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

[TheNumber4]

Spotted Drew Remenda in the wild!

 

[PuckG]

Well dammit what about HF Oil TV then? Let's start that

The concept is nice, but we might be the most unhinged of them all.

 

[elmeroil]

The concept is nice, but we might be the most unhinged of them all.

Not a lie just facts!

 

[5 14 6 1]

Holy f*** let's drop the puck I am HYPED

 

[Pavel10]

What? No Gazdic? Don't tell me they gave into those Canuck Snowflakes?

Garbage panel. Just Bieksa and Simpson who know what they're talking about. Hrudy is so blatantly anti oiler I can't include him.

TnT going to roll on them.

 

[brentashton]

Even the website and postgame is a step above. Usability and look of the TSN site is superior and the synopsis of the game has actual commentary and editing, not just "here, watch some snippets from the game"

Agree as well in that they have a superior team and do their best with the sports coverage they get. Regarding the "Toronto Sports Network" thing, Sportsnet is really no better with this and they also seem to constantly fluff other rivals in the Flames, Canucks etc and underrepresent other Canadian teams (two of which TSN holds rights for so makes sense) which evens it out more

Sportsnet / Rogers basically buys up everything and mails it in. The definition of an 'evil empire' telecom monopoly

But, but, but SportsNet has that Spector guy writing for them on their website.

Oh shit, that doesn’t help advance the “SN is better” argument.

I tried.

 

[bellagiobob]

It was a money thing. Not a talent thing. Don't conflate the two. Rogers came in with a historic bid that they've never been able to recover from financially.

TSN talent includes a deeper range of quality PBP guys like Miller, Dan Robertson (formerly Dennis Beyak), Mudryk. Cheryl Pounder is excellent as an analyst. Mike Johnson. McLellan. Duthie as host is top of class whatever sport he is doing. Reda is solid host. Their legacy guys McKenzie, Ferraro, Poulin. Their production of World Junior and World Championships and now Memorial Cup are all highest quality. Way, way more bench strength on-air and production wise than Sportsnet.

O Dog is a cartoon. Who cares.

A regional broadcast partnership is different and distinct than national level ones and one can just tune into Jets, Leafs or Canadiens regional broadcasts to discern the difference in quality to Sportsnet Oilers or Flames. Oilers on TSN would be a much better product technically and with on-air talent directly and feeding into national talent.

We live in a modern content world and live sports are an important piece for insatiable audiences. The Oilers are a very valuable and profitable content piece within the NHL's $6 billion and growing big business. It's not that 1980s scarcity model you reference. Long ago dead and buried.

Outside of Bieksa, TSN mops the floor with SN's 'talent'. Is this actually a discussion?

 

[ZJuice]

Spotted Drew Remenda in the wild!

I hope you didn't make eye contact

I hear you become stoned instantly

 

[Messrules11]

Its hard to separate out how Good Shesterkin was and how poor Florida finishing was.

Panthers don't have anything close to the guns we saw playing either Colorado or Vegas in past playoffs.

Other than Tkachuk who actually hasn't scored a lot these playoffs they don't really have too much in elite production.

Carter Verhaege is supposed to frighten us all? I mean in relation to say McD, Drai, Hyman, Nuge, Booch?

The Panthers offense in the Rangers series was indistinguishable from say the Canes offense against the Rangers and the Canes usually crumble in playoffs.

Who do the Panthers ever beat in a walk?

Well you knew I’m a Rangers fan of sorts, but I’m saying Shesterkin had a great playoff.
Florida was all over them, we all know that, the post I responded to thought Keumper level goaltending is good enough, it’s not.
Shesterkin was amazing.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Well you knew I’m a Rangers fan of sorts, but I’m saying Shesterkin had a great playoff.
Florida was all over them, we all know that, the post I responded to thought Keumper level goaltending is good enough, it’s not.
Shesterkin was amazing.

Shesterkin was amazing. The degree to which the Rangers allowed themselves to be beat to pucks, outplayed, outworked in two consecutive series was also pathetic. The Oilers won't have that problem.

 

[oobga]

So, a good coach would play Jack Campbell as backup in game 1, so Jack can get his name on the cup. Right?

 

[Drivesaitl]

The concept is nice, but we might be the most unhinged of them all.

You haven't heard Gazdik lately. There goes his fledgling job in a puff of smoke. Oh well, he can do podcasts or something now.

But, but, but SportsNet has that Spector guy writing for them on their website.

Oh shit, that doesn’t help advance the “SN is better” argument.

I tried.

tbh I never go on TSN or Snet website. If I want to go over games just go on NHL site or ESPN or some such site. i don't even have Snet or TSN bookmarked, actually never have.

Yeah, Spector would be an argument against. Didn't know he had any affiliation. lol

 

[oobga]

Shesterkin was amazing. The degree to which the Rangers allowed themselves to be beat to pucks, outplayed, outworked in two consecutive series was also pathetic. The Oilers won't have that problem.

Yeah, the Rangers have a playoff choker issue on their hands with their forwards. Most of their top guys just wilted under the pressure, and wasn't just against Florida. Just embarrassing how they let guys like LaFreniere and Goodrow look 3 times as engaged in the games as these big money guys did. Lots of their guys choked hard last year against the Devils too.

Shesterkin was painting lipstick on pigs for 2 full rounds. Ran out of lipstick unfortunately. Thought the 50 pack would be enough.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yeah, the Rangers have a playoff choker issue on their hands with their forwards. Most of their top guys just wilted under the pressure, and wasn't just against Florida. Just embarrassing how they let guys like LaFreniere and Goodrow look 3 times as engaged in the games as these big money guys did. Lots of their guys choked hard last year against the Devils too.

Shesterkin was painting lipstick on pigs for 2 full rounds. Ran out of lipstick unfortunately. Thought the 50 pack would be enough.

Bread man seems only about the money. Sure wasn't money on ice.

Zed about as tentative as Mcleod. Scared to mess up his hair or get it sweaty through exertion lol

Rangers were pastry on ice. Somehow the Canes still lost to them.

Its no great shakes in the East. A lot of teams not built for playoffs. Florida only seems physical and stuff in relation to how soft the East lineups are.

Holy f*** let's drop the puck I am HYPED

One more sleep till Stanley Cupmass

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Spotted Drew Remenda in the wild!

lol that’s definitely in St.Albert
Seen it rolling around here

 

[PULSATING]

Well dammit what about HF Oil TV then? Let's start that

Play bounce gifs during commercial timeouts.

 

[TheNumber4]

View attachment 880408

I hope you didn't make eye contact

I hear you become stoned instantly

And if you stare at his forward you age 10 years!

lol that’s definitely in St.Albert
Seen it rolling around here

Lol yeh. I’m not in St. Albert often these days but that’s where I saw it today.

 

[BlackDogg]

Still true is posted already

They missed the giant turd brownout at Vancouver though.

 

[Messrules11]

Shesterkin was amazing. The degree to which the Rangers allowed themselves to be beat to pucks, outplayed, outworked in two consecutive series was also pathetic. The Oilers won't have that problem.

Pathetic that they were in final 4, give your head a shake

 

[rboomercat90]

This will be the Oiler organization’s 8th trip to Finals in their history.

Truly blessed as fans.

​

View attachment 879514

I’ll have to take their word for it that the Leaves have that many trips. I’m 55 years old and I’ve never seen any.

 

[rboomercat90]

Am I alone in thinking this has been the longest week ever?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Did Connor do a media scrum today? No sign of it on oilers.com

 

[Bryanbryoil]

One thing that I feel like I have to get off of my chest, everyone is talking about how physical Florida is and how they are going to run our show. Well do people forget how physical Calgary was? How they had monsters like Lucic, Gudbranson and Zadorov? Yes we lack a guy like Kostin for this series, but I don't see our guys not being willing to give it their all out there because of guys like Tkachuk and Bennett.

 

[McDeepika]

One thing that I feel like I have to get off of my chest, everyone is talking about how physical Florida is and how they are going to run our show. Well do people forget how physical Calgary was? How they had monsters like Lucic, Gudbranson and Zadorov? Yes we lack a guy like Kostin for this series, but I don't see our guys not being willing to give it their all out there because of guys like Tkachuk and Bennett.

McDavid and Draisaitl have owned Tkachuk for years. Not really worried about their physicality. More concerned with their overall speed and ability to control/dominate games.

We are really blessed. Our superstars are big, strong and have no problem playing through physical games. They enjoy it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Pathetic that they were in final 4, give your head a shake

The rangers were only there because of Shesterkin. thats it, thats all. They would have clearly lost to the Canes without him saving their bacon almost every game.

The Canes were by miles the better club in that series and I have no horse in this race, I prefer the rangers entertainment wise, but they weren't bringing it.