WCF: Edmonton Oilers vs. Colorado Avalanche ( Avs lead 3-0 )

[JoeSakic13]

Nurse is a good complimentary defenseman but he's too bad in his own end. He needs a solid defensive pairing

Exactly my thinking as well. Likewise with Byram (and Girard for that matter) being best to pair with a guy like Manson.

I don’t hate it, it’s all debatable is my point, it’s not as clear cut as some are saying. The one thing that is 100% true though is Colorado has a better dcore overall and Toews and Makar are the clear cut best.

The more interesting debate though is, forwards wise, I’d say McDavid is #1, MacKinnon/Draisaitl can be debated as #2 with Ratanen at 4 and then a bunch of guys after that mixed together. That said the 3rd and 4th lines for Colorado are better however, depending on how well McDavid and Draisaitl keep playing, that could close the overall gap at forward.

Colorado is a better team for sure. Imo Edmonton is a better team than St Louis.

I would currently have it as:

1 - McDavid
2 - MacKinnon
3 - Draisaitl (clearly injured)
4 - Kane
5 - Kadri
6 - Landeskog
7 - Rantanen (he’s been a disappointment this playoffs)

 

[Avsfan1921]

I've really liked Byram this year when he's played. I've been bullish on him since his rookie year and thought he should have played over Nemeth last year and that him sitting helped to cost us the series vs the Knights. But his health is still a concern, Kassian and Kane can both hit like a truck and that scares the hell outta me with Bo. If he misses extended time in this series the Avs defense goes from a strength to average. The Avs are structured so that quick transition is a necessity and if both he and Girard are out that would be crippling. That would leave us with our last two elite puck movers, and they both play on the same pair.

 

[SwedishFire]

Kadri is going to pwst McDavid, and Landwskog probably gonna be a pest for Draisaitl. So Kane and Hyman better love scoring goals here. I hope Kane is heating up again.

 

[Draicycle]

Exactly my thinking as well. Likewise with Byram (and Girard for that matter) being best to pair with a guy like Manson.



I would currently have it as:

1 - McDavid
2 - MacKinnon
3 - Draisaitl (clearly injured)
4 - Kane
5 - Kadri
6 - Landeskog
7 - Rantanen (he’s been a disappointment this playoffs)

Switch up 2 and 3, not sure what you're thinking there, and then 4 and 5...Kadri (it's time for his yearly suspension) had an unreal year.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Exactly my thinking as well. Likewise with Byram (and Girard for that matter) being best to pair with a guy like Manson.



I would currently have it as:

1 - McDavid
2 - MacKinnon
3 - Draisaitl (clearly injured)
4 - Kane
5 - Kadri
6 - Landeskog
7 - Rantanen (he’s been a disappointment this playoffs)

Draisaitl is injured but he has gotten better as the playoffs have gone on, but even then, MacKinnon has 13 points in 10 playoff games this year, Draisaitl just put up 17 in 5. Id say for sure they are interchangeable. I’d also have how Hyman is playing with that grouping, and based on how Ratanen has played thus far, Hyman might be 7th on that list, 8th at worst.

I’d say Edmontons high end right now has been succeeding over Colorados, but Colorados depth has shown up far more.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Switch up 2 and 3, not sure what you're thinking there, and then 4 and 5...Kadri (it's time for his yearly suspension) had an unreal year.

I’m thinking that I would take a healthy MacKinnon in this series over an injured Draisaitl. Healthy it would easily be Leon 2nd, but seeing his edgework in the second round shows he’s in a fair amount of pain.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I’m thinking that I would take a healthy MacKinnon in this series over an injured Draisaitl. Healthy it would easily be Leon 2nd, but seeing his edgework in the second round shows he’s in a fair amount of pain.

And even then he had a historic playoff series. He might be healthy now after the rest, especially how much better he looked every game.

 

[JoeSakic13]

And even then he had a historic playoff series. He might be healthy now after the rest, especially how much better he looked every game.

That may be, but if I was building a top line with McDavid tommorrow I would take MacKinnon over Draisaitl. You’re free to disagree, but that’s how I ultimately see it.

 

[soothsayer]

Draisaitl has 17 points in his last 5 games, even with his injury. He's clearly playing at a level well above MacKinnon. I think a lot of Avelanche fans are going to be a little surprised at just how dominant the Oilers top players are playing in the playoffs. No Flames fan (or genius experts) saw it coming. And if the Avelanche players aren't ready for pretty much unprecedented performances, they're going to get torched just like the Flames did.

 

[snag]

That may be, but if I was building a top line with McDavid tommorrow I would take MacKinnon over Draisaitl. You’re free to disagree, but that’s how I ultimately see it.

I would have loved to have seen if the chemistry was there at the Olympics.

f*** covid.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Draisaitl has 17 points in his last 5 games, even with his injury. He's clearly playing at a level well above MacKinnon. I think a lot of Avelanche fans are going to be a little surprised at just how dominant the Oilers top players are playing in the playoffs. No Flames fan (or genius experts) saw it coming. And if the Avelanche players aren't ready for pretty much unprecedented performances, they're going to get torched just like the Flames did.

I think the Avs coaching staff and players have definitely taken notice. Won't be taking it easily like the flames.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Draisaitl has 17 points in his last 5 games, even with his injury. He's clearly playing at a level well above MacKinnon. I think a lot of Avelanche fans are going to be a little surprised at just how dominant the Oilers top players are playing in the playoffs. No Flames fan (or genius experts) saw it coming. And if the Avelanche players aren't ready for pretty much unprecedented performances, they're going to get torched just like the Flames did.

Back to the topic of where the D matches up, how many guys from the LA Kings (with an injured Doughty) and Calgary Flames defensive core do you even have making the Colorado top 6?

Yes the Oilers top guys are going to still be powerhouses, but they’re facing a much different defense this round.

 

[soothsayer]

I think the Avs coaching staff and players have definitely taken notice. Won't be taking it easily like the flames.

Agreed. I assume this is true. The Flames got high on their own hype. I doubt Colorado does the same. (Plus, their coach actually matches lines lol.)

 

[John Mandalorian]

Lots of really hot takes in here.
Everyone was expecting Calgary to crush in 4-6 games, a team that was the 2nd best team defensively all year.

This is going to be a close fun series between two high flying teams. Should Colorado win this series? Most likely. But saying it’s going to be an easy 4 game sweep or shit is ridiculous. Edmonton is a better team right now than people are giving them credit for. Good enough to beat Colorado in a series? Probably not. Good enough to take them to 6/7 games? Absolutely.

On the contrary. Tons of people are giving Edmonton credit. So many people are giving them credit, they must certainly be betting favorites by now, right?

 

[bobbythebrain]

I’m thinking that I would take a healthy MacKinnon in this series over an injured Draisaitl. Healthy it would easily be Leon 2nd, but seeing his edgework in the second round shows he’s in a fair amount of pain.

17 points in 5 games. A record. What a horrible take

 

[Bank Shot]

Back to the topic of where the D matches up, how many guys from the LA Kings (with an injured Doughty) and Calgary Flames defensive core do you even have making the Colorado top 6?

Probably all of them? Jack Johnson is not a great player.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Back to the topic of where the D matches up, how many guys from the LA Kings (with an injured Doughty) and Calgary Flames defensive core do you even have making the Colorado top 6?

Yes the Oilers top guys are going to still be powerhouses, but they’re facing a much different defense this round.

Took them to OT 2x and pounded them once. You're overstating again

 

[JoeSakic13]

Probably all of them? Jack Johnson is not a great player.

Lol congrats, you faced defenses better than one of our depth Dmen.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Probably all of them? Jack Johnson is not a great player.

I think Murray will replace jack johnson before long. And Murray was rock solid.

 

[Bank Shot]

Lol congrats, you faced defenses better than one of our depth Dmen.

Maybe don't boast that no players from other teams can crack your top six when your top six contains at least one pumpkin?

I don't really see the point in making ridiculous claims.

Calgary was better defensively than Colorado during the regular season, and LA was tied with them.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Then maybe don't boast that no players from other teams can crack your top six when your top six contains at least one pumpkin?

If the fact that you faced teams with defenses good enough to crack our depth D is something you want to hang your hat on? All the power to you.

 

[Bank Shot]

If the fact that you faced teams with defenses good enough to crack our depth D is something you want to hang your hat on? All the power to you.

You made a ridiculous statement that was easily debunked.

Woe is the Oilers facing the best D-core ever assembled.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

If the fact that you faced teams with defenses good enough to crack our depth D is something you want to hang your hat on? All the power to you.

Dont post " how many guys from the LA Kings (with an injured Doughty) and Calgary Flames defensive core do you even have making the Colorado top 6?" and then get upset when he calls JJ trash.

 

[soothsayer]

If the fact that you faced teams with defenses good enough to crack our depth D is something you want to hang your hat on? All the power to you.

Lol take it easy dude. You're talking as if the Avelanche's D is the 2014 Canadian Olympic team's. Oilers fans have been watching your team too, and we know they have a good defense roster. But not that good.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I’d say Byram is good and has a great future but is a little overrated and based on his usage gets more props than maybe deserved at the moment (it won’t be a contest later though) I have Toews and Makar better than all the Oilers, then Nurse, then maybe Ceci based on his play this year, then Byram, then Kulak and then the rest of Colorado and then the rest of the Oil.

I wouldn’t sleep on EJ and Manson, who have really stepped it up recently after sub-par regular seasons.

Ceci is one of the most underrated defenceman left in the playoffs Imo. From what I’ve seen, he’s been Edmonton’s best defenceman in the postseason.