Post-Game Talk: This is the end

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

It’s the expectation the captain set himself.

Maybe they view it differently than we do. Even as one of the more cynical posters on the board I don't see this season as a failure. It stings unbelievably bad but this team has shown they absolutely have the capacity to win it all.

 

[gretzkyoilers]

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.

Yup and most recent Cup winners lost before they won, the Panthers included. The Oilers lost by one goal.

 

[Little Fury]

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.

Well, if they had what it takes to win they would have won. If anything, they showed how many holes they have that having a couple of superstars papers over (until it doesn't).

So yeah you can look at it and say they got within two goals of winning it all despite anchors like Nurse and Ceci and inconsistent goaltending so there's something there. Or you could say they won't get this kind of run again until they can make some pretty significant changes.

 

[Stoneman89]

Man it really f***ing sucks to have Skinner prove me right on that f***ing muffin.

Woof.

Delete

Hey, some people out there can now say with some sort of pride or badge of honour that we've lost to the last 3 cup winners, woo hoo!

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Well, if they had what it takes to win they would have won. If anything, they showed how many holes they have that having a couple of superstars papers over (until it doesn't).

So yeah you can look at it and say they got within two goals of winning it all despite anchors like Nurse and Ceci and inconsistent goaltending so there's something there. Or you could say they won't get this kind of run again until they can make some pretty significant changes.

You obviously don't run it back without improving the team. If anything, the fact that we have so many holes and still came so close should be encouraging. There were improvements from Bouchard, Broberg, Holloway, and Skinner. We have probably the best coach we've had in decades, and that's not even getting into Mark Stuart.

Coming so close and failing is devastating but it doesn't mean they can't make it all the way back. Just ask the Panthers.

 

[Stoneman89]

Maybe they view it differently than we do. Even as one of the more cynical posters on the board I don't see this season as a failure. It stings unbelievably bad but this team has shown they absolutely have the capacity to win it all.

They do (did) have the capacity to win it all, despite some warts. But they seemed to get pretty comfortable to keep putting themselves in a hole (beginning of season, in 3 of the 4 playoff series), and got used to bragging about the ability to come out swinging when down. but unfortunately, the odds will eventually get you and last night the Fat lady of consequence bit them for earlier issues. They needed to bear down and play with conviction in the first game of this series, and to a lesser extent, the 3rd game, and they'd be celebrating a championship team with a probable 5-6 game series win. Hopefully they've learned yet another lesson (sigh) that it takes a shitload of energy to come back from games, season, series and eventually you run out of gas and lady luck.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

They do (did) have the capacity to win it all, despite some warts. But they seemed to get pretty comfortable to keep putting themselves in a hole (beginning of season, in 3 of the 4 playoff series), and got used to bragging about the ability to come out swinging when down. but unfortunately, the odds will eventually get you and last night the Fat lady of consequence bit them for earlier issues. They needed to bear down and play with conviction in the first game of this series, and to a lesser extent, the 3rd game, and they'd be celebrating a championship team with a probable 5-6 game series win. Hopefully they've learned yet another lesson (sigh) that it takes a shitload of energy to come back from games, season, series and eventually you run out of gas and lady luck.

And that there is the unfortunate lesson. Way too many times throughout the season and playoffs they put themselves behind the 8-ball. They did admirable work to get all the way back but you could see in the deciding game they started to look tired.

 

[iCanada]

I have to say - flames fans cheering for Tkachuk is legit baffling to me.

That's the same energy as bringing the biggest present to your exes wedding.

 

[Zguy370]

.I wonder with Nuge being sick if something was going around the team.

Nuge is always sick in the playoffs

 

[Salvaged Ship]

They lost the series in games 1-3, not game 7. The only time a team completed the reverse sweep Hitler was marching through Europe. That Florida team was built to slow down a team like the Oilers, and over 7 games it proved successful (barely). Learn from it, make improvements in the roster and strategy, and go after it again. It’s what Florida did and look how it turned out for them, it is possible the same happens with the Oil.

 

[Zerotonine]

Just read that mcdavid has been playing with an abdominal injury that requires surgery, makes sense why he wasn't shooting, and Draisaitl has a possible broken rib on top of that hand/ finger issue. Again he looked brutal the final series

I'm sure more injuries will come out shortly. I get it to It's part of the game. Cup usually goes to who ends up Healthier in the end

 

[Yablo21]

Well, if they had what it takes to win they would have won. If anything, they showed how many holes they have that having a couple of superstars papers over (until it doesn't).

So yeah you can look at it and say they got within two goals of winning it all despite anchors like Nurse and Ceci and inconsistent goaltending so there's something there. Or you could say they won't get this kind of run again until they can make some pretty significant changes.

Nurse will have a bounce back season, he will clean up his game which is more mental lapses than anything. He was awesome in the playoffs last year.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Nurse will have a bounce back season, he will clean up his game which is more mental lapses than anything. He was awesome in the playoffs last year.

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[Oilhawks]

They do (did) have the capacity to win it all, despite some warts. But they seemed to get pretty comfortable to keep putting themselves in a hole (beginning of season, in 3 of the 4 playoff series), and got used to bragging about the ability to come out swinging when down. but unfortunately, the odds will eventually get you and last night the Fat lady of consequence bit them for earlier issues. They needed to bear down and play with conviction in the first game of this series, and to a lesser extent, the 3rd game, and they'd be celebrating a championship team with a probable 5-6 game series win. Hopefully they've learned yet another lesson (sigh) that it takes a shitload of energy to come back from games, season, series and eventually you run out of gas and lady luck.

This is the one, right here. We can all debate whether the stars should have produced, Skinner should have made an extra save or whoever people want to put the blame squarely on, but it was a team effort in losing the series by relying too much on coming back from multiple series deficits and running out of gas and luck. They absolutely need to push for better seeding next year so they don’t have to empty the tank to make it to a potential Cup winning game. It’s a long season and I understand it’s a lot to ask but home ice advantage is real and they only had it 1 out of 4 series and ultimately it cost them

 

[Kaniac]

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

Simple answer is Bettman hates Canada. Why is there no team In Quebec?? They are thirsty and would rake in the dough. Instead the NHL drip fed the Arizona coyotes IV for YEARS until they finally ran out and had to pull them off life support. And now we have the "Utah Hockey Club"

Bettman is a total joke and there's a reason he gets booed every time he shows his face.

 

[bellagiobob]

You obviously don't run it back without improving the team. If anything, the fact that we have so many holes and still came so close should be encouraging. There were improvements from Bouchard, Broberg, Holloway, and Skinner. We have probably the best coach we've had in decades, and that's not even getting into Mark Stuart.

Coming so close and failing is devastating but it doesn't mean they can't make it all the way back. Just ask the Panthers.

In the salary cap era every team is tainted, has their share of weak spots. Look at the names on the Panthers D corp, a few decent players but not exactly an all star list. As fans we often tend to be too critical of our own players and think that other teams don’t have weak links as well. That game last night was an absolute crapshoot, pretty much a 50/50 game. FLA is a decent team, but I still don’t think that the best team won the series. But that’s hockey. We had a team that was 100% capable of winning a SC in todays watered down league. But it’s difficult to get back here, so many good teams, need a lot of breaks, etc. I’m sure we will have some guys that will need surgery or long recovery times, add the short off season for training, and there’s a reason that teams from the WC rarely repeat as conference champions. There is usually a gap year or two. Hopefully that won’t be the case for us.

 

[Oilhawks]

I have to say - flames fans cheering for Tkachuk is legit baffling to me.

That's the same energy as bringing the biggest present to your exes wedding.

Apparently a lot were telling him to f*** off in social media, saw some screenshots too but I’m sure there are plenty of cucks in that fanbase, it goes with the territory of being the Oilers’ bitch.

It would be like Oilers fans cheering for Pronger to win his Cup. Don’t think there were many here that were happy to see that

 

[TheNumber4]

Yup and most recent Cup winners lost before they won, the Panthers included. The Oilers lost by one goal.

Do a pros and cons of this entire season. the Pros list will torch the cons list. And will be seen as one of the greatest Oilers seasons of all time.

I know personally, I’ve never been this invested. For me it was probably my most passionate fandom… ever? I hate that we lost. I f***in really hate it. But man was this year fun. So many huge moments and fun post games after lots of winning.

This very well could be a stepping stone to the ultimate prize next year. I know it’s a bit of a cope, but it’s also facts.

 

[Little Fury]

Nurse will have a bounce back season, he will clean up his game which is more mental lapses than anything. He was awesome in the playoffs last year.

Nurse has been dogshit every year in the playoffs, what are you smoking.

 

[soothsayer]

They lost the series in games 1-3, not game 7. The only time a team completed the reverse sweep Hitler was marching through Europe. That Florida team was built to slow down a team like the Oilers, and over 7 games it proved successful (barely). Learn from it, make improvements in the roster and strategy, and go after it again. It’s what Florida did and look how it turned out for them, it is possible the same happens with the Oil.

I think Europe was marching through Germany at that point, but I 100% agree that the series was lost in games 1 through 3, especially game 3. The Oilers needed their 8-1 performance in game 3, but in the end it came too late.

 

[WaitingForUser]

Ok I have had all night and half the day to process the loss. Two things to take from this run.

One the team has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. 10 days ago everyone including myself had them pegged for a dead.They fought back hard and accomplished something that was practically impossible. To make it a one game series after falling behind 3-0 is nothing short of extraordinary.

Two I believe KK panicked too early stacking the lines. The Henrique Brown Janmark line barely saw the ice after the panthers went up by a goal. I get that you want to give the two players on the world a chance to get it back but I think it burned them out too early. Should have waited until the 15 min mark of the 3rd to do that. Rumor has it Connor needs surgery for something abdominal this wouldn’t surprise me as his shot was off all year. Drai with broken ribs from the Canucks series taking five crosschecks is just absurd and proves the league does sweet f all to protect its players. I’m hoping we are back in this spot next year but it’s going to be tough especially if Connor misses part of the season. All in all it was a hell of a run and I’m damn proud of this team. GO OILERS GO NOW AND FOREVER

 

[WaitingForUser]

I think Europe was marching through Germany at that point, but I 100% agree that the series was lost in games 1 through 3, especially game 3. The Oilers needed their 8-1 performance in game 3, but in the end it came too late.

Needed at least one of the 4 posts hit in game 1 to go in. In all honesty had we won that game we probably would have lifted the cup in game 6

 

[Oilhawks]

I think Europe was marching through Germany at that point, but I 100% agree that the series was lost in games 1 through 3, especially game 3. The Oilers needed their 8-1 performance in game 3, but in the end it came too late.

Minor history nerd correction here: the completed comeback was 1942 so Salvaged Ship is right, the 1945 one was the failed comeback (which was the newspaper front page that kept getting posted…so a jinx?)

 

[bellagiobob]

This is the one, right here. We can all debate whether the stars should have produced, Skinner should have made an extra save or whoever people want to put the blame squarely on, but it was a team effort in losing the series by relying too much on coming back from multiple series deficits and running out of gas and luck. They absolutely need to push for better seeding next year so they don’t have to empty the tank to make it to a potential Cup winning game. It’s a long season and I understand it’s a lot to ask but home ice advantage is real and they only had it 1 out of 4 series and ultimately it cost them

I’m torn on that. Teams like the Cucks busted their asses to win their division, and overplayed Demko. It got them nothing but heartbreak. Rags and Canes both finished ahead of Fla and that didn’t matter in the end. I haven’t looked it up, but wouldn’t be surprised if road teams won 50% of games these playoffs. Obviously you want to finish as high as you can, but not at the expense of pushing too hard. Home ice advantage gets given and taken so often in the playoffs these days, with teams winning in each others rinks, and home ice advantage flip flopping back and forth. Having said that obviously it would have been nice to have game 7 here.

 

[McJadeddog]

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.

The NHL is, by far, the most egregious, and the only league that completely changes their rule book for the playoffs.