WCSF: Game 4 - Edmonton Oilers vs Vancouver Canucks, 7:30pm, ESPN

[Dust]

Oilers coach has not even played in the minor leagues, his coaching record mostly consists of junior leagues, Canucks coach has an NHL career that has 952pts and 2972 PIMs in 1144 GP, with one Cup as a player and two as Assistant Coach.

I think those sort of reflect their coaching philosophies. One has been in the trenches, and one hasn't.

Have you actually looked at Tocchets record as a Head Coach though? It's not flattering. This is his 2nd playoff appearance in his 8th season as a head coach. His other appearance was in the covid shortened season where his team was 11th in the conference but got in because they had the play ins. He's obviously learned from his prior experience, but he's not some coaching savant either.

 

[Maria Sharapova]

2 things that are for certain, McDavid leaving the oiler after this contract and the oil "only needing league average goaltending" to win this hockey game.

 

[thaman8765678]

The league will pull out all the stops to win Edmonton this game. They already handed out a crazy suspension.

I am expecting at least 5 pps for the Oilers.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Have you actually looked at Tocchets record as a Head Coach though? It's not flattering. This is his 2nd playoff appearance in his 8th season as a head coach. His other appearance was in the covid shortened season where his team was 11th in the conference but got in because they had the play ins. He's obviously learned from his prior experience, but he's not some coaching savant either.

He’s obviously matured as a coach. Look at the pre season predictions for the Canucks and the fact that they’re winning without their top goalie. He has total buy in and even benched Miller and Joshua when they played poorly at the start of the season.
He’s got them playing as team and standing up for each other.
Foote and Gonchar and the rest of the staff also deserve a lot of credit.
I think Edmontons coach has done a good job in his first year as well.

 

[JAK]

Have you actually looked at Tocchets record as a Head Coach though? It's not flattering. This is his 2nd playoff appearance in his 8th season as a head coach. His other appearance was in the covid shortened season where his team was 11th in the conference but got in because they had the play ins. He's obviously learned from his prior experience, but he's not some coaching savant either.

Different teams, different players.
NHL coaching isn't about what you have done historically, it's about what you have done lately.

Canucks under Tocchet.
118 GP. 70W-23L-9OTL in Regular season.
9 GP. 6-2-1 in Playoffs.

 

[thekernel]

What do the gambling odds makers know that we don't? Oilers are -200.

If I'm not mistaken, the oddsmakers are merely reacting to the market. They don't know any more than we do, in theory

 

[Coffey]

Hoping for the Canucks to steamroll this one trick pony Oilers team and light Pickard up like the tree at Rockefeller Center.

f*** it, bold prediction time. 6-2 Vancouver.

Been a close series so far.
This indeed is bold.

 

[Zanon]

Zach Hinelicker should not be playing an NHL hockey game tonight.

 

[Artemi Panarin]

2 things that are for certain, McDavid leaving the oiler after this contract and the oil "only needing league average goaltending" to win this hockey game.

hear, hear

 

[JAK]

This indeed is bold.

I'll give you a bold prediction!

A team will outscore the other tonight

 

[CornKicker]

Their game plan is to play McDrai 30 minutes, score on the PP, shelter the Ceci-Nurse pairing who are a combined minus 14 and have the bottom six skate around for a few minutes to give McDrai a rest.
The result will depend entirely on whether McDrai are able to dominate enough to offset the depth advantage that Vancouver has. They did in game 2 but not in games 1 and 3.

the oilers drastically need nuge/kane and whatever winger they put there to score (hopefully holloway). which in the back half of the season they had sucess with, if they dont i kind of agree with your assessment

 

[Coffey]

I'll give you a bold prediction!

A team will outscore the other tonight

 

[innitfam]

Been a close series so far.
This indeed is bold.

I agree, it has been very close. Trying to make a ballsier prediction rather than playing it safe with a 4-3 prediction lol

Zach Hinelicker should not be playing an NHL hockey game tonight.

Who the hell is that?

edit: Oh, it's Hyman lol. I thought there was some random call-up with a weird ass name I knew nothing about

 

[strattonius]

Have you actually looked at Tocchets record as a Head Coach though? It's not flattering. This is his 2nd playoff appearance in his 8th season as a head coach. His other appearance was in the covid shortened season where his team was 11th in the conference but got in because they had the play ins. He's obviously learned from his prior experience, but he's not some coaching savant either.

He was coaching the Coyotes and probably got more out of that team than most coaches could.
He's won 2 cups as an assistant coach; and is the frontrunner to win the Jack Adams this year.

He has completely changed the culture and identity of the Canucks in a positive way. He is getting full buy-in from his players and is currently one of the best coaches in the league. No one said he's a coaching savant but to deny where he is at in his career right now would be argumentative.

 

[drax0s]

Hope I'm wrong, but I think the Oilers take it tonight. Too many factors leaning in their favor. Backs against the wall, fresh goalie and refs likely trying to cool off a series that just got a bunch of media attention for a suspension. Probably a lot more penalties tonight compared to the previous games and the Oilers pp is deadly.

 

[Zanon]

Hope I'm wrong, but I think the Oilers take it tonight. Too many factors leaning in their favor. Backs against the wall, fresh goalie and refs likely trying to cool off a series that just got a bunch of media attention for a suspension. Probably a lot more penalties tonight compared to the previous games and the Oilers pp is deadly.

They should be more the desperate team. We’ll see. I’m just glad it’s not the Canucks who are down 1-2.

 

[Pure West]

A lot seems to be tipping in the Oilers direction for a win tonight. They will be desperate, Soucy is out, but most importantly I don't doubt that the refs are going to call this tight to prevent it from getting out of hand after last game. This to me equals lots of special teams play which won't work in the Canucks favour. If McDrai have to play 40 minutes instead of just 30 tonight I have no doubt they will. The mental change in goaltending will probably be a boost too, not like Pickard is going to shut out us or anything though.

Anyways, I'm prepared for bad results tonight but I am still confident that coming home 2-2 after McDrai have had the wheels played off of them works well in our favour overall.

 

[JAK]

What if Knoblauch change his goalie after every stoppage in play? Would that provide enough rest time for McBaby and Crysaitl to play 40 minutes?

 

[Coffey]

I'm super jealous of Canucks goaltending situation for almost the last 20 years.
Luongo, Schneider, Miller, Markstrom, Demko.
Pretty crazy.

Let me show you what the powerhouse Oilers had in the same period of time

Garon, Deslauriers, Khabibulin, Dubnyk, Scrivens, Bryz, Fasth, Talbot, Brossoit, Gustavsson, Smith, Koskinen, Skinner.

We are basically the Coyotoes goalie dumping ground.

 

[olafsson]

Canucks need to get an early goal to rattle Pickard. He’s fresh, new and inexperienced. The guy is under tremendous pressure to perform with an entire City behind him. Edmonton is all out of answers and will have to rely on their power play and playing McDrai all game long.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

Have you actually looked at Tocchets record as a Head Coach though? It's not flattering.

Can you guess the players?

 

[Angry Little Elf]

I'm super jealous of Canucks goaltending situation for almost the last 20 years.
Luongo, Schneider, Miller, Markstrom, Demko.
Pretty crazy.

Let me show you what the powerhouse Oilers had in the same period of time

Garon, Deslauriers, Khabibulin, Dubnyk, Scrivens, Bryz, Fasth, Talbot, Brossoit, Gustavsson, Smith, Koskinen, Skinner.

We are basically the Coyotoes goalie dumping ground.

Ian Clark is a wizard. Even before him we had Rollie Melanson and Benoit Allaire, who are amazing too.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

I'm super jealous of Canucks goaltending situation for almost the last 20 years.
Luongo, Schneider, Miller, Markstrom, Demko.
Pretty crazy.

Let me show you what the powerhouse Oilers had in the same period of time

Garon, Deslauriers, Khabibulin, Dubnyk, Scrivens, Bryz, Fasth, Talbot, Brossoit, Gustavsson, Smith, Koskinen, Skinner.

We are basically the Coyotoes goalie dumping ground.

Kinda weird to omit arguably the best goalie you had with Roloson.

 

[CornKicker]

Ian Clark is a wizard. Even before him we had Rollie Melanson and Benoit Allaire, who are amazing too.

lol 3 goalie coaches? you need steady longevity in that spot, i see your guys but i present to you dustin schwartz

 

[BCNate]

Have you actually looked at Tocchets record as a Head Coach though? It's not flattering. This is his 2nd playoff appearance in his 8th season as a head coach. His other appearance was in the covid shortened season where his team was 11th in the conference but got in because they had the play ins. He's obviously learned from his prior experience, but he's not some coaching savant either.

He is 70-35-13 since taking over the Canucks. That's a real solid record over a reasonable sample size, especially considering where the team was for the last decade before he took over. Tocchet is a nice fit for the Canucks roster. He has the type of players he needs to play in his system.