry less about the Oilers beating themselves now. I feel pretty confident that we're going to get their best, and that the club won't be outcoached. If they lose, they lose... But I hope they win.

40 years since 1984!

By the way, does anyone know why there are now 78 days between the Conference Final and the Final? Obviously, the NHL is using the massive gap to make money, but how...? (Gambling, presumably?)

Avoiding clashing with NBA finals. Wednesday would have been too quick to start as they typically like giving the Cup finalists at least a one full day off without even practice. Could have tried for Friday, but hockey's truly a Saturday night event so if waiting until Friday at the earliest, may as well start it Saturday.

 

[K1984]

The thing is, everyone knows where McDavid lives, and if you don't, all you have to do is watch his House tour video on Youtube, and you can easily figure out where he lives (Funny enough, he's a few blocks from Daryl Katz house). But I'm not stupid or dense to even remotely drive by his house unless I have a need or reason to go by there. It's insane how people don't know how to treat star players. It's easy. Treat them as ORDINARY HUMANS. They have a life just like you.

It's always been stunning to me that he seems to just be ok with his fiancé basically advertising exactly where they live for the world to see. I'd be paranoid as f*** at basically all times if I were him living there.

He seems like an understated guy that has zero interest in people flocking to where he lives, but let's just say she seems to like the attention. By my eye it looks like a battle he may have lost, or just not bothered engaging in.

 

[tiger_80]

Oilers are going into this with the best PK, best powerplay, best player, second best player, best defenseman, best even-strength offence, top four playoff point-getters and the top playoff goal scorer.

I know Florida is a good team but this whole, 'Oilers don't have a chance' narrative that's taking shape is nonsense.

Oil in six.

The only thing they have on Edmonton is goal-tending. Teams are pretty evenly matched offensively and defensively: Barkov, Tkachuk, Reinhart, Bennett, Tarasenko, Verhaghe vs McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Hyman, Kane, Henrique. Ekblad, Montour vs Bouchard and Ekholm.

 

[bone]

And Canucks fans are crying about it on Twitter and trying to get him fired, thus proving his point lol.

I find it funny how they think Sportsnet cares about this. Sportsnet literally posted gifs when Oilers lost in the playoffs mocking the team, one of which was the Oilers logo being spray painted and turned into saying Losers, or the guy walking in a soggy field where his feet get stuck and he falls over with an Oiler logo pasted over him and them falling prior to reaching a picture of the Stanley Cup.

Sportsnet only cares about the Leafs.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Is that what it's called, Fansfirst? Can't seem to find it in my Google App Store

EDIT: Found the website, thanks! So it's definitely reputable?

fella I know from NS who lives in Ft MAc used it the other day

 

[Leonardlizard]

If I saw Mcdavid in public I'd probably stare at the ground and hope he didn't notice that I recognized him.... That guy was hanging off him like a jungle gym.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Idiots. Ask for a hug instead of a beer. Bush league

 

[elmeroil]

That's what keeps me from being bitter? Place could use some updating though.

Did they ever get that mold removed?

 

[K1984]

Saturday is so damn far away.

Never mind the litany of other reasons that delaying the Finals like this is dumb, the torture on the fans waiting might be top of the list.

 

[bone]

If I saw Mcdavid in public I'd probably stare at the ground and hope he didn't notice that I recognized him.... That guy was hanging off him like a jungle gym.

I don't think there's an issue just acknowledging them and wishing them luck. I used to run into Ricky Ray at various places and would typically just say something like "good job vs Saskatchewan last week" or good luck on Saturday, and he'd typically just smile and say Thank You and it sounded genuine.

I don't think any Oiler would be offended by a similar acknowledgement.

 

[elmeroil]

You could clearly tell by his body language that he wanted to get tf out of there. I think Lauren was getting amused by it though.

Connor....get that shit delivered man. I promise you can afford it!

 

[K1984]

I don't think there's an issue just acknowledging them and wishing them luck. I used to run into Ricky Ray at various places and would typically just say something like "good job vs Saskatchewan last week" or good luck on Saturday, and he'd typically just smile and say Thank You and it sounded genuine.

I don't think any Oiler would be offended by a similar acknowledgement.

This is what I do too at the very most.

Unless you're a child- asking for autographs, stopping to talk to them, or asking for pictures are all steps too far IMO. If I were in their shoes I would have zero problem with people saying a quick hello or good luck, but would HATE any interaction where I was expected to stop, talk, take pictures, etc.

 

[Little Fury]

It's always been stunning to me that he seems to just be ok with his fiancé basically advertising exactly where they live for the world to see. I'd be paranoid as f*** at basically all times if I were him living there.

He seems like an understated guy that has zero interest in people flocking to where he lives, but let's just say she seems to like the attention. By my eye it looks like a battle he may have lost, or just not bothered engaging in.

I mean he let her design a house that looks like an abattoir.

 

[Oilers in NS]

@Took a pill in Sbisa k I think Fansfirst is a porn site.

Oh wait. Its a Canadian version of Ticketmaster without the insane fees - I think.

Ticketmaster is legalized MAFIA. I actually think the MOB is more honest

 

[bone]

Saturday is so damn far away.

Never mind the litany of other reasons that delaying the Finals like this is dumb, the torture on the fans waiting might be top of the list.

I appreciate it seems long for the fans, but I think they got this right.

At minimum you want the cup finalists to have a day off with no on ice activities if you want both teams at their best (that's Monday). With it being such a long flight, there will be almost a full day wasted for travel (a 1:00 PM Edmonton departure is an 8:30 arrival in Miami). The team needs likely one proper day of practice and preparation beyond what could be done on travel day (Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the previous comment). So the earliest would have been Thursday anyways. But if the WC final series had gone 7, it would have been Saturday.

Furthermore, bumping it to Thursday would have been problematic since the NBA finals also start Thursday and I doubt they want to compete directly with another league's championship games. So I guess they could have tried for Friday, but then NBA plays Sunday meaning they'd push Game 2 to Monday anyways so might as well go for the Saturday night match that hockey fans tend to prefer with Game 2 still on Monday.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

so Connor clearly invited all the boys to his pad for the party...what a captain!

 

[Oilers in NS]

How much y'all think tickets will be? What time do they go on sale? I'm thinking of making the splurge and flying down for either g3/4

Thats what Im thinking as well. Halifax to Miami direct
I was at a game in Sunrise in Feb 2017. Got my tickets 1 hr before game time, 4 rows of ice for 35$ American. 1/2 Empty .

 

[K1984]

I appreciate it seems long for the fans, but I think they got this right.

At minimum you want the cup finalists to have a day off with no on ice activities if you want both teams at their best (that's Monday). With it being such a long flight, there will be almost a full day wasted for travel (Tuesday or Wednesday). The team needs likely one proper day of practice and preparation beyond what could be done on travel day (Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the previous comment). So the earliest would have been Thursday anyways. But if the WC final series had gone 7, it would have been Saturday.

Furthermore, bumping it to Thursday would have been problematic since the NBA finals also start Thursday and I doubt they want to compete directly with another league's championship games. So I guess they could have tried for Friday, but then NBA plays Sunday meaning they'd push Game 2 to Monday anyways so might as well go for the Saturday night match that hockey fans tend to prefer with Game 2 still on Monday.

In this case it kind of is what it is, but I think it only really makes sense due to the teams playing and the travel involved.

It's only been relatively recently they have chosen to stretch the Finals over what is basically an entire month, and it's too much. Short of Oilers/Florida type travel, there is no reason to do this for almost any other matchup. More the principle of the NHL choosing to stretch everything out as long as possible that is grating to me.