Post-Game Talk: This is the end

[Soundwave]

Looking at Canadian teams in game 7 Cup Finals ... not one of them can buy a break unfortunately.

1994 (Canucks), 2004 (Flames), 2006 (Oilers), 2011 (Canucks), 2024 (Oilers) is five different teams all in game 7 of a Cup Final, not one of those Canadian teams had a lead in any of those game 7s even for 1 second. Statistically it's almost mind mind bogglingly improbable for that to happen.

And it's not like generally speaking these were woefully mismatched teams and the other team just didn't deserve even a single lead. These series are all 7 game series because the two teams were fairly evenly matched.

For whatever reason Canadian teams just don't get a bounce in game 7. A tip here, a deflection there, nope. Home ice is important, but the Canucks lost even with home ice in 2011.

Some of hockey is luck, hard to win when nothing goes your way in a game 7, Bouchard beats Bob clean and hits the post, they get the game/series winner on a softie.

We did this with a pretty massive cap handicap too ... $5 million of Campbell doing nothing, Kane hurt but that's another $5 million of nothing in the Finals (could have LTIRed this player with a sports hernia and loaded up at the deadline further), $2 million in dead cap still from Lucic basically. $3 million overpay for Nurse. That's a lot of money that could have been used on actual players.

 

[Oilhawks]

the trolls are out with their little "is this the closest McDavid will get to the cup?" thread and the mods dont do anything about it. This site sometimes.

Ridiculous double standards. A lot of teams are off limits but not this one. If the mains are a toxic cesspool it should be a free for all like the toxic cesspool that is r/hockey

 

[Salvaged Ship]

So Bettman wants the peon Florida Panthers to win the cup because this somehow benefits him and the NHL, and he instructs the refs to do everything in their power to make sure it happens? Where do people come up with this shit, you should work for Trump’s election team what a crock of crap

 

[Roderek]

You don’t know the rule book if you think that’s not a penalty. Does not matter that he fell and it was not intentional. Still a penalty on turtle 10/10 times.

There was many other opportunities for an even up call, that wasn't the one. Whistles were put away. "many rules" were broken and not called. As I said game management sucks, but that wasn't the call to be a make up call. If that play is the other way around and it is an Oiler that blows a tire and trips a Panther by sliding into him, leading to a Florida PP we lose our minds.

Honestly doesn't matter the game or the series every single fan base has a reason to be upset with calls or non-calls. Complaining about it is a moot point. Game management exists and everyone knows it. The mismanagement of the bench in the last 10 minutes. I get it the Oilers were trailing and McDavid is the best chance to tie it up, but you can't seriously think that having him on the ice for 7 of the last 10 minutes and 5 of the last 6 is going to give you the best chance. Dude was completely gassed when Knobloch finally pulled Skinner. So was everyone else on his line.

 

[yababy]

100% agreed.

Boys just ran out of gas and it's unfortunatle.

But, next season will be a fun one I predict. But there will be changes in the off-season, especially on defense.

We got our coach, we got our Goalie (Skinner) and McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman, etc will be back as well.

you assume Draisatl will still be an Oiler

 

[TheNumber4]

you assume Draisatl will still be an Oiler

A good assumption to make. Way more likely than not.

 

[yababy]

So Bettman wants the peon Florida Panthers to win the cup because this somehow benefits him and the NHL, and he instructs the refs to do everything in their power to make sure it happens? Where do people come up with this shit, you should work for Trump’s election team what a crock of crap

wake up and smell the bull. This is major league sports.
Only one that is even remotely honest is NBA
Ever hear of the yankee strike zone?

 

[StreetHawk]

We did this with a pretty massive cap handicap too ... $5 million of Campbell doing nothing, Kane hurt but that's another $5 million of nothing in the Finals (could have LTIRed this player with a sports hernia and loaded up at the deadline further), $2 million in dead cap still from Lucic basically. $3 million overpay for Nurse. That's a lot of money that could have been used on actual players.

If you didn't buyout Neal (aka Lucic), you would have had to take the full Neal contract in those prior seasons. It's the consequence of the buyout, that you save cap room earlier, but push out the cap charge into years that he wasn't scheduled to be on the roster.

Buyout is ultimately the old borrow from Peter to pay Paul mantra. Save now, pay for it later.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

So Bettman wants the peon Florida Panthers to win the cup because this somehow benefits him and the NHL, and he instructs the refs to do everything in their power to make sure it happens? Where do people come up with this shit, you should work for Trump’s election team what a crock of crap

Ehh I doubt it’s happening but it’s not that crazy. I don’t know if the NHL is the same but the NBA can legally instruct officials to favour teams if certain outcomes makes the business more money. I just don’t think they can pay the refs bonus money to do it.

I believe they are registered as an entertainment business and not a sport one which opens up that loophole. Something along those lines.

 

[oilers4life5]

We should steer clear of any buyouts. Give up draft picks. Cap space has more value than draft picks. Buyouts kill your team.

 

[Soundwave]

Canadian teams that make a game 7 of the Finals are just cursed.

I mean it's hard to explain not one of the 5 teams that made the Final not even having a lead for even a second of any of those 5 games.

You could play the worst team in the NHL against the best team in the NHL 5 times in a row and almost definitely at some point the worst team would at least have a lead, probably even a few times even if they lose.

All you can do is shrug about it, just can't buy a bounce.

 

[TheNumber4]

If you think about it. We experienced everything about winning a Cup except winning it. Like 99% of a Cup Run was had. More than any other team in the League except Florida. Saw a great regular season and lengthy playoffs. This McDrai core has proven they can do it. Add the experience of a Cup finals to it, another year under Knob, and if we finally GM some weaknesses off this team. We can win it next year.

 

[McJadeddog]

That first goal macloed fked on the zone exit. But that was an incredible tip in

I counted 5 messed up board plays in the first two periods from McLeod, and then I stopped counting in the 3rd. So he likely made some more mistakes in the 3rd. The man is allergic to contact, and therefore can't make board plays to save his life. Even for his somewhat low standards though, last night was a TERRIBLE showing. The entire team looked super nervous in the first period though, you could kinda tell it was the first chance of winning a cup for most of the team.

Bouchard also made two bad plays on that play, weak clearing attempt when he had loads of time, then abandons his player in the front of the net.

I think just due to team makeup, you have to keep McLeod for at least another year, as he helps win games in the regular season and is a legit NHL'er who can provide some secondary scoring here and there. But you need him on your 4th line in the playoffs if you want to win. Or he has to grow a spine, but I think that cast is set at this point in his career.

 

[bellagiobob]

Trying to go on social media to just look for basic injury updates, news about new GM, etc, and all I see are Panther celebratory posts. Man does this hurt.

 

[Yablo21]

I'm a glutton for punishment, rewatched the whole game, they're were maybe 4 missed egregious calls. 1 hook on Bouchard, a Trip that should have gone against Drai in the 2nd, a trip against Drai in the second and that Trip against Drai with 2 min left. Lot of ticky takcy crap that I wouldnt expect a call on. So in retrospect not the worse officiated game I've seen. We had the bulk of the dangerous chances. Skinner needed that save on Reinhart, but played very well and made a lot of good saves. Oilers were all over it minutes 10 to 2 in the 3rd, it was like a 8 minute powerpla,y but had nothing in the last 2 min. By then McDavid and Drai completely out of gas. Hurts.

 

[TheNumber4]

I'm a glutton for punishment, rewatched the whole game, they're were maybe 4 missed egregious calls. 1 hook on Bouchard, a Trip that should have gone against Drai in the 2nd, a trip against Drai in the second and that Trip against Drai with 2 min left. Lot of ticky takcy crap that I wouldnt expect a call on. So in retrospect not the worse officiated game I've seen. We had the bulk of the dangerous chances. Skinner needed that save on Reinhart, but played very well and made a lot of good saves. Oilers were all over it minutes 10 to 2 in the 3rd, it was like a 8 minute powerpla,y but had nothing in the last 2 min. By then McDavid and Drai completely out of gas. Hurts.

I’ll be rewatching it tonight. I’ll have my eye on the Bettman screw job. Watching it live, I didn’t think anything too egregious happened.

 

[Exile of Atlantis]

The major sports leagues are all guilty of game management through the refs to some extent. It's not "match fixing", though,.. more like a desire to keep things interesting (whatever that looks like in a particular sport/situation). Hockey is just particularly obvious about it, because the NHL is essentially a bush league.

 

[Little Fury]

Rather myopic view of things imo, but to each their own.

If I were being objective as a fan I would say the season was successful in that it gave me many memorable moments and lots of joy. But I'm not objective, I'm pissed off and right now losing Game 7 by one goal wipes all of that good stuff away and I'm betting the players feel the same.

 

[DrDrai]

Trying to go on social media to just look for basic injury updates, news about new GM, etc, and all I see are Panther celebratory posts. Man does this hurt.

Haha, I was just thinking the same thing, almost started blocking things but realized that would result in no sports news.

Wish that was us.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

wake up and smell the bull. This is major league sports.
Only one that is even remotely honest is NBA
Ever hear of the yankee strike zone?

You believe those nonsense conspiracy theories if it makes you sleep better.

And why would Bettman want the Florida Panthers to win over the Oilers exactly and how does it benefit the NHL? I live in Florida, in Miami its a group of fans who have moved from other markets and will ditch that team and go back to their original team the moment they suck again. More conspiracy theories. You can’t grow that market, any bump is temporary. Having a Canadian team win and a star like McDavid is way better for the NHL

 

[DrDrai]

If I were being objective as a fan I would say the season was successful in that it gave me many memorable moments and lots of joy. But I'm not objective, I'm pissed off and right now losing Game 7 by one goal wipes all of that good stuff away and I'm betting the players feel the same.

If your not first, your last.

Never have cared about any other position.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Rather myopic view of things imo, but to each their own.

It’s the expectation the captain set himself.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Well that one pinched the old heart a bit. So time to speed this team up a bit. Foegele will want too much dough. Luckily Holloway and Broberg stand ready as cost controlled full timers next year. Janmark will sign cheap. Hopefully Brown does us a solid with his versatility skill set as well. Someone will way overpay Vinny on term and cap hit and I don’t think it’s us. It’s time to move on from McLeod too I think - love him but he’s not going to grow into much more than you see. Hopefully the sniff of victory will inspire some mild willingness to sacrifice a few bucks here and there. Time will tell. It was a fun year.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Which makes not winning it when you have the chance to do so a massive failure.

Not really. They've shown they have what it takes to win. If they bowed out to the Canucks then I'd agree with you.

 

[TheNumber4]

Mr. Game 7 Ceci made another impact. Sucks we couldn’t score one more.