Post-Game Talk: The summer of our discontent

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

A theme that persisted throughout the season and playoffs was the team never making it easy on themselves and consistently having to come back in games and series. Eventually those kinds of things will come back to haunt you.

The Oilers only had a lead in this series for about half a game, and never at any point held a multi-goal lead. They had chances to put this team away and didn't execute and as the series wore on their play got worse. As much as the Panthers beat them, the Oilers also beat themselves with repeated mistakes, bad penalties, and overthinking the game offensively. A lot of their bad habits crept in at the worst possible time and not a single player stepped up in the final two games.

Last year was tough because it really felt like the Oilers were right there. This year not so much.

 

[frag2]

It's difficult for me to reconcile how easily the Oilers walked through the West only to be absolutely dummied by the Panthers.

I actually think Florida really just is that much better than the rest of the NHL right now.

I'm not gonna deny FLA was better but I think our team could've made it close. But FLA players just wanted it more. Always that extra step/effort.

So many Oilers just kept gliding their way along the ice instead of hustling. Losing Hyman really hurt the team

 

[WaitingForUser]

I think I may be done with the NHL. We are never going to see a finals that isn’t influenced by the league. Last year we had have a 97% PK in the playoffs just to make it to game 7. This year after winning the only game called down the middle in game one. They made sure to properly neuter our “tough guys”. Kane couldn’t look at anyone without a call or a warning from the officials. The Panthers were allowed to run our goalies high stick to retrieve pucks, trip and slash our super stars and to top it all off they physically got in the way of multiple breakout attempts. Until there is an even playing field for every team in the league the NHL will continue to be a fn joke. Might have been my last year watching I don’t know if I can handle this BS any longer.

 

[timekeep]

NHL Rumors: Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman Linked To Oilers In Huge Off-season Move

"Oilers acquiring Jeremy Swayman in exchange for Stuart Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, a prospect, and both their 2027 first-round pick and 2027 second-round pick." or "Stuart Skinner & Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for Jeremy Swayman, including exchange of draft picks"

Who is saying this? We need to develop some young players eventually, so it would be the latter for me. Nuge had an impact in a couple of playoff games this year, let him go, maybe package him with Nurse somewhere...

 

[foshizzle]

This is objectively false.

I disagree with you- and that’s fine

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Back to back trade deadlines of misidentifying this team’s biggest needs has cost us two cups. Henrique, Carrick, Frederic and Jones and not one of them made an impact of any kind.

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

Even McD said they kept trying the same thing and banging their heads against the wall. Coaching staff has some serious explaining to do about how they refused to alter the breakout and it basically shut the entire team down as a result due to never having the puck and inability to transition with speed

 

[Jakey53]

yep.

All I wanted to see was some fight and intensity from our top guys. We really didn't get any and it sucks.

Florida is a well built team no doubt, but there's this feeling throughout the entire series that the Oilers were just making it extra easy for 'em and if anything, that's where my frustration would come from.

Maybe Florida was making it extra hard on the Oilers?

 

[Nunymare]

I think I may be done with the NHL. We are never going to see a finals that isn’t influenced by the league. Last year we had have a 97% PK in the playoffs just to make it to game 7. This year after winning the only game called down the middle in game one. They made sure to properly neuter our “tough guys”. Kane couldn’t look at anyone without a call or a warning from the officials. The Panthers were allowed to run our goalies high stick to retrieve pucks, trip and slash our super stars and to top it all off they physically got in the way of multiple breakout attempts. Until there is an even playing field for every team in the league the NHL will continue to be a fn joke. Might have been my last year watching I don’t know if I can handle this BS any longer.

I don't disagree that we were clearly not on the Panthers' level for most of the series, but the number of times that Florida would get away with an infraction, then score within a few minutes immediately, was just deflating. It certainly affected the first few games.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The contract stipulates the increases year over year as well but I did get significant benefits for signing up for 6 years.

Either way I do understand the contract as it’s for the Loge which is their highest demand ticket and the seats are awesome so they are very easy to sell even at the inflated prices.

What I didn’t like was they added a year as they used a force majuer clause for the Covid year. This was supposed to be my last year.

That said it’s not the Oilers I’m pissed off at - it’s the league. Seeing every single game “managed” for the sake of parity, well I can watch WWE if I want to watch a rigged event. I honestly do not know what is a penalty anymore and this benefits a team like Florida come crunch time.

Thanks. Sorry if I worded the post wrong in anyway. It just upsets me in a way that pro sport exert So many dictates on their paying fans. The founder of this org, the HOF Billy Hunter, would never have operated in this manner. But its a different world now, a much different world.

As to the officiating this season its harder to argue that the NHL not makng calls is what alters outcome. The Oilers are now lukewarm on the PP anyway. I hate to say it but as per series Florida were much more lethal on PP and could be argued zebras putting whistles in pocked isn't what hurt the Oilers in this round.

 

[Oilslick941611]

There’s fans still blaming Mcdrai for losing 2 years in a row with over 30 points each both years?

They can follow not my fault skinner to another team.

Your not welcome like him here anymore bye

This is just idiotic, you aren't the arbiter of who is a fan and who isn't.

McDrai had a great playoffs, but at the end of the day they didn't perform in the finals like they were expected to. Floridas stars did.

The truth is The panthers were clearly the better team and took over the series in game 3. Edmonton gave it their all and they didn't have enough. They were gassed, the Panthers werent. THe panthers lead for over 250 minutes of the series to the Oilers 33. It was never close and getting mad and pissed wont change anything. The Oilers never got to play their game at all in the series.

Blame Skinner all you want, a different goalie doesn't change the series. The Oilers were neutered at every position by the Panthers tactics and antics. I too, think and hope this was Skinners last game as an oiler.

I agree with other posters who say McDavid needs to sort out whatever is wrong with him. He doens't shoot and doesn't drive the net anymore. If he needs surgery and a 6 month rest and recovery, just deal with it. The panthers showed zero respect for McDavids shot all series. They knew he was passing, and because he is McDavid he still managed to get some dirty passes through, but he certainly didn't look like the best player in the league in the Finals.

The 3OT games skew the series to look like it was closer than it really was, but really, looking back on the whole thing, the Oilers were never really in it from the start.

There is no shame losing to the better team.

 

[Oilslick941611]

The NHL officiating is rigged. Prove me wrong.

I don't want to hear another so called expert tell me officials don't influence the outcome of the games.

I dont think its rigged, but its incompetent and by "swallowing the whistle" they are actively affecting the outcomes of the games.

Florida got ALOT of benefit of the doubt on their calls throughout the series, for a team that has a guy who was averaging 1 goalie injury a series. Calling highsticks on one team, while ignoring them from the panthers, even when they lead directly to a goal, this happened at least 3 times.

however, it didn't change the outcomes of the series. our PP wasn't winning us games anyway.

 

[rboomercat90]

just remember no one hates you when you suck and are irrelevant. Just part of having a good team, embrace it

The Oilers have been widely hated outside this market since 2012 at the very least, since we won the Yakupov draft lottery. We sure sucked during those years. Three first overalls in a row pissed a lot of people off. That none of them were elite players was irrelevant, it should have been enough to turn us into a powerhouse. When it didn’t it must have been because we were ruining players. That hatred ramped up even higher when we won the McDavid lottery too.

Of course I’m old enough to remember the 85 playoff run where the Toronto folks on HNIC were already suggesting how great of an idea it would be to trade Gretzky because he could do so much more for hockey outside of a market like Edmonton (I couldn’t help but think of that again last night seeing his family decked out in their Panthers gear). People are jealous of good teams but there’s so much more in play when it’s the Oilers.

 

[Oilslick941611]

well, that's what happens when teams are able to add their top TOI defenseman and Brad Marchand with a 10M LTIR

Its worse than that.

The players are also dictating where they go. Marchand literally said " trade me to florida, or keep me"

Thats an advantage no team can compete with. Not even mentioning the LTIR trickery.

At least the league is talking about a playoff cap going forwards.

 

[M Ace]

Who is saying this? We need to develop some young players eventually, so it would be the latter for me. Nuge had an impact in a couple of playoff games this year, let him go, maybe package him with Nurse somewhere...

Read the article

 

[Navx94]

Very excited for next season. I’m hopeful this is the wake up call Katz needs and bowman actually does his job. Expecting a lot of changes here on out wouldn’t surprise me if knob is gone.

 

[Oilslick941611]

could've used a Holloway in this series
we has great in Game 4 last year

lol Holloway would be in the pressbox because he would have been injured.

He didn't play a minute for the Blues when they needed him. The story of his his career, let him go man. Hes always hurt.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think I may be done with the NHL. We are never going to see a finals that isn’t influenced by the league. Last year we had have a 97% PK in the playoffs just to make it to game 7. This year after winning the only game called down the middle in game one. They made sure to properly neuter our “tough guys”. Kane couldn’t look at anyone without a call or a warning from the officials. The Panthers were allowed to run our goalies high stick to retrieve pucks, trip and slash our super stars and to top it all off they physically got in the way of multiple breakout attempts. Until there is an even playing field for every team in the league the NHL will continue to be a fn joke. Might have been my last year watching I don’t know if I can handle this BS any longer.

WE weren't scoring on the PP's anyway. We even gave up a shorty in the series. More calls, weren't changing anything much. The difference in the series was forward depth and goaltending disparity. Was too much to overcome. The players knew this as early as game 3. But not only do the Panthers have such filthy skill assembled they have a roster made for playoff hockey and for hammering opponents into submission while bringing the most airtight purist hockey I've seen in decades. This is Al Arbour NYI stuff. Panthers go down already with the Hawks and Kings as best clubs in this millennium.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

Back to back finals appearances and 1 game/2 games from a cup and people on here are calling for the firing of most coaches and the dumping of many players. I get the emotions running high but let’s face it, they are not going to be doing a massive overhaul of the coaches or the roster. The old farts will likely end up being replaced by new old farts. As far as the goalies, how much realistically can they afford on a new goalie? Upgrading at that position to an established guy would take loads of cap space and a team not wanting that goalie, those opportunities don’t grow on trees. To build the roster with better new players they need youth, guys from our system. Its a dilemma I can’t see getting solved easily. Thing is we likely beat any other team but Florida, a lot can happen and who knows, they might crumble due to injuries, some team knocking them off, etc. We certainly don’t own the west and could lose the anyone but I can’t see this massive overhaul coming. Options are limited. I would be fine with letting Bouchard walk, he will end up on an overpay and it would be a tough decision but you are talking about a Bowman special with him. Likely 8 years, full NMC, and upwards of 9 mil AAV. Can’t see both him and McDavid signing long term and if it comes to a choice there is no choice between them 2 really.

 

[Little Fury]

Its worse than that.

The players are also dictating where they go. Marchand literally said " trade me to florida, or keep me"

Thats an advantage no team can compete with. Not even mentioning the LTIR trickery.

At least the league is talking about a playoff cap going forwards.

That won't happen until we're the team to play with LTIR to our advantage.

 

[timekeep]

Read the article

Didn't realize that was a link, again who is Zoro Sekhon???

 

[Oilslick941611]

That won't happen until we're the team to play with LTIR to our advantage.

its in the works.

CJ tweeted this yesterday morning
"Chris Johnston: NHL/NHLPA discussing modifications that could include some kind "playoff salary cap" to prevent teams from exploiting loopholes - Chris Johnston Show"

 

[BobbytheBrain]

Says who?

I think it was Pagnotta and Marek

 

[Duder54]

This one somehow doesn't hurt as much as last year. Last year, Florida and Edmonton seemed much more closely matched. This year it was clear which team was better. In the end it wasn't even close.

Imagine a world where Zito became the Oilers GM. Yeesh.

Can the Oilers pull a Florida and make it to a 3rd consecutive Final? History says it's unlikely, but let's see. Lots of work to do in the off-season.

 

[Drivesaitl]

We're being groomed by media to see a Skinner extension:

The STu Skinner presser post game is must watch. Its maddening really. This guy multiple times in the interview states the team was inconsistent, but that Skinner was OK with his own game, felt he was consistent, in his bubble, and the inference that he was on his game. Says multiple times that the team didn't learn and lost two years because of it.

McD and Drai etc NEVER throw this guy under the bus and he just did that (again) to the team. His presser was the typical love affair with the media where they were messaging leading edge questions that Skinner is only removed from Bobroski on experience. Several soft questions on that allowing Skinner to expand how he's going to try to pick Bobos brain and so that he can become him. It was actually bizarre.

The media are setting the table, again, for Skinner to come back and now the story is years hence "the oilers will be sorry" this actually stated in telecast if they move on from Skinner. ( I think it was Friedman who hates this club,, saying this) The trumped story is that Skinner is going to be the next one. That only experience separates that.

No mention at all that Bobo and other goalies in NHL are elite because they have outstanding skillsets, skating, movement, flexibility none of which Skinner has.

We're being sent up for a Skinner extension. Abhorrent.