GDT: Rocky - Oilers v Flyers - Tuesday @ 8 PM

[CycloneSweep]

It’s easy to call everything when you just shit on everything. You’re more likely to be right when you look at the odds. There’s always a better chance of something not working than working in a 31/32 team league.


Huge needs to be on the 3rd line, wether than means LW or C whatever. Hes too passive to be on the top lines let alone the 2c.

I mean, except almost the entire hockey world was saying how bad of a contract that Nurse contract was the moment it was signed. That was something almost everyone called.

 

[oXo Cube]

The top line will do whatever, that second line is absolutely scary. Let’s take a struggling Nuge and give him literally nothing in top 6 minutes.
The Henrique line should see playing time above it although Brown has been shit as well.
Man, too many players playing bad.

The entire top 6. It's annoying but it's also reason for optimism IMO.

Amusingly Jeff Skinner gets the demotion despite being the only big minute forward worth a shit through 3 games.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I think that second line could work in a world where Nuge was playing with pace.

He's currently in the mode where he has cement feet, and tries to compensate for it by throwing around cute hope passes. Recipe for disaster with those line mates. If he's moving his feet and actually playing with some pace there could be something there, maybe moving him to C is an attempt to get him skating.

He'll be fine. No one is going and even McDavid hasn't shown his elite burst enough to separate from opposition. Moving Nugent Hopkins to centre might give him the kick in the ass needed as the elite top line from last year looked out of sync and slow (Hyman and Nugent Hopkins). The whole top line being under water not scoring and defensive liabilities is probably the biggest surprise of this early season.

 

[CycloneSweep]

The entire top 6. It's annoying but it's also reason for optimism IMO.

Amusingly Jeff Skinner gets the demotion despite being the only big minute forward worth a shit through 3 games.

Seems like he is trying to spread some good to each line?

I didn’t even notice that Stetcher is actually playing in the top 4 which is wild to me, didn’t think they had it in them lol

 

[Oilslick941611]

The entire top 6. It's annoying but it's also reason for optimism IMO.

Amusingly Jeff Skinner gets the demotion despite being the only big minute forward worth a shit through 3 games.

I’m not sure i see it has a demotion. He shoots a lot and he’s playing on a line that has grit and people that can get in front of the net. It’s spreading the offense around in a non traditional way. Skinner can still get points and hopefully goals on this third line.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The top line will do whatever, that second line is absolutely scary. Let’s take a struggling Nuge and give him literally nothing in top 6 minutes.
The Henrique line should see playing time above it although Brown has been shit as well.
Man, too many players playing bad.

I'm sympathetic. Team comes in here year after year and still the same crap goaltending, still Darnell Nurse eating up gobs of cap, the years latest influx of players that fill zero holes that the team needs and losing players every year and particularly younger energy playes.

Not sure what Vegas is betting on. This dog won't hunt all the way to SC final without some major roster changes. Wheres the energy? Well wheres the energy players.

A lot of the players are just playing their age. Cumulatively they shouldn't all be in one place. What a roster build.. theres no plan here.

 

[MessierII]

Knoblauch preached consistency with roster deployment when he took over last year. Weird to see so much much erratic movement this year though at RD they're rotating three #6-8 level players trying to fill a big hole. Going early and often to McDavid and a McWinger Draisaitl seems overkill instead of first rotating winger combinations.

I actually think a Skinner - Nugent Hopkins - Arvy would be worth a look with Nuge's distributor game between a shooter and net front guy.

The scoring will come with their 2.5% EV shooting and all elites shooting blanks. But if this team's goaltending, goal suppression team defending and PK don't find their game then outscoring is a huge problem.

How this team lost all its mojo with a too long 8 game pre-season and training camp is quite something. There's no facet of their game working.

The teams identity is its scoring and its ability to stay in a game that should be out of reach. Once the scoring comes I feel like the rest of their game will come.

Happy Dermott is out. He had a good camp but I don’t see him as a regular. Give stetcher a good look.

 

[Arpeggio]

Moving Draisaitl on McDavid's wing is the right move, both have been garbage so far this season. First two games can be blamed on the defence, the Flames game is entirely on their shoulders, they were awful. Especially McDavid.

I'm almost at the point where they should just put them together and leave it all season. They end up together in any must win situation anyway, and we have Henrique and a few other forwards now. Maybe this should be the default and Draisaitl at centre should be the switch up.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Knoblauch preached consistency with roster deployment when he took over last year. Weird to see so much much erratic movement this year though at RD they're rotating three #6-8 level players trying to fill a big hole. Going early and often to McDavid and a McWinger Draisaitl seems overkill instead of first rotating winger combinations.

I actually think a Skinner - Nugent Hopkins - Arvy would be worth a look with Nuge's distributor game between a shooter and net front guy.

The scoring will come with their 2.5% EV shooting and all elites shooting blanks. But if this team's goaltending, goal suppression team defending and PK don't find their game then outscoring is a huge problem.

How this team lost all its mojo with a too long 8 game pre-season and training camp is quite something. There's no facet of their game working.

Everybody has a plan until you get punched in the face.

levity

I have more faith in this coaching staff to find a way and help the players out of this.

The scoring will come but we could use an Oil gusher earlier than later... Show them footage of the Leduc well or something..

I'm here to help!

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

The teams identity is its scoring and its ability to stay in a game that should be out of reach. Once the scoring comes I feel like the rest of their game will come.

They need some swagger which comes through their elite scoring for sure. But this team has also shown tendencies to sag when goaltending is erratic and the goal prevention requirement of the game is poor. Do agree this team needs a big game offensively to kickstart their season. A huge missing piece right now is Bouchard who's getting big minutes and further stretched out into a leaky PK. Bouch gets going is a big key imo.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

It’s easy to call everything when you just shit on everything. You’re more likely to be right when you look at the odds. There’s always a better chance of something not working than working in a 31/32 team league.


Nuge needs to be on the 3rd line, wether than means LW or C whatever. Hes too passive to be on the top lines let alone the 2c.

Not necessarily, the Oilers are just very poorly run. The Nurse contract was never going to age well, but few people saw it spiraling so quickly.

 

[tardigrade81]

BPs???

Well Boston pizza

I would just get him an appetizer. I don’t want to spend that much money on a non oiler fan.

 

[Arpeggio]

I'm sympathetic. Team comes in here year after year and still the same crap goaltending, still Darnell Nurse eating up gobs of cap, the years latest influx of players that fill zero holes that the team needs and losing players every year and particularly younger energy playes.

Not sure what Vegas is betting on. This dog won't hunt all the way to SC final without some major roster changes. Wheres the energy? Well wheres the energy players.

A lot of the players are just playing their age. Cumulatively they shouldn't all be in one place. What a roster build.. theres no plan here.

I would agree with the identity and lack of energy point, except when I look at our team last year, was it really McLeod and Foegele providing our identity? McLeod was soft as shit in the playoffs. Foegele was great last year, and while I know you don't like Arvidsson, I don't think he's noticeably less physical than Foegele was.

Podkolzin has brought exactly what Holloway brought for the majority of last season, so I don't think that's a huge drop off energy-wise.

The big guns just haven't brought it at all this season, and that goes for the entire top-six and top-4. They'll get out of it.

 

[tardigrade81]

That could be any one of hundreds of posters....

lol truth!! I can’t remember his name

Hang on. It was @benfranklin

Stood me up and said he hates the oilers.

That could be any one of hundreds of posters....

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Everybody has a plan until you get punched in the face.

levity

I have more faith in this coaching staff to find a way and help the players out of this.

The scoring will come but we could use an Oil gusher earlier than later... Show them footage of the Leduc well or something..

I'm here to help!

Haha.

I think Knoblauch is a solid coach. Not necessarily doubting him. Just a big surprised he is going full Jenga this early with the forward groups (less regarding the overwhelmed platoon RD group). However the pattern remains with this team across three different coaching groups. Have always maintained its a 'player's thing' moreso than coaching. Just like the high xgoals translated and normalized into actual goals when Woodcroft took over and Knoblauch when they tied the can to Woodrow, the pattern of normalized scoring will return with this team. A key is going to be Bouchard driving his normal offense from the blueline.

So strange to see them start this season with no element of their games going either individually or collectively. The deep, cohesive 2000 foot play honed last season and playoff has disappeared. Strange times.

 

[syz]

He'll be fine. No one is going and even McDavid hasn't shown his elite burst enough to separate from opposition. Moving Nugent Hopkins to centre might give him the kick in the ass needed as the elite top line from last year looked out of sync and slow (Hyman and Nugent Hopkins). The whole top line being under water not scoring and defensive liabilities is probably the biggest surprise of this early season.

I haven't seen a burst from McDavid in like 18 months tbh. He relied entirely on his edgework and passing last season, his acceleration has been MIA.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I would agree with the identity and lack of energy point, except when I look at our team last year, was it really McLeod and Foegele providing our identity? McLeod was soft as shit in the playoffs. Foegele was great last year, and while I know you don't like Arvidsson, I don't think he's noticeably less physical than Foegele was.

Podkolzin has brought exactly what Holloway brought for the majority of last season, so I don't think that's a huge drop off energy-wise.

The big guns just haven't brought it at all this season, and that goes for the entire top-six and top-4. They'll get out of it.

The team had Kane last year and playoffs. Thats a major alpha blow not having that. This being an individual that can kick the snot out of anybody or run them through the boards. Contending teams need at least one guy like this. No way the Canadiens yrs ago beat the Flyers without a Larry Robinson. If you got one guy that can go to the opponent bench and say "who wants me" and nobody does thats a victory of sorts before puck is even dropped.

Who hasn't played a team that has a tough guy that can make you life miserable for the night if they even feel like it. Detente matters in hockey. Kane just being in the lineup makes it easier for everybody else. Some teams have multiple of these sorts of players. We have none.

lol by the way at Michaels saying "theres Darnell Nurse mixing it up just as expected" crap, Nurse is the king of ineffective face washing since the big contract.

Without Kane in the lineup none of our opponents are "finding out".

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I haven't seen a burst from McDavid in like 18 months tbh. He relied on his edgework and passing entirely last season, his acceleration has been MIA.

Most noticeable this early season. Just haven't seen the high gear that creates separation. That said he was a 40 point Conn Smyth Winner even with full attention from all opponents. Through increasingly the game plan is to clog middle ice and force McDavid to wind around the low risk areas of the ice with less space and time to power up to ludicrous speed.

Most disappointing for me in Connor's game has been very poor own zone play which is a critical area for team success. His offense will come. But he needs to lead with the structured two-way game this team requires for deep playoff aspirations. Especially early with very shaky goaltending and a defense and PK that is substandard.

 

[Arpeggio]

The team had Kane last year and playoffs. Thats a major alpha blow not having that. This being an individual that can kick the snot out of anybody or run them through the boards. Contending teams need at least one guy like this. No way the Canadiens yrs ago beat the Flyers without a Larry Robinson. If you got one guy that can go to the opponent bench and say "who wants me" and nobody does thats a victory of sorts before puck is even dropped.

Who hasn't played a team that has a tough guy that can make you life miserable for the night if they even feel like it. Detente matters in hockey. Kane just being in the lineup makes it easier for everybody else. Some teams have multiple of these sorts of players. We have none.

lol by the way at Michaels saying "theres Darnell Nurse mixing it up just as expected" crap, Nurse is the king of ineffective face washing since the big contract.

Without Kane in the lineup none of our opponents are "finding out".

Yep Nurse has not looked engaged at all from what I've seen (granted I missed the Chicago game).

Kane is a big loss, the lineup looks so much better with him in there. And he's a $5 million player, that's a big hole in anyone's lineup. But guys get hurt, others have to step up.

Usually the issue with this team is the depth, but it's the big guys that have let us down so far. I thought Skinner looked pretty good against Calgary, but Hyman, Nuge, McDavid, Draisaitl, that's our identity, they're gonna have to drag this team into the battle. To my eye, Podkolzin is trying, so I'm glad it looks like he's getting a little bump.

I've liked Brown, Ryan, and Perry's games, I really don't think this start is on them.

 

[Vagabond]

J.Skins was the best forward on the team vs Calgary then get placed on the 3rd line. It'll be interesting. Oil best get outta this funk.

 

[Fishy McScales]

I haven't seen a burst from McDavid in like 18 months tbh. He relied entirely on his edgework and passing last season, his acceleration has been MIA.

I actually thought he had a really good and characteristic one against the Flames.

Made me take notice because I've made the same observation as you and been concerned about it.

 

[Arpeggio]

J.Skins was the best forward on the team vs Calgary then get placed on the 3rd line. It'll be interesting. Oil best get outta this funk.

To be fair, he's getting put on that line because he was good. I haven't looked at the numbers, but I'm guessing that Henrique was a better offensive centre at even strength last season. That's probably a better line than Pod Nuge Arvidsson.

 

[ottawah]

Maybe but the Oilers have also failed to merely upgrade Cody Ceci and this current management team seems no better (worse even) so..,..easier said than done.

Difference is one is a RHD, which is lacking in the league, and LHD, for which there are an abundance.

 

[CupofOil]

I'll preface this by saying Knoblach should not lose his job this season absolutely no matter what happens, but I have not been very impressed with his approach so far this season.

That said, I bet we win this game and McDrai combine for like 10 points.

Following the same script as Woodcroft, looking like a genius the first season with a team that was one of the best in the league after a slow start then drops the ball in preseason with his player deployments so team isn't ready to start the season then starts making odd panicked moves early in season to try to right the ship while, as usual, resorting to McDrai to save the day.

It's either this, or, there's a problem with the core players AGAIN forcing the coaches to make odd decisions.

I think I take Door #2 since this seems to be the pattern with every coach since this core has been put together.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Following the same script as Woodcroft, looking like a genius the first season with a team that was one of the best in the league after a slow start then drops the ball in preseason with his player deployments so team isn't ready to start the season then starts making odd panicked moves early in season to try to right the ship while, as usual, resorting to McDrai to save the day.

It's either this, or, there's a problem with the core players AGAIN forcing the coaches to make odd decisions.

I think I take Door #2 since this seems to be the pattern with every coach since this core has been put together.

I don’t think there is much of a difference between the 2 coaches. I think the big difference was Coffey.