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

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Playoffs = Oilers Halloween!! Love it!

 

[bellagiobob]

I've been wearing my Draisaitl jersey as well and I also predicted the Oilers in 5! Great minds think alike!

I’ve been wearing a “I’m not Connor McDavid Don’t Hug Me” T-shirt around town. Working quite well so far.

 

[Cloned]

I won't be surprised to see Knoblauch tweak his lineup as the series gets underway. I'd speculate Draisaitl and Kane as a solid duo for Line 2 unless Kane is injury compromised. They likely want a heavy response option against the Panthers cheap, greasy Line 2. Line 2 left wing might move around with option to move around in game if Holloway stalls out with McLeod able to airlift from Line 4 for shifts and even in series if desired to slot in Foegele. But think Holloway's earned first shot at Line 2 LW who brings a consistent fast, heavy forecheck and shows good skill and growing finishing ability.

I don't see them touching that Line 3 group of Janmark, Henrique, and Brown which seems a really good veteran group to go head to head with Florida's third line.

Knoblauch has been fearless with his between game and in game tactical changes. I have trust he will have a good feel for his team and how to maximize their game against a really deep final opponent.

The Oilers only make it this far with a select group of coaches. The series against Vancouver had razor thin margins and Dallas was too. There are probably four coaches in the entire league that would’ve been able to replicate what Knob did.

tl;dr - 80/20

 

[bellagiobob]

View attachment 879792

Crazy, that’s the exact same reaction every guy traded from the Flames has when they meet their new GM.

 

[bellagiobob]

Hasn’t really looked out of place. Kudos to him, that’s not an easy switch to make.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Playoffs = Oilers Halloween

Saw this on twitter, I feel great all those really hardcore dress up fans getting some love.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Saw this on twitter, I feel great all those really hardcore dress up fans getting some love.

For sure, my son and I call playoffs Oilers Halloween not to make fun of the people. It’s cool how everyone gets into it.

The Oilers only make it this far with a select group of coaches. The series against Vancouver had razor thin margins and Dallas was too. There are probably four coaches in the entire league that would’ve been able to replicate what Knob did.

tl;dr - 80/20

Barry Trotz is one. Dont @ me.

KK has been a Godsend. I don’t know who was behind his hiring (JJ or KH or BS) but they deserve a medal.

 

[Morpheus]

Edmonton Oilers fan who flashed chest during game offered porn deals

The Oilers are getting set to battle for the Stanley Cup. However, there is another battle already taking place – for one of their fans.

canoe.com

Hmmm…Stanley cup finals ratings may have a higher viewership this year lol

 

[foshizzle]

lines during practice:

McDavid with Nuge and Hyman
Draisaitl with Holloway and Foegele (placeholder for Kane)
Henrique with Brown and Janmark
McLeod with Carrick and Perry (Ryan rotating in)

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

The Oilers only make it this far with a select group of coaches. The series against Vancouver had razor thin margins and Dallas was too. There are probably four coaches in the entire league that would’ve been able to replicate what Knob did.

tl;dr - 80/20

There's a lot to be said about experience. The Oilers to a man and management know they lost last year's critical series against Vegas in the margins with untimely penalties, coaching that did not adjust in-game or series to match-up issues (Line 2 vs Vegas), and inconsistent goaltending. That's alot of information that can help inform a second year run. Knoblauch been great on deployment and big decisions. All players though have responded by performing within the opportunities given. That's 80% of the battle in a high velocity, high chaos sport where the margins for mistakes are costly.

As being said alot lately, there's a lot of well earned scar tissue on this, the now oldest team in the league. Credit this team for learning hard lessons. And certainly the rookie coach, a polar opposite to Paul Maurice who some (ahem) felt was a coaching dinosaur in Winnipeg. Players do or don't do to win games. But coaching decisions certainly do become more important in series format, playoff hockey.

Lots of love too for Coffey for inspiring a fairly mid-level d-corp; Stuart for installing PK and managing personnel into an elite playoff PK; GG for fostering support for an elite PP; Schwartz for developing a mid-level prospect goaltender into a Cup Final hopeful. Lots of good work all delivered upon by a team primed to win after alot of hard past lessons.

EDIT: Fun to revisit the Knoblauch hiring thread and all the hot takes ... especially on Paul Coffey stepping in. Where would this team be without him is part of the question you pose.

 

[Heavy Dee]

Hasn’t really looked out of place. Kudos to him, that’s not an easy switch to make.

This was interesting to read. He will only get better.

 

[brentashton]

There's a lot to be said about experience. The Oilers to a man and management know they lost last year's critical series against Vegas in the margins with untimely penalties, coaching that did not adjust in-game or series to match-up issues (Line 2 vs Vegas), and inconsistent goaltending. That's alot of information that can help inform a second year run. Knoblauch been great on deployment and big decisions. All players though have responded by performing within the opportunities given. That's 80% of the battle in a high velocity, high chaos sport where the margins for mistakes are costly.

As being said alot lately, there's a lot of well earned scar tissue on this, the now oldest team in the league. Credit this team for learning hard lessons. And certainly the rookie coach, a polar opposite to Paul Maurice who some (ahem) felt was a coaching dinosaur in Winnipeg. Players do or don't do to win games. But coaching decisions certainly do become more important in series format, playoff hockey.

Lots of love too for Coffey for inspiring a fairly mid-level d-corp; Stuart for installing PK and managing personnel into an elite playoff PK; GG for fostering support for an elite PP; Schwartz for developing a mid-level prospect goaltender into a Cup Final hopeful. Lots of good work all delivered upon by a team primed to win after alot of hard past lessons.

EDIT: Fun to revisit the Knoblauch hiring thread and all the hot takes ... especially on Paul Coffey stepping in. Where would this team be without him is part of the question you pose.

I hope it’s their version of seeing Trottier, Bob Bourne, Clark Gillies and Denis Potvin et al nursing their hurts in the spring of 1983.

 

[brentashton]

For sure, my son and I call playoffs Oilers Halloween not to make fun of the people. It’s cool how everyone gets into it.



Barry Trotz is one. Dont @ me.

KK has been a Godsend. I don’t know who was behind his hiring (JJ or KH or BS) but they deserve a medal.

Bob’s head is swelling because you even considered him in that group. Heh heh

 

[Joey Moss]

If the Oilers play the way they did against Dallas, I think we win this series.

Florida got steam rolled by Vegas (I know, injuries played factor) and that was a team we should have beat last year. I think it bodes well for us that a lot of media/fans are picking Florida to win. Their players also have a confident swagger in their press conferences right now because of the experience. I think we will surprise them.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Bob’s head is swelling because you even considered him in that group. Heh heh

He has always tooted KK's horn so I thought I better include him lol

 

[brentashton]

He has always tooted KK's horn so I thought I better include him lol

Bob from his days as tree planter, er, I mean student AD has always been on the side of the U of A, and rightly so (and i say that as an alumni of the U of S).

I have lots of time for Bob and his passion.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Snakes and Lizards of Florida

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Edmonton Oilers fan who flashed chest during game offered porn deals

The Oilers are getting set to battle for the Stanley Cup. However, there is another battle already taking place – for one of their fans.

canoe.com

Hmmm…Stanley cup finals ratings may have a higher viewership this year lol

I hope she doesnt take any of those deals. Cant there be a good old fashioned wholesome quickie boob show without the Porn creeps invading?

Also the article has it wrong. The last lady to flash for the camera was not the Florida lady but the lady in Vegas when the Caps were parading the cup around. That was hilarious.

 

[McShogun99]

I’m curious if Game 7 Ceci becomes Stanley Cup final Ceci.

 

[brentashton]

I’m curious if Game 7 Ceci becomes Stanley Cup final Ceci.

So many will hope and be happy if so.

Im more enthused by the Kulak switch and whether he can make that a continued positive change. Sometime when you get out of the automatics of a position and have to think about what you’re doing, it’s a good thing. That said, I’ve really liked Kulak since he arrived.

 

[VainGretzky]

Strangely enough, I noticed a lot of the typical trolls and Oiler hate-watchers slowly disappearing, starting in the late stages of the Dallas series. Some of them are currently nowhere to be found.

Jackjohnson Three on Zero Divine all Mia we still have Seanmoneyhands hating he is a trooper his hate cannot let go lol

 

[iCanada]

Hasn’t really looked out of place. Kudos to him, that’s not an easy switch to make.

He also played RD in Montreal during the lockout year. My colleague is a Habs fan, I remember him being weirded out we were playing him at LD when we first got him.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

He has always tooted KK's horn so I thought I better include him lol

He certainly is 'the guy' who was making Darnell Nurse Larry Robinson comparisons and projecting Ralph Krueger as a future Jack Adams trophy winner (wrongly projecting the team's Development cycle). Reassured to know of the professionals, Jackson and Holland had strong books on Knoblauch. Jackson definitely nailed his first, most significant hire. Too early to call the Pacey hire.

He also played RD in Montreal during the lockout year. My colleague is a Habs fan, I remember him being weirded out we were playing him at LD when we first got him.

That's my impression too. And also some time in Calgary at RD.

Solid move regardless to move the veteran guy over instead of making a deep water play on Broberg even riskier on his off-shooting side.

 

[iCanada]

I hope she doesnt take any of those deals. Cant there be a good old fashioned wholesome quickie boob show without the Porn creeps invading?

Also the article has it wrong. The last lady to flash for the camera was not the Florida lady but the lady in Vegas when the Caps were parading the cup around. That was hilarious.

Yeah tbh I'm kind of disappointed by the reaction to all of it. We're ruining it for everyone - if we weren't so weird about it there'd be way more boobs being flashed and everyone would be having a better time - the ladies would get their two seconds of rebellion and freedom without having to be a permanent sex object, and we'd all get to see more boobs.

But since we're all weird about it - it'll just be her and she'll have to spend the rest of her life wearing the Scarlett letter of "the Oilers boob girl" and no other girls will flash at the games and none of the ladies get to have fun and we don't get to see any more boobs.

Kind of sucks just all around.

 

[Duke74]

Line 1 has been among the league's top outscoring line regular season and playoffs. They take the opposition's best every game. Draisaitl as a top 5 player in the league gives a powerful second line that operates differently, big, strong, methodical, against secondary competition.
It's how elite teams function and need to in order to be successful. Draisaitl gets top PP minutes with the team's elites and often McDavid time coming out of penalties. The Oilers thrive on their elite 1C and 1C on Line 2. It will continue through this final if they hope to beat a very good Panthers team. Draisaitl would be the first to own that responsibility and accountability as a leader and critical contributor on this Cup Final team.

Disagree about your interpretation. It's always about what's best for the team in terms of deployment not individual players. The Oil lines as suggested by practice are deep, balanced, and stretched to mitigate the deepest opponent they will face. Knoblauch has shown to make very good game to game and in game deployment tweaks. There's no reason to think that won't be the case this series either.

I appreciate reading your posts as they are always very insightful, intelligent, and analytical. I guess that I still have PTSD flashbacks from the Vegas series where Draisaitl's line, which had Yamamoto and McLeod on the wings, got their teeth kicked in by Eichel's line. I agree that he and McDavid should be separated but thought that giving Nuge to Draisaitl would spread the depth a bit better between the top two lines. You posts explained another angle that I hadn't previously considered in that Knob is trying to create different identities for each line. Draisaitl's existing injury/injuries may impede him from reaching his potential without adequate wing (and D-core) support. Hopefully the time off gives his injuries at least somewhat adequate time to heal. I agree that the team comes first but in order to win, the Oilers need every player in the best position to succeed. Here's hoping that Knob has it figured out.