Post-Game Talk: Team is still broken

[K1984]

is it possible that the drop off after the first 10 or 15 minutes is a result of being old and slow?

I think its much more possible that they simply don't have any comfort playing that way at the moment, considering its about the first time all year we've seen them even attempt to play a quick to the net shooting game at any point.

 

[FlameChampion]

Aho is one of the most underrated players in the league.

Maybe in regular season. Doesn’t feel like he has another gear in playoffs though.

 

[guymez]

Anybody that grew up in this organization is like this. Bouchard and Nuge are limp starters too. Ditto for S. Skinner. Looks like Hyman has been around long enough that it's rubbing off on him too.

My only theory is I think this is a remnant of the decade of darkness stink that still emanates around the organization. McDavid and Drai grew up in the culture that's afraid of its own shadow, defensively unwilling/incompetent, and unable/unwilling to dictate a game from puck drop. The only difference now is we have better players to win in spite of these cultural issues (eventually), but all these issues are still there.

If you are saying that the team has a talent level which has the potential to outscore very bad habits then I completely agree.
I think that is a major problem with this team historically and it starts with Connor and Leon.

If those 2 players did nothing else but prioritize smart puck management and smart defence the team would follow. They dont do that because they have the potential to outscore their bad decisions. They have been getting away with that for most of their careers.
The problem is that approach ultimately isnt going to win anything meaningful.

In last nights game Connor had 2 goals. Considering his poor puck management and poor defensive play he couldnt even outscore his own mistakes. He was also 22% on the faceoff dot yet he is being lauded for his play in last nights game.
That IMO is a representation of the problem.

I said last season that if this team could commit to playing smart defence (which includes managing the puck better) they would be very hard to beat.
They did that for the 2nd half of the season.

Here they are heading down the exact same river with the exact same leaks in the boat.
If history means anything at all the boat will have to be close to sinking before the leadership group takes appropriate action. Its just who they are.
Bad habits are very hard to break.

 

[FlameChampion]

Anybody that grew up in this organization is like this. Bouchard and Nuge are limp starters too. Ditto for S. Skinner. Looks like Hyman has been around long enough that it's rubbing off on him too.

My only theory is I think this is a remnant of the decade of darkness stink that still emanates around the organization. McDavid and Drai grew up in the culture that's afraid of its own shadow, defensively unwilling/incompetent, and unable/unwilling to dictate a game from puck drop. The only difference now is we have better players to win in spite of these cultural issues (eventually), but all these issues are still there.

Only speculation on my part because how would I know but it feels like to me that there’s nothing that really pulls the group together (other than winning). Feels like a leadership group that doesn’t have fun and know how to keep it light. I don’t think the leadership group trusts others to do the job especially younger players. So they try to do too much which doesn’t always translate. And the others feel like they aren’t important or have a role. Once their winning, I think things start to fall in place but getting to that point …

 

[FlameChampion]

Yeah, this is the least I've cared about an Oilers team in a while. Maybe it's just regular season fatigue of being a fan of a team that only lives for the playoffs or the lack of exciting players outside of the top two guys obviously. I don't know, I'm just kind of bored of them and their regular season act tbh.

I was excited after Day 1 of free agency but its pretty much been downhill from there. After watching a couple preseason games my care level has dramatically decreased. I could tell this start was coming.

 

[brentashton]

If hes passable on the right side, they can find a higher upgrade LD than a RD. Assuming we actually are in the playoff hunt by TDL lol

That’s why they’re trying this. It’s already been explained earlier.

 

[McHelpus]

Next game they will put in Emberson and put Draisaitl with McDavid again.

 

[oXo Cube]

Skinner - McDavid - Hyman
RNH - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Podkolzin - Henrique - Brown
Janmark - Philp - Perry

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Stetcher(stop overthinking this)
Kulak - Emberson

Waive Ryan and/or Dermott who cares.

 

[McDNicks17]

If Nurse is passable at RD, is the obvious thing not a Kulak-Nurse second pairing for now?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Honestly, going into LTIR might be the best option right now.

Trade Emberson for Fabbro, Call up Philp and call the Hawks about Kurashev (who's fallen out of favour there) and change some things up.

 

[Jarvi]

If Nurse is passable at RD, is the obvious thing not a Kulak-Nurse second pairing for now?

Then what's on the 3rd pair? Dermott-Stecher? Dermott-Emberson? 2 righties in Stecher-Emberson?

None of those look good to me. I dont care for Dermott at all, but any way you slice it that is an incredibly weak 3rd pair. Kulak is one of the best #5's around imo, but once you put him in a top 4 role, especially with someone like Nurse, I think he gets a bit exposed.

 

[McDNicks17]

Then what's on the 3rd pair? Dermott-Stecher? Dermott-Emberson? 2 righties in Stecher-Emberson?

None of those look good to me. I dont care for Dermott at all, but any way you slice it that is an incredibly weak 3rd pair. Kulak is one of the best #5's around imo, but once you put him in a top 4 role, especially with someone like Nurse, I think he gets a bit exposed.

Aren't all those better than having Dermott on the second pair?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Then what's on the 3rd pair? Dermott-Stecher? Dermott-Emberson? 2 righties in Stecher-Emberson?

None of those look good to me. I dont care for Dermott at all, but any way you slice it that is an incredibly weak 3rd pair. Kulak is one of the best #5's around imo, but once you put him in a top 4 role, especially with someone like Nurse, I think he gets a bit exposed.

Call up Gleason and play him on 3LD.

 

[NeverForget06]

I also need to add that the idiots who started the wave in the 3rd period while we were up 1 GOAL should be banned! I hate the wave !

 

[Jarvi]

Aren't all those better than having Dermott on the second pair?

Ehhh, in a way I can see the logic. Imo you end up up taking one step forward and two back, seeing as I think that 3rd pair gets brutalized, even if the 2nd pair improves a bit I don't think it's worth the trade off.

They need to break up Ek/Bouch imo. Yeah they can be great, but it is like running Mcdrai, the highs are great but your overall team suffers many nights if you don't have the depth.

Nurse-Bouch
Ekholm-Emberson/Stecher
Kulak-Emberson/Stecher

Takes the puck movement responsibilities from Nurse, gives Emberson the best vet to lean on and learn from, and keeps our 3rd pair intact so it doesn't get ran through.

And personally, I want to see Bouch carry a pairing before giving him 10+mil.

 

[K1984]

Skinner - McDavid - Hyman
RNH - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Podkolzin - Henrique - Brown
Janmark - Philp - Perry

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Stetcher(stop overthinking this)
Kulak - Emberson

Waive Ryan and/or Dermott who cares.

I think you have to take Hyman off McDavid's wing to save McDavid from himself at this point. He simply will not stop looking off scoring chances in order to attempt a low% pass to Hyman.

 

[DaGap]

Pretty simple,

When you Top PP is gifted 2 minutes at a time there is no team.

When you sit players for 10+ minutes there is no team

 

[Canovin]

Pretty simple,

When you Top PP is gifted 2 minutes at a time there is no team.

When you sit players for 10+ minutes there is no team

Playing the full 2min on the PP is the biggest "my shit don't stink" move to the rest of the team

 

[McFlash97]

I would be a bit more harsh, but fair enough. Specifically I thought there was some effort issues, but honestly as you said that can be applied to 80% of the lineup.

I think Skinner did well enough on his chances but Andersen was sharp, sometimes you gotta tip your cap. Arvidsson looks confused. Almost McLeod like.

McLeod looks like 10 times the player Arvidsson is right now and growing. Fn clueless organization.

 

[oXo Cube]

I think you have to take Hyman off McDavid's wing to save McDavid from himself at this point. He simply will not stop looking off scoring chances in order to attempt a low% pass to Hyman.

I think people are overreacting to a sample size problem on this. Hyman is 5th in the league in expected goals. McDavid is 12th. They're doing fine.

Now RNH on the other hand....

 

[guymez]

Pretty simple,

When you Top PP is gifted 2 minutes at a time there is no team.

When you sit players for 10+ minutes there is no team

I agree that this is a problem but its not that easy to solve and do you even want to 'solve' it?
How can a coach justify not maximizing the PP time for the 2 best offensive players in the NHL?

 

[oXo Cube]

I agree that this is a problem but its not that easy to solve.
How can a coach justify not maximizing the PP time for the 2 best offensive players in the NHL?

I've said this before but I just want to reiterate, its not just a good PP group it's statistically the best PP unit ever assembled.

Slow start for them of course but the people who are doubting their deployment are crazy.

 

[guymez]

I've said this before but I just want to reiterate, its not just a good PP group it's statistically the best PP unit ever assembled.

Slow start for them of course but the people who are doubting their deployment are crazy.

Couldnt agree more.
@DaGap does have a point about team continuity and sitting players for long periods of time but changing the PP just doesnt make sense.
It is what it is.
You have to just continue to roll with the best PP in NHL history.

 

[oobga]

If Nurse is passable at RD, is the obvious thing not a Kulak-Nurse second pairing for now?

Would like to see this for sure. Definitely over Dermott again playing decent competition.

Couldnt agree more.
@DaGap does have a point about team continuity and sitting players for long periods of time but changing the PP just doesnt make sense.
It is what it is.
You have to just continue to roll with the best PP in NHL history.

What makes it the best though? I think it is 90% McDavid and Drai. Bouch probably 3rd place in what drives it. If the other guys are not performing or other teams have figured out how to make them non factors to limit McDavid and Drai’s options, I think it’s worth looking at changing some of the support cast. We though Barrie was a key reason for the PP success and he ended up replaceable.

 

[guymez]

What makes it the best though? I think it is 90% McDavid and Drai. Bouch probably 3rd place in what drives it. If the other guys are not performing or other teams have figured out how to make them non factors to limit McDavid and Drai’s options, I think it’s worth looking at changing some of the support cast. We though Barrie was a key reason for the PP success and he ended up replaceable.

No doubt that Drai and McDavid are the key componants but IMO chemistry and coaching plays a big role in terms of what makes this PP work.
Its likely true that the other teams have developed ways to defend the PP and now its up to the Oilers coaches to make the appropriate adjustments.
Maybe replacing at least 1 support player would make a difference. Might make things a little less predictable.