WCF | GM1 | Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars | 7:30PM CT | TNT

[Coffey]

Hughes is better than Heiskanen.

Don't troll our new Texas friends, Drug.

 

[Kcb12345]

As long as you're not including the Dman who just set the record for most points through 2 rounds.

And 3 of his teammates he spends the most time with are also there right with him. Almost like a team with no depth is relying on their top guys for everything

Heiskanen being only 7 points behind with no McDavid or Draisaitl or top end PP unit is crazy. Plus he's miles better defensively.

 

[AvroArrow]

View attachment 874835

Why is this such a popular narrative I keep reading?

What Edmonton has are the 2 most elite forwards in the game, and currently the top 4 scorers in the playoffs.

A historically high PowerPlay
The Stingiest PK


The only thing that the Stars have better is goaltending and a better 3rd line. The Oilers are significantly better at everything else.

Evaluate the rest of the forward group, mainly RNH + Hyman, without McDavid. Or for arguments sake, straight up trade Hintz for McDavid, 1 for 1, how comfortable are you with the rest of the Oilers group ?

While those guys are good players they rely heavily on McDavid, Dallas has last change and 3 forward lines capable of playing against McDavid. The Oilers top pair can only be out there against 1 line, Ceci/Nurse is going to get ate alive (most likely)

Edmonton has the 2 best players in the series, Dallas has a significantly stronger blue line, significantly better goaltending, significantly better depth/depth scoring. They have 9 50+ point players, Edmonton has 5, Dallas players produce individually, they aren't being propped up by anyone.

Dallas is also significantly stronger than any team the Oilers have played against so far, the series vs Vancouver went to 7, Stars are another animal.

Considering Dallas gets last change, they are going to make it a nightmare for McDavid, they will always have fresh legs to play against his line.

I think Dallas takes both home games, gets a split in Edmonton, wins in game 5.

If Edmonton can get good goaltending they have a chance, but based on what we've seen through 2 rounds, I don't think anyones optimistic about their goalies.

 

[zar]

Hughes is better than Heiskanen.

Right?

Hughes is “better” than Heiskanen.



I would take Heiskanen over Hughes every day of the week.

 

[GreeningOil]

And 3 of his teammates he spends the most time with are also there right with him. Almost like a team with no depth is relying on their top guys for everything

Heiskanen being only 7 points behind with no McDavid or Draisaitl or top end PP unit is crazy. Plus he's miles better defensively.

Lmaoooooo name a player that doesn’t do well when other star players are playing well.

The Oilers certainly have had depth chip in some goals this far.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Evaluate the rest of the forward group, mainly RNH + Hyman, without McDavid. Or for arguments sake, straight up trade Hintz for McDavid, 1 for 1, how comfortable are you with the rest of the Oilers group ?

While those guys are good players they rely heavily on McDavid, Dallas has last change and 3 forward lines capable of playing against McDavid. The Oilers top pair can only be out there against 1 line, Ceci/Nurse is going to get ate alive (most likely)

Edmonton has the 2 best players in the series, Dallas has a significantly stronger blue line, significantly better goaltending, significantly better depth/depth scoring. They have 9 50+ point players, Edmonton has 5, Dallas players produce individually, they aren't being propped up by anyone.

Dallas is also significantly stronger than any team the Oilers have played against so far, the series vs Vancouver went to 7, Stars are another animal.

Considering Dallas gets last change, they are going to make it a nightmare for McDavid, they will always have fresh legs to play against his line.

I think Dallas takes both home games, gets a split in Edmonton, wins in game 5.

If Edmonton can get good goaltending they have a chance, but based on what we've seen through 2 rounds, I don't think anyones optimistic about their goalies.

So Dallas has a significant edge as long as McDavId and Draisaitl aren't on the ice for 40-45mins a game.

Good to know!

 

[Mez]

Stars are cleary the favorites...but people are underrating the Oilers. I expect a long series.

 

[snag]

Lmaoooooo name a player that doesn’t do well when other star players are playing well.

The Oilers certainly have had depth chip in some goals this far.

Hopefully you get the reference....didn't want to leave chum laying around

 

[Coffey]

Hopefully you get the reference....didn't want to leave chum laying around

Spoiler

LETS GO PETEY!! LETS GO PETEY!! LETS GO PETEY!!

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Hey guys!

Apparently this Dallas Stars team is way better than the cup winning Pengiuns team if they remove Crosby and Malkin.

They're also a way better team than the Cup winning Hawks, if they remove Kane and Keith.

And you're not gonna believe this, but if the Lightning got rid of Hedman and Kucherov, they would have beat them in the finals a few years back.

 

[1specter]

View attachment 874835

Why is this such a popular narrative I keep reading?

What Edmonton has are the 2 most elite forwards in the game, and currently the top 4 scorers in the playoffs.

A historically high PowerPlay
The Stingiest PK


The only thing that the Stars have better is goaltending and a better 3rd line. The Oilers are significantly better at everything else.

The bolded is every year though? Edmonton almost always wins the battle in top end forwards, hasn't stopped them from getting bounced by more well rounded teams.

Regarding special teams you are not wrong, but matchups impact that a lot. Colorado and Vegas (both teams that bounced the Oilers the last two years) have lethal rosters especially Colorado who had both a good PP/PK this season and was the highest scoring team in the league. Kings and Canucks don't have the same level of firepower or as well-rounded rosters. Stars themselves have a good PP.

As for the last paragraph that's just false. Bouchard has been excellent but I take Dallas defense over Edmonton's all day, and the forward lines 1-4 are better balanced than Edmonton's as well, though Hintz is missing game 1 which is an advantage for Edmonton. Silovs alone almost stole the series for the Canucks, and Oettinger is on another level.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

The bolded is every year though? Edmonton almost always wins the battle in top end forwards, hasn't stopped them from getting bounced by more well rounded teams.

Regarding special teams you are not wrong, but matchups impact that a lot. Colorado and Vegas (both teams that bounced the Oilers the last two years) have lethal rosters especially Colorado who had both a good PP/PK this season and was the highest scoring team in the league. Kings and Canucks don't have the same level of firepower or as well-rounded rosters. Stars themselves have a good PP.

As for the last paragraph that's just false. Bouchard has been excellent but I take Dallas defense over Edmonton's all day, and the forward lines 1-4 are better balanced than Edmonton's as well, though Hintz is missing game 1 which is an advantage for Edmonton. Silovs alone almost stole the series for the Canucks, and Oettinger is on another level.

They got bounced by the cup winning teams that also had elite talent. You know.. the same thing that happened to the Stars the past few years.

 

[HighLifeMan]

I suspect the depth of the Stars will force Knoblauch into a situation of having to stack his top line as the series moves forward. If I am the Stars I am also focusing heavily on forcing (a potentially injured) McDavid into shooting situations and relying on Oetinger to win that battle. Even though McDavid is the clear catalyst, I don't think he has the ability to score at the level he's accustomed to at the moment. He has 19 less shots on goal through 12 games than he did last year.

 

[1specter]

They got bounced by the cup winning teams that also had elite talent. You know.. the same thing that happened to the Stars the past few years.

Not sure how that contradicts what I said but ok. McDrai turns up every playoffs, this isn't anything new. Eichel was the leading scorer for Vegas last year with 26 pts in 22 games, Draisaitl this year has 24 in just 12 games. Edmonton has generally lost the battle on depth scoring, defense and goaltending. Those are areas where the Stars are better.

 

[kingsholygrail]

So far all the home teams in the conference finals have lost.

 

[archangel2]

Stars are cleary the favorites...but people are underrating the Oilers. I expect a long series.

nope. Maybe 5 games

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Not sure how that contradicts what I said but ok. McDrai turns up every playoffs, this isn't anything new. Eichel was the leading scorer for Vegas last year with 26 pts in 22 games, Draisaitl this year has 24 in just 12 games.

Eichel is elite and way better than any forward on the Stars.

But they had Selke Finalist and Norris Finalists in Stone and Pietrangelo, while also exploiting a well-documented flaw in our systems play.

 

[1specter]

Eichel is elite and way better than any forward on the Stars.

But they had Selke Finalist and Norris Finalists in Stone and Pietrangelo, while also exploiting a well-documented flaw in our systems play.

Eichel is great but that's big stretch, Hintz and Eichel have had similar production for the last 3-4 years, and Hintz also put up Eichel numbers himself last playoffs, though he has struggled a bit more this year (and is clearly playing through some injuries).

Heiskanen is a legitimate franchise defender who should get more recognition but gets overlooked, he had a Norris worthy season despite the obsession with Hughes and Makar. They may not have a Mark Stone on the team, but they have plenty of other high end forwards and Oettinger is a better goalie than Adin Hill.

 

[Satan]

nope. Maybe 5 games

Could be 3 games in my opinion

 

[Brookbank]

Almost everything is in favor of Dallas, went with Stars in 5. Edmonton will need consistently good goaltending if they want a chance to win this series, I just don't see it happening given Skinners track record so far. Stars also have 3 lines they can roll out, I don't know Edmonton is going match that.

Wouldn't surprise me if they could get fore past Skinner on most nights

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Go Stars!!! ️️️️️️

 

[CornKicker]

And 3 of his teammates he spends the most time with are also there right with him. Almost like a team with no depth is relying on their top guys for everything

Heiskanen being only 7 points behind with no McDavid or Draisaitl or top end PP unit is crazy. Plus he's miles better defensively.

brett kulak has more points than any d man not named Heiskanen.

 

[Brookbank]

Evaluate the rest of the forward group, mainly RNH + Hyman, without McDavid. Or for arguments sake, straight up trade Hintz for McDavid, 1 for 1, how comfortable are you with the rest of the Oilers group ?

While those guys are good players they rely heavily on McDavid, Dallas has last change and 3 forward lines capable of playing against McDavid. The Oilers top pair can only be out there against 1 line, Ceci/Nurse is going to get ate alive (most likely)

Edmonton has the 2 best players in the series, Dallas has a significantly stronger blue line, significantly better goaltending, significantly better depth/depth scoring. They have 9 50+ point players, Edmonton has 5, Dallas players produce individually, they aren't being propped up by anyone.

Dallas is also significantly stronger than any team the Oilers have played against so far, the series vs Vancouver went to 7, Stars are another animal.

Considering Dallas gets last change, they are going to make it a nightmare for McDavid, they will always have fresh legs to play against his line.

I think Dallas takes both home games, gets a split in Edmonton, wins in game 5.

If Edmonton can get good goaltending they have a chance, but based on what we've seen through 2 rounds, I don't think anyones optimistic about their goalies.

This idea that Dallas is significantly better or deeper than the Canucks on D or in depth is a bunch of poppycock.

 

[Avs2022]

As an Av's fan, let's go triple overtime!

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Getting your narratives crossed up. If the Oilers beat Dallas in less than 7 there will be a reckoning about how good Vancouver was (with its 3rd string goalie. Who is being overrated)


Let's see if the Oilers can have a lead in a series for the first time since round 1.

They finished last round with a lead didn’t they?