Post-Game Talk: Time to cut the moustache

[Drivesaitl]

I mean, leaving the Stars' best sniper wide open in a prime scoring area wasn't going to end well. Those kinds of goals didn't happen last year.

By my eye the Stars scored two goals on their first two scoring chances and 4 goals in their first 6-7 scoring chances. What a batting average. I mean just make a stop. This game was illustration that if Skinner just makes one more stop that its a completely different result.

 

[foshizzle]

I find the team plays more loose with Pickard in net. There's no way they almost come back during yesterday’s game with Skinner in net. It's like they hold their sticks tighter when he's in net out of fear that every mistake is going in.

100% this. It’s like the grip on the stick becomes looser and they become more free knowing Pickard is back there.

 

[foshizzle]

By my eye the Stars scored two goals on their first two scoring chances and 4 goals in their first 6-7 scoring chances. What a batting average. I mean just make a stop. This game was illustration that if Skinner just makes one more stop that its a completely different result.

The media will blame everyone but Stu. The popcorn vendors get blamed for Stu allowing a goal and it’s becoming infuriating

 

[foshizzle]

As if the offer sheet fiasco wasn’t enough:

- He has the nerve to lie to our faces about it, saying it wasn’t at all possible to match either of them

- In the same interview he seems to suggest that Podz and Emberson are adequate replacements

- Defends the worst goaltending of any playoff team, doesn’t do anything to address it, and gaslights the fans by saying he’s been surprised that fans in Edmonton are so critical of it (we wouldn’t be if it was good Stan)

- Trades for an injured player who might not even play until playoffs, and pays extra for retention

- To add salt to the wound our captain says this (exact quotes) after the deadline:
“In the summer we lost a lot of size”
“I feel like Colorado’s got a brand new team, 2 new goalies, a bunch of new forwards”

Bowman has been an altogether terrible hire with no redeeming qualities. If we don’t make it out of the 1st round this year I hope they Katz strongly considers stepping in and fixing this mess.

He seems to forget he’s in hockey country now

 

[foshizzle]

Sometimes the best explanation is the simplest explanation.

He just doesn't have the athletic abilities that many other NHL goalies do. Witness his attempts to slide from post to post. It tells a story.

It’s not just the athleticism, it’s his ability to read the play- or what I known as “hockey iq”. When he said “the game was too fast for me” is him admitting. He can’t keep pace with what’s happening.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The media will blame everyone but Stu. The popcorn vendors get blamed for Stu allowing a goal and it’s becoming infuriating

It even impacts this board as Stu fans will listen to GYB or the local media or other media and come back here with this "Not stu's fault" narrative. Which is even established by the broadcast by Debrusk absolving every GA. The guy does it every single time. The distortion starts with the broadcast and continues.

 

[aggressive forecheck]

@aggressive forecheck what were you saying about being right?

Let's see here in the picture.
Bouchard is stepping up on the winger receiving the puck, at the blueline. That's called gap control

Perry has nobody and there's a player blowing past behind him. In the live version you will see Perry coasting the whole time

There's an Oiler at the bench making a line change. On their breakout I may add. That player also came from the area the puck gets flipped to

Yet not only did you blame this goal on Bouchard, you repeatedly claimed it was a set play designed for Bouchard lolol

Bouchard has to be sheltered because teams take advantage of his slow-footed lack of awareness and less than deliberate predisposition. These are real tendencies and they are not going away.

The opposition, good teams with quality players and coaches, caple of implementing a strategy around taking advantage of the Oilers shortcomings... they play a different game when Bouchard is on the ice, to be fair to the player, some of it is defending his passes but most of it is getting the puck behind him or altering the forecheck AND to get the Oilers to alter their coverage.

Bouchard's defence partner needs to utilize different positioning for a variety of reasons. To play to the center of the ice to defend the net while getting ready to close out the gap or to defend the pass. Ekholm has worn himself out playing with Bouchard. Ekholm has to avail himself to so many more difficult situations while partnered with Bouchard.

The center has to alter his positioning adeptly to the positioning of the defencemen. As you know, once the center alters their positioning everyone has to alter their positioning.

What a headache for one player. He isn't gifted enough for all the pain and suffering he causes. I don't agree with the Bouchard crowd.

In my perfect hockey world Bouchard would have been moved during the offseason after his near record breaking point production in the playoffs.

I would have moved Bouchard without hesitation or regret. For a tremendous return. A top prospect and a bunch of picks. The picks would have been moved for players who could play more cohesive style of hockey than we can ever hope to receive from Bouchard. Picks that could have bought the commodity of cap space.

And we would still have Holloway and Broberg. It's no enigma I valued Broberg as a player for the Edmonton Oilers franchise. I will never forgive the Oilers for not matching the offer sheet or "proactively handling the player differently." That's just the way it is.

 

[LTIR]

Think physical response is a pretty big concern.

Other teams continue to take liberties on our players, would've thought after McDavid got slashed that guys would step up but they didn't.

Walman's response got us nothing but a 2min penalty.
We need physical initiaters and Frederic/Kane will give us that. It's not really as big a concern as goaltending

 

[LTIR]

Bouchard has to be sheltered because teams take advantage of his slow-footed lack of awareness and less than deliberate predisposition. These are real tendencies and they are not going away.

The opposition, good teams with quality players and coaches, caple of implementing a strategy around taking advantage of the Oilers shortcomings... they play a different game when Bouchard is on the ice, to be fair to the player, some of it is defending his passes but most of it is getting the puck behind him or altering the forecheck AND to get the Oilers to alter their coverage.

Bouchard's defence partner needs to utilize different positioning for a variety of reasons. To play to the center of the ice to defend the net while getting ready to close out the gap or to defend the pass. Ekholm has worn himself out playing with Bouchard. Ekholm has to avail himself to so many more difficult situations while partnered with Bouchard.

The center has to alter his positioning adeptly to the positioning of the defencemen. As you know, once the center alters their positioning everyone has to alter their positioning.

What a headache for one player. He isn't gifted enough for all the pain and suffering he causes. I don't agree with the Bouchard crowd.

In my perfect hockey world Bouchard would have been moved during the offseason after his near record breaking point production in the playoffs.

I would have moved Bouchard without hesitation or regret. For a tremendous return. A top prospect and a bunch of picks. The picks would have been moved for players who could play more cohesive style of hockey than we can ever hope to receive from Bouchard. Picks that could have bought the commodity of cap space.

And we would still have Holloway and Broberg. It's no enigma I valued Broberg as a player for the Edmonton Oilers franchise. I will never forgive the Oilers for not matching the offer sheet or "proactively handling the player differently." That's just the way it is.

Bouchard is a good player based on his current salary and we can work around his short comings. Bouchard at 10M per would be a punching bag here fairly quickly. He will get chased out of town if the rumored/projected salary demands are accurate.

 

[Dan Kelly]

By my eye the Stars scored two goals on their first two scoring chances and 4 goals in their first 6-7 scoring chances. What a batting average. I mean just make a stop. This game was illustration that if Skinner just makes one more stop that its a completely different result.

It's 6 of 1 and a haft dozen of the other....the D can't be leaving people open, especially when the D is considered to be "veteran" but jeezuz Skinner make a damn save!! Guy has played more like a sieve this year than a starting goalie and Pickard has out played him this year ! On a side not, the Oilers FINALLY recalled Rodrigue and I hope he gets a chance to show what he can do.

 

[joestevens29]

Bouchard is a good player based on his current salary and we can work around his short comings. Bouchard at 10M per would be a punching bag here fairly quickly. He will get chased out of town if the rumored/projected salary demands are accurate.

He's a punching bag at his current salary

It really can't get any worse for the guy

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

This is exactly it Keith. It is a tale of two orgs as well. Stars draft well.

The Lowe comments and that arrogant audacity. Its around the time I stopped buying tickets.

If this org just accrued all the assets that fell right into their lap they would have had a dynasty during the McDrai era. I mean just retain guys like Hall, Eberle, Perron and along with Nuge, McD, Drai just run with that. But this org always has brighter ideas.

Prior to McDavid's arrival the Oilers would consistently throw their first round pick to the wolves and expect them to flourish. It's easy to forget because of the player he is now but I remember Drai's rookie year being rife with him being in and out of the lineup and barely producing despite the obvious expectations. They wasted a year of his ELC on him because they kept waffling on whether or not to send him back before finally cutting the cord.

They got all gooey eyed when JP fell to them without considering for a second that the GM from Finland, someone who would have a keen idea about the player, opted to pass on him. There's a good chance whatever their original plan was, was probably the correct one.

And consider the players we've drafted over the years for our first round picks: Gagner, Plante, the other guy from 2007 that I don't remember, MPS, Hall, Eberle, Yakupov, Yamamoto, JP.... Basically every single one of those players eventually turned into zippo for the team. Eberle became Strome became Spooner (lol) became Gagner became nothing. Hall became Larsson who became nothing. Even putting aside feelings about the players, turning two legitimate top six wingers into thin air is awful stuff.

 

[LTIR]

He's a punching bag at his current salary

It really can't get any worse for the guy

He has a large number of fans due to his numbers and production last playoffs.
It will certainly get worse for him here after his next deal.

 

[GMofOilers]

What did Kulak say after the loss in New Jersey after the oilers outshoot the Devils 19-4 in the 3rd period scoring 1 goal and taking an 2-1 lead only for not my fault to let in 2 goals from the point and taking another loss.

“We just got to do a better job of not letting pucks get to the net”

If that wasn’t a dig at not my fault I don’t know what is

 

[joestevens29]

He has a large number of fans due to his numbers and production last playoffs.
It will certainly get worse for him here after his next deal.

You do realize the vast majority of hockey fans don't even know what guys are making?

They just see a player and either like him or hate him based on his play. They aren't breaking down numbers the way people do on this site

 

[Dieseloil]

I think I have a solution! Stu can grow his moustache until it becomes so large that it fills the entire net. That might take a few years, so we'll just need to exercise patience...

His Stache is still young, it will have growing pains.

 

[Sanchez]

 

[LTIR]

You do realize the vast majority of hockey fans don't even know what guys are making?

They just see a player and either like him or hate him based on his play. They aren't breaking down numbers the way people do on this site

I'm sure most true hockey fans are aware of salary cap implications. Canadian fan bases tend to have a lot of true fans.
We just need McDavid extended before offering any deal to Bouchard.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Bouchard has to be sheltered because teams take advantage of his slow-footed lack of awareness and less than deliberate predisposition. These are real tendencies and they are not going away.

The opposition, good teams with quality players and coaches, caple of implementing a strategy around taking advantage of the Oilers shortcomings... they play a different game when Bouchard is on the ice, to be fair to the player, some of it is defending his passes but most of it is getting the puck behind him or altering the forecheck AND to get the Oilers to alter their coverage.

Bouchard's defence partner needs to utilize different positioning for a variety of reasons. To play to the center of the ice to defend the net while getting ready to close out the gap or to defend the pass. Ekholm has worn himself out playing with Bouchard. Ekholm has to avail himself to so many more difficult situations while partnered with Bouchard.

The center has to alter his positioning adeptly to the positioning of the defencemen. As you know, once the center alters their positioning everyone has to alter their positioning.

What a headache for one player. He isn't gifted enough for all the pain and suffering he causes. I don't agree with the Bouchard crowd.

In my perfect hockey world Bouchard would have been moved during the offseason after his near record breaking point production in the playoffs.

I would have moved Bouchard without hesitation or regret. For a tremendous return. A top prospect and a bunch of picks. The picks would have been moved for players who could play more cohesive style of hockey than we can ever hope to receive from Bouchard. Picks that could have bought the commodity of cap space.

And we would still have Holloway and Broberg. It's no enigma I valued Broberg as a player for the Edmonton Oilers franchise. I will never forgive the Oilers for not matching the offer sheet or "proactively handling the player differently." That's just the way it is.

Ekholm had his best point and fancy stat metrics with Bouchard

 

[aggressive forecheck]

View attachment 1000585

Where do expect to find a goaltender?

And you know what?

That's the way they want it.

 

[aggressive forecheck]

Ekholm had his best point and fancy stat metrics with Bouchard

The Oilers will never win a Stanley Cup with the player personal and systems arrangement they currently use.

They are built to lose to teams that are built to play a better brand of hockey.

If stomping on teams that probably shouldn't even be in the league is good enough for you then that's that.

 

[RegDunlop]

Listening to GYB and I see the headline of the video is "Open Season in the Oilers Crease" so I think, oh finally their group is going to address the goaltending concerns, and instead it's Rishaug going on a rant about why the team didn't pound the Stars players after Skinner got bumped a few times and that's the big issue with this team. O....k

You know what? For me though that is a huge issue. Hardy Astrom (look him up those of you who have to!) could be in net and you still have to respond. Once again we're a candy ass team. FTR I'm mostly talking about SS on Picks. The ones on Skinner I could see both sides but the rush on Pickard was a total lack of respect and / or consideration of outcome. Sam Steele should be spending a week in Sherwood Park nursing his owies after that. ...Not with this team tho

 

[Drivesaitl]

It’s amazing how much they have wagered on the back of Skinner. McDavid and Draisaitl’s cup dreams, McDavid signing an extension, etc- all so they don’t hurt his feelings. Remember the narrative when Campbell was sent down “Skinner will be better because now he doesn’t have the mental roadblock of Campbell in his way”. lol.

Jack Campbell, the year Skinner took over and Campbell was considered “unplayable” had a .888 save %. Skinner has a .894 and in an untouchable. Make it make sense

The other thing I consider is how short a runway Campbell got here especially in his 2nd season. Sent down after mere games and never really considered after that. The same org that buried Campbell threw the keys at Skinner. Unfortunately I think it was a local player optics thing and the org always wanted it to be Skinner. Its like Campbell was the 5M doormat for the org to say they tried. Skinner has endless runway, despite being a worse goalie than nearly anybody he's been here with.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You know what? For me though that is a huge issue. Hardy Astrom (look him up those of you who have to!) could be in net and you still have to respond. Once again we're a candy ass team. FTR I'm mostly talking about SS on Picks. The ones on Skinner I could see both sides but the rush on Pickard was a total lack of respect and / or consideration of outcome. Sam Steele should be spending a week in Sherwood Park nursing his owies after that. ...Not with this team tho

Game has changed. Coaching has changed too. You won't see much of that sort of thing in 2025 under Knob. That said the knock on Skinner wasn't dirty, and thus little response. There was some response on the Pickard run but also considering the Oilers needed PP's and getting the goals than getting the revenge.

The Oilers haven't afforded themselves any runway for taking liberties. They still need some wins.

 

[RegDunlop]

Old Struddy must have forgot what an awful defender he was. Guy was so bad that he was afraid to pursue a puck into a corner because he knew damn well he didn’t have the mobility to get back to the front of the net after he got walked. He’d just stand off to the side of the net waving his stick and hoping for the best. This guy couldn’t carry Bouchard’s jock. Never mind Nurse or Ekholm.

Oooph!