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

[TheNumber4]

People acting like we were the worse franchise in nhl history because of one really bad decade. Fact is oilers fans have been blessed with some of the best teams and players ever.

Truth. And despite all our market disadvantages, even in the dark days we punched way above our weight class. And we still do.

SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING SO MY POSTS STOP GETTING SMUSHED TOGETHER!

 

[Ritchie Valens]

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.

History loves to repeat itself.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Lol

Here he is arriving, tickets in hand, wondering why the doors are locked and no one is at the arena.

 

[WaitingForUser]

I just learned that Colin Campbell’s son is an Assistant GM for Florida. Colin Campbell was caught for influencing referees against making calls on his son as a player. Colin Campbell’s defence? “I didn’t think anyone would find out”. Why wasn’t he booted out? Now his son is in the finals against a team that feasts on the PP

We found the recipe don’t let them score on any PP. I mean it was so simple

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.

You forgot Lost to the Stanley Cup Champions the year previous.

 

[WaitingForUser]

And they lost Game 4 in 06.

Probably best for everyone involved if you just stay home...

Damn that’s cold

But seriously can we risk it?

 

[VainGretzky]

Total regular season points Florida beat to get to final 321 Oilers 321 Florida beat one division winner Oilers beat 2 to get to final

 

[CupofOil]

Just something to kill some time as we wait and wait and.... wait. I've watched this group of videos as a reminder of the Decade of Darkness that was and how far the Oilers have come, they were made when the Oilers broke the playoff-less streak in '2016-'2017. Anyway, it's the timeline of the moment they lost the '06 Cup finals to the events that ushered in the DoD to the McDavid draft to the return to the playoffs, something inspirational to watch. Enjoy

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[Cloned]

Just something to kill some time as we wait and wait and.... wait. I've watched this group of videos as a reminder of the Decade of Darkness that was and how far the Oilers have come, they were made when the Oilers broke the playoff-less streak in '2016-'2017. Anyway, it's the timeline of the moment they lost the '06 Cup finals to the events that ushered in the DoD to the McDavid draft to the return to the playoffs, something inspirational to watch. Enjoy

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I’m just gonna say it. That 2016 team had Cup potential if we weren’t screwed by officiating.

 

[Oilhawks]

Actually good of Friedman to defend Gazdic. Nucks Twitter is beyond normal chirping between fanbases. The most classless and toxic fanbase around.


Not too surprised. Typical of Bettman's NHL.

Two riots, the annoying smug bullshit online and in person during the Sedin era (and a repeat of it this year), and now out of control on Twitter and other social media.

And they wonder why they get so much shit

 

[TheNumber4]

Two riots, the annoying smug bullshit online and in person during the Sedin era (and a repeat of it this year), and now out of control on Twitter and other social media.

And they wonder why they get so much shit

Seriously something is off with Pacific Northwesterners. Something about the beautiful landscape or something I don’t know. But similar places like Seattle and Portland with similar environments also breed anarchy and riots. And also the most serial killers per capita in the Country.

 

[Mr Positive]

This will be a HUGE pregame thread

 

[TheNumber4]

Just something to kill some time as we wait and wait and.... wait. I've watched this group of videos as a reminder of the Decade of Darkness that was and how far the Oilers have come, they were made when the Oilers broke the playoff-less streak in '2016-'2017. Anyway, it's the timeline of the moment they lost the '06 Cup finals to the events that ushered in the DoD to the McDavid draft to the return to the playoffs, something inspirational to watch. Enjoy

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This was promoted in a thread I think too. I told the creator I’d get to it eventually, maybe after the playoffs. But if definitely looks like a great watch.

 

[Oilhawks]

Seriously something is off with Pacific Northwesterners. Something about the beautiful landscape or something I don’t know. But similar places like Seattle and Portland with similar environments also breed anarchy and riots. And also the most serial killers per capita in the Country.

It’s all the damn rain and lack of sunshine

 

[TheNumber4]

It’s all the damn rain and lack of sunshine

Hey it could definitely be that lol.

 

[McShogun99]

Teams get 52 names to put on the Cup. They can make a case for anyone in the organization. Gagner definitely has one, not sure if they able to make one for others like Joey etc.

Joey’s rolling in Cup rings. I’m sure he’ll be fine if his name isn’t on the Cup if the Oilers win.

 

[TheNumber4]

Friedman had an interesting tidbit on 32 Thoughts. Said he talked to some Oilers players after the Nucks series, and lots were giving credit to Kane for what he did against Zadorov. Made Z his personal project and made him a non-factor in the series they were saying. And they were saying Z was a factor early in the series before Kane took it upon himself.

We will need that Kane for the Cats series. Hopefully he heals up fast. Looked like a minor injury as he did try to come back in that game.

 

[CupofOil]

This was promoted in a thread I think too. I told the creator I’d get to it eventually, maybe after the playoffs. But if definitely looks like a great watch.

It's great, the music the editing. I watch them at least a few times a year to remind me of what we've all been through, hard not to feel all the emotions good and bad when watching these.

I’m just gonna say it. That 2016 team had Cup potential if we weren’t screwed by officiating.

I think they'd at the very least would have beaten Nashville to meet the Pens. McDavid vs. Crosby would have been something to behold, not sure if they had the horses or experience to beat that Pens team though.

 

[TheNumber4]

It's great, the music the editing. I watch them at least a few times a year to remind me of what we've all been through, hard not to feel all the emotions good and bad when watching these.


I think they'd at the very least would have beaten Nashville to meet the Pens. McDavid vs. Crosby would have been something to behold, not sure if they had the horses or experience to beat that Pens team though.

Looks right up my alley. Will get to them for sure.

 

[McShogun99]

I’m just gonna say it. That 2016 team had Cup potential if we weren’t screwed by officiating.

I believe that as well. We got royally screwed by the refs against Anaheim and I think we could have beat Nashville in the next round knowing that Draisaitl is their kryptonite. Pittsburgh probably would have beat us but who knows what would have happened if we got fair reffing.

 

[McDoused]

Friedman had an interesting tidbit on 32 Thoughts. Said he talked to some Oilers players after the Nucks series, and lots were giving credit to Kane for what he did against Zadorov. Made Z his personal project and made him a non-factor in the series they were saying. And they were saying Z was a factor early in the series before Kane took it upon himself.

We will need that Kane for the Cats series. Hopefully he heals up fast. Looked like a minor injury as he did try to come back in that game.

Another couple interesting tidbits I heard on Oilers now today was when Bob Stauffer had Kris Knoblauch on the show. He asked him about the video they are studying on Florida. Knoblauch said that the rangers play a hybrid system so looking at the video they had on Florida vs Rangers helps but that they've actually prepared video going back to the regular season against teams that play similar styles to the Oilers. He mentioned how Boston played an aggressive zone defence like they do and that the video from the Boston series will relate better.

He also mentioned that he had a close relationship with Laviolette in NYR and has already picked his brain and talked to him about what he saw last series. Our boys should know what they are going to be up against.

finally, he is also aware about how well Kane played against tkachuk when he was in Calgary and said he would skate Friday and the rest will do him well.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

To quote KK; Buffalo Bills.

Pretty close to the BB's are the St. Louis Blues who lost in th finals three times in a row in the late 60s or early 70s. That's almost worse considering what it takes to get to the Stanley Cup Finals,

 

[bellagiobob]

I’m just gonna say it. That 2016 team had Cup potential if we weren’t screwed by officiating.

And the stupid alternating of the backup goalies that MacT did. I still recall bitching earlier on in the playoffs that year that they needed to just leave Jussi as the backup every game, cause at some point you might need your best backup, and sure as shit it caught up to us at the worst possible time.

Edit: Whoops, thought you said 2006.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

From what I've gathered there's been passwords for these short pre sales, if I can find one I'll drop you a DM

Just tagging on to say please send me a DM as well if you have a code laying around! Thanks very much in advance

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?)

I hope the irony of this statement wasn’t lost on you

 

[bellagiobob]

Pretty close to the BB's are the St. Louis Blues who lost in th finals three times in a row in the late 60s or early 70s. That's almost worse considering what it takes to get to the Stanley Cup Finals,

The first few years after expansion were not the same grind as it is now for teams, as the expansion teams were all in the same conference, so they just had to play each other, and the lucky one that emerged got smoked by the original 6 team in the finals.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

The first few years after expansion were not the same grind as it is now for teams, as the expansion teams were all in the same conference, so they just had to play each other, and the lucky one that emerged got smoked by the original 6 team in the finals.

Thanks for clarifying that. That's interesting.